60 Comments

Delightful "Down Memory Lane" article. I have a Down Memory Lane column in our Senior Living community newspaper. I have such fun tracking down folks with spectacular stories never published before. I am working with one resident who has stories about how he grew up with wild skunks as pets. I worked with another resident who told his story about the time he went with his buddies to investigate a cave they had not been to. Trained and avid spelunkers, it was interesting for everyone that he told his story about being stuck in a vertical drop which landed him on a ledge where he could not get back up even with the help of his other two friends. So, they called in a 10 man rescue crew who arrived and pulled him out by a rope with tug of war tactics.

Old folks like we are do have some interesting stories to tell. Thank you, TC for your story.

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The entire Yosemite Valley "from God's point of view" 🦅- that's worth the price of admission, er subscription. What a great story of a great day! Thank you for sharing.

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That right there.

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Wow!! What fantastic memories!! Can you explain the phrase "back up to the pay window" please?

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Too embarrassed to show your face for the "work" you did.

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We always called it “stealing a paycheck”.

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Thank you for asking that! I was wondering what that meant, myself!

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TC, what a wonderful story from your personal archive. Those photos are absolutely incredible.

What a ride that must have been to capture such amazing moments in flight. Thank so much for sharing the story and photos. I love your personal stories!

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What a rush. I don't want to think about this T-37 ride TC took us on. It was all about the rush; the excitement of being up there getting "God's View". I took a few flying lessons years ago and would never make it to pilot status; it's not in my genes, but I love to fly. Thank you, TC.

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I've never seen Yosemite from the air. But, I remember rounding the bend in the road and being astonished by its majesty from the ground. Thanks for the aerial photos and wonderful story. xo

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Boy I'm envious. I drag husband to every air show around and have such a desire to hitch a ride in a "go fast"! How cool you had these opportunities!

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that's very interesting - it's usually "the other way round" as to who drags who to an air show.

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My dad was enlisted AF, returned and completed college, law school and bought a 172 to “get around the state” lol. Spent my childhood flying, passed ground school and lost my nerve to take the throttle. Big mistake! NAS Key West puts on a great show, as does NAS Oceana. *sigh*.

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very cool.

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What a ride that must have been - pictures are fantastic, TC

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Sorry they're not bigger - scanned from slides awhile ago.

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They are great - as they are.

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Welp, we'll just have to go (back) in person 🤗

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Burl wrote up about his ride in the back seat of a HANG F-4C, I think back in the 80s sometime. He said it was a blast and a half, and over way too soon. He had to go the same preflight stuff, getting in a suit and helmet plus how to punch out in case of an emergency. Lucky stiff…

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Damn I still miss him. GET YOUR FLU SHOTS PEOPLE! One of the best guys ever didn't, and he died.

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Are you *sure* the foreground isn't Half Dome? Question from my husband who spent a summer working in the high country of Yosemite.

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You know, you might be right. 40 years of mistaken identity.

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Just...WOW! I know I'd have been terrified but I'm still green with envy (or nausea at the thought of rolling in one of those)!

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Actually, in a barrel roll, centrifugal force tells your inner ear that you're upright and your eyes tell you it's the world that's spinning. which is why that one "upside down" photo is actually "right side up".

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So, if I climb into a hammock, hold on tight, and try to do a barrel roll........ok, not far enough off the ground to get the same effect, but a girl can dream (and get pretty knotted up in the process)! 😂

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I've never seen Yosemite from the air. From the ground, it was a jaw-dropping moment to round the bend and be confronted with such majesty. Thanks for the aerial shots. xo

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Yikes! The pics. The narrative.

Sizzlin’, TC, sizzlin’.

🗽💜

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Holy cow, what a ride…

I always wanted to take such a ride, in fairy-tale land though. When I worked at Langley AFB as a young pup, T-33’s took off right over the building where I worked. Used to daydream about such. Your tale is about as good, thank you!

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Just saw news video of the space craft splashing down in the Pacific upon returning from the Moon. Dejavú all over again! Saw this exact same splash in 1968! BFD!

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Yep! As kids we were paid extra to be airplane or even better, helo pilots. Back in the day we said jets were for kids. Just try to hover in a Phantom!

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I really love to read your stories from our earlier days! Thanks Tom. Semper Fi.

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