{"id":9092,"date":"2013-10-15T11:52:03","date_gmt":"2013-10-15T16:52:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fitzvideo.com\/sky_surfing\/?p=9092"},"modified":"2013-10-16T13:14:36","modified_gmt":"2013-10-16T18:14:36","slug":"cowboy-country-a-flight-to-foraker-oklahoma-by-brian-fitzgerald","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/2013\/10\/15\/cowboy-country-a-flight-to-foraker-oklahoma-by-brian-fitzgerald\/","title":{"rendered":"Cowboy Country – A Flight To Foraker, Oklahoma by Brian FitzGerald"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Real Deal<\/h4>\n

Authenticity<\/strong> is a rare<\/strong> commodity. The world<\/strong> is full of fakes<\/strong> and phonies<\/strong>. The undisputed capital of the planet when it comes to fakery, “the unreal”<\/em>, manufactured reality is\u00a0Tinseltown<\/strong> (aka Hollywood). “The Dreamweavers” have<\/em>\u00a0prided themselves on their ability to sell<\/b>\u00a0sows ears<\/strong> as silk purses<\/strong>. They delight<\/strong> in fooling<\/strong> the eye, the ear and consequently the minds<\/strong> of millions<\/strong>. Knowing this, one would not be penalized<\/strong> for assuming<\/em> everyone<\/strong> there<\/strong> and everything<\/strong> about<\/strong> Hollywood<\/strong> is false facades, micron thick, gold plated jewelry, snake oil and pot metal flim flam<\/strong>… But, as in all generalities, there are exceptions<\/strong> that break the rule…<\/p>\n

Foraker, Oklahoma<\/h4>\n

In July of 2013, I made a Fun Flight<\/strong><\/a> to Pawhuska, Oklahoma<\/strong><\/a>. \u00a0On the return flight<\/strong> from “The White Haired One<\/strong><\/a>“, after a long stretch of seemingly endless prairie<\/strong>, I spied a town (village would be more accurate)<\/em> like none I had seen before. I passed by at about 300′ AGL<\/strong> and could see no one stirring, no store, no gas station, no school, just a collection of family dwellings<\/strong> and a nicely kept Church<\/strong>. I decided I should probably visit<\/strong> this village sometime. After doing some research,<\/strong>\u00a0I discovered the name of this town was Foraker<\/strong><\/a>. This was the surname<\/strong> of a famous Ohio Senator<\/strong> of the era. That fact<\/strong> in itself was interesting<\/strong> but not compelling<\/strong>. What closed the deal\u00a0for me was discovering<\/strong> that\u00a0Rodeo Champion<\/strong> and Oscar-Winning Actor Ben Johnson<\/strong> grew up on a ranch just outside Foraker<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Ben Johnson<\/strong> was The Real Deal<\/span>.\u00a0Awarded the\u00a0Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association<\/a>‘s Team Roping World Champion<\/strong>\u00a0Belt Buckle in 1953<\/strong>, he was inducted into the PRCA Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame<\/a> in 1979<\/strong>. Ben<\/strong> grew up on the range<\/strong> with horses<\/strong> and cattle<\/strong> and knew them as well as any cowboy<\/strong> ever did. His Dad, Ben Johnson Sr<\/strong>. was a noted Osage County Rancher<\/strong> and Rodeo Champion<\/strong>. So Ben Jr.<\/strong> was a chip off the block. In 1943 <\/del>1939,\u00a0Ben<\/strong> was brought to Hollywood<\/strong> to work horses for Howard Hughes<\/strong><\/a> during Howard’s<\/strong>\u00a0Film Making<\/strong> phase. For years Ben<\/strong> took care of the horses<\/strong> and then later got into some stunt<\/strong> and “stand in” work.<\/p>\n

(CORRECTION 16 Oct 13<\/strong>: An Eagle Eye Award<\/strong> goes to Paula Vitaris<\/strong>, author of The Web’s<\/strong> definitive Ben Johnson Fan Blog<\/strong><\/a>. Using many validating sources<\/strong>, she informed me Ben<\/strong> first went to Hollywood<\/strong> in 1939 – not 1943<\/strong>. Thanks, Paula!)<\/em><\/p>\n

The story of Ben’s<\/strong>\u00a0“discovery”<\/strong>\u00a0is as good<\/strong> as any\u00a0movie script<\/strong>. \u00a0The short of it is that after Ben<\/strong> made a dramatic on-set<\/strong> rescue<\/strong> of a wagon of actors<\/strong> who’s team of horses stampeded<\/strong>, Director John Ford<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0gave him his first\u00a0speaking role<\/strong>. The camera loved Big Ben (“Son”)<\/em><\/strong> – as did his fans<\/strong>. More HERE<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Used by permission of The Oklahoma Historical Society<\/strong><\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

The Old West<\/h4>\n

A large part of the\u00a0fascination<\/strong>\u00a0I have with flying to small towns<\/strong> in Kansas<\/strong> and Oklahoma<\/strong> is the ability to step back in time<\/em> these places permit. I grew up watching Cowboy Movies<\/strong> and TV Shows<\/strong>. They taught us right<\/strong> and wrong<\/strong>. They were fundamentally<\/strong> “un-self-conscious”<\/em> in defining how a man<\/strong> should conduct<\/strong> himself. They provided positive<\/strong>, uplifting role models<\/strong> for young men<\/strong> that have been sadly eliminated since The 60’s Leftist Takeover<\/strong> of Hollywood<\/strong> and Madison Avenue<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

There is only so much<\/strong> a screenwriter can bring to a story. The bulk<\/strong> of a good story teller’s art is incorporating <\/strong>in his story what is fundamental<\/strong> to a place – revealing its heart<\/strong>. As a Film Director<\/strong>,\u00a0The Great John\u00a0<\/strong>Ford<\/strong> gave us panoramic<\/strong> visions\u00a0of The West’s Great Majesty<\/strong>. He knew how to use the grandeur<\/strong> of the landscape<\/strong> to reveal the greatness<\/strong> of the men<\/strong> in his movies.\u00a0While reading about\u00a0Ford’s<\/strong> discovery of Ben Johnson<\/strong>, it was obvious to me his perception<\/strong> for landscape was also in full force<\/strong> when choosing talent<\/strong> for his films. With\u00a0Ben Johnson<\/strong>, he saw standing in front of him The Old West Incarnate<\/strong>. While John Wayne<\/strong> and others were actors<\/strong> who learned to play Cowboys<\/strong>, Ben<\/strong> was a Consumate Cowboy<\/strong> who learned how to act<\/strong>. I decided I<\/strong> must visit<\/strong> the area that produced this Icon of America’s Golden Age<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Daybreak<\/strong> knocking, the Sky Surfer’s Ride<\/strong> awaits another Adventure<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Red Sky At Morning<\/h4>\n

The old weather homily<\/strong> entered my mind as moments after takeoff<\/strong> I snapped these next two shots of the rising sun<\/strong>. I actually took about six more<\/strong> but rather than overwhelm<\/strong> you with all of them, I am reining myself in<\/strong> to present the best<\/strong> of the group. Unfortunately<\/strong> this would be the last time<\/strong> I would see Ole Sol<\/strong> until the end of the flight.<\/p>\n

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From 600′ AGL. Derby, Kansas<\/strong><\/a> to the left, Mulvane, Kansas<\/strong><\/a> to the right and The Arkansas River<\/strong><\/a> are in the foreground.<\/p><\/div>\n

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\u00a0“Flat Lighting”<\/h4>\n

I flew on for about 20 minutes<\/strong> not being able to take pictures. There was plenty to see but the scene below<\/strong> was just not lit well enough<\/strong> to work for me. If you want to be a decent cameraman<\/strong>, you learn to see what the camera “sees”. Even as high as their resolution<\/strong> is getting, cameras still don’t have the resolving power<\/strong> of the human eye. This would probably be better stated as “the human vision system”<\/em> rather than the eye itself. Bicameral vision<\/strong> enters into the equation as well as cognition<\/strong> but without getting way off track, suffice to say one has to make allowances<\/strong> for photography that engages the viewer. In a controlled setting<\/strong>, such as a studio or inside a building,\u00a0we enhance<\/strong> photography through the use of artistic lighting<\/strong>. In an “un-controlled”<\/em> setting such as when The Sky Surfer<\/strong> wanders the sky looking below for targets of opportunity<\/strong> – he gets what he gets<\/span>. That day the landscape below suffered from\u00a0“flat lighting” <\/em>which basically means\u00a0the light is diffuse<\/strong> and of fairly low intensity<\/strong>. The problem<\/strong> with this type of illumination<\/strong> is that it does not<\/strong> produce a well defined<\/strong> image. Most of the day for my Flight<\/strong> to Foraker<\/strong> was in flat lighting<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

My path took me to the West Side<\/strong> of Winfield, Kansas<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Approaching the Winfield, Kansas Fair Grounds<\/strong><\/a> from 1,000′ AGL looking South<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Winfield, Kansas<\/strong><\/a> from 1,000′ AGL looking East<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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A while after leaving the Winfield<\/strong> environs I was out on The Prairie<\/strong>. I saw this stone quarry<\/strong> I have passed before.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Then I passed through an area having many<\/strong>\u00a0interesting bluffs<\/strong> crowned with stones<\/strong> like this one.<\/p><\/div>\n

Approaching A Settlement<\/h4>\n

The next two shots showed telltale signs of human occupation<\/strong>\u00a0in the distance (if you know what to look for).<\/em>\u00a0I was tracing a gully along a slow rise. Because I was so low<\/strong>, I wasn’t sure if it was Foraker <\/strong>ahead.<\/p>\n

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Looking Southeast<\/strong> from 200′ AGL<\/strong>, I see a small water tower<\/strong> and a grouping<\/strong> of trees<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Closer. Now at 75′ AGL still looking Southeast<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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It was Grainola, Oklahoma<\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>another small settlement<\/strong> I will visit in the future. From 100′ AGL<\/strong> looking East<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Grainola<\/strong> is 6.5 miles from Foraker<\/strong> so I knew I was close to my destination<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0Foraker Is Found<\/h4>\n

Interesting was the way both Grainola<\/strong> and Foraker<\/strong> featured small forested areas<\/strong> on their Northwest<\/strong> corners. Also in common were the relatively\u00a0small cylindrical water towers<\/strong> used in rural areas<\/strong>. I decided to make a circuit<\/strong> around the West<\/strong>\u00a0and South<\/strong>\u00a0of the village. Then I would make some low “recon”<\/em> passes over a field on the East<\/strong> side of town I had identified<\/strong> as a potential landing strip<\/strong> from a Satellite Map<\/strong><\/a>. I had decided if the field<\/strong> did not look good enough to land on, I would land on the county road<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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A “GlennView<\/a>“<\/strong> on the approach to Foraker<\/strong> from the Northwest <\/strong>from 75′ AGL.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Foraker<\/strong> from 300′ AGL looking Southeast<\/strong>. Even though I wish I would have panned<\/strong> a little more to the right<\/strong> and regardless of the poor lighting, I love this shot<\/span><\/strong> because it covers the entire town<\/strong> with the forest<\/strong> in the fore<\/strong> and the dust trail<\/strong> on the horizon<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Foraker, Oklahoma<\/strong> from 200′ AGL looking Northeast<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Before landing I took this picture looking East<\/strong> over what is simply called 1st Street<\/strong>\u00a0which cuts across Foraker’s South Side<\/strong>. It gives you a good idea of “the great wide open”<\/em> in which Foraker<\/strong> sits.<\/p><\/div>\n

Time To Take A Look<\/h4>\n

After giving it a “once over”<\/em> from about 30′ AGL<\/strong>, I decided to land on the field you see below. The surface was relatively flat<\/strong> but the grass<\/strong> was fairly high<\/strong> and its resistance caused me to come to rest rather quickly<\/strong>. There was only\u00a0trace wind<\/strong> on the surface so I didn’t bother to tie the plane down. I got out, turned off the main fuel tank<\/strong> so the carburator wouldn’t drip<\/strong>, hung my ear muffs<\/strong> on the GPS mount, grabbed my camera<\/strong> and set out about town.<\/p>\n

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The MXL<\/strong> on an empty field East<\/strong> of Foraker Road<\/strong> just South<\/strong> of an oil field supply storage lot<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Obviously I have a fascination with this flying machine<\/strong>. As a photo subject, I find it continuously interesting in a variety of settings<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Walking into town I noticed the juxtaposition<\/strong> of an abandoned\u00a0oil storage container<\/strong> and Foraker’s<\/strong> working water tower<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Walking Tour<\/h4>\n

My plan was to walk<\/strong> through town taking pictures<\/strong> and talking<\/strong> to whomever I might meet. Many of the homes were amalgams<\/strong>\u00a0such as this one. In the foundation the owners retained<\/strong>\u00a0the historic<\/strong> but then upgraded it with\u00a0modern materials<\/strong> for the siding and roof.<\/p>\n

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History<\/a><\/h4>\n

At its height in 1910<\/strong>, Foraker<\/strong> had a population of 415<\/strong> people. Named after\u00a0Ohio’s Sen. James B. Foraker<\/strong><\/a>, the town began in 1905<\/strong> as a Department of the Interior<\/strong><\/a> 160 acre platte<\/strong> next to the\u00a0Midland Valley Railroad<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>(more about this railroad HERE<\/a> & HERE<\/a>)<\/em>. Because it was incorporated before the Osage Nation\u00a0Allotment<\/a>, people who bought the lots sold by the Department of the Interior<\/strong> in Foraker<\/strong> were able to retain their mineral rights<\/strong>. Elsewhere in Osage County<\/strong><\/a>, the Osage Tribe<\/strong> retains mineral rights. At the beginning of 1922<\/strong>, there were 96 producing Oil and Gas wells<\/a> in the Foraker<\/strong> vicinity.<\/p>\n

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A large empty lot. During the oil boom of the 1920’s, Foraker<\/strong> had concrete sidewalks, a water system, two banks, hardware, mercantile, and grocery stores, lumberyards<\/strong>, livery stables, grain elevators, two churches<\/strong>, a school, and various fraternal orders. The Foraker Tribune<\/strong>, the Foraker Free Press<\/strong>, and the Foraker Sun<\/strong>, were published there. (courtesy of Oklahoma Historical Society<\/a>)<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

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Finally I made contact<\/strong> with some residents. These two hombres<\/strong> provided\u00a0The Sky Surfer’s<\/strong> initial greeting.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I admired this fairly new Massey Ferguson Tractor<\/strong><\/a> parked in front of this home.<\/p><\/div>\n

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This home features a walk-around porch<\/strong> and a carriage house.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Behind the home shown above is this stone building<\/strong>. It looks quite old. I could not discern its use.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Years ago I was told the proto-typical<\/em> Ranch Truck<\/strong> is a “Flatbed<\/strong>, Dually<\/strong> with a Headache<\/strong>\u00a0Rack<\/strong>“. Seeing that and the Longhorn Art<\/strong> convinced me this household is in the cattle business.<\/p><\/div>\n

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My second greeting was this little guy<\/strong>. When he realized<\/strong> I did not bring food<\/strong> he walked off. It was a quiet Saturday<\/strong> morning.<\/p><\/div>\n

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An unused hay feeder<\/strong> and an inoperative pump jack<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Remnants of the town’s sidewalk<\/strong> and fire system<\/strong>. This hydrant has the look of\u00a0the 1920’s.<\/p><\/div>\n

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The last railroad<\/strong> through here closed in 1968<\/strong>. On the South<\/strong> edge of town, this car is being used to store hay<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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The United Methodist Church of Foraker<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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Foraker’s<\/strong> remaining Church<\/strong> is in good condition<\/strong> and shows signs of consistent<\/strong> use.<\/p><\/div>\n

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This memorial<\/strong> is on the sidewalk in front of The Church<\/strong>. America’s<\/strong> involvement<\/strong> in both World Wars<\/strong> left many Heartaches<\/strong> in\u00a0The Heartland<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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Large trees<\/strong> provide a welcome shade in the Summer<\/strong> and relief from the (mostly)<\/em> ever-present wind<\/strong>. That Saturday<\/strong> morning the air was uncharacteristically\u00a0still<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Only one home<\/strong> in town appeared to be vacant<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Big Quiet<\/h4>\n

I often point out to My Wife<\/strong> the significant amount of “sub-conscious noise”<\/em> we disregard<\/strong> in modern life. In the Summer<\/strong> where I live, there is the constant low drone<\/strong> of air conditioners often 24 hours a day 7 days a week<\/strong>. In addition, are the intermittent<\/strong> but relatively frequent whines<\/strong> of weed-eaters and leaf blowers<\/strong> and their throatier cousin the lawn mower<\/strong>. Add to that at least 18 hours a day of car and truck tire noise<\/strong>, punctuated by the roaring<\/strong> exhaust of motorcycles<\/strong> emanating from the nearby four lane boulevard South<\/strong> and highway North<\/strong>. Throw in an\u00a0occasional siren<\/strong> from any number of emitters<\/strong>, overflying aircraft<\/strong> of a wide variety<\/strong> and you have an unending din<\/strong> that most people ignore<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

All that is missing in Foraker<\/strong>. I cannot remember ever being in a quieter place<\/strong>. It was deeply relaxing<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In the Cowboy Movies<\/strong> of my youth, I remember being very impressed that the Natives<\/strong> could turn their heads a certain way and hear Buffalo<\/strong> on the move miles away or put their ear to the ground<\/strong> and detect a stagecoach<\/strong> approaching. The movies made it seem like Indians<\/strong> had a 6th Sense<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0Shoot<\/em>, now that I have experienced\u00a0The Big Quiet myself<\/strong>, I don’t think it was any big trick at all. At one point that Saturday<\/strong>, I heard a pickup truck<\/strong>. It seemed<\/span> like it was fairly close. It finally passed town about 15 minutes later<\/strong>. I figure he was going 75 mph. That means I heard him 18 miles away<\/strong>…<\/p>\n

Tour Over<\/h4>\n

After walking<\/strong> the entire village I still had not<\/strong> met any of\u00a0my species<\/strong>. The four-legged<\/strong> denizens of Foraker<\/strong> gave me a half-hearted salute but even<\/strong> they were short<\/strong> in number. I sat down on a picnic table<\/strong> in the playground across the street from The Church<\/strong>. I figured I would see somebody walking their dog<\/strong> or driving by in their car and I could talk to them about\u00a0life<\/strong> in Foraker<\/strong>. It was there, relaxing on the bench, that\u00a0the concept of Big<\/strong>\u00a0Quiet<\/strong> came to my mind. This reverie<\/strong> precipitated me falling\u00a0asleep<\/strong>. I couldn’t have dozed<\/strong> off more than 3 or 4 minutes<\/strong> but when I awoke<\/strong> I actually had a “Rip Van Winkle”<\/em> impression. I swung my head around quickly imagining<\/strong> I had transported<\/strong> to the 1920’s<\/strong>. Alas, it was only in my mind<\/strong>. But, it was real nonetheless. I was in Foraker<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Mission Not Accomplished<\/h4>\n

Thus far in my Foraker Flight<\/strong> I had observed many interesting things<\/strong> \u00a0but still no fellow human<\/strong>. In most of the towns I visit, there is some activity<\/strong> in the morning. Foraker<\/strong> is not like most towns. With no store, barber shop or gas station, there is no typical Saturday Morning Gathering Place<\/strong>. On Sundays<\/strong>, The Church<\/strong> would be busy<\/strong> but for the previous hour and a half<\/strong> that Saturday<\/strong>, I had seen not<\/strong> one person<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

I decided it was becoming\u00a0weird<\/strong> for me to be sitting on their park bench<\/strong>\u00a0much more than the quarter hour<\/strong> I had thus spent. I looked<\/strong> down the street and pondered<\/strong>\u00a0the first house I had\u00a0passed<\/strong> on my tour. There was a car<\/strong> parked in the carport<\/strong> so I figured someone would probably be home<\/strong>. I decided I would knock<\/strong> on the door and introduce<\/strong> myself.<\/p>\n

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Close cousin<\/strong> to the Basic Ranch Truck<\/strong> is the Oil Field Service Truck<\/strong>. This one was parked in front of the house<\/strong> I chose to visit<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Marvin Wickham<\/h4>\n

Providence<\/strong> once again provided<\/strong> the encounter The Sky Surfer<\/strong> needed. As I approached<\/strong> the house I noticed the front door<\/strong> was open<\/strong>. Only a screen door guarded the entry. As I raised<\/strong> my hand to knock,<\/strong> a\u00a0voice<\/strong>\u00a0from within called, “Come on in”<\/em>. I couldn’t see anyone, so for a moment I was a bit bewildered. Sensing my confusion, host Marvin Wickham<\/strong> got up and came to the door<\/strong> with his dog “Rowdy”<\/em>. He beckoned<\/strong> me to sit on the couch<\/strong> inside. It was a pleasant home<\/strong> probably originally built in the 1950’s<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

My first impression<\/strong> of Marvin<\/strong> was that he must be kin to Ben Johnson<\/strong>. He had the same “western look”<\/em> and demeanor<\/strong>. His deep voice, accent, mannerisms and friendliness would have put him with Ben<\/strong> at the top of John Ford’s Classic Old West Casting Register<\/strong>. Marvin<\/strong> said he had seen me<\/strong> walk by the first time but was unaware<\/strong> I had landed<\/strong> my plane on the other side of the County Road<\/strong>. I pointed<\/strong> to the MXL<\/strong> out his front window<\/strong> about two hundred yards to the Southeast<\/strong>. He smiled and said, “Well, whataya know! You coulda landed next to The Church. I gave that property to ’em. Next time you can do that.”<\/em><\/p>\n

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Marvin Wickham – Foraker, Oklahoma<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Since 1958<\/h4>\n

Marvin<\/strong> has lived in Foraker<\/strong> since 1958<\/strong>, moving there after spending time in Sedan, Kansas<\/strong><\/a> and Wynona, Oklahoma<\/strong><\/a>. He had always raised<\/strong> some cattle<\/strong> but worked first as a Cable Tool Driller<\/strong> and then as an Oil Field Service Man<\/strong>. My Wife Debra<\/strong> is a Petroleum Geologist<\/strong> as is her Dad Gus Messinger<\/strong>. Over the last 30+ years<\/strong>, in addition to the Blessing<\/strong> of our Union,<\/strong>\u00a0being around them I have come to know a bit about the Independent Oil Business<\/strong>. Cable Tool Drilling<\/strong><\/a> goes back to the beginning of the 19th Century<\/strong> when it was used to drill water wells<\/strong>. The first documented use was in 1808<\/strong>. It simply involves dropping a chisel<\/strong> repeatedly down a hole, slowly chipping the rock out of the way. It takes enormous patience<\/strong> and skill. In an interesting\u00a0answer<\/strong> to one of my many questions,\u00a0Marvin<\/strong> explained they could actually\u00a0retrieve<\/strong> a tool out of the hole should the cable break<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

When the oil business<\/strong> turned away from\u00a0Cable Tool Drilling<\/strong> in favor of Rotary Drilling<\/strong><\/a>, Marvin<\/strong> left that side of the petroleum business and moved to the Production Service<\/strong><\/a> side.<\/p>\n

Marvin<\/strong> told me early in the 20th Century they called Foraker<\/strong> “Queen of the Osage”<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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Rowdy The Restless<\/h4>\n

We tried for a couple of minutes to get Rowdy The Dog<\/strong> to sit in Marvin’s<\/strong> lap for a pair portrait<\/strong>. He would have none of it. In the media business<\/strong> certain people are ungraciously referred to as “<\/strong>Camera Magnets<\/strong><\/em>“<\/strong>. Eager to gain “Face Time<\/em>“<\/strong>, they are inordinately aware<\/strong> of cameras and ever-resourceful<\/strong> to position themselves in front<\/strong> of any lens<\/strong> they suspect might be gathering light. Rowdy<\/strong> was the opposite<\/strong> – more like “Camera Anti-Matter<\/em>“<\/strong>. Even after I gave up on the staged shot with His Master<\/strong>, if I pointed the camera<\/strong> in his direction he would bolt or turn completely away hiding his face. The shot below was all I could get of the elusive<\/strong> canine.<\/p>\n

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Rowdy<\/strong> of Foraker<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Land Of “Real Deals”<\/h4>\n

It was time<\/strong> for me to go<\/strong> so I bid Marvin<\/strong> and Rowdy<\/strong>\u00a0“Good Day”<\/em>. Marvin<\/strong> walked me out to the edge of his yard. He had been having trouble<\/strong> with one of his legs<\/strong> but volunteered to drive me to the MXL<\/strong><\/a>. I really appreciated<\/strong> the offer but did not want to trouble<\/strong> him for what was to me a 200 yard stroll<\/strong>. Then, circumstances intervened,<\/strong> and The<\/em> Director<\/em> in me suddenly found it necessary to\u00a0prevail<\/strong>\u00a0upon the gentleman<\/strong> to at least walk across the street…<\/p>\n

As we stood<\/strong> on his porch I had made mention of the “flatbed dually with the headache rack”<\/em> parked<\/strong> on the other side<\/strong> of the street. Marvin<\/strong> said that was his oilfield service truck<\/strong>. Well, I just had to have a shot of the two together. Actually I really<\/strong> wanted\u00a0“a three shot”<\/em> with Marvin, Rowdy and The Truck<\/strong> but you know how Rowdy<\/strong> is…<\/p>\n

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City Versus Country<\/h4>\n

When I first\u00a0laid\u00a0eyes on the venerable old Chevy<\/strong>, the big hole<\/strong> in the windshield<\/strong> was to me obviously an all-too-familiar<\/em> example of vandalism<\/strong>. Living around metro areas<\/strong> all my life, I have become accustomed to\u00a0that random\u00a0hazard<\/strong>. Again, this shows how\u00a0general<\/strong>\u00a0assumptions<\/strong> can lead one astray<\/strong>, though…<\/p>\n

When I mentioned to Marvin<\/strong> what a shame<\/strong> someone did this to his truck<\/strong> he said, “No. It was a winch line”<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Apparently one time he was using the “A-Bar”<\/em> winch on the back of his\u00a0truck<\/strong> to pull something out of a drill hole<\/strong>. He pulled so hard at it the steel cable snapped<\/strong> and came whipping<\/strong> over the top of the truck smacking<\/strong> the windshield<\/strong>. Man. That’s Intense! <\/em>Marvin<\/strong> sloughed it off by saying, “It was no big deal. You just have to be careful and you don’t get hurt.” (I didn’t confirm this but I suspect Marvin<\/strong> took the windshield hole<\/strong> as a badge of honor<\/strong> because he never had it repaired…)<\/em><\/p>\n

Oil Field Work Is Dangerous<\/span>. Many men have left digits, arms or gravestones out on The Oil Patch<\/strong>. Having spent the last hour<\/strong> reminiscing with him<\/strong> about his Days On The Patch<\/strong>, I could tell Marvin<\/strong> was<\/span> careful and knew<\/strong> what he was doing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Marvin’s The Real Deal.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Flyover Time<\/h4>\n

I thanked Marvin<\/strong> again for his hospitality<\/strong> and headed back to my Quicksilver<\/strong>. I told him it would be about 20 minutes<\/strong> before I finished preflighting<\/strong>, getting my goggles<\/strong> just right, firing up the GPS<\/strong>, warming up the motor<\/strong> and taking to the air. I would then\u00a0circle to the Southeast<\/strong> and get a few more shots<\/strong> before heading back to Selby Aerodrome<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The wind<\/strong> had risen to about 7 mph<\/strong> on the surface and was out of the Southeast<\/strong>. I took off in the direction<\/strong> of the camera<\/strong> and was airborne<\/strong> before reaching the point I was standing<\/strong> to take this shot<\/strong>. (NOTE: This lush grass is why cattle thrive here.)<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

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There was a little more base light<\/strong> now than when I arrived. This is Foraker<\/strong> from the Southeast<\/strong> at 800′ AGL<\/strong>. Combined with the earlier aerials shot from the North, West and South<\/strong>, with this shot to the Northwest, you get the complete picture<\/strong> how remote Foraker<\/strong> is.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I waved Goodbye<\/em> to Marvin<\/strong> and then shot this telephoto from 1,000′ AGL<\/strong> looking Northwest<\/strong>. Marvin<\/strong> is next to the sidewalk<\/strong> in front of his house. The Church<\/strong> is in the foreground.<\/p><\/div>\n

They’re Back!<\/h4>\n

I always enjoy seeing The Mustangs<\/strong>. I hope you like pictures<\/strong> of them because whenever I come across<\/strong> them on my flights, be assured I will grab<\/strong> the shots<\/strong> I can. This day when I spotted them, I had “caught the wave”<\/em> and was already at 1,500′ AGL<\/strong> to make the most of the tailwind<\/strong>. Having taken many pictures<\/strong> of the herds on previous Fun Flights<\/strong>\u00a0– this day –<\/em> I did not want to drop down in altitude<\/strong>\u00a0for a closer shot because it would cost me too much\u00a0fuel<\/strong> and time<\/strong>. In addition to being too high<\/strong>, the air was relatively turbulent<\/strong>. Nonetheless, I twisted around in my seat<\/strong> and employed my telephoto<\/strong> lens to get the best I could with what the situation presented<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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A small herd congregating at a feeding zone.<\/p><\/div>\n

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A large herd<\/strong> uncharacteristically milling about. Usually when I see them, Mustangs<\/strong> are in constant motion<\/strong>. Typically they move at a continuous trot<\/strong>. How they decide<\/strong> were they are going – and why –<\/em> is anybody’s guess.<\/p><\/div>\n

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After leaving the Wild Horses<\/strong> behind I took this “GlennView<\/a>“<\/strong> so you could see the wide expanse. This is from 800′ AGL<\/strong> looking Northwest<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I noticed to my right, tied up in my flying wires, a stalk of prairie tall grass<\/strong> snagged during my takeoff<\/strong> from the field<\/strong> at Foraker<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Back In Kansas<\/h4>\n
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Nearly 7 miles<\/strong> from the Oklahoma<\/strong> border, just South<\/strong> of Highway 166<\/strong><\/a> is The Cowley County State Lake<\/strong><\/a>. From 500′ AGL<\/strong> looking West<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Interesting Topography<\/h4>\n

I find the shapes and colors of erosion plains<\/strong> interesting to look at from the air. This next series<\/strong> is a good example. These pictures<\/strong> were taken about 7 miles<\/strong>\u00a0Southeast<\/strong> of Winfield, Kansas<\/strong>. Hey! The sun<\/strong> was starting to come out<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

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While writing this piece I noticed<\/strong> the strange white bushes at the lower<\/strong> part of the photo<\/strong>. I can’t remember ever seeing anything like that before…<\/p><\/div>\n

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I believe this is Purple Sage<\/strong><\/a> – as in “New Riders of the<\/a>…”<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0Should I Or Should I?<\/h4>\n

Three letters describe my\u00a0navigation method<\/strong>: GPS<\/strong><\/a>. I have a small Garmin Oregon<\/strong><\/a> that I set for my destination<\/strong>. After that I just follow the arrow<\/strong>. When you fly as low<\/strong> as I do, it is perfect because tree rows<\/strong> and small rises<\/strong> hide the landmarks<\/strong> typically used for pathfinding<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

On the way to Foraker<\/strong> that morning, the GPS<\/strong> was taking me right down the railroad<\/strong> track that separates the Fair Grounds<\/strong> from the Town Proper<\/strong>. On the way home it was taking me right through town<\/strong>. That’s a NO GO<\/strong> for Ultralight Flying<\/strong>. My Rotax 503<\/strong><\/a> – masterfully<\/em>\u00a0rebuilt by Rotax Rick of Florida<\/em> – has been running like a top<\/span>. But,\u00a0<\/strong>Prudence dictates<\/strong> one must always be ready<\/strong> for\u00a0the possibility<\/strong> of an engine failure<\/strong>. If that were to happen, I would hate<\/strong> to “force land”<\/em> in the middle of a town<\/strong> so I always go around<\/strong>. Typically in a situation such as this I would choose<\/strong> the route I had not flown<\/strong> earlier in the day but today I remembered<\/strong> there was action at the Fair Grounds<\/strong>. I decided to cut West<\/strong>\u00a0to trace the railroad track<\/strong>\u00a0again and see if anything new<\/strong> was happening.<\/p>\n

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The South<\/strong> end of Winfield, Kansas<\/strong> bordered by Highway 360<\/strong><\/a>. From 800′<\/strong> looking West<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Highland Cemetery<\/strong><\/a> is the most impressive small town cemetery<\/strong> I have seen from the air to date. It is South<\/strong> of Winfield<\/strong> across the river.<\/p><\/div>\n

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This is as wide as my camera will shoot.<\/em> To the left is the Fair Grounds<\/strong>; to the right is the town<\/strong>. Main Street\/Hwy 77<\/strong>\u00a0meets the railroad at the bottom<\/strong> of the shot. This was from 1,000′ AGL<\/strong> looking Northwest<\/strong>. As I passed by the Fair Grounds<\/strong> again I still<\/span> didn’t see any action. Everyone must have been inside<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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North<\/strong> of Winfield<\/strong> I liked the way the railroad track<\/strong> hugs the river<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Corn Harvest<\/h4>\n

Late Summer<\/strong>\u00a0rain<\/strong> had put a damper<\/strong> on corn<\/strong>\u00a0harvest<\/strong> efforts. Finally it was dry<\/strong> enough that I caught some reaping<\/strong> going on that Saturday<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Corn harvest<\/strong> action 5 miles Southeast of Mulvane, Kansas<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Harvest – Another “Real Deal”<\/h4>\n

There is a theory in Economics<\/strong> that wealth starts with commodity production<\/strong> and that after that initial wealth<\/strong> is obtained, society just “passes that same dollar bill”<\/em> around to make the rest of our transactions<\/strong>. Of course this is a simplification but I do adhere<\/strong> to the general concept. All countries implicitly understand<\/strong> this as they reserve special rights<\/strong> and conditions<\/strong> for farmers<\/strong> and other commodity producers<\/strong>.\u00a0In this flight, this Basic Economic Principle<\/strong> was represented by those drilling<\/strong> into the soil to release Oil and Gas<\/strong> and by those coaxing<\/strong> the soil to provide Crops<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This last series<\/strong> was shot right off the South End<\/strong> of the Selby Aerodrome<\/strong> landing strip. The golden yellow<\/strong> of the corn<\/strong>\u00a0in the bins really caught my eye. If you have not watched a modern harvest team<\/strong> in action before, this set will give you a feel<\/strong> for the scale<\/strong> and complexity<\/strong> of the operation.<\/p>\n

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To the left<\/strong> are two large grain semi-trailers<\/strong> waiting to be loaded. Once full<\/strong>, they will quickly head to an elevator, offload<\/strong> and then return<\/strong> to this field. To the right is a loader<\/strong>\u00a0used to take corn from the combine<\/strong>. They use the loader<\/strong> so the combine<\/strong> never has to stop.<\/p><\/div>\n

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This is the “cutting edge”<\/em> of the team. While the loader<\/strong> was quickly heading over to dump corn into the semi trailer<\/strong>, the combine<\/strong> continued to cut it, separate the kernals<\/strong> from the cobs<\/strong> and then temporarily store it in the bin<\/strong> on top. From the surface perspective<\/strong> you cannot see the grain<\/strong> stored at the top of the combine<\/strong> so this gives you a special view<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I hovered over the area for a while finding the whole process enormously intriguing.<\/em> This composite<\/strong> shows “the end result”<\/em> in the inset on the right as a semi<\/strong> filled with corn<\/strong> leaves for the elevator<\/strong>. In the rest of the photo, we see the combine<\/strong> lining up on another row<\/strong> while the loader<\/strong>\u00a0maneuvers\u00a0to take position<\/strong> next to him to take the overhead load<\/strong> off his hands. They will do this “on the run”<\/em> so as not to waste time or fuel<\/strong>. I will note there is a lot of “cheat”<\/em>\u00a0visible in the part of the field<\/strong> he is attacking next. These weeds (cheat)<\/strong> will be winnowed<\/strong> out by the combine<\/strong> so as not<\/strong> to be part<\/strong> of the final product<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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One more – Straight Down<\/em>!<\/p><\/div>\n

The Final “Real Deal” Of The Day<\/h4>\n

Ultralight Flying<\/span><\/strong>:<\/p>\n

It’s Low and Slow. Stick and Rudder. Seat of the Pants. Wind in Your Face. Riding the Currents. Hangin’ with the Hawks<\/em>. Taking in the whole look, feel and smell of the environment. A Unique, Special Way to Enjoy God’s Good Earth. To me, there is no better way to fly.<\/p>\n

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The MXL<\/strong> finally at rest at the threshold of the hangar<\/strong>. Made richer<\/strong> from another great adventure<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Fun Flight to Foraker.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blue Skies & Tailwinds!\u2122<\/strong><\/p>\n

Brian FitzGerald – Wichita<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Real Deal Authenticity is a rare commodity. The world is full of fakes and phonies. The undisputed capital of the planet when it comes to fakery, “the unreal”, manufactured reality is\u00a0Tinseltown (aka Hollywood). “The Dreamweavers” have\u00a0prided themselves on their ability to sell\u00a0sows ears as silk purses. They delight in fooling the eye, the ear […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,11,1],"tags":[63,49,62,38,36,52,48,25,53,45,22,30],"class_list":["post-9092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fun-flights","category-ultralight","category-uncategorized","tag-ben-johnson","tag-flying","tag-foraker","tag-oklahoma","tag-osage-indians","tag-prairie","tag-quicksilver-mxl","tag-sky-surfing","tag-the-great-plains","tag-the-sky-surfer","tag-ultralight-2","tag-vintage-airplane","category-3-id","category-11-id","category-1-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9092"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9092\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9230,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9092\/revisions\/9230"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

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