Thai Bumble

While visiting the Royal temples in Bangkok 2006, this half bee half eagle flew by me and did the pollination thing on some foliage. It was the largest bee I had ever seen.

Phuket Island

This is another photo from my first visit to Thailand. February of 2006. This area along the ocean was the scene of the tsunami, Dec. 29, 2004. Thailand wasted no time repairing the damage done. Perhaps the man seated was reflecting on that day and the 5000 plus people who perished.

More From Thailand

One of the interesting things about traveling to unfamiliar lands is the comforting feeling one gets when he or she runs across a familiar piece of Americana. Example given, my first trip to Thailand, February 2006. My then future wife, Chaniya, took me on a boat ride on the River of The King. This is a common destination for those traveling to Bangkok. The ride was very entertaining until some of the water splashed into my mouth from a small rouge wave. I was a bit concerned because of the questionable purity of the water. I remember breaking into a sweat for awhile worrying about the rouge wave exiting my body from the other end with the same ferocity that which it had entered. Never happened! Seeing the familiar Coca Cola sign had that comforting effect I spoke of above.

A Warmer Place

This young lady above is my daughter, Miss Elie. My wife Chaniya was recently home in Thailand visiting her family in the north part of the country. Miss Elie was ready to ride one of the many floats taking part in the celebration known as Loy Krathong. I have never experienced the celebration as of yet but look forward to doing so.

Northern Lights in Prudhoe

This is a photo I took back in 2003. The Northern Lights are not an easy subject to photograph. The ones that appear this far north do not have the wide range of colors and as a rule are pretty much green most of the time. But still fascinating to watch and seem to be alive.

A Loud Brilliance

There are a few sounds that will make a guy stop and take notice, one being a Harley as its rider throttles up. Another example is the sound of a siren or maybe the report from a weapon. The one that always makes me stop and take notice is the rumble of a DC-6 aircraft as it taxis down the runway. It may have just arrived or is preparing to take off. The four powerful radial engines that move this beautiful bird will put any Harley to shame. The rumble vibrates your chest with every turn of the blades.
Working in Alaska has provided me with many opportunities to view these 50’s vintage workhorses. No where else in the United States are aircraft of such a proud heritage flown. They are still used in Alaska although the company which once boasted a large number of DC-6 aircraft, Northern Air Cargo, retired its last DC-6 in September of 2008. It will be on display at the flight museum in Anchorage next year. The building of the Trans Alaska Pipeline was accomplished with the help of the DC-6.
One company in Alaska that still widely uses this aircraft is, Everts Air Fuel Service. They are used to haul fuel to the remote sites in Alaska.
Deadhorse Alaska Airport, which doesn’t sound like much, but it is the hub of the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field complex. A small airport by most standards, but also a busy one. Air traffic comes and goes on a regular basis. Alaska Airlines has a terminal here which accommodates about eight thousand tourist a year, most of which are members of the Princess and Holland America Tours. They either fly in and take a bus down the famous Hall road or come by bus, and leave by Alaska Airlines.
I recently was at the Deadhorse Airport when I recognized the sound of a DC-6 landing and shortly there after taxing to a small fuel dock area next to the Northern Air Cargo terminal. She was the most beautiful DC-6 I had ever seen. Grey and blue color scheme adorned her fuselage. Extremely clean and there was something else about her that was different. She belonged to Everts Air Fuel but there was an extra marking on the nose that I had not seen before. I got a little closer and was thrilled to see the likeness of Howard Hughes, on the nose with the familiar Fedora hat.
I had heard about this DC-6 back in 2001 while I was a Police Officer with the North Slope Borough. I was told that one of the DC-6 aircraft then owned by Northern Air Cargo, was purchased from the Howard Hughes estate back in the early seventies. When they went to pick it up in Nevada, it was stored in a hanger in like new condition. It was like new because it had only 9.5 hours and this plane was built in the mid to late fifties.
I called Everts Air Fuel to get some more info on the aircraft. The gentleman that answered was more then happy to talk about the plane that he affectionately referred to as Bravo-80. I was told that the aircraft was bought by Hughes who wanted it basically as a base line to help him design his own aircraft that was to be used by “Trans Word Airlines,” or TWA. He wanted to make sure that the design for the Constellation exceeded that of the DC-6 which was flown by the competition Pan Am. The original 9.5 hours on this DC-6 had been flown by one of America’s most interesting figures and is a true piece of aviation history.

Randy J. Cole

Brenden Foster, Rest In Peace 1997-2008

I am miserable as I write this. I do not do a lot of posting anymore because of many reasons. But I am compelled to spell out my feelings tonight after learning that the young boy, Brenden Foster, from the town where I served as a police officer for a number of years, passed away on Friday. If you had been following the story about this incredible human being you will feel the loss as I do. I never met him in person, but I wish I had. If you have no idea who I am talking about, just simply google his name. This 11 year old boy was perhaps one of the bravest souls I have ever seen. Pure of heart and soul. In the final days of his life he made a wish, To feed the hungry. Unable to do so himself, those who surrounded him made his wish come true. Thousand have began to feed the hungry and homeless in the name of Brenden Foster. He had one other wish. That he could help save the bees which for unknown reasons are on decline. Packages of wild flower seeds will be handed out at his funeral in an effort to help the cause. What a great kid he was and a shining example he will always be.
I wrote the poem below, “Undaunted” for no apparent reason. I somehow feel now that it is a connection to Brenden and his undaunted spirit. Rest in peace little man!

Randy J Cole