Standing Into Danger: Cloud Land

Friday, October 14, 2022

Cloud Land

Do you like to fly?

I love to fly!

I love Cloud Land, and I break through the cloud deck

with soaring anticipation on every flight I take.

Cloud Deck

Over Lake George, Eastern Rockies Corridor

Colorado, USA

October 5, 2022

Some flights may begin with clear skies or fly through clear skies,

as our flight home from Las Vegas did on October 5, 2022,

but chances are you will fly in Cloud Land at some point.

Heading Home on Southwest

Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran)

Las Vegas, USA

October 5, 2022

I didn't always love to fly.

I used to get sick and throw up a lot.

Then I became increasingly afraid as I experienced multiple episodes of violent turbulence.

My fears began to dissipate after a chance encounter with a U.S. Navy structural engineer

whose specialty was the structural design of navy planes.

I was flying alone to Calgary, and our plane was jitterbugging

up and down and sideways all over the sky.

Everyone, including the crew, was strapped in tightly,

and I was gripping my armrests for dear life.

"Are you scared?" the man sitting next to me asked.

"This is nothing! It would take a lot more than this to knock us out of the sky."

What are the chances I would be sitting next to a U.S. Navy structural engineer?

He calmed me down with lots of information about planes and the physics of flight,

and he showed me a channel from the channel selections available

where I could listen to our pilots talking in the cockpit.

I listened to that channel on every flight for years until the airlines eliminated it.

A U.S. Navy Plane Landing on an Aircraft Carrier

The U.S. Navy is the second largest Air Force in the world,

second only to the U.S. Air Force.

Wikimedia

Now I'm fearless whenever I enter Cloud Land.

I have my eyes glued to the window throughout any flight

not wanting to miss the ephemeral show.

Each cloudscape is unique.

It never existed before, and it will never exist again.

Once gone, it is lost forever.

Terry knows that my shooting photographs out the window

keeps me happily occupied throughout a flight

instead of staring anxiously at the wing and willing the air to flow faster over its top

than underneath it so the plane will stay in the sky.

No Longer Willing the Physics of Flight to Work

Over the Moab Area

Utah, USA

October 5, 2022

Terry does everything he can to secure a window seat for me,

and generously takes the middle seat every time.

He entertains himself playing Spades on his phone.

Terry Playing Spades as We Fly Home

Over Jumbo Springs Wilderness

(which connects to both the southern and eastern sides of Lake Mead)

October 5, 2022

I can't remember a flight in at least 15 years

when I haven't taken a photograph connected with a flight.

I have hundreds and hundreds of photos of airports, planes, employees, and passengers.

Waiting to Board Our Plane (on the right)

Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran)

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

October 5, 2022

The pilot does his walkabout to check our plane before it flies.

Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran)

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

October 5, 2022

Backing Away from the Gate

Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran)

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

October 5, 2022

Up, Up, and Away!

Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran)

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

October 5, 2022

I love the cloudscapes, but I also love the landscapes

on flights between Vegas and Denver.

Because so much of the area is desert or glacier-shaped mountains,

airplanes fly over a geological wonderland.

I watch for all my favorite geological features and snap away.

This time I was rewarded with the sight of Monument Valley.

I have tramped and climbed all over this incredible place.

Iconic Monument Valley

(center of the photograph)

Navajo Tribal Park, Arizona and Utah, USA

October 5, 2022

Here are a few more shots of Cloud Land on our flight:

Below is a cloudscape with towering cumulonimbus clouds,

and a landscape dominated by Navajo Mountain.

Navajo Mountain or Naatsis’áán, Head of the Earth,

straddles the Arizona-Utah border and reaches a height of 10,348 feet/3154 meters.

Navajo Mountain (bottom center of the photograph)

Navajo Tribal Park, Arizona and Utah, USA

October 5, 2022

Cloud Land

Over ‎⁨Kaibab National Forest⁩, ⁨Marble Canyon⁩

Arizona, USA

October 5, 2022

Many of the clouds we encountered on our flight were over Colorado.

Coming over the Colorado mountains and landing on the high plains

is always a bumpity-bumpity ride.

"Time to rock and roll!" I often say to Terry.

Cloud Land and Aspen Gold

‎⁨Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests⁩

⁨Montrose⁩, ⁨Colorado⁩, ⁨USA

October 5, 2022

Cloud Land and Aspen Gold

‎⁨Crawford⁩, ⁨Eastern Rockies Corridor⁩, Colorado, ⁨United States⁩

October 5, 2022

Cloud Land and Aspen Gold

Crested Butte, Colorado, ⁨USA

October 5, 2022

Cloud Land and Glacier-Shaped Mountains

Buena Vista, Colorado, ⁨USA

October 5, 2022

Cloud Land

Lake George, Colorado, ⁨USA

October 5, 2022

Cloud Land

Lake George, Colorado, ⁨USA

October 5, 2022

Dropping Out of Cloud Land

Denver International Airport

Denver Colorado, ⁨USA

October 5, 2022

My Cloud Land photos are for Rain's Thursday Art Date theme Lost

and for Nicole's Friday Face Off this week, I have some faces below.

A Vendor's Wares

Fremont Street, Downtown LasVegas

Nevada, ⁨USA

October 5, 2022

Vibrant Faces

Fremont Street Canopy, Downtown LasVegas

Nevada, ⁨USA

October 5, 2022

Lead Vocalist Rich Embry and Drummer Daniel Conway of Alter Ego

Fremont Street, Downtown LasVegas

Nevada, ⁨USA

October 4, 2022

Lead Vocalist Rich Embry, Drummer Daniel Conway,

and Guitarist Johnny Douglas of Alter Ego

Fremont Street, Downtown LasVegas

Nevada, ⁨USA

October 4, 2022

Lead Vocalist Rich Embry of Alter Ego

Fremont Street, Downtown LasVegas

Nevada, ⁨USA

October 4, 2022

Bass Guitarist Kevin Vecchione of Alter Ego

Fremont Street, Downtown LasVegas

Nevada, ⁨USA

October 4, 2022

Guitarist Johnny Douglas of Alter Ego

Fremont Street, Downtown LasVegas

Nevada, ⁨USA

October 4, 2022

Watching Alter Ego

Fremont Street, Downtown LasVegas

Nevada, ⁨USA

October 4, 2022

Terry and Others Waiting for Our Flight Home

Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran)

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

October 5, 2022

I'm looking forward to visiting around!

Have a great weekend!

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

My next post will be on

Fridayday, October 21, 2022. 🤞

48 comments:

Elephant's ChildOctober 14, 2022 at 12:40 AM
This is a wonderful multi-meme post.
I don't like to fly. I do love clouds. I take my photos of skyscapes from the ground (and have folder after folder after folder of them.) And yes, I am a puker in the air. Motion sickness is not my friend. When we still rode motorbikes I was always afraid I would throw up in my helmet and drown myself.
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Valerie-JaelOctober 14, 2022 at 3:34 AM
I know what you mean! I LOVE flying and always have a window seat to watch and take photos. Clouds are fascinating! Have a great day, stay well, hugs, Valerie
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Alex J. CavanaughOctober 14, 2022 at 4:22 AM
Cool shots. The world is so surreal from the sky.
Not a fan of flying. Don't hate it, but really don't like it. I did hate the cattle-car aspect of it enough to try first class and now I'll never go back.
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JeffOctober 14, 2022 at 6:44 AM
I don't mind flying, but I have come to detest flying commercial. I haven't flown since March 2020 (when I came back from Austin, TX through nearly abandoned airports as we entered the shutdown phase of the COVID pandemic). When I lived in Cedar City, UT, I flew a lot and often would fly in and out of St. George UT. There is nothing quite like flying into the old airport there which was up on a mesa on a hot summer afternoon. As you descend, the heat rising from the Mojave would give you a real rock and roll experience in those little 30 seat turboprops. Once, we safely landed and noticed two large wreckers at the end of the mesa pulling up a small plane that had been blown off!
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Debra She Who SeeksOctober 14, 2022 at 6:53 AM
I love cloudscapes too! I remember the first time I was ever above the clouds -- I was 19 (nearly 20) and on my first airplane flight (to Quebec City). So marvelous! I got to see sunset and lightning flashes in the clouds. Most memorable trip of my life!
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SandiOctober 14, 2022 at 10:09 AM
Beautiful blue on the plane! Wow.

I don't believe in coincidences. You were meant to meet that Engineer. 😊

It is impossible not to look cool with a microphone stand in your hand. I think I am going to start taking one with me wherever I go.
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My name is Erika.October 14, 2022 at 11:07 AM
What a fun post. I can somewhat relate. I can't say I was ever afraid of flying, but I am much less anxious now that my husband taught me about planes. His Dad worked for Delta. A family friend used to fly for Pan Am (remember them?). My husband doesn't design planes but he does design runways so he has to know all about planes to do that. You took some super shots from the sky. I have seen the northern lights from a plane, and also the polar ice pack. But these are much more specific and I can relate to them. And I like Southwest too. Flew them my last 2 trips. Happy FRiday. Glad you had a fun time in Vegas and made it home too. hugs-Erika
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ChristineOctober 14, 2022 at 11:18 AM
Nice work for the challenges, I hate flying actually but sometimes unavoidable.
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JeanieOctober 14, 2022 at 12:41 PM
I can't say flying is my favorite thing but I will say that you're spot on about the beautiful cloud formations -- and your photos sure do emphasize that! I like Southwest -- never had bad service with them!
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Pat HattOctober 14, 2022 at 12:43 PM
Sure do get some awesome shots up in the air, or sitting waiting to go up in the air haha When you have things explained to you it can open up your mind a bit more and let the fear seep out. Do I mind flying? No. Do I mind getting the rather umm large person squeezed up against me or going through the rigmarole of the airports and boarding and waiting and all that stuff...you can probably surmise the answer to that. haha I'll stick to driving and road pics.
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TomOctober 14, 2022 at 4:39 PM
...there was once a time when flying was fun, but for now it isn't. I loved to look out the window and see the earth's designs laid out for me. But now I'm happy to be a homebody and enjoy the simple things that surround me. I'm glad that you had a fun time and returned safe and sound.
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MarthaOctober 14, 2022 at 5:38 PM
What an amazing encounter, Louise, to chat it up with U.S. Navy structural engineer. I'd enjoy having a conversation with someone like that. And my husband even more so! I love traveling and that involves flying, so I had no choice but to just get on with it. My first plane ride was at the age of 7; an age where planes falling would never cross my mind. I loved it then, and although I know more now, I still love to sit next to the window and be in awe of it all. I'm just so amazed being above the clouds. It seems like a whole other world. I also feel exhilarated during the take-off and landing. Oh, how I adore your cloud images. They are beautiful!
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Soma @ InkTorrents.comOctober 14, 2022 at 6:19 PM
Great that you sat beside a U.S. Navy structural engineer and got over your fear. The view out the window is always so amazing. I love to take those photos too.

-Soma
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Andrea @ From The SolOctober 15, 2022 at 9:08 AM
Oh you and I have so much in common ... I don't think I ever gave the flight sky a name, but I love the clouds while up there and while on the ground. My files are loaded with sky shots. I have been to Denver International and Harry Reid(though I am quite certain it wasn't called Harry Reid when I was there) airports. Those pictures are not in my computer, however, as they were back when you got prints from your camera. Heaven only knows where I have stashed them. Flightscapes as I will call them are wonderfully entertaining and help pass the time on a long flight (20 from here to Bangkok). I love watching sunrises and sunsets from up there as well. I was in my 20's before I flew anywhere and, like you, I was very nervous at first. I wasn't lucky enough to sit next to a U.S. Navy structural engineer, I just had to learn from experience that I probably wasn't going to die today :) This was a great post, Louise ... Loved every picture and all of the commentary :)

Andrea @ From the Sol
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sirkkisOctober 15, 2022 at 11:02 AM
Gorgeous photos from the air; thank you a marvelous flight ;))
And what beautiful face jewellery, and fun facies.
Happy weekend xx

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NatureFootstepOctober 15, 2022 at 2:16 PM
to answer your question, yes, I like to fly......when I have a windowseat so I can watch where I´m going. :) I love to watch clouds and mountains from above. Also love your faces for this week. I think the first one in the upper row is my favourite :)
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CloudiaOctober 15, 2022 at 8:55 PM
I agree with you! I love to be in cloudland. In fact, I live in a high-rise and being in Honolulu. I have wonderful skies all the time. Sometimes I'm in the cloud! Thanks for swinging by fellow cloud fan
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David M. Gascoigne,October 16, 2022 at 5:13 AM
As for flying, I neither like it nor dislike it. If it's something I have to do, I do it. What I really dislike are delays, getting bumped because the airline oversold, time spent in airports, and the very long flights when I go to Asia or Australia.
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Carola BartzOctober 16, 2022 at 11:14 AM
I used to love flying when I was younger, but not anymore. Let me be a more precise here - I dislike the time spent in airports, delays and all the stuff happening before you even enter the plane. The flights itself are okay as long as they are under 6 hours. Those long flights back home to Europe are not that much fun, but unfortunately there is no alternative.
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RichardOctober 17, 2022 at 3:37 AM
Thanks for the great story. I have only been on an airplane one time. It was a good experience. It was a short flight, from Utah to Phoenix az. I always wanted to see what the clouds looked like. It was amazing to see this country from that perspective.
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NoaOctober 17, 2022 at 5:17 AM
Me encantan las fotografías del cielo...
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roentareOctober 18, 2022 at 4:18 AM
Love your aerial photos including these wonderful landscape!
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bailiOctober 18, 2022 at 5:12 AM
what a magical sharing dear Louise .
i never rode a plane but walking on cloudbed is common for me yes via my imagination :)oh i love it ,sometimes while raising my both hands for prayer i feel like i am sitting above on cloudbed ,closer to my creator whispering in his ears for the goodness of all my fellow existents .
how amazing that you met a navy pilot who shared his knowledge with you about physics of planes and your fear vanished away that is so nice because such phobia restrain from enjoying life in many ways ,i am thankful that i have no phobia now that makes me feel liberated ,i used to be afraid of deep water for years since i witnessed death of little girl by sinking in our local stream .
to be honest this is impossible to give away window seat for me either lol and if it is of plane it is worth to fight for lol
i share your childlike passion for the life and greed to grab pleasure from each butterfly of moment in hands :) i share your attitude towards life ,i too more live like it is my final day and i have to "feel" it's unique beauty asap!
your sky shots are breathtaking my friend! specially one with cloud and glacier wow looks like an art work !
hope you both are doing fine health wise dear friend!
hugs and blessings!
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BrendaOctober 20, 2022 at 10:25 AM
My husband and I have always travelled by sea mostly, sometimes by plane. The sea journeys have been four to five week ones when we were going to live in another country, and have been absolutely beautiful for us. On one of the plane journeys we did to Canada we experienced a big drop because of the weather, and it was not nice. There was a choir on the plane and they started singing the Lord's prayer. We arrived at our destination on time.
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Rain October 21, 2022 at 4:50 AM
Louise! What a great post! I love all of your photography. I'm certainly a cloud lover, but from terra firma lol....I AM like you WERE. I don't think any physics talk to talk me into flying at this point in my life though, and I'm sure I'm missing out on a lot. I'm quite content watching the clouds from the Earth. But your story and photos somehow make me want to soar up there for a while!! ☺☺♥
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