The Story of the Albatross

Every time I drive by Deer Valley Airport, I cannot help but look and see what's parked on the tarmac. There are the usual blue-tipped Cessnas and Pipers that belong to the Westwind flight school. If the door of the Atlantic Aviation hangar is open, you might catch a glimpse of a goregeous business or charter jet hiding inside. Heck, you might even see John Travolta's Boeing 707 if you are lucky! Most of the aircraft there are pretty normal though.

However, last year I spotted a very unusual plane parked at KDVT. It was impossible to ignore this gigantic aircraft which was parked in the far corner of the tarmac, as close as possible to the main road.

The aircraft had such an unusual appearance that I had to stop and take a picture of it. I had no idea what it was, but the high-mounted propeller engines and the wheel wells in the side of the fuselage were clear indications that this aircraft was designed for water landings. I wondered why an amphibious aircraft would be parked in North Phoenix, hundreds of miles from the ocean?

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Fast Times at the Tucson Roller Derby

When a friend invited me to attend the Tucson Roller Derby on Saturday, August 28th, I could barely contain my excitement. Ever since I first heard about roller derby, I had been hoping to see this unique event for myself.

For those not familiar with the sport, allow me to explain. Roller derby is an aggressive contact sport in which teams of skaters compete against each other on a flat track course (banked tracks exist but are not as common). The majority of leagues are all-female, however junior and men's leagues also exist.

In a nutshell, two teams of skaters make their way around an oval track in 2-minute heats called "jams." Teams score points when a designated member of each team called a "jammer" passes members of the opposing team. The opposing team can try to regain the lead by blocking the offending jammer. It is a very fast-paced sport where players come in full contact with each other at high speeds.

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Exploring South Mountain Park

Which geologic landmark in Arizona attracts more than 3 million visitors every year, but many Arizona residents have never been there? You may be surprised to learn that it's not the Grand Canyon! I'm talking about South Mountain Park and Preserve.

Located directly south of downtown Phoenix, South Mountain is the largest municipal park in the world. There are more than 50 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails on over 16,000 acres of land.

Like many Phoenix residents, I have driven past South Mountain countless times but never taken the time to check it out up close. That was the case until earlier this year, when I decided to head up there on a whim on Memorial Day. What I found greatly exceeded my expectations!

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Calling All Artists! Submissions Needed

As an amateur photographer, I know how hard it can be for an up-and-coming artist to get their foot in the door. To succeed, you have got to get your name and your work out there to as many people as possible. One great way to do this is by entering juried shows and exhibitions.

How do you find such events? Well, I'm glad you asked because I have heard about four different shows in just the past month! Check them out: 

Sunnyslope Art Walk
Submission Deadline: September 10, 2010
Accepted Media: Original works of art
Submission Fee: $20 before August 20th, $25 after August 20th
Event Dates: Saturday, October 9th, 2010, 5:00-9:00pm
*All work must be for sale*
Website: https://www.facebook.com/sunnyslopeartwalk

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Observing the Perseid Meteor Shower 2010

If you pay attention to the news headlines, you may have heard about the Perseid Meteor Shower this past week. This meteor shower is the result of debris from a comet burning up as it enters Earth's atmosphere. The burning chunks of space rocks leave streaks across the night sky, which are also called falling stars or shooting stars. They appear to originate in the sky near the constellation Perseus, which is where the name comes from.

The shower is visible nightly from July 23rd to August 24th, with the peak viewing hours taking place on Thursday, August 12th between midnight and dawn. Because astronomy and photography are two of my favorite hobbies, and I decided to make a serious attempt to view this year's show.

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