Archive for May, 2009

Getting Warmer

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

Mark hovers his helicopter just above the sand.

Mark hovers his helicopter just above the sand.


Mark Indiveri writes:

If you like the beach AND you like to fly helis, I highly recommend a combination of the two. This was a really great flying day, my best so far. Flyin’ ’er over the ocean is a total rush. Plenty of spectators. Some even got fly-overs (against AMA regs!). Watch out for loose dogs! Check out my nose-in hover (last pic).

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Survivor!

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

Recovered Plane. Ike Dahlen holds his algae-camouflaged T-28 Trojan.

Ike Dahlen holds his algae-camouflaged T-28 Trojan.


The ParkZone T-28 Trojan is notable for its brightly bold color scheme: red and white, with some strokes of black.

So it was a surprise to see Ike Dahlen’s Trojan Wednesday when he brought it out to a picnic table.

It was positively scruffy: the bold colors were muted by an overlay of brown and green, an unlikely camouflage scheme.

Was this a paint job, or severe weathering? It looked like brown and green algae.

It is brown and green algae.
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A Jumbo Gopher Snake

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

The gopher snake is decorated with brown, cream and yellow markings.

The gopher snake is decorated with brown, cream and yellow markings.


A group of county workers discovered big gopher snake at Baylands today. It was a beautiful individual, about 4 1/2 feet long, glistening in the warm sunshine.

I spotted it at a distance, a distinctly serpentine form being held by a woman in a blue dress.

After I fetched a camera, I walked over and introduced myself.

Her name was Candy, a teacher. She came to the park Wednesday with two other women and a group of about 10 lively children. The kids were outfitted in bright orange vests so the women could keep track of them.
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Mario’s Artistry

Friday, May 8th, 2009

Mario Alanis holds his handcrafted pusher jet.

Mario Alanis holds his handcrafted pusher jet.


Mario Alanis has built a big foam jet-like plane which flies like a dream.

His planes look like folk art, I thought the other day, admiring Mario’s fleet.

They’re colorful, imaginative, cheerful and bold. They look hand-crafted.

With its bulbous nose, this one slightly resembles a Predator, but it has a different wing shape with more fins and vanes going on. Contrasting with a bright red nose, the camouflage paint job is its own work of art.

When I asked Mario what this plane is modeled after, he shrugged. Its closest reference point is a blue-core foam plane Mario built last year, but he modified the wings and ailerons for his latest design.

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