[HiJinx]

Good Morning Canteeners! Guess who's going to take Aeronaut's lead tomorrow and take wing? Yup, you got it! The HJ family is headed out to visit family somewhere in East Texas, and we aren't coming home until the cows do. Well, maybe not quite that long...ok, we'll be back home a week from Saturday. Until then, we're going to just relax somewhere between Texarkana and the middle of nowhere, where towns' populations are numbered in the low thousands and everybody knows everybody else, where you're always welcomed with open arms to Sunday meeting, and if it wasn't so doggoned hot and humid I might consider staying there... So, with that in mind, let's take a look at some of the ways we might like to get there.

Mrs. HJ is an adventurous soul and suggested we go by balloon. These are floating over the red rock country of Sedona. I reminded her she only has 6 days of vacation, and that wouldn't be long enough to get us to Texas, let alone get home on time.

An air tanker makes a low pass near Oracle, Arizona.
Fast work by firefighters and air tankers saved the town from a sprawling brush fire.
Image © W. "Fireball" Faidley.

AZ Flyboy can't resist the temptation to sit sidesaddle with a slurry bomber pilot. He's hoping they get closer to the houses next time...Dad isn't taking him along if that's what he plans to do all next week. Besides, the fires are in Idaho right now, not Texas!!

F-16 of the 56th Fighter Wing banks right over red rock country

I tend to like fast transport, and the hot fighters of the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB are about as hot as it gets! I'm just going to have to figure out how to get the rest of the family into that little luggage compartment thingie they have under the cockpit...

[MoJo2001]

Oh wow! That is so awesome!! Thank you for posting these pictures. I'll have to post some AZ pictures while your gone. Just so everyone can know that you are here in spirit!! *HUGS* Safe travels to you and your family!! Do you miss me already?? Go ahead! Fess up!! You do,huh? LOL!

[beachn4fun]

I'm just going to have to figure out how to get the rest of the family into that little luggage compartment thingie they have under the cockpit...

Hey Jinxie.....you could take a page out tomkow's book and pull the family behind the jet....But don't you wish we could just go this way?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Cool travelogue pictures today, Jinxie. I used to do some "chasing" with a friend and one day got to go on a short ride. WOW!! So quiet and you can see forever.

Being under one of those slurry tankers is loud, spooky because it's so low, and very sticky (it was in the old days, anyway) if the slurry gets on you. Sounds like a wonderful trip, albeit kinda HOT!