POTD - random

I spent the weekend up in Ottawa, Canada's capitol city, and the last weekend of Winterlude. I even got to walk (too much snow to really skate) on the famous Rideau Canal Skateway.


Canal Skate by Scott Thomas

I even found an old friend there. Remember these?

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I know some of you, like me, are old enough to remember the classic blue-and-orange of race cars sponsored by Gulf Oil. The only thing missing is the horseshoes of their "Kick in the gas" ad campaign.


Classic Colors
 
Lefty Gardner's P-38 Lightning (for some bizarre reason called White Lightnin') is in the middle of a big loop at the 1994 Reno Air Races. After crash-landing in 2001 due to a turbocharger failure, Red Bull bought the plane and restored it to flying condition. It's now flying in Europe, as evidenced by a photo by @jbwolffiv


White Lightnin'
 
The Syracuse Crunch season is winding down. They are not eliminated from the playoffs yet but they are on the outside looking in. This photo tells you all you need to know about the season...close but off the post.

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Last week I posted a shot from the 1994 Reno National Championship Air Races. Here's one from the week earlier, at the Great Reno Balloon Race. If you ever want to spend a week or two in Reno, September has this great double-header of events.


Fly Balloons!
 
Spring high school sports started up this past week. It was a cold but dry and bright so I wasn't complaining. I'm about a month away from getting the Nikon D500 and lacrosse will be its first game.

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Nikon D750/80-400VR, 1/1600s, f/5.6, ISO 560, EV 0, 400mm FL
 
The 100th running of the Indy 500 happens this May. Here are a couple of cars that raced in the 50s: In 1953, Jimmy Davies drove the Kurtis Kraft Bardahl Special to 10th place. In 1959, the white Epperly Bowes Seal Fast Special finished 6th with Jimmy Boyd behind the wheel.


Historic Duo
 
i am horrified looking at the lack of driver protection back then, look how little roll bars progressed in 6 years, the sprint cars of that era were having driver fatalities almost every weekend
 
I had a great time in Reno in 1994. My father and I flew to San Francisco to visit my sister, and the three of us made the trip to Reno for both the balloon and air race weekends.
Here's a really rare bird: A replica Gee Bee Super Sportster R-2 built and flown by Delmar Benjamin. For a plane that had a reputation as a killer in the 30s, it sure flew nicely in the 90s. The next time you're in Orlando, take some time to head a short distance west on I-4 to visit it at the Fantasy of Flight museum.


Gee. No, Gee Bee.
 
I'm very far behind in processing my non-Disney photos. Here's Off Kilter at the Indy Irish Fest in September, 2015. They're coming back in 2016, so you need to visit Indianapolis as a warm-up for Pixelmania.


Just a Little Off Kilter
 
Here's something you don't see every day: A B-52 making a fast pass at the 1989 Reno Air Races. I think this was the only time I saw one flying up close. It's amazing that they've been in active service for over 60 years.


In the BUFF
 
That reminded me of something else you don't see everyday unless you travel with the US Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team.

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From the 2014 Rochester (NY) Air Show.
 
A.J. Foyt is one of the best known drivers in the Indy 500. But not everything he did was perfect. His 1972 Coyote/Foyt car was plagued by engine troubles. He sold the car and it was raced in the 1974 500 by Rick Muther (as it appears here), and only lasted 11 laps.


Howling Coyote
 
It's Qualifying Weekend in Indianapolis. In 1982, Dennis Firestone missed putting this Gurney Eagle on the pole by 20 positions. His race didn't go any better, finishing 27th.


Nothing is New
 
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Eddie Sachs was killed in a spectacular crash at the beginning of the 1964 Indy 500. In 1963, he raced this Watson roadster that has been restored by Joshua Shaw.


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