The sun came out today, and without clouds anywhere, just some fog down in the lower valleys. So, I grabbed my Cooper 22-250AI, and a couple boxes of ammo. After feeding the horses and building a fire in the wood stove, I set out for town.
I plugged in the oil pan heater about 9:00, there were still a lot of low clouds down in the valley, but they were lifting. I could find a hole, no problem. After plugging in the oil pan heater, I swept off the taxiway in front of my hangar. Then headed to the PO to get a money order in the mail for some bullets from a guy on the forum. When I got back, I loaded my rifle, lunch, water, some extra clothes, ammo and other crap behind the rear seats and strapped it all down. I checked the digital oil temp gauge and it said 54, so I pulled off the blanket and the cabin cover and rolled it out onto the taxiway. Fuel tanks on both, prime 3 strokes, mixture rich, master on, called out "clear" and pushed the starter button.
After the gyos warmed up and I had an attitude indicator as well as a heading indicator, I made my radio call for departure from 14 with a left pattern departure over town. About an hour later I was unloading my gear for my first prairie dog hunt of 2019. It was warm in Utah, much warmer than home at 8400' with still 3' of snow remaining. The sun was shining, it was warm, there was almost no wind, and there they were, prairie dogs 500 yards from my parking spot.
I had forgotten my bipod, it was in the car, but never made it into the 1953 Cessna 180 that would take me to the killing grounds. I used an ammo box, and a pair of gloves for a rest, in spite of that over sight, I still managed to perforate 24 little rodents in the Utah desert.
What a spectacular day, flying, shooting, hiking in the desert, and then flying home.
I plugged in the oil pan heater about 9:00, there were still a lot of low clouds down in the valley, but they were lifting. I could find a hole, no problem. After plugging in the oil pan heater, I swept off the taxiway in front of my hangar. Then headed to the PO to get a money order in the mail for some bullets from a guy on the forum. When I got back, I loaded my rifle, lunch, water, some extra clothes, ammo and other crap behind the rear seats and strapped it all down. I checked the digital oil temp gauge and it said 54, so I pulled off the blanket and the cabin cover and rolled it out onto the taxiway. Fuel tanks on both, prime 3 strokes, mixture rich, master on, called out "clear" and pushed the starter button.
After the gyos warmed up and I had an attitude indicator as well as a heading indicator, I made my radio call for departure from 14 with a left pattern departure over town. About an hour later I was unloading my gear for my first prairie dog hunt of 2019. It was warm in Utah, much warmer than home at 8400' with still 3' of snow remaining. The sun was shining, it was warm, there was almost no wind, and there they were, prairie dogs 500 yards from my parking spot.
I had forgotten my bipod, it was in the car, but never made it into the 1953 Cessna 180 that would take me to the killing grounds. I used an ammo box, and a pair of gloves for a rest, in spite of that over sight, I still managed to perforate 24 little rodents in the Utah desert.
What a spectacular day, flying, shooting, hiking in the desert, and then flying home.
Too much work and time that could be used hunting to keep that bare aluminum looking good. Is your stall 40? Not familiar with the upgrade, carb or injected?
