While cruising over Gunsight Peak at about 8,900' (about 4,500' above the valley floor) last Saturday, I was intrigued (and tempted) by a series of dust devils. I noticed them form on the south end of a large plowed field immediately east of the Nucor Steel plant. I watched as they tracked to the north all the way across the field, leaning over, growing taller as they went and leaving behind a lighter "track" in the field. They were obviously traveling slower than the traffic "flying" by on the interstate, but they were still moving at a pretty good clip - maybe 20-30 mph.
My digital point-and-shoot is a bit antiquated and does not have the best resolution, but you get the idea from these images. It was interesting how occasionally 2 or 3 were on the field at the same time, and at one point 2 of them met and combined into one! I also noticed that they would form at regular intervals, so that there was always at least one on the field for a period of about fifteen minutes. Then there would be none at all for a while, then they would start all over again! (It doesn't take much to entertain or fascinate me!)
It was a blue-thermal day on Saturday, so I couldn't really see how high they went. I do recall seeing them a couple of months ago on a day that each dust devil was topped off by a nice little newly-forming cumulus cloud at cloud base! By "connecting the dots" I could visualize how the thermal was leaning downwind.
I was tempted to fly toward the field, come in a couple thousand feet above one, see what kind of lift they indicated, and explore how high it went. I decided I would leave that for another day, as there was a fairly stiff head wind, and I might end up sinking out. Even if that happened, it would be easy to land by the Chevron. Maybe next time!
2 comments:
I dig the photos Matt. I remember riding dusties at the Santa Cruz Flats comp in AZ in May. They were ubiquitous and huge, and I'd watch them slowly spin underneath me. Our sport is really magical when you contemplate it. Cheers.
What other type of aviation can you do where you load your aircraft complete with its own hanger onto the top of your car, haul it to your own private airport, pull it out of the hangar, fly around contemplating dust devils, then land at your own private airport, put the aircraft back into its hanger, then load everything back up on your car and go home! Really nice photos of the dusties Matt. First time I ever noticed the trail a dustie leaves in a field.
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