Nice to be home - Fall 2011

A couple weeks ago I finished up training in Dallas and finally returned home to Chattanooga.  Mel keeps reminding me that it has been about 16 months since I began the new career change. So, for the last two and a half weeks I've been home trying to make up for lost time. My body seems to have taken the hardest hit over the last year and half without much physical activity and is now weak, soft and flabby... While home I've been able to get out with the fam on a bunch fun outings like: bike rides on our new and expanded neighborhood river trail, hikes, soccer practices/games, plus some climbing and mountain biking. A week ago Mel's girlfriend Heather came to town for the weekend. We toured Rock City, watched the raptor show and sampled RC's Octoberfest brew. Last week our good friend Greg Loomis was in town and we were able to boulder at LRC and do a couple nice rides, one on Raccoon Mountain and one on some new trails on Lookout Mountain at a spot called 5-Points near Cloudland Canyon S.P. in GA.  Last weekend the Laeser fam met up with Andrew and Sam Kornylak for a few days of climbing and camping at Sand Rock, AL. We had fantastic weather, camped at a neat spot nestled in the boulders and everyone had an awesome time. Below are some pics from the last couple weeks beginning in Dallas.

After passing my checkride I relaxed at the hotel pool

DFW Embraer 145

Everyone pose for the photos with the peppers!

Backyard harvest

Riding in the trailer is hard work

Ripin it up

Post BMX lunch, Layton's Fav

Heether, Beefy, Mommy and Poochy

Almost loopy at Rock City

Laeser fam and Heather June at Rock City

Map of the trails at 5-points

Loomy pumped up about the new trails at 5-points

Wolf spider, I think, seen during a nighttime boulder sesh at LRC last week

View from the tent at Sand Rock

Sunrise

Akorn shootin some pics of Sam at Sand Rock

Tire swing at Down on the Farm, a pumpkin patch in Rainsville, AL, (near Ft. Payne)

Boom!

Pumpkin envy

Getting sleepy on the way back from the pumpkin patch

North Chickamauga Creek

Over the last couple weeks I've been able to fly home to Chatty for a day and both days we went out for hikes just north of town along the North Chickamauga Creek. This gorgeous spot has some nice trails and a swimming spot locals call the Blue Hole. The hot and dry climate of Dallas is stark contrast from Chattanooga's lushness, which I think these photos illustrate.

Training in Texas

It's been a long time since I've posted anything on our blog because I've been so busy this summer. To summarize: I left my flight instructor job in Atlanta on the 15th of July, flew back to NM for a week, then flew to Atlanta, drove to Jacksonville, FL, where I took a one week regional jet course, then drove to Chattanooga, and finally flew to Dallas on August 1st to start training on the EMB 145/140/135 for my new airline job.

I'm now on my sixth week of training and it's been an amazing experience so far but I'm homesick and ready to move back to Chatty to be with Mel, the kids and even Portie. I'm close to finishing up with only the simulator sessions remaining. Below are some photos from the more exciting non-classroom stuff that we did last week.

What I'll be flying. Shown here is a ERJ 140 in Chattanooga

DC 3 in the CR Smith Museum

Headquarters in Euless, TX

EMB 145 cabin trainer

Other cabin trainers at the pool

Fire extinguisher training

EMB 145 simulator

Side window demo with a couple of our instructors

Colin practicing flows

My hotel room paper cockpit

Inside the sim with a couple of our instructors and below is a video of the sim in action from the outside

Simulator cockpit