WASILLA, ALASKA: WHERE THAT LONESOME WHISTLE BLOWS

I had a different picture in mind last night when I launched Sancho from a spot near Clapp Road Crossing. I knew I might not hear the whistle from here but I would hear the clanging of the warning bells and see the flashing red lights as the barriers began to lower. This would give me time to launch and get a picture, but the train is coming fast when it reaches Clapp Road and it might not give me enough time to maneuver Sancho into the position to take the picture I wanted.

Sancho’s official flight time is 31 minutes but in reality, it is a few minutes less than that. Still, I figured that if I put Sancho in his spot and let him hover there was a decent chance the northbound freight while his battery still lived.

I found that spot: 54 feet up and 267 to the north. Sancho hovered. I listened for the whistle. I heard cars and trucks and the whine of mosquitoes. I did not hear a whistle. Sancho flew for 28 minutes and then I brought him back and changed his battery.

I have one extra battery. I feared if I sent Back to his spot hover the battery might die before the train arrived. But I knew where he had to go: 54 feet up, 267 feet to the north.

I planned to launch Sancho the moment the bells clanged.

BUT suddenly the freight came barreling down the tracks - fast. I launched Sancho but before I could fly him to his designated spot, the locomotives charged through the crossing. My planned picture no longer existed. I shot this one instead. 8/1/23