Eagle's Lair
Members Roster

For images of this, and other days at El Mirage, please go to our Photo Gallery.

June 8, 2006

Ladies and Gentlemen:

With media commitments in Burbank and the closure of the lakebed by the BLM, testing was cut short for our trip to El Mirage. We had planned to make four more runs, but with a regularly schedule SCTA meet in just a few days, there was just not enough time. We came up one run short of testing our Seattle BioDiesel. On the previous day we were preparing to conduct additional test runs, but the weather closed in suddenly and we aborted the run before we could conduct emissions samples on the Seattle BioDiesel. It is still sitting in the fuel tank of the NAE, waiting for our next opportunity to test run the BioDiesel and compare it with the 100% Kerosene used on previous days as a baseline. We will schedule a separate engine run at a local runway as soon as possible.

By 8:00 AM most of the team arrived and we begin the arduous task of breaking down the camp and re-loading the NorWest Trucking / LevX tractor trailer. Libby Wallace and Didi Boyington who had been feeding us all week, broke down all the lunch areas and bundled up the mountains of garbage. Elaine and Rachel Shadle loaded up all the NAE Gear and posters. Meanwhile, a small group of us cleaned up the car and headed out to the middle of El Mirage lakebed to do a photo op.

“Landspeed” Louise Ann Noeth, Tim Finley and Doug Schwartz had their motor drives humming as they took advantage of the beautiful sunny morning with the Eagle on the lakebed. Keith Zanghi shot video for future documentaries. By the time we wrapped, Ed Shadle’s face hurt from all the smiling. Following the photo session, the car was towed back to the camp where we began the workout of loading the car.

Steve Green and his brother Dave loaded up empty barrels of Small & Sons Fuel and Seattle BioDiesel drums on their Eagle Machine, Inc trailer and headed home. Our three Seattle firefighters, Sean Rondestvedt, Rob Martinson, and Mike “The Hulk” Endicott loaded up their pickup with the Central Welding Generator and tons of other stuff and headed back to Seattle. Along with Von Armstrong, it’s nice having these experienced firefighters on the team. Jerry Lamb and Bill Eckberg packed up the LevX Camper Trailer and headed home also.

The rest of us, consisting of Steve Wallace, Bernard McVay, Tim Finley, Jon Higley, Cam Shadle and John Drury stayed to finish loading the car. The process for breakdown was further hampered by all the El Mirage dirt now filling screw holes and covering all the equipment.  By the end of the day the crew was ready for a shower. The last thing we wanted to do was get the inside our rental cars full of El Mirage dust and risk causing permanent damage, so many of the team members headed up to Mayor Callaway’s place, borrowed the garden hose and washed up.

Before heading to Burbank, the team stopped off at Palmdale Plant 42 Heritage Airpark and dropped off a 10 ton floor jack they graciously let us borrow. The team would like to thank Mayor Jim Ledford for his support of Heritage Airpark 42 and working to make it one of the greatest collections of aircraft for everyone to enjoy.

It was early evening by the time the crew rolled into Burbank. After a long day everyone was pretty worn out from the heavy lifting and heat of the hot sun at El Mirage.

Special Thanks

We would like to thank the B&I Marketplace in Tacoma WA that helped make this trip possible. If your in the Seattle / Tacoma area on the week of June 24th, come by and see the North American Eagle™ which will be on display at the B & I Marketplace.

We would also like to thank NorWest Trucking who helped us get to California.

North American Eagle™ fuel was supplied by Seattle BioDiesel which we mixed with Kerosene provided by Small & Sons Oil Distributing in Auburn WA.

We would also like to thank the Mayor of El Mirage George Callaway, Normie, Greg and Bud Jones for their hospitality. We would also like to thank the Got Salt Landspeed Team and Mike Cook for stopping by.

This week of testing just could not have happen with out all the volunteers from the Sidewinders Hot Rod Club, the oldest Hot Rod Club in America.

Stewart Harnick        Ken Walkey       Jamie Kennedy        William Freudiger 

Shane Freudiger       Philip Freudiger  Shawn Buchete        David Thomas

Mark Brazeau          Dean Spencer     Clifton Wheeler        Ed Safarick

Bill Guzenski           Rick Boyle          Ron Main                Ed Horton

Jim Eiden                Ian Mann            Dale Schultz            GK Mann

Don Tubbs               Jack Banul         Mike Waters            Ralph Ramos

Gary Thomas           Ron McCorkle     Dean Livermore        Paul Green

Geff Sandin

For images of this, and other days at El Mirage, please go to our Photo Gallery.

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