Surprise Helicopter Ride

A few months ago when Chad and I discussed what we would like to do for our anniversary we opted to do a one night stay-cation here in town since we spent so much money on our backyard basketball court.  Chad then asked if he could plan the whole thing and surprise me.  Of course I said yes, I love to be surprised.  Well Chad planned a helicopter ride for us!!  It was so much fun.  I have to admit that I was pretty nervous.  I read Stephanie Nielson's blog and I worried that Chad and I would be burned in a crash like she and her husband were burned.  Well ...  our flight was perfect and we didn't crash and get burned.  Chad was even nice enough to let me sit in the front seat.  Probably for two reasons--first he knows I've wanted to go on a helicopter ride for a long time and second because when I was air-evaced (not sure how to spell that) from Show Low to Phoenix when I broke my neck in 2009 I was strapped to a board and he thought that flight was so cool except for the fact that he was worried about me of course.  Anyway, here are some of the pictures from our flight.

We saw the fountain in Fountain Hills

Salt River Dam

Fisherman on the Salt River (and my sleeve)

Cool little corrals

Bush Highway

The next three photos are Saguaro Lake Dam

The cliffs of Saguaro Lake

The Canyon Lake Dam, where Canyon Lake and Saguaro Lake meet.

The pilot said the rock on the hill to the left is known as "battleship" rock

A little closer view of "battleship rock"

I was hoping to get a good shot of Weaver's needle, but we were always flying into the sun so there was glare on the cockpit widows.

Going around Weaver's needle

The pilot pointed out that these rocks on top of the superstitions look like a preacher standing at a pulpit preaching to a congregation and then they all turned to stone.  

Here is that same formation up close.  You can see the slant of the pulpit that preacher is standing at. 

The valley of the sun

Rocks on top of the superstition mountain

Going around and over the top of flat iron

A cool house on top of the mountain near Ellsworth Road.  The pilot said no one has ever even moved in there yet.

Coming in for a landing

Our shadow over the orange groves

Back on land, safe and sound!!!