Now THIS is a Freeze Fly...
 

Where else but the frozen tundra of Minnesota? It's New Years Day and that means only one thing - well, actually two and those are wall-to-wall college football games on TV and the Minneapolis Piston Poppers' annual Freeze Fly!

Those of us who have become complacent with the global warming phenomena have literally been shocked back into reality this winter. Reality in Minnesota means snow and cold.

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Does it look cold enough?

Temperature when I arrived at the field at 11am was a "whopping" single degree above. The wind chill brought the effect down to an invigorating MINUS 16.

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It matters not what the ambient temperature is since Jeff Lange and Bob Cheney ensure an unlimited supply of piping hot homemade chili and hot cocoa to go around. L-R Keith Sandberg, Wayne Willey, Jeff Lange, Sina Goudarzi.


The goal is everyone puts up a flight then gets to draw from the raffle prizes. The frigid temps made for cantankerous starts which were typically assisted with a generous shot of starting fluid.

The highlight, of course, is guessing what "creation" Norm Andersen would show up with. Past Freeze Fly's he's wowed us with his flying snow shovels, flying candy canes, flying hockey sticks and last year - a set of flying red flannel long johns. We were a bit amused today when he drove up with this:

http://home.comcast.net/~steve.scott...s/p1010916.jpg
Sort of reminded us of that Cox hovercraft toy of some decades ago. Would it really fly though?

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Other flying machines were a bit more suitable for arctic excursions.

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Wayne Willey (L) and Steve Wilk spray a shot of starter fluid into the engine on one of Steve's foamies.

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Bob Cheney holds while Dale Mendenhal applies the starter to his Flite Streak. Mel Roy looks on.


http://home.comcast.net/~steve.scott...s/p1010924.jpg
Wheels not required (or recommended) in these conditions.