Look Up!

This past weekend, I attended the Wings and Wheels event in Bath County, Virginia. It takes place each year at a very small airport, Ingalls Airfield,

on a high ridgeline overlooking Bath County, Virginia, and the adjoining mountains of West Virginia.

The Event Flyer promised an acrobatic air show, a car show featuring antique and muscle cars, tractors and motorcycles, plane, helicopter, and carnival rides.

Except for the cars, which actually were really interesting to look at (even for me), the focus of all the other activities seemed to be on looking up, reaching upward, or staying up.

three girls climbing up

boy rappelling down

All the people who tried to stay on the electronic bull fell off after just a few seconds:

The Extreme Air Jumpers contraption made kids look like giant butterflies. And the Vertical Rush challenged them to climb up high to be rewarded with the rush of sliding down.

Extreme Air Jumpers

Vertical Rush

I found myself wondering whether I could borrow a kid somewhere and join in the fun…

I was tempted to sign up for a helicopter ride; the waiting list was only half an hour. The view must have been grand, if a bit hazy and with a close-up view of thunderstorm clouds building on the horizon. But with the doors open and only protected with a seat belt? Oh well, maybe next year 🙂

excitement or fear?

This is the area the helicopter flew over:

As I was getting ready to leave, the air show began. I was glad that my feet were solidly on the ground and that I didn’t have to be inside this airplane as it climbed steeply into the sky, then tumbled as if out of control and falling to the ground, then flying upside down just above the ground.

After all that looking up, it felt good to keep my gaze straight ahead and relax my neck muscles as I drove myself down the mountain.

The Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Look Up!