Mike’s Adventures

Friday afternoon RZR ride to the Pioneer Saloon.

2020-03-26T01:37:00.001-07:00

A fun RZR ride in the desert last month

A fun RZR ride in the desert last month

2019 Mavic 2 and Mavic Pro float kit install

2019-02-26T21:02:00.001-08:00

By request here is a quick video on how to install the latest version of my float kits. BTW it was shot with an OSMO Pocket and there is no color correction in post

Flying the Quicksilver S2 LSA at KCMA 2014

2018-11-06T15:29:00.001-08:00

In 2014 My wife, a couple pilot friends and myself went and test flew the Quicksilver S2 Light Sport Airplane (LSA) at KCMA. I know it looks like an ultralight but when we flew it in 2014 it was classified by the FAA as an LSA.

They let me mount a couple cameras to it and here is some of that footage.

Anyway it was a ton to fly.

LiveWire inside 1871 Building Chicago IL

2018-10-26T14:35:00.001-07:00

Mavic 2 float kit first pool test

2018-10-06T08:49:00.001-07:00

Mavic 2 Pro crashes into lake

2018-10-01T20:23:00.001-07:00

I was flying my drone over Lake Dora with some friends when I got to close to the water while going fast.

Splash! Down goes my new Mavic 2 Pro!

Black Cat Harley

2018-07-16T11:25:00.001-07:00

While trainging the Dyno Techs at Black Cat Harley-Davidson in Rocky Mount NC I was asked to fly my drone in their showroom.

2015-12-24T21:53:00.002-08:00

Well Haven't posted in awhile.
I picked up a used Suzuki DL1000 last July and rode it Oshkosh for Airventure.

2006 with over 60,000 miles equals a very affordable Adventure Tourer.

I plan on Blogging over the next few months about an adventure my wife and I will be taking on this motorcycle. In a few weeks we will depart southern Nevada on 2 up on this bike and ride into Mexico for some fun and exploring.

This was just a short post to catch you up on our next adventure. Stay tuned for more.
and don't worry there will be more airplane stuff this spring.
If you love airplanes and want a great adventure tour flight and will be near Virginia drop me a line. I have just the recommendation for you.

Take care,
Mike

Amphibian Light Sport Aircraft Super Petrel

2015-04-05T16:02:00.001-07:00

I Love this Airplane

Flying the S2

2014-10-22T19:14:00.001-07:00

The Pixie Pilot: Help Vegas Adventure Flights become a reality!

2014-10-09T06:11:00.001-07:00

The Pixie Pilot: Help Vegas Adventure Flights become a reality!: Meet private pilot and future sport pilot instructor, Mike Daniels. I've recently have been assisting Mike with insurance quotations fo...

New Harley Tuner Blog

2014-08-21T21:52:00.001-07:00

My new Harley Tuner Blog can be found at:

http://www.harleytuner.com

I hope you come check it out,

Ride Free
Mike

New Blog

2014-08-19T12:53:00.001-07:00

I have started a new Blog on my love and experience with Motorcycles.
Harley Tuner

This Blog is directly related to my business so I will try to post on it more regularly than this free for all fun Blog.

Hope you like it.
Mike

Video from above Beach at the Park in Cedar Key FL

2014-03-05T05:30:00.000-08:00

Overcast and a bit dreary today so we decided to take the dogs for a walk on the beach at the park here in Cedar Key.

Very nice park we had a nice walk. I decided to fly my DJI Phantom quadcopter and shoot a little video with its Tarot Gimbal and Gopro Hero3 camera.
Sure draws a lot of attention when I fly this thing around. Luckily its stable enough I can talk with the people asking questions while doing it.

Anyway here is some of the footage, two 360 pirouettes from a few hundred feet above the beech.

Tomorrow we leave for Lakeland.
I will miss Cedar Key,

Mike

We are video blogging now & review of the video editing software we use.

2014-03-04T04:00:00.000-08:00

Elisabeth and I have started a Video blog about our Nomadic Life Style, to go with her blog Adventures in a Hallway.
Here is the first video.

Here is a short aerial Video of the RV park we are living in this week.

I made this video just playing around with my Quadrotor camera set up and the new version of Corel Video Studio 6. Which is the old Ulead software.

I started digital video editing in the mid 90s with Premiere, and over the years have tried several different video editing packages including Ulead. In these days of smart phones it seems like everyone is dumbing down their software.

Of course you need a Mac for Final cut, which I have but its latest version is hardly more then iMovie, not nearly the powerhouse it used to be. Final cut pro always took to long to render anyway.

Pinnacle Studio was pretty good software in its day and still has some nice features. one of my favorite being how easy it can add background music. I keep the latest version 17 on my machine as a go to for some things.
But like Apples Final cut Avid is dumbing it down to. Maybe I just cant get use to the new interface. But honestly I don't need nor want it to track all my videos for me. I put my lasted clips in a folder until I finish my project then file them all on my external drives by year and subject matter like I always have.... I have way to much video for one of these apps to try and track.

Adobe Premiere is still great software and who doesn't love After Effects. The problem is you can't spend the small fortune it takes to own (use it) once buying your upgrade every 2-4 years anymore. Now you have to pay $50 a month to use it. Being self employed when I'm having a good month I can go spend a few hundred on software if I need it, but during a lean month I may need that $50 for something else. That goes for Dreamweaver as well. I used it from version 1 (before Adobe owned it). If they want me back as a customer they need to go back to allowing you to buy a license 1 time and using it for a few years before buying the update instead of the monthly crap.

Finally my main goto software for video editing these days is Corel Video Studio Pro. It has the same old easy to use and under stand interface they all used to. Simple with all the power you want at your fingertips easy to find. I Love the motion tracking, and there is a great selection of plug ins that I love as well. I normally don't put so much frilly stuff in a video like the one above but I was playing with the software to show some things to a friend with no intentions of posting it to everyone. My wife and everyone liked it and asked me to post it so I did. Not my best work but fun all the same.

Sonicfire Pro is great for generating background music and it's what I used in the RV Park video above.

Bottom line, use what your comfortable with. For me thats a windows machine with Corel Video Pro Ultimate and Sonicfire Pro.

More Video to come, which I guess means I will be blogging more as well as doing reviews for the things we have tried and that we use.

Take Care,
Mike

Radio Control QuadRotors/Quadcopters as camera platforms

2014-03-03T08:21:00.000-08:00

There are a few choices in Quad Rotor/Quadcopter camera platforms.

I use a DJI Phantom QuadRotor with a Tarot Dual Axis Gimbal and a Gopro Hero 3 Silver.
The DJI Phantom alreay comes with a gopro mount. The Gimbal just allows the quad rotor to move without disturbing the camera for smoother video.

The Gimbal also allows remote tilting of the camera.

It does take some RC mechanical skill and understand to attach this gimbal.

The Phantom comes with a transmitter however I connected it to the higher end transmitter Spektrum DX7s
I already had for my Helis. So all of my RC Aircraft fly with the same transmitter

DJI has a plug n play Gimbal ZenMuse but it cost more.

DJI has released a new Quad Rotor " DJI Phantom 2 Vision Quadcopter with Integrated FPV Camcorder" It comes with everything built in Camera, Gimbal, even a mount for your phone on the transmitter so it can transmit the video nearly live to your phone. That way you can see what the camera sees.

Blade is one of my favorite RC Heli companies their GoPo platform 350 QX RTF is a good one as well, but like my phantom if you want better video from it you will have to add a gimbal.
Although I haven't flown this Blade 350 yet I have a couple of their Heli's and it would be my guess that it would be the easiest to fly and work on.

Mike

No Chirstmas For You (1080p HD) : Foamy The Squirrel

2013-12-03T12:09:00.001-08:00

How can anyone be offended by a fat guy who gives out free stuff?!
"That's why I like Santa, Hes a Fat Bastard who works one day a year is actually happy and eats all the cookies he wants." He rewards the good and punishes the guilty, kind of like a vigilante with gifts."

Believe in the power of Santa or get nothing!

N9916T

2012-09-09T02:28:00.001-07:00

I posted a few pics I took of Piper Tomahawk N9916T running up and taking off from VGT.

N9916T

I took my check ride in this plane just over 2 years ago.

2012 Survival Expo - Gun Show & Preparedness Event

2012-08-31T07:50:00.001-07:00

2012 Survival Expo - Gun Show & Preparedness Event

Las Vegas Sky 08/25/2012

2012-08-26T22:12:00.002-07:00

Source: Uploaded by user via Michael on Pinterest

The largest hot-air balloon gathering in the world

2012-08-26T22:03:00.000-07:00

Source: flickr.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

2012-07-27T16:14:00.001-07:00

Russ Zenith CH750

2012-06-22T17:21:00.001-07:00

In 2010 Russ was the first person to contact me from the internet when I started building our CH750.

He invited us up to Cedar City to see his progress and talk about the build.
His was almost ready for an engine back then.

I got to catch up with Russ today. He finished his build last November and has managed to put 60 hrs on it so far.

Here are some pictures I took during our visit. FYI if you like his plane it is for sale.

Meseum of Flight Seattle WA

2012-06-09T18:15:00.001-07:00

Elisabeth went to Seattle for a food blogger conference and I tagged along to visit my step son Colby and see some sights.

Saturday while E was at the conference Colby his little brother and I went to the Flight Mesuem at Boeing Field.

Very cool place.

20 Things You May Not Know About Night Flying | PlaneAndPilotMag.com

2012-05-25T22:12:00.001-07:00

I read this article from Plane and Pilot Magazine and thought it had some great tips on night flying. I love night flying but have to admit I'm not as comfortable with it as I am daytime flying. Of course I realize that can be a good thing. As my instructor says you should always be just nervous enough not to be complacent . Anyway way I'm wanting to do some more night flying in the future.

I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did.

20 Things You May Not Know About Night Flying | PlaneAndPilotMag.com

Mike