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Chuck's World Class Adventures |
Chuck has been involved in some adventures that have taken him to various parts of the world. Chuck's interest is not in the dangerous! His fascination and wonder are the common thread that link these adventures together.
On the outside, he may look calm. On the inside, Chuck says his "mouth is open" as he marvels at the awesome power of God and his creation. |
 Hurricane Diana
Eye of the Storm. Back in 1984, Chuck flew through the eye of Hurricane Diana...nine times. Chuck was invited by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to penetrate the eye of this hurricane off the coast of the Carolina's at an altitude of 5000-feet. The mission involved flying to Miami on a commercial flight and then through the storm in a specially equipped aircraft. Lightning and 140mph winds were Chuck's greeting. His flight culminated in a commendation from NOAA. |
 Tornado Chase
Tornado Chase. Chuck chased and caught a tornado on a week-long adventure in Oklahoma and Texas. While chasing with a professional tornado chaser, Chuck snapped a picture through the windshield of his moving truck that captured a funnel cloud and a rainbow in the same picture...a rare photo indeed. Chuck has spoken often of this trip and the awesome power of storms.
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 U.S. Navy Blue Angels
U.S. Navy Blue Angels. Before Chuck became a pilot himself, he participated in many flying adventures. A rare invitation from the U.S. Navy allowed Chuck to fly with a Top Gun pilot. How about a ride from ground zero to 22,000-feet in about 20-seconds. Chuck was allowed to actually fly the FA18-Hornet for a short time as well. It is not common knowledge that once you have flown with the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds..you can never fly with either group again for life! The invitation is that rare.
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Amazon Rain Forest
 Amazon Rain Forest Chuck's idea of studying the environment is to get involved. So he traveled to the Amazon Rain Forest in Peru. Following a local student and teacher while on assignment, Chuck found many personal adventures and found himself side by side with Dr. Robert Ballard. His appreciation of the Rain Forest itself is quite evident in his speeches. Chuck also discovered the notion that poor people don't make the best conservationists...something that he didn't understand until that trip.
Showering in Amazon River water every morning is a great way to wake up!
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More adventures in the Amazon Rainforest... |
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Some special friends made...
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Chuck shows the magnitude of plants which grow in the Amazon...
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Moss on an exotic Rainforest tree...
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A bridge to cross rivers...
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 Jason Project
Mt. Kilauea, Hawaii. Chuck followed another local student and teacher with the Jason Project to Hawaii. Chuck had access to world class researchers and scientists. While in Hawaii, Chuck studied native birds and naturally volcanoes. While up on Mt. Kilauea, Chuck had the chance to walk on an ever expanding lava plain and "play" in the hot, molten lava. Pictures of Chuck pulling hot lava with a geologist's hammer show the extreme heat and challenge associated with this trip.
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Pilots License
 Fly and Dive. After many years of flying with others, Chuck decided at age 37 to get his Private Pilot's License. He achieved that goal and started flying.
After a short time, Chuck decided to own his own aircraft and get an Instrument Rating which he maintains to this day. Chuck's new found love of flying offered him some new adventures like flying a B-17 Bomber over Pontiac, Michigan, Aerobatic flying with Julie Clark, flying a prototype of the Cirrus SR-20 composite aircraft and flying his own Piper Archer or Saratoga. Chuck now flies a Cirrus SR22 G2 for fun and business. |
 Certified Scuba Diver
At age 40, Chuck decided that flying wasn't enough so he got Scuba Certified to participate in a dive/cleanup of Lake St. Clair in Michigan. |
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