Another Michigan morning....this time writing about LAS.

Hello all, I havn't posted much lately, with the NBA, and NHL seasons grinding to a halt our schedules are reverting to primarily vacation charters, with the occasional Nascar,or DOD trip thrown in for spice. Got to do the loaded for bear runway 25R departure out of Vegas last week. It was 104 degrees outside when we trundled to the runway just a thousand or two pounds shy of our max allowed weight,under those conditions. A J Blue A320 blasted off just ahead of us, JFK bound, we were instructed to position and hold,while he upped and awayed. It was humbling, to stare down the length of that runway, aimed like the barrel of a gun at those not too distant ridgelines,and mountains, the whole vista wriggling,and shimmering in that desert heat. Cleared for takeoff, checklists complete, throttles advanced, and the 3 of us pedaling as hard as we can, we start our oh,so,slow acceleration down the tarmac. V1 comes and goes,then finally Vr, Rotate ! I lift the nose and those swept wings gamely try to generate some lift,finally with about 3K of runway left we bid the earth adieu and climb into that thin,hot sky, banking away from those aforementioned reaching ridges,and mountains and setting course for east and home. I don't unclench till we are cleaned up,through 250 kts, 10,000 feet, and headed for the flight levels. ATC asks for our best rate of climb, "Tell him he is getting it" I reply. Hot,and high has never been the 727s forte. We pass that Jet Blue A320 over Nebraska, amidst a golden sunset ,flying over sun split clouds, homeplate is but 2 hours away,and God's grace all is well. Same,same,in Michigan, another beautiful sunny sunday, my familia sleeps while I type, I am sincerely sorry I wont make that picnic ,and meet you all.