Summer's over -- where'd you go?

With school started, and family vacations a soon-to-be-distant memory,
it's time to reflect on a summer of flying. Where'd everyone fly to?
What was the coolest flight you made this summer? Help us plan NEXT
summer's flight, by describing your "must-see" place from this year.

I'll get the ball rolling. We flew more this year than ever before,
and hit some pretty cool places -- but the most lovely, by far, was
Madeline Island, up in Lake Superior. My son and I flew to the island
with our mountain bikes, camped on the field right next to the plane,
and enjoyed three fantastic days of riding, swimming, and flying.

Aside from the quality time spent with my son, this is what stands out
most in my mind: On our last day, we departed into a crystal-clear,
azure blue sky, and made a round-robin, low-level tour of the Apostle
Islands, most of which are inhabited only by wild life. We stayed down
low over the water, never over-flying the islands themselves, but
rather shooting along side of them, marveling at the old lighthouses,
the dense forests, and the way the deep waters of Lake Superior could
be so impossibly clear.

This was my first low-level flight (low meaning, like, 500' AGL -- I'm
no dare-devil) over water, and the sensation of speed going past island
rock formations was fun, and the beauty of the scenery simply
breath-taking. The sun, the sky, the water, the sailboats, all
combine to make this a must-do trip for anyone looking for a few days
of peace and quiet in a stunningly beautiful setting.

You?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Best flying weather is yet to come with less heat, humidity and
thunderstorms. Projected trips to Key West, Bahamas, Kitty Hawk with
possible return via Iowa City. Plan on a Devil's Tower trip (100th
anniversary). Possible trip to see the ABQ balloon fiesta.

Several trips so far to Page AZ to photograph Antelope Canyon.

Weekend trips to mountain airports for breakfast.

Ron Lee

Seems like most of my flying this year was spent flying forestry
fire patrol with all the hot dry weather we've had.

We did fly out to Austin, Tx. to visit some family and also
to go to San Antonio. The Riverwalk is a great place to visit,
lots of great places to eat. Of course, the Alamo is a must if
you've never seen it. Of course flying over the Mississippi
River is always a blast. It looks bigger at 10,000 feet than
the Oconee does at 1000 feet. :^0

We also got up to Nags Head for a few days and go to see the
Wright Brothers monument and the museum there. That's sort of a
mecca for all pilots and I highly recommend it. I can't believe
it took me so long to finally go there.

We also flew up to Asheville, NC to poke around at the Biltmore
Estate and also Hendersonville, NC. That was a remarkable place
and I found the best Mexican Resurant I have ever experienced
in the old Biltmore Village.

Just got back from an adventure to Jackson Hole, WY (from Wisconsin).
Dodging TFR's of the fire and Cheney variety, the smoke from the fires,
a plugged pitot when we took off from Jackson hole to return to WI
(that necessitated a return to the airport and the tower asking us if
we needed assistance...), my first experience with night IMC and a
night ILS approach, etc, etc. Seeing fireworks near Omro, WI when we
broke out on the Appleton ILS 3 approach (which was truly odd to see as
we were in the murk until I saw the glow of fireworks!).
Also saw why the restricted area north of Fort McCoy, WI is restricted:
the firing range was active at night which made for some interesting
firework-like displays!

Also very briefly met Ben Haas, from Jackson Hole and on the r.a.p.
rogues gallery on Jays' website. It's a small world!

Ryan in Madison

Jay Honeck wrote:
With school started, and family vacations a soon-to-be-distant memory,
it's time to reflect on a summer of flying. Where'd everyone fly to?
What was the coolest flight you made this summer? Help us plan NEXT
summer's flight, by describing your "must-see" place from this year.

I'll get the ball rolling. We flew more this year than ever before,
and hit some pretty cool places -- but the most lovely, by far, was
Madeline Island, up in Lake Superior. My son and I flew to the island
with our mountain bikes, camped on the field right next to the plane,
and enjoyed three fantastic days of riding, swimming, and flying.

Aside from the quality time spent with my son, this is what stands out
most in my mind: On our last day, we departed into a crystal-clear,
azure blue sky, and made a round-robin, low-level tour of the Apostle
Islands, most of which are inhabited only by wild life. We stayed down
low over the water, never over-flying the islands themselves, but
rather shooting along side of them, marveling at the old lighthouses,
the dense forests, and the way the deep waters of Lake Superior could
be so impossibly clear.

This was my first low-level flight (low meaning, like, 500' AGL -- I'm
no dare-devil) over water, and the sensation of speed going past island
rock formations was fun, and the beauty of the scenery simply
breath-taking. The sun, the sky, the water, the sailboats, all
combine to make this a must-do trip for anyone looking for a few days
of peace and quiet in a stunningly beautiful setting.

You?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Well, I stayed on the ground most of the time with, what I hope is a
temporary medical condition. I hope to get back in the air sometime
towards the end of the year. Otherwise there may be a 180 horse IFR
Skyhawk for sale.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI

Jay Honeck wrote:
...
This was my first low-level flight (low meaning, like, 500' AGL -- I'm
no dare-devil) over water, and the sensation of speed going past island
rock formations was fun, and the beauty of the scenery simply
breath-taking. The sun, the sky, the water, the sailboats, all
combine to make this a must-do trip for anyone looking for a few days
of peace and quiet in a stunningly beautiful setting.

You?

You're a braver man than I am. I try to stay within gliding distance
of land. For example, I flew with my family (wife of 12 years, 10
yr-old daughter, 5 yr-old son, and 6 month-old dog) to Friday Harbor,
WA (KFHR) during a long weekend. KFHR is on one of many San Juan
Islands that sit between Seattle and Victoria, Canada. It's a
beautiful part of Washington state, where one can sometimes still catch
glimpses of a pod of Orca killer whales. We saw just such a pod on our
trip there from an altitude of about 2500' near the main island. The
pods are easy to spot because they're generally surrounded by an armada
of whale-watching boats carrying tourists.

Another nice trip was a business trip to Portland, OR (KPDX). I took
as passengers my then-unemployed friend and his 6-yr old son so they
could visit a relative. They spent a nice, sunny day in downtown
Portland while I was stuck in meeting rooms without windows. We saw
the sunset-lit, perpetually snowy tops of Mounts Hood and Rainier, as
well as other volcanic peaks. This was their first trip in a small
plane and they were awestruck by the sights. Unfortunately, my
friend's wife won't let him learn to fly.

"Jay Honeck" wrote:

"Summer's over"

Maybe up there in the sub-arctic where you live. It's got another solid
month or more to go, here.

With school started, and family vacations a soon-to-be-distant memory,
it's time to reflect on a summer of flying. Where'd everyone fly to?

OSH, of course; Houston a couple of times; business trips within 300 nm of
Mobile.

Rockport, TX would have been the coolest trip this summer if I hadn't managed
to step on a stingray while wade fishing in San Antonio Bay. I can think of
a lot of adjectives for that experience but "cool" isn't one of them.

This was my first low-level flight (low meaning, like, 500' AGL -- I'm
no dare-devil) over water, and the sensation of speed going past island
rock formations was fun, and the beauty of the scenery simply
breath-taking. The sun, the sky, the water, the sailboats, all
combine to make this a must-do trip for anyone looking for a few days
of peace and quiet in a stunningly beautiful setting.

Yup, flying wide open down low is a blast. One of my favorite "warm up the
oil" trips is to fly up the river delta north of Mobile bay at 300' (that's
clear of the power lines).

--
Dan
C-172RG at BFM

"ktbr" wrote:

We did fly out to Austin, Tx. to visit some family and also
to go to San Antonio. The Riverwalk is a great place to visit,
lots of great places to eat.

...Hendersonville, NC. That was a remarkable place
and I found the best Mexican Resurant I have ever experienced
in the old Biltmore Village.

Ok, there's got to be more to this story.

You went to San Antonio and then found the best Mexican Resurant you have
ever experienced in ... North Carolina?

Dan Luke wrote:
"Jay Honeck" wrote:


"Summer's over"

snip

Rockport, TX would have been the coolest trip this summer if I hadn't managed
to step on a stingray while wade fishing in San Antonio Bay. I can think of
a lot of adjectives for that experience but "cool" isn't one of them.


snip

Dan, my wife also stepped on a stingray this summer on the Gulf side of
Galveston. She is a pretty strong person and she was reduced to a baby
and she is a nurse. She said that was the worse pain she has ever had.
The only thing that eased the pain was keeping her foot in hot water.
Drugs did not do it. We had to have her foot X-rayed to be sure no barb
was left in. It was a very deep and nasty cut.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI

Dan Luke wrote:

You went to San Antonio and then found the best Mexican Resurant you have
ever experienced in ... North Carolina?



Strange but true... and, I've spent a lot of time in San Antone,
have eaten in lots of good Mexican Restaurants. But I stand my
story.... La Paz in Biltmore Village.