Coast to coast trip suggestions?

Hi,

I'm going in two weeks for fly&tour&camp vacations. I planned to fly
from San Diego to Florida and back, using different routes both ways.

At first I wanted to go counterclockwise, but then after reading
different comments decided to go in other direction, going through
Grand Canyon and surroundings in April, and going back over flatlands
later. It's also suggested in "Americas Weather" to go that way.

I created page with map and planned route on my web site:
http://vyx.net/~philz/coast2coast

Of course, I plan to adjust it on the way depending on weather and
last minute ideas ;-)

I'll go together with my girlfriend, and we plan to camp near airports
- used AOPA airport directory to find out where they are. Still, I
don't know what should I expect from "camping on field". It would be
probably wise to call all of those airports just after arriving to USA
(I'm from Poland).

I hope to have great time, and see quite a lot of US National Parks.
Still, maybye you have some suggestions what could/should be included
in such trip?

Or general comments, after all I'm quite a "fresh" pilot - one of
outcomes of this trip should be getting enough experience and
crosscountry time to be able to start IFR training, maybye next year.

Thanks,
--
Filip Zawadiak
PP-ASEL 67hr, and counting
http://vyx.net/~philz

What type of equipment? I would have different suggestions if you're flying
a Cub or a 171 than if you're flying a turbonormalized Bonanza.


"Filip Zawadiak" wrote in message
om...
Hi,

I'm going in two weeks for fly&tour&camp vacations. I planned to fly
from San Diego to Florida and back, using different routes both ways.

At first I wanted to go counterclockwise, but then after reading
different comments decided to go in other direction, going through
Grand Canyon and surroundings in April, and going back over flatlands
later. It's also suggested in "Americas Weather" to go that way.

I created page with map and planned route on my web site:
http://vyx.net/~philz/coast2coast

Of course, I plan to adjust it on the way depending on weather and
last minute ideas ;-)

I'll go together with my girlfriend, and we plan to camp near airports
- used AOPA airport directory to find out where they are. Still, I
don't know what should I expect from "camping on field". It would be
probably wise to call all of those airports just after arriving to USA
(I'm from Poland).

I hope to have great time, and see quite a lot of US National Parks.
Still, maybye you have some suggestions what could/should be included
in such trip?

Or general comments, after all I'm quite a "fresh" pilot - one of
outcomes of this trip should be getting enough experience and
crosscountry time to be able to start IFR training, maybye next year.

Thanks,
--
Filip Zawadiak
PP-ASEL 67hr, and counting
http://vyx.net/~philz

If you are going to camp, stay away from medium/bigcity airports. Call
ahead to check.
If it has airline service, you will not be allowed to camp due to
security issues.

Filip Zawadiak wrote:
Or general comments, after all I'm quite a "fresh" pilot - one of
outcomes of this trip should be getting enough experience and
crosscountry time to be able to start IFR training, maybye next year.

(Filip Zawadiak) wrote in message . com...
Hi,

I'm going in two weeks for fly&tour&camp vacations. I planned to fly
from San Diego to Florida and back, using different routes both ways.

At first I wanted to go counterclockwise, but then after reading
different comments decided to go in other direction, going through
Grand Canyon and surroundings in April, and going back over flatlands
later. It's also suggested in "Americas Weather" to go that way.

I created page with map and planned route on my web site:
http://vyx.net/~philz/coast2coast

Of course, I plan to adjust it on the way depending on weather and
last minute ideas ;-)

I'll go together with my girlfriend, and we plan to camp near airports
- used AOPA airport directory to find out where they are. Still, I
don't know what should I expect from "camping on field". It would be
probably wise to call all of those airports just after arriving to USA
(I'm from Poland).

I hope to have great time, and see quite a lot of US National Parks.
Still, maybye you have some suggestions what could/should be included
in such trip?

Or general comments, after all I'm quite a "fresh" pilot - one of
outcomes of this trip should be getting enough experience and
crosscountry time to be able to start IFR training, maybye next year.

Thanks,

You may want to consider scheduling more time. Consider that even one
weather event that requires IFR could ground you for day(s). You don't
want to feel rushed; good luck!

In article ,
Filip Zawadiak wrote:
I created page with map and planned route on my web site:
http://vyx.net/~philz/coast2coast

I'm no Texas expert, but you sure are flying across a lot of nothing
there. You might see how it affects the trip length to angle south
and pick up the coast sooner (assuming counterclockwise). Plus then
you can visit the Johnson Space Center in Houston!

--
Ben Jackson

http://www.ben.com/

Filip Zawadiak wrote about his impending trip:

What are you flying?

Become familiar with www.airnav.com

I live in Utah, and have some suggestions about BCE/HVE/CNY

No camping allowed at BCE, expensive gas. Bryce Canyon is
spectactular. Maintain 2000' agl. Land only if you have
to pee. Better gas prices at SGU or CDC

No camping allowed at PGA, expensive gas. If you want to spend
the night, go down to Marble Canyon, about 25 mi down-river from PGA.
You need a Grand Canyon SFR chart to navigate to Marble Canyon
via the cutout. No fuel, but you can camp.

No gas at HVE, you can camp, but why would you want to? (nothing there).
Substitute U96 for HVE. You can camp, use a flush toilet. Inexpensive
gas, close proximity to Lake Powell and Monument Valley. The flight from
CNY to U96 is spectactular.

CNY, likely no camping (commercial air service), expensive gas. Use
U43 Monticello instead, self-serv gas. CanyonLands N.P. scenery is
along the Colorado river, more or less along the line from U96 to U43.

If you want more, write back.

MikeM
Salt Lake City, UT
Skylane '1MM
Pacer '00Z

"Ben Jackson" wrote:
I'm no Texas expert,

Truly.

"Tom Sixkiller" wrote in message ...
What type of equipment? I would have different suggestions if you're flying
a Cub or a 171 than if you're flying a turbonormalized Bonanza.

Right, kind of important... :-)

I plan to fly in Cessna 172, and have 4 weeks for whole trip. At least
before rebooking return flight to home...

Thanks,
--
Filip Zawadiak
PP-ASEL 67hr, and counting
http://vyx.net/~philz

Filip Zawadiak wrote:

I hope to have great time, and see quite a lot of US National Parks.
Still, maybye you have some suggestions what could/should be included
in such trip?

I would recommend that you stop at GKT instead of MMI, rent a car, and head into the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you decide to do so, I can send you a list of
very nice scenics in the area. Further along, if you intend to stay in a hotel
overnight in Charleston, CHZ might be a better choice than JZI. St. Simon's Island
(SSI) is very nice - I've stopped there for fuel several times and always wished I
could stay for a while. St. Augustine is another city that has lots of attractions -
it's the oldest city in the U.S.. I've never stopped at the airport at Ormond Beach
(OMN), but I *have* visited the area by car, and the town itself is nothing special.

George Patterson
Treason is ne'er successful, Sir; what then be the reason? Why, if treason
be successful, Sir, then none dare call it treason.

Can he make this trip in two weeks under VFR?


"Filip Zawadiak" wrote in message
om...
Hi,

I'm going in two weeks for fly&tour&camp vacations. I planned to fly
from San Diego to Florida and back, using different routes both ways.

At first I wanted to go counterclockwise, but then after reading
different comments decided to go in other direction, going through
Grand Canyon and surroundings in April, and going back over flatlands
later. It's also suggested in "Americas Weather" to go that way.

I created page with map and planned route on my web site:
http://vyx.net/~philz/coast2coast

Of course, I plan to adjust it on the way depending on weather and
last minute ideas ;-)

I'll go together with my girlfriend, and we plan to camp near airports
- used AOPA airport directory to find out where they are. Still, I
don't know what should I expect from "camping on field". It would be
probably wise to call all of those airports just after arriving to USA
(I'm from Poland).

I hope to have great time, and see quite a lot of US National Parks.
Still, maybye you have some suggestions what could/should be included
in such trip?

Or general comments, after all I'm quite a "fresh" pilot - one of
outcomes of this trip should be getting enough experience and
crosscountry time to be able to start IFR training, maybye next year.

Thanks,
--
Filip Zawadiak
PP-ASEL 67hr, and counting
http://vyx.net/~philz