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3rd Annual Primitive Camping Fly-in at Alpine County - October 22-23, 2016

beav

Well Known Member
I spoke with Paul and Louise at the Reno Air Races RV BBQ and we settled on a date for the third annual fly-in campout at Alpine County on October 22nd and 23rd.

Details and trip writeups for the last two years are here:
2014: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=117769
2015: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=130045

As before, the plan is to meet there about 10am on Saturday and stay until we get bored on Sunday. Those who've gone the past two years have had a great time. I hope to see many of you there this year!

Alpine%2520County%2520Airport.jpg
 
Great post Jason - short, simple, and to the point!

We've been out of pocket since the end of the races, so glad you took the initiative to get a thread started. This is my favorite kind of fly-in....little to no effort on anyone's part except to show up. Hope to see others there who want to primitive camp under the stars.

Paul
 
Weather permitting, I'll be there. I'll have a backpacking stove, so if anyone needs one, they are welcome to use mine. (of course if you counted on that, and then I get weathered out in so. Oregon, you would be SOL)
 
My RV's not quite ready for this yet ... (ie, no engine!) But I can't wait. Maybe next year.
 
I will plan to throw in the tent and some goodies and show up this year. I have had my tent setup in the hangar for awhile planning to get out in it somewhere. See you folks there.

Randall Crothers
 
Just a bump to remind people that this is coming up in a little over a week. Hope to see many of you there!
 
You know, great events start out small....Petit Jean started out with half a dozen folks who showed up for a weekend to a location that (at the time) didn't;'t offer much more than a place to pitch a tent and some hiking...... :)

The best thing for me about t his year is that I'll be in Florida for four days, then I get home and immediately get to fly up into the mountains and pitch a tent among the pine trees, cool temps, and clean air!

Hope a bunch of folks decide to show up.

Paul
 
You know, great events start out small....Petit Jean started out with half a dozen folks who showed up for a weekend to a location that (at the time) didn't;'t offer much more than a place to pitch a tent and some hiking...... :)

The best thing for me about t his year is that I'll be in Florida for four days, then I get home and immediately get to fly up into the mountains and pitch a tent among the pine trees, cool temps, and clean air!

Hope a bunch of folks decide to show up.

Paul

Still planning on it, wx permitting.

And Paul, apropos of nothing, your RV-3 made the front page of the Davis Enterprise this morning!
 
We're having a rainy day up here, which bodes well for next weekend - since the number of days with rain in this area are so few in a given year, I figure its getting it all out of its system!

And Lars, it is amazing the places that Tsam's picture shows up!

Paul
 
We're having a rainy day up here, which bodes well for next weekend - since the number of days with rain in this area are so few in a given year, I figure its getting it all out of its system!

And Lars, it is amazing the places that Tsam's picture shows up!

Paul

In the Rogue Valley, we've had 4" of rain in the last four days. Thats 17% of our annual rainfall. So if Paul's theory holds true, then five more weekends like this, and we can get back to summer. YAY!

Next weekend is looking good. Planning on it.
 
Although I am sitting in central Florida right now, I just checked the weather for home this weekend, and it is looking marvelous for a fall fly-out! Lo's of 44 (perfect sleeping temps) and a high on Saturday of 71.....doesn't get much better for hiking than that! (OK, those are for our home base....Alpine County is about 1500' higher, so subtract a little - still well above freezing at night - perfect for a campfire.)

If you didn't have this on your list, but you're lookign for a nice destination this weekend, come and join us - no reservations, no fees, no nothin'....except good company and a hopefully clear sky for the night.

Paul
 
Come prepared for bears!

Just a reminder to come prepared to protect any food or food-like items from bears. In other words, bring a large enough bear canister or a way to suspend your food bag between trees. And, whatever you do, do NOT leave any food in your plane. There weren't any problems in 2015 but we certainly had a full-out battle with a bear in 2014 (http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=117769&page=3)

I plan to bring our two pups and they would enjoy friendly canine company, if anyone else brings along a well-behaved dog. See everyone on Saturday!
 
Great day in the mountains!

Five planes so far (~11:45 am) at Alpine and the weather is absolutely perfect. Just a very light wind right now and almost tee shirt temperatures. Come on up!
 
Thanks all for a great time! The view southbound this morning. Sublime. Thanks Louise and Paul for hosting, and meeting all the others brave enough to make the journey. To anyone/everyone else, you need to make this trip!

i-Rk4bpps-XL.jpg
 
Alpine Co. 10/22/16

It was nice to meet you all. I'm sorry I missed a few because I had to leave so early, perhaps next year.

It was a scenic trip over the mountains from Grass Valley that passes Lake Tahoe to my left:
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Down at the river. You'll just have to believe me, there really is water and gentle rapids rushing behind me. I don't know why I didn't take a picture of it? Doh! From left: Jason, Jason's daughter (sorry I didn't get her name, Louise, Paul, Dog #1, and Jeff:
SOuYs3EFcP-VKlRUAgO8m_Zegd_tkiKnXZodiKq8zyM48b81LD4duqe7K0POoD2nW_Eo351jqbtx=w800-h600-no


Anyway, it was a nice way to spend a Saturday morning. Looking forward to next time.
 
A familiar rhythm

Reading along and enjoying the trip reports and thinking this one (#17) has a familiar enjoyable rhythm. Then I came to the part that said: "It would be a 5-mile round trip hike back to the campground, and my heart yearned for the adventure."
Now that has to be Scott Chasten. So I scroll up the screen and yep, that is him. Funny how you can recognize someone who you have never met. I enjoyed Scott's trip report this summer and this one is good too.
RV folks are great. Thanks DR for this great website. :)
 
Fantastic weekend!

I was a bit apprehensive because this was my first flight out of my phase 1 box. The Saturday weather was perfect in the morning, winds calm in the California central valley and forecasted to be increasing at bit in the afternoon. Worried about the increasing winds I was hoping for an early departure as a flight of 2. Wingman (Lars) was running late, everything else was a ‘go,’ so I opted to head out 1st.

The air was smooth as I stepped up the altitude… 3500…5500…7500…9500…and finally 11500 for crossing the Sierra. South Lake Tahoe in sight to the left, turn to the right, a few bumps through Luther pass, and Alpine county in sight. As I’m looking for the wind sock and deciding on a runway, I hear Louise chime in and let me know 17 is preferred. There was a stiff breeze out of the south, and an uphill landing, I planted 76CX right on the numbers and stopped almost immediately. Had to taxi pretty much the entire length to parking.

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Greeted by those that arrived well before me, I was elated to have flown an airplane I built to a mountain airport to go camping. Once everyone was settled, we were off for a short hike to the river for lunch.

qT_cSIj0jSAClx05rYzkSr4G3b8GRk1SboWaXqMXd3H9iAN21vALqZvbCVw2cq1_IuqnIZHxTJTgN2df-jSY3V9WQAtmPj4lPW-6RusGXiJBmNM-Njhg6WdHW12EK64vkNrIYYFkWcAazPkCyqhzDb30QBP9c-Z0BRtHJQwwPbDEh-uw7zshlO-woEHXwNy2cXtiWVmbhIhp7KNsjNjOwFVmNhMJ6iGfINZ8a6jam1DwrICYm8LXAC-O1bbzEJ2Oe4AEpn1r2nME75dVr7w1VtrlYtZc9Ui30ojX6zPA3ktq4lA7fI02HXCmaw61oIABuzqlbqR6SdPGGHf3Nexp66W082riB7ppfqt4PlGki5qdI9k-ev620UxWmkVkAC7V5bMldGF57pHxeUICRVjeLVTZ5BeooUdwW2hLhY_luo6aTYjkQqwVBB1Vd0ueesLpYV10WIRiOjFYzvr4vwE8Dh6Ih1t3UhnWPkNOC3qbLZNA5lexbMyo9ZJY2M9wxYxBKer78lxfctBcJB4AsGNDcm7uKkvvcxGZiXzr7q_tMwO36kFSLK3ysXt8EM_kw6BeWd6GxyRNyVKIxarlpYCR8fuyNkAsIQaNoB__bNURToYfsWHc=w868-h651-no


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Lots of stories being shared, a few beers, roaring campfire…just relaxing. (the fire is not actually lit yet in this photo, but later, believe me, it was roaring)

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Sunday morning, a quick pack up, wheels up around 8, a few minutes later we were parked a Minden for breakfast. A short while and some fine conversation later everyone was heading off to their home airports.

Winds were picking up and it was looking like I was in for a bumpy ride back home. Circled over Minden to 11000’ then continued the climb to 12,500’ as I pointed west over Lake Tahoe. Turbulence wasn’t so bad but the winds were up there. 51 knots, mostly a headwind! (I'm heading back down to 10,500')

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Once over the high points, the air was stable and it was relatively uneventful all the way home.
Again, fantastic weekend, I hope to be back next year.


The rest of my pictures are here:
https://goo.gl/photos/2nsHaabg5vCMc5iU8
 
Primitive?

I spoke with Paul and Louise at the Reno Air Races RV BBQ and we settled on a date for the third annual fly-in campout at Alpine County on October 22nd and 23rd.

Details and trip writeups for the last two years are here:
2014: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=117769
2015: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=130045

As before, the plan is to meet there about 10am on Saturday and stay until we get bored on Sunday. Those who've gone the past two years have had a great time. I hope to see many of you there this year!

Alpine%2520County%2520Airport.jpg
Beav!
Looks fun although your definition of primitive and mine differ...
That runway appears paved and is on a chart...
:)
V/R
Smokey
 
It's not a primitive "airstrip" at all Smoky - we just use the word for the camping to make sure that no one expects facilities - like water, or restrooms.....

Of course, we're about eight minutes from breakfast at Minden!
 
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