What did you do with your RV this Labor Day weekend (9/5/2020-9/7/2020)?

[Bernardo]

Had a great time this weekend at Lake Odell, Oregon, including flying from Portland to Crescent Lake and back.

When I left, the sky was overcast at 4000 feet, which did not allow for a direct flight; I had to fly the wrong way for a while, then up the Columbia River gorge to the sunny side of the state, past Mt Hood, then finally down to the lakes. Two and a half very scenic hours.

Lots of wildfire TFRs to dodge. The fire just east of Mt Jefferson was insane. The plume was bigger than the mountain. Especially during the flight back, it looked like someone had detonated a nuclear bomb. (Scroll down to the last 2 or 3 shots, in the next post).

Had lots of fun at the lakes with my wife’s family. I hadn’t water-skied in nearly 20 years but they persuaded me to give it a try. My brother-in-law drove the boat while his wife, their little kid, and their dog provided emotional support ;]

There is no fuel at the Crescent Lake airport, but there is a gas station just around the corner from the tie-downs. I have flown the RV-12 (and other Rotax-powered LSAs) using mogas, but this was the first time I actually bought gas at a gas station and put it in an airplane! Two trips with a 5-gallon jerry can full of ethanol-free premium gas, and I was ready to fly back home.

Most pictures here courtesy of my wife, who does occasionally see the advantages of having a husband who is a pilot ;]





The image above and the one below are just a few minutes apart!

[Bernardo]

[DeltaRomeo]

Randall,

Wow! Sorry to hear about the bike accident. I hope the surgery went as expected and your recovery is fast with minimal discomfort.

v/r,dr

Originally Posted by rv6n6r

I've been grounded since falling on my bicycle 3 weeks ago and shattering my collar bone & subsequent surgery last week. I've had my wife drive me to the airport a few times so I can at least sit here with my RV watching planes come and go.

Can't wait to get back in the air but that's several more weeks in the future. In the meantime, vansairforce.net has basically saved me as I can at least get some kind of RV fix this way.

[catmandu]

All I could do is use the RV as a workhorse. We are back East going full throttle to get out of our 17 year old big house after an unexpected contract to sell it. My son in College Park asked for some items to be exchanged over lunch in Annapolis, which we promptly forgot that day. So, on Friday, so as to avoid Labor Day beach traffic on the Bay Bridge, I was to fly those small items to him, as the RV is still in the hangar at Bay Bridge. Mom plussed up the load a bit with pillows and other items, enough to remove the passenger seat, I neglected to get the photo worthy of an OSH trip load!

It was nice to fly.

[tcard]

I hadn't been up to see mom for a couple months, so it was time to remedy that situation. She has some favorite pizzas that she can't get at her local grocery store, so a quick trip up to HEB in the morning and it was off with a load of frozen foods in the magic carpet.



It's just shy of a 3-hour drive that is turned into an hour flight with no stress of I-35 traffic. I prefer to throttle back and sip fuel on these short trips and was very happy at 135 knots TAS at 6 gallons an hour.

[bruceh]

Saturday was the local EAA meeting, so I decided head to the airport to participate. Got to the airport around 9am and it was already pushing 100 degrees. My kids decided to go snorkling at La Jolla Cove at o'dark o'clock, so I took off and did the quick trip down to the Pacific Ocean. Only 88 degrees there at 1000'! Flew over the La Jolla Cove and beaches to see the Labor Day crowds. Turned around and headed back to Ramona Airport. Landed at 10am and it was pushing 106 degrees. Sweated it out for a couple of hours at the airport then went home to air conditioning. It hit 115 degrees that afternoon. Oh, and a big fire south of us had some major firefighting going on from Cal Fire all weekend. Not a good idea to be messing around at the airport with all of that activity. Got to see the big 747 and DC-10 tankers fly over our house several times. Sunday was only 111 degrees. Today was a balmy 100. Too much smoke in the air to really see anything. I can't wait for Fall temps, but in SoCal, that ends up being November or December!

[cderk]

Took the wife for her first trip in the painted plane. Spent the day in Lake Placid, NY

[WA85]

Saturday - Did a day trip from 3M5 to KFFA to see the Wright Brothers memorial. It is quite windy there! Crossed the Smoky Mountains, stopped in Knoxville TN98 for BBQ ribs with my brother.

Sunday - Did a flight review with a friend in his RV-12, always amazed at how nicely the 12 flies.

Monday - Another day trip, 3M5 to KJKA in the RV-9A to have lunch at Lulu's, land at Dauphin Island and fly over the USS Alabama.

[Redbud40]

Tested new smoke system (left side formation) installed by the genius Randy Richmond at 52F. Worked perfectly. Thanks. Randy

[jselvatici]

Did my 1st cross-country with -9A to places within 75nm. (KMLB - KLAL - KCHN - KMLB)
Nice to know airports you never been before (like KCHN), and better than this is to know their 100LL price