Bill Stratton
Member
Flight 5572, Part three.
Flying day 8. We depart runway 35 at Johnson Creek behind Dick, (He has a retractable gear Cessna with a 300 horsepower conversion and he really climbs) hug the mountain to the right, do a 180 degree turn at the North end and fly down the canyon to the South. We overfly Landmark, Sulphur Creek and Stanley Creek and land at Smiley Creek, elevation 7160 feet. I have on a tee shirt, flannel shirt, sweat shirt and a winter coat and this old Florida boy needs it all. Its cold up here in these mountains. We have a nice breakfast and then Jane takes a picture of Jerry and I outside with the big old bear (wooden type). We were talking about bears before the trip and I said, I don?t have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun Jerry and he has short legs. We follow Dick back to 3U2 (all these canyons look the same to me but Dick really knows the area). I have already decided to fly the normal pattern and if it doesn?t work out I will go around and then do the Yellow Pine approach. I give myself plenty of distance and follow Dick on downwind at 6,000 feet. We are hugging the mountain. I turn downwind to base with full flaps and 80 mph, hug the mountains at the North end and roll out on final with plenty of room to land. Jerry is behind me and reminds me to land long. Its an uphill runway and I have no problem at all. I now have a real feeling of accomplishment for this old boy from Florida where the biggest hill is the local landfill. Flew 1 hour 5 minutes today. Total time now 26 hours 22 minutes.
Flying day 9. We break camp and load up the planes. We have to taxi across to the West side of the strip and wait for the sun to clear the ridge so the ice will melt off of the wings. Joe departs South to U70, Cascade for fuel and then East toward Florida. We head West to MYL to have breakfast and top off with fuel. We had breakfast at the pancake house in McCall and it is the biggest pancake I have ever seen. We decide to bypass Yellowstone and head for warmer temperatures. We climb to 11,500 feet. With a nice tailwind, beautiful weather and everyone on oxygen we head for a fuel stop and lunch at RIW, Riverton, Wyoming. We fly over Jackson Hole, WY. Two hours 13 minutes after takeoff we land refuel and walk the short distance to the terminal for lunch. After lunch we walk back over to the FBO and there sits Joe?s yellow cub. He landed for fuel and is going to spend the night. We all laugh that out off all the airports available we landed at the same one. Jerry, Jim and I decide to go a bit further East before we call it a day. Jerry says there is camping on the field at SNY, Sydney, Nebraska so off we go. On this leg the country side really changes. It is flat and green with lots of farm fields. We land at Sydney and meet Ed and Kelly Nelson who run Sidney Aviation. If you are anywhere near here it is a must stop. They are super friendly people and be sure and ask Ed for the nickel tour of his toys. We ask Ed if its OK to pitch a tent and he says fine but then tells us we can put our air mattress in his hangar. This saves us the work of pitching a tent and having to pack it up wet the next morning. We have the hangar door partially open, a cool breeze is blowing and we are watching Ed do touch and goes in his Pitts. Personally I would not trade this for the fanciest motel room there is. Flying time for today is 4 hours 13 minutes. Total time so far is 30 hours 35 minutes.
Sunday morning 6-28-09. Flying day 10. We say goodbye to Ed and head toward Kansas. We are headed to K88, Allen County for a refuel and lunch stop. We fly along together until we reach HRU, Herington, Kansas. Jim and Jerry fly straight on to Allen county but I turn North East, I am on a mission. Fifteen miles out from FOE, Forbes field at Topeka, Kansas I contact the tower and request permission to land on runway 31, 12,802 x 200 feet of concrete. Permission granted and at 11:16 June 28th I land my plane that I built. The last time I landed on this runway was 46 years ago and I was in one of uncle Sam?s B-47s. This brought back a lot of memories and a lump to my throat. Cross another one off of the bucket list. Went South to K88.
.
After lunch we are discussing where to head for next. We want a runway with camping. I suggest Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas. I have been reading about it on the internet and they have fly in campsites. I call for more information and find out that Arkansas is closed. You have to give them a one day notice so they can drive over and unlock the restrooms. I find this hard to believe but can not convince the lady to let us camp there. SO we decide to go to Kentucky Dam State park. Kentucky has numerous runways with camping beside the airplane, nice facilities with hot showers and they are open 24 x 7. We fly East across Missouri, Cross the mighty Mississippi river into Illinois and then the Ohio river into Kentucky. Two hours and 5 minutes after leaving Kansas we are building our old Kentucky homes at M34 (putting up our tents). Flying time today 4 hours 52 minutes. Total so far is 35 hours 27 minutes.
Flying day 11. We depart Kentucky Dam State park and head 44 minutes South for a fuel stop at SNH, Savannah Harding, Tennessee. This is another must stop. The locals are extremely friendly and pleasant to talk to. They were excited to hear all about our adventure. I found out that a few hours later in the day a yellow cub from Florida stopped in for fuel and when they told Joe that three RV?s from Florida had stopped earlier he said Yea, I know, I know. It?s a small world. We headed out for 15FL our last leg but there is weather between us and home so we don?t know if we will make it or not. We are fine until approximately 120 miles out. We can see the line of thunderstorms ahead but the XM weather shows a clear area to the East. We head East for about 40nm then turn back South. We cross over Valdosta, Georgia and my XM shows a clear route direct to Lake city. Jerry and Jim head direct from Valdosta to Little River. I land at 2:40 pm local time on runway 27. Flying time today 3 hours and 12 minutes. Total flying time 38 hours and 39 minutes.
Trip Recap:
Distance-5,572 nautical miles.
States crossed- 19.
Flying time- 38 hours 39 minutes.
Lowest elevation we landed at- Death Valley, California, minus 211 feet.
Highest elevation we landed at- Smiley Creek, Idaho, 7,160 feet.
Fuel stops- 17 including top off at home base.
Highest price fuel- $4.59 per gallon.
Cheapest fuel- $2.90 per gallon.
Fuel burned- 298.8 gallons
Cost for fuel- I don?t want to know.
Oil consumed- 2 quarts.
Cost and amount of fun- Priceless.
Flying day 8. We depart runway 35 at Johnson Creek behind Dick, (He has a retractable gear Cessna with a 300 horsepower conversion and he really climbs) hug the mountain to the right, do a 180 degree turn at the North end and fly down the canyon to the South. We overfly Landmark, Sulphur Creek and Stanley Creek and land at Smiley Creek, elevation 7160 feet. I have on a tee shirt, flannel shirt, sweat shirt and a winter coat and this old Florida boy needs it all. Its cold up here in these mountains. We have a nice breakfast and then Jane takes a picture of Jerry and I outside with the big old bear (wooden type). We were talking about bears before the trip and I said, I don?t have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun Jerry and he has short legs. We follow Dick back to 3U2 (all these canyons look the same to me but Dick really knows the area). I have already decided to fly the normal pattern and if it doesn?t work out I will go around and then do the Yellow Pine approach. I give myself plenty of distance and follow Dick on downwind at 6,000 feet. We are hugging the mountain. I turn downwind to base with full flaps and 80 mph, hug the mountains at the North end and roll out on final with plenty of room to land. Jerry is behind me and reminds me to land long. Its an uphill runway and I have no problem at all. I now have a real feeling of accomplishment for this old boy from Florida where the biggest hill is the local landfill. Flew 1 hour 5 minutes today. Total time now 26 hours 22 minutes.
Flying day 9. We break camp and load up the planes. We have to taxi across to the West side of the strip and wait for the sun to clear the ridge so the ice will melt off of the wings. Joe departs South to U70, Cascade for fuel and then East toward Florida. We head West to MYL to have breakfast and top off with fuel. We had breakfast at the pancake house in McCall and it is the biggest pancake I have ever seen. We decide to bypass Yellowstone and head for warmer temperatures. We climb to 11,500 feet. With a nice tailwind, beautiful weather and everyone on oxygen we head for a fuel stop and lunch at RIW, Riverton, Wyoming. We fly over Jackson Hole, WY. Two hours 13 minutes after takeoff we land refuel and walk the short distance to the terminal for lunch. After lunch we walk back over to the FBO and there sits Joe?s yellow cub. He landed for fuel and is going to spend the night. We all laugh that out off all the airports available we landed at the same one. Jerry, Jim and I decide to go a bit further East before we call it a day. Jerry says there is camping on the field at SNY, Sydney, Nebraska so off we go. On this leg the country side really changes. It is flat and green with lots of farm fields. We land at Sydney and meet Ed and Kelly Nelson who run Sidney Aviation. If you are anywhere near here it is a must stop. They are super friendly people and be sure and ask Ed for the nickel tour of his toys. We ask Ed if its OK to pitch a tent and he says fine but then tells us we can put our air mattress in his hangar. This saves us the work of pitching a tent and having to pack it up wet the next morning. We have the hangar door partially open, a cool breeze is blowing and we are watching Ed do touch and goes in his Pitts. Personally I would not trade this for the fanciest motel room there is. Flying time for today is 4 hours 13 minutes. Total time so far is 30 hours 35 minutes.
Sunday morning 6-28-09. Flying day 10. We say goodbye to Ed and head toward Kansas. We are headed to K88, Allen County for a refuel and lunch stop. We fly along together until we reach HRU, Herington, Kansas. Jim and Jerry fly straight on to Allen county but I turn North East, I am on a mission. Fifteen miles out from FOE, Forbes field at Topeka, Kansas I contact the tower and request permission to land on runway 31, 12,802 x 200 feet of concrete. Permission granted and at 11:16 June 28th I land my plane that I built. The last time I landed on this runway was 46 years ago and I was in one of uncle Sam?s B-47s. This brought back a lot of memories and a lump to my throat. Cross another one off of the bucket list. Went South to K88.
.
After lunch we are discussing where to head for next. We want a runway with camping. I suggest Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas. I have been reading about it on the internet and they have fly in campsites. I call for more information and find out that Arkansas is closed. You have to give them a one day notice so they can drive over and unlock the restrooms. I find this hard to believe but can not convince the lady to let us camp there. SO we decide to go to Kentucky Dam State park. Kentucky has numerous runways with camping beside the airplane, nice facilities with hot showers and they are open 24 x 7. We fly East across Missouri, Cross the mighty Mississippi river into Illinois and then the Ohio river into Kentucky. Two hours and 5 minutes after leaving Kansas we are building our old Kentucky homes at M34 (putting up our tents). Flying time today 4 hours 52 minutes. Total so far is 35 hours 27 minutes.
Flying day 11. We depart Kentucky Dam State park and head 44 minutes South for a fuel stop at SNH, Savannah Harding, Tennessee. This is another must stop. The locals are extremely friendly and pleasant to talk to. They were excited to hear all about our adventure. I found out that a few hours later in the day a yellow cub from Florida stopped in for fuel and when they told Joe that three RV?s from Florida had stopped earlier he said Yea, I know, I know. It?s a small world. We headed out for 15FL our last leg but there is weather between us and home so we don?t know if we will make it or not. We are fine until approximately 120 miles out. We can see the line of thunderstorms ahead but the XM weather shows a clear area to the East. We head East for about 40nm then turn back South. We cross over Valdosta, Georgia and my XM shows a clear route direct to Lake city. Jerry and Jim head direct from Valdosta to Little River. I land at 2:40 pm local time on runway 27. Flying time today 3 hours and 12 minutes. Total flying time 38 hours and 39 minutes.
Trip Recap:
Distance-5,572 nautical miles.
States crossed- 19.
Flying time- 38 hours 39 minutes.
Lowest elevation we landed at- Death Valley, California, minus 211 feet.
Highest elevation we landed at- Smiley Creek, Idaho, 7,160 feet.
Fuel stops- 17 including top off at home base.
Highest price fuel- $4.59 per gallon.
Cheapest fuel- $2.90 per gallon.
Fuel burned- 298.8 gallons
Cost for fuel- I don?t want to know.
Oil consumed- 2 quarts.
Cost and amount of fun- Priceless.
