An anniversary get away to the Hangar Hotel 1/2

[Louise Hose]

Our first year of marriage rushed past us so fast that we didn?t even think about anniversary plans until two weeks ago. Burned out by an extremely hectic summer, we chose to stay relatively close to home and reserved a room at the Hanger Hotel at the Gillespie County (T82), Texas, airport. Which plane to take? Mikey (my RV-6) won the coin toss. We leisurely departed our home at Polly Ranch about 11 am on Saturday.

Right turnout from Polly Ranch Airpark

One reason we chose Mikey (over the RV-8) was a new feature in his baggage areas?..an RV Coolbox. (See my product review at: http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ad.php?t=47715.) With temperatures in the 90s (F) and the first 20 minutes under the Class B airspace, air conditioning seemed the way to go. In addition to keeping the cabin air temperature comfortable, the Coolbox would keep our snacks and drinks cool, too.

Paul took the first leg as we flew to Fredericksburg.

Paul and Bear at the controls


Sneaking through a corridor under severe clear conditions


Visibility dropped as we approached the Texas "Hill Country"

Seeing an opportunity to log an IFR approach, Paul donned the foggles for the descent.

The Hanger Hotel is an upscale but relaxed hotel done with a 1940s, WWII theme. We checked in, grabbed a couple of sodas and snacks, and relaxed teak chairs on the porch-balcony overlooking the ramp for awhile.

Hanger Hotel lobby

Soon, I convinced Paul to act as my safety pilot and we went up for some more practice approaches. The air conditioning needed a recharge but it made the low approach-and-pattern work pleasant.

Louise working on IFR currency

The Hanger Hotel is very comfortable but a bit sketchy on modern amenities. Discovering that the room lacked a fridge, we brought the Coolbox into the room as an ice chest.

Now's its an ice chest!

In the late afternoon, we took a cab (for $3 each) into town to cruise the main street of Fredericksburg. It was a classic tourist strip with the same sort of shops you would find in Gatlinburg or Balboa Island or Estes Park. It didn?t take long to get our fill and head into one of the German-style restaurants, Altdorf. The meal made up for the rather pedestrian shops.

Dinner in town at Altdorf

We returned to the hotel for a pleasant evening on the balcony overlooking the ramp?.chatting with other pilots, sipping on some wine, and playing chess.

Playing an evening game of chess. Can you think of a more romantic way to spend an anniversary?

[Louise Hose]

The hotel provided breakfast scones, coffee, tea, and juice, but we didn?t want to miss a visit to the Diner next door. We would have shown a picture of the two of us in the diner booth, but the digital ages seems to have passed over our teenage server! (I guess it isn?t true that all kids these days are technology savvy?..at least there seem to be exceptions in small-town Texas.)

The Airport Diner, next door to the Hanger Hotel

We left the T82 in the late morning to drop into Llano, Texas, for some less expensive fuel and Cooper?s BBQ. (The pork ribs are absolutely sensational!) Enchanted Rocks State Park passed under Mikey?s left wing on the way home. As we eased down under the Class B airspace, we turned the Coolbox back on and were surprised to find a little cool air still coming out more than two hours after filling up the box with ice.

Enchanted Rock State Park

Our little trip was only about 27 hours long but it was a great ?recharging? time and a wonderfully relaxed way to spend an anniversary. How did we spend the rest of our anniversary once back home? Bucking around in the hanger, of course. It was time to start putting some rivets into Junior?s (our RV-3B project) wings.

More photos are available at: http://picasaweb.google.com/DrKarst/...ryHangerHotel#

[pierre smith]

Let's see.......depart from your airpark home, shoot an IFR approach while your significant other acts as safety pilot, then reverse roles for another IFR practise, then come home to where another RV is going together....can it get any better?

Happy anniversary guys,

[Louise Hose]

Originally Posted by pierre smith

Let's see.......depart from your airpark home, shoot an IFR approach while your significant other acts as safety pilot, then reverse roles for another IFR practise, then come home to where another RV is going together....can it get any better?

Happy anniversary guys,

Thanks, Pierre. As for getting better, I did forget to mention that Paul felt compelled to take the Valkyrie out for a little acro when we got home. Can't let her get too jealous!

[ScottSchmidt]

Thanks for the pictures and write-up.
My wife and I stopped there for fuel and keep talking about going back someday.

What a great anniversary. Just think, some poor guy was roped into watching Gone with the Wind for his anniversary instead of shooting IFR approaches (poor sucker). You definitely have set a precedence.

[Michael White]

Originally Posted by ScottSchmidt

Thanks for the pictures and write-up.
My wife and I stopped there for fuel and keep talking about going back someday.

What a great anniversary. Just think, some poor guy was roped into watching Gone with the Wind for his anniversary instead of shooting IFR approaches (poor sucker). You definitely have set a precedence.

Scott,
Are you trying to give us a hint who that "poor sucker" was? Would RaNae do that to you?


Happy Anniversary Paul and Louise!