R

Rutus

Well, I'm only a month away from launching VFR for a family reunion/vacation at Dauphin Island, AL, which is just outside Mobile. I'm familiar with our Pacific Northwest weather, and getting over/through the Rockies in Montana, but have not flown any further east than central Montana.

My general plan is 3 easy days of flying: day 1 from Seattle to S. Dakota (Rapid City, or thereabouts), day 2 to Indianapolis (a bit further east than necessary but I plan to visit an old client there), then day 3 to Dauphin. Return trip will not have the Indianapolis stop and so could be whatever route I want.

Any suggestions for places to stop, or to avoid, along the way? What about weather in early to mid June - are there particular areas where convective activity is likely to be a problem? Any other suggestions?

Somehow I've managed to book 3 weeks out of the office, so I have a week to get to Dauphin, a week there, and a week to get home - hopefully plenty of time to deal with any weather delays, etc., and turn it into a real getaway/road trip/mental health sabbatical. :) TIA for any advice!
 
Rutus said:
are there particular areas where convective activity is likely to be a problem?
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The southeast. j/k. :p Anywhere from the Colorado Front Range to Dauphin is likely to have afternoon thunderstorms, but I'm sure you already knew that. Luckily they are usually paired with good vis and are rarely embedded. You've got plenty of time it sounds like and I think you'll have a blast.

I would stop somewhere in the Ozarks (SW MO/NW AR) for a lakeside picnic, but I'm biased. Table Rock Lake near Branson, Greers Ferry in Heber Springs, AR, Gaston's on the White River, Bull Shoals Lake on the AR/MO border. You might also hit up Tuscaloosa for Dreamland BBQ or Memphis for some Rendezvous or (my preferred) Gridley's.. Hmm.. :D
 
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Fly early

Rutus said:
What about weather in early to mid June - are there particular areas where convective activity is likely to be a problem? Any other suggestions?
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Hit the sack early, and take off at dawn to avoid the afternoon t-storms. Dauphin Island is really nice. Of course, I haven't been there since the late 70's when my grandparents sold their house in Mobile. Great food in that part of the country!
 
Southern Route

Rutus said:
My general plan is 3 easy days of flying: day 1 from Seattle to S. Dakota (Rapid City, or thereabouts), day 2 to Indianapolis (a bit further east than necessary but I plan to visit an old client there), then day 3 to Dauphin. Return trip will not have the Indianapolis stop and so could be whatever route I want.
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Well I would take the Southern route back home. Across Texas, South Cal, North up the Cal Valleys up past Shasta-Trinity National, Oregon, and Seattle.

You could transition to fly off the cost starting around San Fran. and cut back around Astoria to Seattle.

Potential Stops?
New Orleans, LA may not be viable but sadly

Albuquerque NM
Scottsdale, AZ (great food shopping)
Sedona, AZ (land on a plateau, food, shopping, aliens?)
Las Vegas, NV (land at LAS and within minutes of the strip)
TPH or RNO, NV (see below)
Napa Valley, CA​

That is my suggestion, not good ones but what the hey. I figure you will want to do something fun. Scottsdale is where the rich snow birds winter at and there are lots of stores for the wife. The other choices are obvious? Sedona is just cool. I did not mention San Antonio, Austin TX because it is a little south.

If you want to cut the corner a little fly up on the North side of the Sierra Nevada Range and cut over thru the Columbia river past PDX to SEA. One cool over night for this route is TPH, TONOPAH, NV. Its half way between Reno and Las Vegas (middle of no where which is cool by it self) and there is an old WWII training base, some cool artifacts around the airport. (I recall Bombers and some Fighters). Historians can comment. The FBO was very nice, homey with an airport dog, wagging tail, and they let me put my RV in a very big open military hanger with a handful of other planes. The hotel picks you up, cool town close by with gambling and good food. Real low key. Nothing special, just differnt and cool with its proximity to "AREA 51" just south. It fits in a 3 day flight plan and also if you fly DAL direct TPH you right over the Grand Canyon's southern area. If you want something more exciting than Reno/Lake Tahoe.

Ball park it is about 400 sm out of your way from GPS direct, which is a good route, just not super interesting, except for bad lands SD, Rapid City and Mount Rushmore. Southern route keeps you over lower terrain. (Sorry if I offended anyone.) I assume you'll not be camping, otherwise I would suggest landing at Johnson Creek, ID in the saw tooth mountains, near MYL, McCall ID.

Cheers George
 
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Stop at NOLA

Potential Stops?
New Orleans, LA may not be viable but sadly
Cheers George[/QUOTE]

KNEW is open! thats Lakefront Airport.
The wife and I stopped there last friday/saturday.
Now:
tower is not working.
Atis is not working.
2 of the 3 runways are still closed.
But MillionAire is operational in a doublewide.
Rosie, was very helpful and secured us a taxi (20.) into downtown.
booked us a nice room in the French Quarter for 110.
So we did Bourbon Street and ate creole, ;)
Saturday morning we got up and headed home to central Virginia.
5.5 hour flightime and 2 fuel/streach stops.
I recommend the stop!
Bob Martin
RV-6​
 
Fly safe and enjoy the trip.

Would definately cross Arkansas and stop at Gaston's 3M0(zero).For food and maybe a night or 2 with some fishing. Get fuel at Flippin or Mountain home not Gaston's. Each is about a 45 second flight from Gaston's.



Dauphin Island has some great eateries as does Mobile.

Call the Adams hotel in Mobile and they can arrange an evening carriage ride behind horses through old Mobile.

There is the USS Alabama at Battleship park along with a submarine, B52 and SR 71. Several Civil War forts and sites in the area and great fishing off and along the coast.

New Orlean's either KNEW or KMSY is open and the city is functioning well from a tourist standpoint.

KMSY is handier access to downtown, don't let the class B scare you off. The controllers are friendly and helpful. Pick up flight following in Mobile and they will talk you right in to MSY or NEW.

Natchez KHEZ also would make a great day trip for historic tours, antiquing, civil war stuff, dining and casino going.

I would avoid going to the Gulfport area as the Mississippi gulfcoast is still worse off than a third world country.

If casino's are your thing the Imperial Palace in Biloxi is open. Take I 10 to I 110 then south to the Coast. The Imperial Palace is a 12 story building just off I 110.


As noted above TSTMs are usually afternoon events and usually most severe weather passes in 2-3 hours.

There are some 3000' towers just North of a Line between Ocean Springs and Gulfport Mississippi. I believe these are the highest items within 400NM of Mobile.

Enjoy your trip.
 
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Great tips!

Thanks everyone for the information - always helps to learn from those who've already been there. Luckily I am an early to bed - early awake kind of guy, so getting up and on the way early each day will be easy.

George, where do you find the time to post so much stuff??? (George's advice on my Seattle-Phoenix trip in 3/05 was very helpful, my route then being Seattle - Redmond- Lakeview -Reno - Jean - Phoenix; a nice route down the back side of the Sierra Nevada) :)
 
I think all the suggestions earier in the thread are good ones (I'm based in Memphis) and would especially echo the suggestion of Gaston's on the white river.

Two other stops that I frequent close to your route: Sikeston, MO (KSIK) which is unremarkable except for Lambert's restaurant, famous for it's "throwed rolls" and overlarge portions. If you call Lambert's from the airport (get the FBO to call while you're inbound) they will send a van for you, and whisk you past the inevitable line for immediate seating. A fun, if somewhat lengthy, stop. It's at least an annual event for us while returning from OSH.

If you're simply in a hurry, Kennet, MO in the bootheel (KTKX) usually has the cheapest 100LL in the region and is quick turn. Not much else in Kennet that I'm aware of though...

James Freeman
 
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