Update on the "Western Adventure" 2
An early start Sunday morning saw us leaving Fargo for a stopover at Larry's brother Mitch's beautiful lafefront log cabin on an unspellable lake near Eagle River in northern Wisconsin.
The fun part of this leg besides the 25 knot tailwind, was a surprise call up on our "Rat Trap" frequency, by fellow RV8 owner and Cincy River Rat, Captain Greg "Greese" Reese. He was flying a Delta 757 from Seattle to JFK!
We were able to talk for over an hour while he very gradually overtook us!
We cruised into KARV while flying over the gazillion lakes of Northern Wisconsin.
After a nice stay at Mitch Wolf's cabin where we fished, biked, and kayaked, we got up in the morning to find rain showers blocking our planned stop at Mackinaw Island. Instead we headed to Grand Ledge, Mi., the airport down the street from my mother and sister, and also the place I learned to fly. We crossed Lake Michigan at 11,500 ft, while position reporting on the special frequency set aside for those brave souls.
We landed at Grand Ledge, fueled up, and had lunch with my mom and sister.
It was at this point that Haley and I informed my mom that she would have to "pray" for us for a few more legs rather than the original plan to go home from Grand Ledge. On the leg from Fargo to Eagle River, I asked Haley if she could stand flying a bit further and make it a "coast to coast and back adventure". She thought that it was a great idea! So instead of splitting up with Larry at this point, we took off together and headed across Michigan, Ontario, and Lake Erie and on into Lake Chautauqua, New York., where Larry and his wife have a summer condo.
Larry's wife Mara picked us up at a really cool private airstrip, where we tied down for the night.
We watched the sunset over the lake, had a nice home cooked dinner thanks to Mara, and went to bed.
The next morning we headed out for the east coast, our destination decided by which friend answered the phone. Fellow RV4 builder Rusty Gossard was not at home in Bar Harbor, Me., but fellow DHL pilot and 727 Captain Pat Walsh was! He lives on Cape Cod in Hyannis, Massachusets. He graciously picked us up at KHYA and toured us around his beautiful "Cape". On the flight over Haley passed the time "coloring"!
We stopped at the beach near Hyannisport, and got our feet wet in the Atlantic!
We had a "lobster roll" at a beachside stand for lunch, then dinner at "The Black Cat" restaurant, with Pat and his wife Jackie.
Pat picked us up the next morning and took us to airport to embark on our final 2 legs.
Pat and Jon at Hyannis.
We left Pat, and his beloved "Cape" behind and bucked 25 knot headwinds home, stopping in Bedford County, Pa. for gas.
more to come......
