Left Arizona and temps over 100 during the day and cooling way down into the 90's at night. Arrived back in WA on the 29th and it rained the very next day! But not for long and since then the sun has been out and the temps are highs of low 80's with blue sky and lots of green. When it's not raining or fogging, WA is one of the most beautiful places in the country.
Visiting with friends is wonderful. Getting my Liberty (fifth wheel) ready for major traveling is fun but also a challenge. Who was the person who told me how much easier a fifth is as compared to a trailer? I spent 1/2 hour unhooking and another re-hooking. These things are picky as hell - everything has to be lined up just so before the heavenly "clunk" reaches my ears. I climb in and out of my truck so many times I fear for the life span of the seat!
The second day here was flying time. Nearly a month had passed and withdrawal was fact. Path was just off a fresh oil change, a new tire and as anxious to be airborne as I. Judy flew with me along with friends in their RV, one in his Sonex, one in a Wyex (spelled wrong), the fifth plane a Super Cub. Our destination was Tillamook as they were having a car show and pancake breakfast at the museum there. 300 foot ceilings gradually rose to 900 then 1100 but not till long after the breakfast was over. Lifting off from Chehalis (CLS) at 10:30 we flew southwest toward the Columbia River and Astoria. Our intention was to turn south and fly the coast south. Nothing but cloud so we stayed over the top, direct. Just north of Tillamook (TMK) it opened up right over Nehalem (3S7) and we slipped under the cloud cover still hanging over the Tillamook valley. Flight time 1.1
On this flight in Path and during the flight that morning from Judy's Field - Shady Acres (3B8) in her LadyHawk, we took lots of wonderful pictures. Fields and mountains through patches of morning mist, planes flying next to us, with a background of clouds, rock formations, ocean. Truly they were breathtaking. You, my readers, would have been blown away.
Unfortunately all those perfect photos were accidentally deleted...gone. Nothing but our memories of the flights remain. Drat.
Glad to hear you are back in the air. I watch fivers all the time and it does seem to be difficult to get them hooked up. I think what makes them better is the towing: They are more stable and less apt to toss the towing vehicle off the road.
ReplyDeleteBased on some of your previous work, I have no doubt that we would have been blown away by the lost images. Truly, it is our loss. But congratulations to you for getting a fix. I would be stir crazy after a month of being stuck to the ground.
ReplyDeleteYou'll just have to go back and take them again.
ReplyDeleteOH DANG...well stuff like that happens...Sounds like you had a great time..Here still too hot to get out and do anything Short of jumping in a lake..which sounds pretty good bout now! I hear a bunch of the Wins are in WA doing the Cascades Loop drive!
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain. Now we'll just have to imagine those beautiful pictures.
ReplyDeleteWow I sure wish I had me a fifth wheel, I would have to buy a vehicle to pull it first LOL Hope your travels with that are safe ones for you and of course fun fun fun :o)
ReplyDeletechuck - Yes, I watched them hookup too. And backup. Are men born knowing how to back things? It all looks so easy!
ReplyDeleteSondra - Yes, I will be here when the WINs arrive and will be taking some of them flying.
too bad you lost the Photo's. I simply forget to take a camera. We at least have the memories. good to hear you are back in the air. Dave
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