The 26" Airstreaks really kill your XC speed, a lot more then I thought they would. Alpine Wyoming is an easy 45 minutes from my place, after breakfast at the Yankee Doodle, I started back, and the next thing I knew some 4+ hours had passed on the return trip. One thing led to another and the air was perfect, and I kept finding interesting places to check out. Keep in mind I've been flying this route (or close to it) for 30 yrs now, and ain't bored yet!
The first beach landing, low water at the Palisades Res. out of Alpine

The Star Valley castle, still there (had to make sure).

Somewhere out of Dingle Wyoming

This Star Valley property owner couldn't decide as to whether a golf course or an airstrip would be the way to go, so he did both, note the hangar at the far end and several windsocks.

Another addition to my collection of of pictures of abandoned cabins with Honey parked nearby

Honey at the Beach (Bear Lake) (note car and ATV tracks on beach) no one around for a mile or so this Sun AM


Flying the entire perimeter takes a while but someone has to do it. The blueness is hard to believe, especially after the barren stretch of Wyoming I just came from.


Lastly, a little cruising in a remote part of Wyoming with a freight train. He was real good at holding it steady.

By the time I got home it was almost dinner time!

courierguy wrote: The Star Valley castle, still there (had to make sure).

Is that your crane?

Cool pics!! Glad you had great weather on that side of the state. Weather in SW Idaho has been pretty epic the last week!!

Those are the best kind of days, no plan just wandering.
Thanks for the pictures.

I guess it's the owner's money & he can spend it the way he wants, but that castle looks to me like a case of too much money & time on someone's hands-- a garish display of wealth. I think if it was me, I'd have built something that blended in better with the landscape- like the world's largest log cabin (using native logs of course).
What's the big building next to the golf course/runway- the tool shed?

hotrod150 wrote:I guess it's the owner's money & he can spend it the way he wants, but that castle looks to me like a case of too much money & time on someone's hands-- a garish display of wealth. I think if it was me, I'd have built something that blended in better with the landscape- like the world's largest log cabin (using native logs of course).
What's the big building next to the golf course/runway- the tool shed?

I kinda agree, but hopefully displays of wealth like this has helped (economically) local contractors, supply businesses and other local business. But on the other hand, some wealthy people that build palaces/castles like this may do so with dirty/stolen money .

You missed the rwy by a couple hundred yards.

Great pics!

hotrod150 wrote:I guess it's the owner's money & he can spend it the way he wants, but that castle looks to me like a case of too much money & time on someone's hands-- a garish display of wealth. I think if it was me, I'd have built something that blended in better with the landscape- like the world's largest log cabin (using native logs of course).
What's the big building next to the golf course/runway- the tool shed?

I forgot to mention the castle has a recent addition, a few thousand foot long asphalt strip with a large hangar, (a modern hangar, not a medieval one) and it's own road to the castle. In all the years I've been flying by there, I've never seen anyone there. It was built by a local realtor, or at least he started it, but I think it has a new owner. I'd give my left you know what to get a tour sometime. Between Alpine and Afton there are 6 private strips that I know of.

The castle was not built for others to see, until you drive up the very long private road I doubt it is even visible from the valley, can you imagine, if it was yours, and you take someone up there without warning them first you have your own frigging CASTLE!! It'd be kind of fun watching their surprise! Garish maybe, but someone has a huge (and twisted) sense of humor, and obviously plenty of dough.

At the far end of the golf course, that's a hangar, at least it has a hangar door, that and a couple of wind socks made me realize it was a dual use facility. Maybe he did it just to make the planning and zoning process easier, more power to him! It appears a couple more homes are under construction.

Just a few miles away another private strip is going in, with a pretty cool hangar home with it's own control tower.

Where do these people get all this money? Guess I should have worked smart instead of working hard all my life.... Or, picked the right family to be born to.

Gump

GumpAir wrote:Where do these people get all this money? Guess I should have worked smart instead of working hard all my life.... Or, picked the right family to be born to.

Gump

I'm with you, Gump!

Yeah Pat, but we can't complain too much though. Life's been a damn fine adventure so far, and it ain't over yet!!!!

Gump

It's a bitch to be rich!

Delete!!!!

GumpAir wrote:Yeah Pat, but we can't complain too much though. Life's been a damn fine adventure so far, and it ain't over yet!!!!

Gump

Yeah, Life is pretty good for me, too.

So, someone has finally found Zane's other house (Star Valley Caste) - and now you guys are all bent outta shape? Geez!
Bunch of awesome pictures! I would have appreciated a heads up before seeing my retirement home described as an "old abandoned cabin"...

JJ,
The place was a little run down, but the runway was in decent shape!