Deb and I flew the Wilga over here yesterday, counted a bunch of Elk along the Clark Fork.
Pretty dreary today, so going to kick around here and see if the weather improves any.
Might fly up to Kalispel.
I anyone is kicking around today or tomorrow, could have a cup of coffee.

GTnDeb

Great place to be stuck. We hung out in a Best Western right on the lake and ate at a great Mexican restaurant just up the shoreline. The econoline van they provided us had shed half the left front tire so we couldn't go very far and didn't need to. Couldn't buy a good landing there, always came in hot because I couldn't convince myself to get slow over the water on final.

There used to be a grass strip between there and Ronan that I visited once. It was like Hotel California for pilots. Wrecked airplanes proved they had checked in. I went there once to look at a 210 project advertised in barnstormers. We were lucky that we opted for Ronan in a rented xp instead of the grass co-located with the project plane. The courtesy car was a Pinto with a bumper sticker that said "this car explodes upon impact." We ventured out to the place to look at the plane and I could tell by the layout of the compound that we'd made a mistake. My buddy, on the other hand, being a Scottish South American A&P couldn't abort. So we go up to the shack and wait for the okies that owned it to come corral about 10 mean dogs. Then he had us follow him to a run down quanset, flushing chickens and peacocks the whole way. While we're walking along, I'm thinking WTF is that awful smell? well, once we got in the shed I found out- it was our hosts horrible breath! I kept ducking behind large pieces of mutilated air foils to keep from gagging while this old dude told tales of all these wrecked airplanes that had gotten tangled up with the timothy that lined his 40' wide runway. I thought we were going to wind up in a pot, my buddy kept looking for pieces of something to justify the trip while I loitered by the doorway fondling a gear leg. The 210 "project" was a fuselage and a dozen milk crates full of parts that were the same color as a wadded up Mooney parked in the cattails. Never again.

GT,
It's snowing up here in Marion, or I'd say swing by! Snowed and rained all day yesterday and today so far...after just a little "teaser" of sunshine this morning, so the runway's about a mess.....plus there's Clydesdales out on it!
Run up to the Miracle of America Museum on the hill South of town, as well as the museum in town on the South of Main street. That should take most of the day up!
Nosedragger...I know where you're talking about... and the sad thing is that most of the ones that he has flying are about as good as the one you guys looked at!!
John

Headed for stevensville!
Thanks for the help
John I'm going to make it over 1 of these days.
In the air, good signal!
gT

Can't say enough good about North Star in Hamilton!! Damn fine care when you pull in at 1900!!
Wind was blowing about 25 direct cross wind so landed on the approach end of 34 on the cross strip!
Took all of 50' to get stopped??!!
Leland with North Star was home and saw come in, ran down, offered a hangar, lined us up with a car, discount at a real nice Motel! Great dinner.
Damn fine day!
GT n Deb

The weather in Stevensville really sucked yesterday and not much better today. Concur, I have always got great service from the folks at North Star in Hamilton. Fly safe out there we don't need any more downed aircraft this week !

Yeah, I've been following your progress in spirit, and looking out the window. Pretty marginal here anyway, and for whatever reason, I've found over the years that whatever it's doing in my part of Idaho it's doing the same in that stretch of Montana. Good here, good there, bad here, bad there. Your next leg will be interesting

Hey George: If you give us a link to your SPOT we will watch your back. What I do is just like your post here, when I am leaving home I ask the BCP guys to watch my SPOT. Then when I land I use my iPhone to post I made it. Most of the time I have several guys texting me in flight saying we see you. If I were to land somewhere and it wasn't planned, and no cell service I hit the ok button.

I have never flown backcountry places with out multiple people knowing where I am going. It has always been during the JC BCP fly in too. Most of the time just take a wing man or a gaggle.

Cheers...Rob

3+" of new snow on the ground here this morning.... hope it's nicer to the South and West!

I've been stuck in Billings since Sunday night trying to get back to Hamilton from Tulsa. Tuesday am looks better, northstar just did the annual, great guys there!

Left Hamilton, had 20 gusting more right down the runway, got to about 6000 was light from the N.
Only had 1 small bump all the way to Pullman, spent the night there and back home this afternoon.
Doug and Lisa and there crew @ Interstate are great.
Thanks all for following. Did not take the spot with us this trip? lame I know, but did have the PLB!
Had a great flight through LoLo pass and then down stream to Pullman
GT N Deb
I think I almost have a handle on getting the Wilga Bug on the ground!!