Backcountry Pilot

[Superdave offline]

Hey gang, made it back.
One day longer than planned because of Wx but a nice trip. Gas in Yuma was 2.99 and in Loreto 2.79. Alamos is beautiful and the hotel has a huge hanger they put your plane in for 50 pesos. I'll post some pics when I get some time. Flew over Shoshone and Death Valley both ways. Headwind on the way back dropped ground speed down to 77 kts. Then it got dark and cold and stormy so we stayed last night in Bishop. This morning's ride was miserable but it nice to be home.
Dave

[retired user offline]

Dave,

Looking forward to the pix. I was at Shoshone on Friday before the wind kicked up. Sunday I waited as long as possible to leave N. Las Vegas and still encountered the same 35 knot headwind. Finally arrived home at Columbia (O22) around 6:30pm well after dark. I was tempted to head up the Owens Valley but it would have put me at Mammoth Mtn. (my usual crossing point) well after dark. I opted for the southern route crossing in fading daylite. My last trip into Mexico was to San Felipe many years ago in the 206. At some point it might be worthwhile to see if we could get a group together and plan a trip into Mexico in the spring. Baja is chocked full of small airstrips. Lotza' potential! BTW, fuel at KVGT was 2.95 so you still win with 2.79 but I'm very happy to see it below 3.00.

Mark

[Zzz]

Heard a lot of pireps last night on RNO approach re: moderate turbulence between 7,000 and 11,000. It does get bumpy on this side of the hill. One pirep was funny, because the female pilot making the call was very adamant and excited, and she wanted the controller to know about it.

Aircraft: We'd like to report moderate to severe turbulence between xx and xx, it was realllllly bumpy!
Controller: Ok thanks for the report.
Aircraft: We had some pretty rough air.
Controller: Ok thanks.
Aircraft: It was a real headbanger!
Controller: Ok thank you.

I laughed. -Z

[retired user offline]

I heard a few reports also. I was monitoring 122.0 as well as Nellis ATC in cruise climb out from Las Vegas. I went to 10,500 to avoid the turb (my wife doesn't enjoy the rough stuff) and heard a 210 going to Minden request 16,500. He quickly opted for lower due to the headwind and no turbulence. Funny thing was we never saw anything over occasional light chop even in the lee of the higher terrain. Made my co-pilot happy.

[Zzz]

I was going down to Minden one afternoon in some medium west wind conditions to practice crosswinds. I got a little too close to the mountains, at prob 6,500, and experienced a bump that felt like someone had picked up the plane and dropped it onto the ramp from about 10 feet up. Made my neck and my teeth ache.

[Zzz]

Dave,

We're still waiting for your Mexico photos!

[Superdave offline]

I hate computers. I got MLB a PDA and installed the Palm software and now now nothing works. My resize software is sall fupped duck. When I get it working I'll post some photos.

[Zzz]

Dave, you have zero computer luck. Try installing GIMP, it's a free and solid Photoshop clone. http://www.gimp.org

It's free and really works well. I wrote a nice how to how to on resizing here.

[Superdave offline]

Well, I finally got the confuser to work but I couldn't make gimp work so I found one called Infranview. Now the pictures are gone. I must have been born too late. Also, I have Photoshop but no clue how to use it. I'll post them when I find them.

[Superdave offline]

Alrighty then,
We had a wonderful trip, no mechanical issuses except for another tailwheel tire episode and a reluctant cold start in Bishop.
jmtgt- I got some freshly smuggled cubans - they go good with beer - holler and we'll burn 'em

[Superdave offline]

I went along for years without any trouble. Then it blew out in Winnemucca, then Mammoth and St. George. The boys in St. George towed my plane into the hanger full of 185's and fixed it complete with new tube. They recommended I keep the tire inflated to 60psi whith I did and had no problems for quite a while. Then I bought a new 6ply tire which I thought would end all problems and on the sidewall is stamped 60psi. Well in Alamos it looked a little low so I got the compressor uot and filled it. It felt a little funny taking off. A closer look and the tire is bulging and not round. I carry all the stuff for in the field changing so it's not a big deal unless your in Mammoth in the middle of the night with 35kt winds and below freezing temp. I guess I just got a bad tire this last time because everybody I talk to doesn't have this happen to them even in a much heavier 185. When my plane is empty there is about 225 lbs on the tailwheel. Put people, gas and luggage and it goes up. Right now I have a McCreary 4ply 2.50x4 and all is well.

[Superdave offline]

I managed to find some pix check out the user gallery
Merry Christmas, Amigos
jmtgt-thanks for calling today, you made my day

[punkin170b offline]

I thought I recognized your pretty little 180 sitting in EKO ~2-3 weeks ago. Were you on your way home? She's real pretty and all dressed up with those cute little wheel panties too! I can't get my Dad to get rid of his either - but he's been good enough I guess to fly into some pretty aggressive places over the years and never broken one... I know I wouldn't be so lucky (or good either)!

M

[hotrod180 offline]

I had some t/w trouble a while back, with two flats in pretty short order. After #2, I eyeballed the inside of the tire pretty hard and could see where the surface was chewed up for some reason & abraiding the tube. The tire was getting kinda wornout anyway so I shitcanned it. I do carry a tire pump and spares:an old t/w tire (not the chewed-up one!) and tube, along with an old tube for my 800 mains. I figure those'd be mighty hard to find at your average FBO these days, unless you break down on the field where Spruce or Chief is located. Cheap,light insurance-- never needed the main tube, but the t/w spares came in handy a couple times.

Eric

[Superdave offline]

As soon as I move back to N86 which will be before Jan1, I'm gonna put the 8.50's on along with the GAR tailwheel. It won't fit in the hanger at Mercury with the big tires anyway. That should solve two problems: tailwheel tire flats and the crap I get about the panties