On Sunday and friend and I flew to 42VA. This is the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, VA. It isn't backcountry, but it is a grass strip. They are only open for visiting aircraft twice each year. Once when they put on their WW II airshow (last Sunday) and once when they put on their WW I airshow (coming up in October). They have some really spectacular aircraft on display and flying. The world's only flying de Havilland Mosquito flew in the show, as did their Spitfire, the Hawker Hurricane, the B-25, a Corsair, a PBY Catalina and a host of other cool aircraft. One that surprised me was an ME-262 that did a fly-over. They can't land that WW II jet on the grass field, and it was too high for me to get good pictures of it, but I'm looking for some from a friend with a big lens. It was a delightful day, and 3 Maules showed up for the event. That was pretty cool in and of itself! They also had a lot of reenactors on the field in German, French, British and German costumes. Strangely, there were more German reenactors than any other group.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWXYYJ5Ee-I

Neat! Looks like a fun day!

weekend so far...

Zane, I need you to source me a 'jealous face' that is reserved solely for posting in this thread after pictures like that.

I finally got some time to take my 93 year old grandfather for a ride. He was a fighter pilot in WWII. He flew P-39's, P-40's, and even a little time in P-51's. He was stationed in the South Pacific. He has some great stories to tell. He and his wingman even Pioneered a new satellite airstrip on some Island the marines took. He will admit that he was the second one to land it but they raced to be the first.

Ready to Go:





We landed at Parkersburg, WV and went to the restaurant, where he bought me dinner.

I took him to see my new project, and he even got an off airport landing on a 900ft piece of fresh dirt. (more to come on that )

When we got home I bought the ice cream. Was a good day.

The Lord has a Special Place in Heaven for those that take Vets Flying! It's set right behind the spot He has reserved for the Vets!

Awesome! My 84 yr old dad took me out to get current in his Cherokee tonight. He schooled me again. Looks like the ice will be off Lake Superior by June.

Your Grandfather must be very proud of you Evan.

Did he have much trouble getting in and out of the back seat?

He is very proud. Almost embarrassingly so. Haha he tells random people in stores and restaurants!

Honestly, not bad. He just sat on the edge of the door and grabbed the bars over head, and i gave him a boost from his feet and I had to help him get his leg over the stick. By the second time we were getting good at it.

That is just fantastic Ivan!! Love it!!

(this was the last time my vet Grandpa flew with me...miss him...lots!)

At the Gastons fly in this weekend. Plenty of fun so far.

Played around a bit near the Idaho/Wyoming border, found one new site and revisited a previous one, then went to breakfast, absolutely perfect flying weather!

New place, 8200'. New place, always fun to walk it after landing and see what I missed, only one rock that the 29's made a non event. A few miles away, at 8400', I like it when HONEY get's on top (get your mind out of the gutter). At the breakfast parking spot, even it looks great this time of year.

mate awsome shots! what a spot!

Coming back from Arkansas now, stopped a couple times

Someone even mowed a field for me to land in and pee.

Great pics Tom, Gaston's looked like a hoot!

Monday...

Found myself in the middle of nowhere Nevada this AM and found some treasure along an old telegraph line. A couple of these have pre 1900 dates stamped on them. Most were from 1907-1930...kinda like finding glass balls on the beach. Good flight! Happy Memorial Day!







AKT

Cool!

Aktahoe 1
You have enough there to make a some proper lightning stools. http://mikehilerfiredclay.blogspot.com/ ... stool.html

Yesterday, Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, we flew to meet Terry and Straight Tail at McKenzie Bridge Airstrip, OR, where they had arranged for a shuttle service to pick us and our bicycles up and take us up the pass as far as we wanted to go. You then ride your bikes on the McKenzie River National Recreation Trail back to the airstrip, through old growth forest right along the river and most of it is downhill. What a good time!