My brother in law is going to be out here visiting and we're planning on going to the Chicken Strip on Friday or Saturday. It would be fun to meet up with any other BCPers who would want to go. Any recent pireps on the strip would be appreciated.

The strip should be fine, but probably soft. No big deal...just roll to the top rather than come to a stop and then have to power up.

Bring some love for the Springs or for the caretaker. Everyone else does!

Have fun. I'd join but my starter motor won't be functional by then.

hammer

Thanks for the PIREP. I'll have the 26" bushwheels on so as long as it's not real bad I should do fine. What kind of stuff does the caretaker like?

Headed there wed am . Staying till Friday . 2 planes .

robw56 wrote:Thanks for the PIREP. I'll have the 26" bushwheels on so as long as it's not real bad I should do fine. What kind of stuff does the caretaker like?

No worries with the bushwheels.

Lee likes Bacon, Aerowheat bread, whole milk and cash. The cash part seems a bit funny, but it's really the easiest way to say Thanks for keeping the strip in good shape. He doesn't have a lot of ways to make cash money and his position there is volunteer. Also, he has limited storage space so it's hard to know whether he has room for perishables on any given day.

I'll bet Lee smokes weed too. hahaha

OregonMaule wrote:I'll bet Lee smokes weed too. hahaha

No, I don't think he does.

Laura and I will plan to arrive from Tahoe Friday and stay a night. I have a new wind sock I bought to replace the tattered one I saw last year, unless it's already been replaced.

Pierre_R wrote:Laura and I will plan to arrive from Tahoe Friday and stay a night. I have a new wind sock I bought to replace the tattered one I saw last year, unless it's already been replaced.

That's great. I don't think it has, but if so just give the extra sock to Lee. They only last about a year out there.

If you can bring some large wooden wedges and a mallet to help straighten the wind sock pole. It's got a bit of a lean to it right now. Not super bad but enough to bias the direction of the sock.

Sounds like a micro-gathering coming together. Love it!

Hammer wrote:

Pierre_R wrote:Laura and I will plan to arrive from Tahoe Friday and stay a night. I have a new wind sock I bought to replace the tattered one I saw last year, unless it's already been replaced.

That's great. I don't think it has, but if so just give the extra sock to Lee. They only last about a year out there.

If you can bring some large wooden wedges and a mallet to help straighten the wind sock pole. It's got a bit of a lean to it right now. Not super bad but enough to bias the direction of the sock.

Will do. I don't have a plan yet for how to mount the windsock. Do you recall how tall the pole is? I thought I might recruit someone to drive their pickup truck over so I could stand on the tailgate (or roof if need be) to reach it.

Pierre

The pole is pinned at the bottom. Lift slightly and unpin it and pull it the rest of the way out lean it over, it's a 2 man job. I'm thinking it's a 20" hoop. 172 heavy and I replaced it about 3 yrs ago. Thinking we used a 18" sock and a bunch of lock wire and tie straps.

I had a friend stop in to the Chicken Strip three day's ago and he said it was in good shape. Still had the Woop-Tee- Doos but that's normal for the Chicken Strip.

Rick

Thanks for the pireps, we will probably be heading down Saturday am. Maybe we'll see you before you leave Pierre.

Just spent the last two nights out there . Strip in good shape. Nice midday temps mid to high 7o's ... A bit on the freaky side with many many people soaking . Weird vibe .

Postponing the trip for now...

robw56 wrote:Postponing the trip for now...

Bummer Rob. It's a nice weekend in your neck of the woods too. We're at Discovery Kingdom this weekend!

CW

clippwagon wrote:

robw56 wrote:Postponing the trip for now...

Bummer Rob. It's a nice weekend in your neck of the woods too. We're at Discovery Kingdom this weekend!

CW

Cool, I flew over that just the other day.

will end up there someday im sure...looks great...but isnt it amazing how much nicer it is for all of US when there isnt much...or none...auto access....never had a weird vibe at lower loon at those hot springs....!!??

Mission accomplished.

Chicken Strip windsock before:



After:



Strip is in good shape as previously noted, except that gravel is quite loose and soft.

Enjoyed our own personal air show as two F-18's made multiple very low passes right over us, complete with steep pull up and roll! For those not familiar, these warm springs are in the Saline MOA and right on a military training route. There is an intersection in the MTR airway over the site, called NUDIE! Wish I could hear the UHF "Break right at NUDIE!"

Yeah, definite "vibe" at the springs. The scene just reinforced my conviction that "clothing optional" spots would be much better if I got to be the judge of who was allowed to exercise the option. "Hey you, 75 year old guy with pot belly and wrinkled tatoos, cover up! I can't un-see that."

Laura at the bat mobile:



Then a night at Panamint Springs. The Cassel family is very into aviation and photography. I had to make three low passes to get Aaron's attention so he'd quit operating the loader/backhoe next to and on the strip long enough to let us land. Then Aaron put on a nice demonstration of his powered parachute, with a low pass in front of the deck, over the highway, to thrill the bar patrons. Then the brothers put on a sunset dogfight of RC planes. Father Tim is mostly recovered from last year's hard engine out landing in the Sierra. His new Piper has shoulder harnesses. The accident plane didn't have them and his face needed lots of surgery to repair after that long cold night. Glad to hear he's back flying.



Just got home ahead of the big cold front and 40-50 MPH winds this AM!

Happy Thanksgiving to all,

Pierre and Laura