That was my first trip up there so forgive me my first-timer enthusiasm. The old hands already know all this but there are a few things I wish I had known before heading up to Johnson Creek. Here's a few things I learned that I want to write down before I forget. Might help some other first-timers out there too.
- Scotchgard your sneakers before you go.
- Your windscreen WILL be fogged up first thing in the morning.
- Sunscreen.
- Don't bother hauling in water. The water there could be bottled and sold in snooty restaurants. However, you may want to bring along a jug to haul some home with.
- Bring something cool and comfy to wear during the day. Bring something warm and comfy for when the sun goes down. If she likes flying, so much the better.
- Do NOT underestimate the quality of food you will encounter at the Saturday night potluck.
- Buy more than two raffle tickets. The prizes are incredible.
- Don't bother carrying your chair around, someone will offer you one.
- Consider having your gear shipped to the maintenance shack at JC. Carry only items needed for the flight. It will magically boost the high-altitude performance of your airplane. Pay them to ship it back to you. Don't forget to leave a generous donation as well. They do an amazing job maintaining the camp.
- When your buddy tells you NOT to bring it in right over the trees at the approach end of 17 and land short, listen to your buddy. Otherwise you'll have to taxi uphill for quite a while. There was way more stopping power on that runway than I would have anticipated.
And if anyone else has some good HUMINT, feel free to add it.