daedaluscan wrote:Awesome photos, loved seeing Morro bay from the air, one of my favourite places. Feel free to stop in on the way home if you need a shower and a bed. Gillies bay, 35 miles SE of Campbell River.

Thanks. Sent you a PM for contact info.

After leaving Ketchikan continued flying up through southeast, the plan being by the end of the day to be home. Amazingly beautiful and fantastic weather.


Wrangel was the next community passed.



I just love areas that are full of different textures and colors.


Petersburg. Landed here to stop in and say "Hi" to a friend.


More places that caught my eye.



Then Juneau, the state capitol of Alaska. The area in the foreground is know locally as Douglas, and the background as Juneau.


The Juneau airport was just a little further up the island.

Looks like a fun trip. Guess I missed you at the tradeshow, I just got to stop by between flights and drool on the raffle cub a bit.

Out of curiosity, what cruise speed do you plan for in your 185 for trips like this?

-asa

asa wrote:Looks like a fun trip. Guess I missed you at the tradeshow, I just got to stop by between flights and drool on the raffle cub a bit.

Out of curiosity, what cruise speed do you plan for in your 185 for trips like this?

-asa

Yea bummer we didn't get to meet. I plan on 150mph cruise speed.

Continuing up Southeast. Plenty of beaches to land.





In the area of Gustavus, our next stop for fuel and lunch.


Gustavus. So no sooner did I land and yet again I was greeted with a crash truck. This one shot off its water canon. Although I have no proof of this I believe fellow BCP'r gbflyer put the fire crew up to this. Fueled and had lunch with gbflyer.


Next stop, the Kenai Peninsula.

Actually the water was probably meant for me. The airport sheriff also fireman wanna be sent me a text message warning to stop for the gate. I sent him a middle digit. Haven’t seen Al-Qaeda around in some time.

Thanks for buying some gas by the way. The local guy here doesn’t sell much as this is only the second year back having it after a several year hiatus. Trying to get back on the map. Everything helps.

My pleasure. Great to have fuel at multiple locations on the coast. And thanks for the hospitality!

For a while after leaving Gustavus the weather remained excellent.


Huge glacier that comes down all the way to the sea.


Part of a stretch of at least a hundred miles of landable beach.


But then little by little it started to deteriorate. Of course the country remained amazing.


Although I still had plenty of fuel left I like options so landed at Yakutat to top off. Then continued on.



As I neared Cordova the ceiling and visibility dropped to near nothing on the outside edge of the coast so I cut inland to Cordova.


I weaved my way through the coastal islands past Valdez (noting that it was in the clear) but in addition to low ceilings and low visibility clouds started to appear that began cloaking the islands all the way to the water. So I wheeled around and landed at Valdez to spend the night and wait for better weather. Only one hour to go to get home.

The next morning finds the skies in much better form. Only an hour to go and I'm home.



As I neared Whittier the clouds again increased but this time I could go over them and the mountains.



Whittier


Past Whittier and now looking down the Turnagain Arm.


Twenty miles of this and I'm nearly home.


Thanks everyone whom I met and those that offered advice.

Flying days went like this.

Day One planned Tucson AZ, but surrendered to weather at El Paso TX

Day Two planned and made Tucson AZ

Day Three planned and made Santa Ynez CA

Day Four planned and made Madera CA

Day Five planned Albuquerque NM, but went to Santa Fe NM because of weather. Much better choice

Day Six planned Coeur d'ALene ID but decided on Durango CO instead to recharge my energy

Day Seven planned Coeur d'ALene ID, but surrendered to weather at Lewiston ID

Day Eight planned and made Ketchikan

Day Nine planned Home, but surrendered to weather at Valdez

Day Ten planned and made Home

Total flying hours 46.5

I used Garmin Pilot mostly, but at the end was using Foreflight (that's another discussion). Transponder yes, but no ADS-B. Only flight plans filed were to cross the borders, otherwise I told friends where I was going and had them follow me on inReach.

I used the FlashPass app for filing eApis. Definitely worth it if you plan on crossing borders more than just one trip.

NavCanada persons were great as usual even with my foibles, as was Canadian customs (just a phone call). U.S. Customs was pleasant which was refreshing.

A great trip, a great route, and really enjoyed meeting everyone. Hope I have the opportunity to reciprocate sometime.