tBatt wrote:

Man, enjoy that. I honestly don't think it gets any better from here on out. You get greedy for bigger, faster, more expensive airplanes, things get more complicated—when all we really want is to be playing on the gravel bars in a tandem taildragger of some kind.

I would stay for another month if I could. Unfortunately I also need that pesky thing called health insurance but my job takes it away if I run out of PTO and it's getting tight.

I was a little concerned about only having 85hp but I've been quite impressed with the performance. Best yet has been about 400 feet for takeoff and lading, not too shabby considering I only have 153 TT and 13 hours in this make/model. We're also close to standard conditions here meanwhile DA back in SLC is regularly around 7000'. Not looking forward to returning to 100° heat and smoke filled skies this weekend.

There was a 7GCBC for sale local to me in SLC with a low time engine at a good price, but I would have a really hard time spending money I don't have on something that has the utility akin to a motorcycle. I would think a better fit would be a C170, 180hp Maule, or PA22/20. I'm sure I'd miss the fun in the tandem.

pburns wrote:Congrats on the tailwheel sign off! Great pics. Enjoy the rest of your time there.

Thanks Pete! Looks like my mom is selling her place in Saratoga soon so most of my time back East will be between NJ and CT. I don't know if I'll make it at all this year. Would be nice to hang out with the North Creek crew again soon. Maybe late October.

Anyways, we had smoke in the cockpit on the runup today. I suspect it was me carelessly checking the oil and some dripping off the dipstick onto the exhaust, but that doesn't really explain how it would get in the cabin. We called it quits at the runup area and mx came in the truck and brought us back to the hangar.

Not scheduled to fly tomorrow but we might be able to sneak something in depending on how the wx holds - it isn't looking great and the moisture might really bring out the name in Mud strip.

Friday evening will be my last flight up here and then back to SLC. Hopefully I can find something down there to stay proficient in. I would love to go play in the desert, up in the Frank Church, and ultimately get back to the lodge I helped build at 7OR0 which is where this whole dream started 10 years ago.

Not exotic but kinda pretty looking down at my corn and soybean field in the center without any wind turbines. The rain had passed off to the left and was a nice morning.

180Marty wrote:Not exotic but kinda pretty looking down at my corn and soybean field in the center without any wind turbines. The rain had passed off to the left and was a nice morning.

Your field looks like about the only one without any wind turbines-- is that by choice?
I assume the wind turbines are owned / operated by an energy outfit,
I'm curious what kind of compensation the land-owner gets..

Your field looks like about the only one without any wind turbines-- is that by choice?
I assume the wind turbines are owned / operated by an energy outfit,
I'm curious what kind of compensation the land-owner gets..

My cousin that owns the farm was skeptical back when it was started. His sister has three on her land and other cousins combined have about 25. Mid American Energy owns them and pays on average $10,000 per year per turbine. They are in the process of adding 30 feet of height so they can install bigger blades and generators in the same location. They're having to add to the concrete bases for the added stress. Got this picture a couple weeks ago with the cement dust from sawing or jack hammering. My first cousin hit the jack pot when he did a land trade for where the substation was located. MidAmerican got 40 acres( the substaion isn't nearly 40 acres so cousin can still farm most of the land) of not the best land and my cousin took the money and purchased 100 acres not too far away.

Final day. Flew from Palmer to the South, up the Eagle River Canyon. Searched for thermals and lift, practiced box canyon turns, ultimately got to 9000', crossed the glacier, and dropped down to Lake George over the Kink.









We flew a few laps around Mud strip until I had a stabilized approach on the right airspeed until we committed to landing



Another lap and we jumped over to Beaver Pond (I think?)
It was considerably more rough for the 8.50s. My CFI took controls for the first landing. We landed with a slight tail wind, walked the strip, recalibrated our brains for the wind, and took off downriver for the headwind. I had controls for another lap and landing.



We skipped over Picnic, headed to Practice, did one landing there, and went back to Palmer then a hop, skip and a jump to the Alehouse to celebrate the successes of the week.

Back in Eagle River now with a 5:45 AKDT Uber schedule to the international and a prompt return to the hottest days on record in SLC.

Going dark until I can find tailwheel in SLC because no one cares to hear about me shooting instrument approaches in Utah.

This place is an amazing resource and I still believe forums hold a substantial high ground over Facebook groups. Hopefully I can give back more than I took.

Cheers

Landed at the old home base on Spider to see if the trees are getting taller.

No exciting photos to post this round.

My buddy, local CFI, and coincidentally a guy from my home town reached out to me a few months ago. He had his dad's C185 at KSVR for a few years while he was earning his ratings. He got a 135 job and rent tripled at KSVR so they decided to sell. He asked if I would take the photos for his listing. Sure, regardless of what's in it for me. He said we had to fly it before he sold it. This was before I got my TW endorsement.

Last I heard he had moved it back to NY at 5B2 since storage would be considerably less expensive. His brother is the FBO manager, after all. I thought my chances of flying it were done.

Fast forward to last Thursday. He called, saying they had buyer in TX and insisted I joined for the ferry flight. I initially said no since I was so tight on PTO, have a trip coming up, and I can't take unpaid time off.

The following Monday the Legal Council (who had just gotten word I was earning my ratings) came into our morning meeting to pass a book off to me. It was called the Flight of Passage.

The following day I came across a paragraph that was quite inspiring:

"Now listen here young man," he said. "One thing."

"Dad, you don't have to say it. I know. Don't screw this one up. For Kern's sake."

"Well good, Rinker. Exactly. But think of yourself too.

Your brother likes you, he wants you along on this trip. Think of the things you'll learn, working on the plane. And the country you'll see! Why, Jesus, Texas. Texas! Texas is magnificent from the air. This is a wonderful opportunity for you."

"Sure Dad. Texas."

"Deal?"

"Deal."

Turns out I don't have much going on at work, so I booked the commercial flight from SLC to EWR to stay with my brother and get relatively close, as quickly and as inexpensive as possible.

Unfortunately wx doesn't look great for the flight out. I got an email from United saying there's a chance of cancellation for t-storms. We'll see. At this point, I'm still planning on EWR tomorrow night. The rest will be determined by prog charts.

The plan is KBL to somewhere around Northern Kentucky, spending the night in a hotel. The next morning we'll hopefully be landing in a Delta around Dallas (KADS?), and flying back DFW to SLC commercial.

Not necessarily backcountry flying but I'm stoked to get more tailwheel time, even if it means flying under the foggles most of the time to work toward instrument, then I can get back to more enjoyable flying.

Anyways hope the monologue wasn't too unbearable. Here are a few pics from the sale listing if that makes it more enjoyable. Hopefully it all works out.

Some of the finest backcountry flying.

With smoke places and overcast at the coast best option today was around St. Helens



Source of the smoke was Mt. Hood. Thankfully the winds have shifted in the last couple of days.

OSH,
where I was privileged to meet Zane at a Husky Party



Skaneatles Lake, NY, (Finger Lakes)
A land trust has secured 1,400’ of virgin shoreline





Cayuga Lake, NY
Another land trust site. Pretty cool, as otherwise these lakes are ringed with cottages

^ Under smoky skies of UT I could only dream of being in Upstate NY flying out of 0NY0 with Pete. The Finger Lakes look especially nice right now.

I had a whole thing typed out but checked out the content policy link again, skinny of it was we made the ferry flight in 60H. Awesome experience. 5B2 KXNX KACT. The new owner of 60H is happy.



I did some more front country flying today KBTF KLGU 1U7 KEVW KBTF. Smoky, especially around the fires in East Canyon Reservoir. TFR went into effect just after we landed.

One of these years I'll have a capable aircraft to get off airport. I was more surprised than I should have been at the performance (or lack thereof) from the Cherokee 140/160. It's good for ya, I guess.

tBatt wrote:^ Under smoky skies of UT I could only dream of being in Upstate NY flying out of 0NY0 with Pete. The Finger Lakes look especially nice right now.

That would be good fun. Nothing special today, just a gas run to Ticonderoga: 4B6. It's only 30 miles and I fly there regularly, but it never disappoints.

South end of Schroon Lake


Shots of the Pharoah Lakes wilderness area. One of the smaller ones in the park at just over 46,000 acres, but lots of great spots.






Pete

We were planning on flying to VT to grab a bite after work, but some storms squashed that plan. Almost cracked a cold one, but decided to hold off. Glad I did. Took a quick local flight with Mrs Burns around the back 40. Just one of those nice post storm evenings.



Pete

The Donjek glacier in Kuane National Park at 11,500. I’ve flown past this several times but never with clear skies over the big rocks.

A little scouting on the Horton River, near the NWT Nunavut border. The Horton flows north to the Arctic Ocean from Horton Lake, and is one of the great Barren Lands canoe routes. Caribou and muskox dot the landscape, and old campsites, tent rings and caribou fences evidence the long use by Dene and Inuvialuit peoples. Amazing country to explore.

Greys River. Smoke finally gone.

Snuck out this morning and went to Tieton. A lot of gnarly terrain between Twin Oaks and Tieton. Winds were calm and there was next to no traffic. Field is in great condition, grass with short probably 3-4" and there was only a little elk crap. The Rimrock Lake area seemed really sleepy. Must be shoulder season for them. All in a really nice flight though.

Nice,

Brings back some memories. We lived in Yakima in the mid 80's for a couple of years and spent a decent amount of time in that area.

Pete

Its really pretty. I lived in the Lewiston/Clarkston area when I was a kid and it reminded me of that area as well.

My route there took me over Mt. St Helens, the backside of Mr. Rainer over Packwood then down over White Pass to Rimrock. There is a ton of really cool country back there that sort of seems hidden in plane sight.