"What I did on my holidays" - Prequel

[Kata]

So, as promised to Zak and others some time ago, I have decided to put up a few pictures from my previous USA "road-trip-with-a-difference"; although this one

was a little longer...sorry for the lower quality of some pics. The other trip can be seen here - it's rather shorter!

http://forums.hexus.net/general-disc...y-holiday.html

Having trained for my PPL (Private Pilot's License) in Florida in 2005, a friend and I had chatted about how it might be fun to fly a little further afield

around the US; the aviation infrastructure is great, the weather predictable, and the people fun. So, having graduated 2 years later, I decided to take a

couple of months to put the plan into action. And so, the idea was born:

Fly a small single engine airplane from Florida to California and back, over 5 weeks, camping under the wing and generally having a good time.

Luckily, my girlfriend was supportive of the idea (despite having only flown with me once at this stage), so we booked flights, and finally found the aircraft

- based more on who was willing to hire one for 5 weeks to a new pilot than on what I actually wanted; as it happened, it turned out to be the perfect

airplane, a 2004 model Cessna 172, N961MC. (2004 is, basically, brand new; most rental planes are 20 years old or more!)



The route planning consited of precisely the following calculations: "America is about 3000 miles across, so call it 6000 total, add 1000 for luck, and say we

average 100mph." So, 70 hours flying! (You pay for aircraft by the flying hour). There was no further route planning, accomodation planning, anything; we

wanted to be free to meander, and not to feel pressured to fly when the weather was bad and we had to make it to a hotel booking.

The route, by way of a spolier, ended up looking a lot like this:



We spent 3 weeks hanging around at a house in Florida, relaxing,and preparing; I did some more flying to get back up to speed on US regulations, and get my US

license; mainly a paperwork exercise. Then, it was time to go and collect the plane!



Our first flight was a quick jaunt up the coast to the airfield where I trained for my license; we said hello to the office manager, and had lunch. Not long

afterwards, the office manager was arrested for embezzling $100,000 from the school; oops!






Small airports are great; usually unattended, no fees, no hassle; and you just taxi up to the pump, swipe your card, and fill her up!




They have a nice lounge for planning too, with free telephone weather briefings by forecasters!



Much of this area is flat, green, and not terribly interesting - but the greenery looks a bit like a fish.


The round fields are created by the big circular irrigation systems that rotate a long arm around a centre pivot.


After a couple of nights in not-so-good motels, we finally got to christen the tent! This was Lake Oauchita, a state park in Arkansas.




Of course, some of us don't need a tent.




We flew up to the 'Great Plains'. Turns out great refers to size, not necessarily excitement.


On the plus side, the airfield had a walmart, and tanks.



Sorry for the poor quality; but this is how camping should be done!

[Kata]

Finally - some mountains! The land rose up slowly beneath us as we approached, and by the time we arrived here, ground level was up at 5500'. Landing at this

height is quite different; the thinner air gives you a noticeably higher landing speed, and runways are longer to compensate.



We took a few days off to explore the mountains.



















And it was time to saddle up again, and head west! Or, south as it turned out, because the Rockies are very high and we didnt have the required Oxygen system

on board!





We stopped at Santa Fe; and then broke down at the fuel pump when the starter motor refused to engage.






A friendly local mechanic engaged the starter motor with a screwdriver, and we set off towards the Grand Canyon, after he relieved me of $20. The landscape

suddenly became rather more impressive.

[Kata]

Glen Canyon Dam, above the Grand Canyon - often mistaken for the Hoover Dam.




Oh look, a canyon.





We spent a couple of nights here while the starter motor was replaced.




Now, this actually IS the Hoover Dam.


Next stop, Vegas Baby! To be honest, it was overpriced and awful; the one redeeming feature was the topless Cirque Du Soleil. I can recommend it. Sorry, no

photos!





With that, we ran away back to the mountains and wilderness; much more our scene.






Small airports are pretty cool. You can run down the runway flapping your arms.


The Kitchen, with a large pile of food. Excellent.




Next day we headed off to find fuel. Unfortunately, they had run out.



These are volcanic. More than that I cannot say.




This jet was even worse off. They didn't even STOCK Jet Fuel, and he was all out.

[Kata]

After a brief weather related nights top, we decided it was about time to see the Pacific, and toddled off West.




Be careful of the big triangular "cloud" at the back. It is known as "Cumulogranite"



There it is! Yeah, we made it!



After some beaver-related tomfoolery, we went to see some Redwoods. Those are big, big trees.












A couple of days later, we set off down the "Lost Coast". Those cliffs go for hundreds of miles, with nothing at all to break them.




Apart from this, of course. America is great; "Yeah, I reckon we could fit a runway on there..." The runway is used for dogwalking and golf, and sometimes for

airplanes.


They have some neat houses.



South to San Francisco, and then inland, to Yosemite. Beware the Towering Cumulus.






When we arrived, a helicopter was delivering a Jumbo-sized bucket.






Unknown to us, it was the weekend of the airport's 75th Anniversary
"Fly-In". We won the prize for
having flown furthest to attend, as no-one could beat

Florida.


Dogs can fly too. Snoopy?

[Kata]

Next stop, a nice little place called Oceano; on-airport camping, and a beach. Turns out, another couple were there for the weekend, with more gear for one

weekend than we had for 5 weeks! They cooked us a 3 course meal on the fire, complete with choice of wine, although the guy's decision to light the fire using

drained aviation fuel was sadly overturned by the girls. Something to do with leaded high octane fuel not flavouring steaks well, apparently.







Interestingly, the airplane in this photo turned out to be the exact plane I booked for my next flying adventure, entirely unwittingly. I didn't notice the

registrations matched until I turned up in the US and saw it, 2 years later. It's a freakishly small world!




Our chefs


Next stop, Santa Catalina, an island off the coast of LA. You can fly right over the international airport, don't even need to talk to air traffic control! Of

course, there are strict routes.








Avalon, Santa Catalina. The island is privately owned, and has Buffalo; they were released for a film in the 20s, and bred.








The next stop was "Borrego", renowned for having sod-all there. I wandered through an open hangar back door, and was surprised to find myself behind the bar of

a posh Italian restaurant; they were surprised to see me. We had a good dinner with some drunk Americans, who were convinced that we knew their neighbours,

because they were English too.





Next stop Lake Havasu City, Arizona. It has London Bridge; oh dear. The "English Theme Village" was not good.






Oh dear oh dear...






"Wet Beaver Wildnerness Area". Hehe.




Jetset?

[Kata]

Continuing our theme of unwittingly gatecrashing events, this time it was the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival.




In Cavern City we found...caverns! My father had bythis point joined us for a weeks's flying.








A wet floor? In a cave? A shock!

Texas - oil country.



Water is probably not meant to be that colour...




The exhilerating Cow show, from the Texas State Fair, Dallas. Also, a turkey with attitude.






It's hard to look cool when you're wearing two pairs of glasses.




Mobile, Alabama, and some great bits of kit.

[Kata]

Nice weather, back to Florida.






Can you see the airport? I can't either :s




Ah, that was it. Nice stop for lunch!




Nice sense of humour, turtle.




Low level mist to take off through on the last day.






Goodbye Plane!




Next stop was New Zealand...but thats another story.

I hope these were enjoyable

[Gerrard]

That looks excellent! You're a lucky git!

[Zak33]

So, as promised to Zak and others some time ago, I have decided to put up a few pictures from my previous USA "road-trip-with-a-difference"; although this one

On the plus side, the airfield had a walmart, and tanks.

oh you star... top thread

[Zak33]

those are some amazing shots missus.. really great

and they're rigght.. you're a lucky git

Fair play lass... fair play some trip.

[GoNz0]

brill !

[Andeh13]

Very impressive, i hope you realise how luck you are being able to do that! That certainly ticks the once in a life time trip box! . As for me, I want to drive to cape town, will post the thread one day...

[Kata]

Yes, very lucky indeed

The next trip is a touch longer

[TeePee]

Fantastic!

Be careful. My 'What I did for a holiday' thread led to a career change, marriage and moving to another continent!

Can you list the airports visited? I recognise a few of them. Cedar Key is a must visit, and I know the embezzling lady!

[Rave]

To lower the tone a bit, can I ask how much the whole jaunt cost? I'd love a holiday like that and I could just about cough up for my 40 hours for a PPL over a year or three. Whether my wife would like a Cessna 172 is another matter, so I might have to budget for a mistress.

[Kata]

It was a pretty plush 172 to be fair; faux leather seats, and nice new, up to date panel

To rent a C172 of that type nowadays - maye $135 an hour wet? We got it for $115 wet, when the dollar was at 2 to the pound, which rather helped!

Apart from that its just living expenses; fairly cheap when camping.