Fly-in Alaska Wedding

Last year I met a guy named John who, with my Uncle Don, was up flying around the Knik.  Later I realized that he is a friend of Greg Swingle (who it turns out is friends with my Uncle also), and I have long enjoyed Greg's flying videos on Vimeo.  Got it?  I may have explained it better in this blog :-)  Anyway...  Greg and Becky got married near Palmer, AK and I was lucky to be invited.

Here's a link to the Wedding Video. 

Jake took most of the photos...  there's a chance my Uncle Don deserves credit for a few though:-)

The wedding party assembled.

Jake should shoot pictures for a living :-)

View from the ridge.

I helped John 'decorate' Greg's plane :-)

 We all met after for the reception down at another guys place on Hunter creek.  He had cooked Salmon, had hotdogs... very nice.

Bride and Groom arrive at the reception.

My kind of reception!!!

Hanna, Dad, Jake

Hunter Creek.

Funny thing about the Hunter Creek strip.  Due to some dispute between neighbors, you're only allowed to use one end or the other depending on whom you are visiting.  So, there's an equal amount of usable strip behind me in this shot.  Crazy, huh?

We had great time and my kids enjoyed it too.  I wish Greg and Becky the best and thank them for inviting us!

Denali Day Trip

One of our 'regular ' trips is to fly to Denali National Park and walk down to the nearest campground and the store for a snack. It's an easy one hour trip to a big strip (with a reputation for tricky downdrafts I have never actually seen, even in 25 kt wind) and a good path to and from the 'village' and the visitors center.

Hanna took a bunch of photos so there are some of Jake for a change.

We found a "new" trail coming back - the route through the campground we've used before was a steep direct shot to the airstrip. This one runs along a creek, under the RR trestle and comes out at the train station.

It was a little low heading out - couldn't go direct to Cantwell.

This was perpendicular to the way we were going.

The "Igloo".  Used to be a gas station - not sure what it is now.

Had to carry a bit - short lack of trail between the station and the road :-)

When traveling in bear country, ALWAYS send the smallest first!

Hanna really wanted this shot and spent quite a bit of time setting it up :-)

Jake at the store.  Hanna's photo.

Which way?  This is the trail back - nice all the way.

Hanna took a lot of photos.

Trestle just before the Denali station.

Jake and Dad.  This is the 'new' trail we found.

This shelter is because the RR  trestle is above.

On the way home - Hanna's photo I think.

Another of Hanna's photos I think.

Coming back through the Susitna Valley.

Calm, cool and collected pilot.  Or maybe asleep.

Your experienced flight crew.

Home Sweet Home! I love coming in over the town on a warm calm evening.

Good Day in June

My parents friends, Shell and his wife Gerry, were visiting so I volunteered to take them for a ride and asked my Uncle Don if he wanted to go. So I met them at Hood Strip and we each took a passenger. I took Hanna with me and left her to visit with my parents while we flew.


It was about 3.5 hours in the air and we had a great trip. Gerry flew my plane quite a bit and did really well - power on and off stalls, climbs, "landing" at an abitrary altitude... I don't want to be an instructor, but it was pretty fun.

I first took Shell over the Beluga power plant and gas field (where I helped install and start a turbocompressor a few years ago) and then up the Beluga River. I was looking for Olson Creek, but missed it - it's farther down the Beluga River than I remembered.

Then we landed on the West end of Beluga Lake. It's a real pretty spot I usually visit each year. The beach is nice (rocky), nice views, easy landing and it looks like the trees have been thinned so it's like a park. We walked around a bit and my Uncles friend stopped by in a taildragger C-150 who turned out to be the son of a guy I worked with in the late 80's :-)



Then we flew up to the Triumvirate Glacier - only about 5 minutes away. More nice views and a glacial morraine to climb on. The wind always blows down glacier so I worry about the takeoff into the mountain, but there's always plenty of room to turn.



We switched passengers here so this is me taking off with Gerry.

On the way home, we flew over Little Mt Susitna unsucessfully searching for bears. Then I told my Uncle I was going to fly Gerry over the F-101 Voodoo wreckage near figure 8 lake and he said "Let's go land by the P-51 tail" which I had never seen so we landed on the mudflats near it. It had turned colder and windy by then.




Then back to drop off Gerry and pick up Hanna at the strip and home to Palmer.... A good day in June.

... please no jeans!

Fly-ins aren't ALL the same...

I got an invitation to brunch at the airport John Travolta's based at. BUT WAIT... don't be impressed - it IS an "invitation"... but sort of like those "you've been nominated to be listed in the 'Who's Who'" invitations ... after you send the check... or nominated for the honor of buying Farmers Insurance, lol. I got it because I was flying out of Saratosa, FL (nearby) and still get the FBO newsletter. Cirrus Aviation (no relation to the plane) and good guys.

Anyway... I was struck by the difference between this and the "fly-ins" I'm used to.

Here's an excerpt from the invitation:

It's Brunch time!!
Bring your family and friends for a fun day with us at Jumbolair Aviation Estates! Enjoy a delicious brunch and take in beautiful views along the way... Experience a great fly-in featuring some spectacular aircraft at an unbelievable location.
......
Cost: $40 per adult; $20 for children. Please also plan a $10 gratuity per person. Dress is casual, but please no jeans!
Must RSVP!

You will have a great time!
___________________________

Here's JT's 'strip'

Hmmm. Not hotdogs and apples by the fire on the beach...

Alaska "fly-in" - much better!!! Lol


Having said that... I WOULD go if I was nearby. It probably would be fun.... parking my big tired taildragger next to the Citations would be fun anyway. :-). But I'd have to buy some pants. Long ones. Not denim. :-) And then replace them after I'd rubbed on the plane, lol