We’ve found a wifi cafe, so I’m going to post the rest of yesterday’s pix and then we’re off to Renton (Seattle). We had a great rest last night, probably my best sleep of the trip so far. We’d been warned that Chelan can be populated with rowdy drunks on weekends, but it seems quiet and friendly so far. The airport’s out of town so it was really quiet. The airport guy loaned us his old klunker and we drove in last nite too.
Our first stop out of Smiley yesterday was Cascade for nitrogen in Tripp’s nose strut that had gone low. The guys at Arnold’s were fabulous, and by the time we left Tripp had her head held high and was feeling frisky. It was fun to see aerophile cows right next to the runway. They stood right next to the fence to watch the planes come and go.
4169 Cow Cascade
The town is next to a big lake, and taking off I spotted some cool rapids people seem to use a lot. Maybe kids having a Friday lunch ride before school starts?
4172 Rapid Loop
Next we grabbed lunch in McCall, and I snapped this from over the airport after we’d done a wide climbing turn over the lake.
4203 McCall Calling
Next a fuel stop in nearby Council, where the airport is a quiet and lonely place amid hay fields. With the somewhat short runway, mid-day heat, and full tanks, I let Tripp take her time climbing out over open fields where I snapped this meandering cool creek.
4209 Creek In Council
Somewhere on the way North up the valley, a thoughtful farmer had honored our Anne with a large hillside monogram.
4226 Grade A
The river valley has lots of rapids punctuating the deep meanders and sandy beaches, and tho I saw some kayakers and rafters the pix eluded me.
4252 River Beach
We turned Northwest as the river did and then left it as we bent away from our route to see Moses Lake on the way here. As usual flying fairly low over farm country, the fields and terrain are enchanting.
4282 Terrain Tales
I was admiring Lewiston when Anne commented that Clarkston is across the river, and that added to my imagining of the Corps of Discovery passing thru a few years ago when Tripp passing across the sky would have triggered considerable awe rather than perhaps a passing glance.
4293 L&C Together Again
Further along I became fascinated with dust. Everything moving left a widening trail lazily climbing into the sun, and this tractor seemed to be chasing the dust devil.
4296 Tractor & Devil
Moses Lake was rather uneventful from the air, aside from a tall fountain just above the bridge at bottom-center. The lake beyond is called Potholes so we didn’t route to that side, but it might actually be more interesting from the air. The town itself sprawls all along Moses Lake, and I guess boaters and water skiers love racing back and forth along the arc of lake that’s mostly out of view to the right.
4302 Moses Lake
You’ll notice it’s starting to get smoky. There’s a fire near Wenatchee, as you can see at the upper right.
4309 Wenatchee Fire
When we heard about the fire, we wondered whether the smoke would be hanging over Chelan. As you can see in last nite’s pic during approach to the airport though, it’s only a thin haze here. So now, up and away again… 🙂
John & Anne Wiley 
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