John & Anne Wiley

2009/10/15

Two Types of Happy Pilots

Filed under: Aviation,Big Adventure,Happiness,Has Photos,Nature — John @ 20:51
Sometimes pilots are happy to be flying, and sometimes they’re happy to be on the ground. This afternoon falls into the latter category for me, as you’ll see on my Photo page upload of today. This morning was passable flying weather, but we were able to work out a deal with the people at KOXC that lets Flash stay there affordably. Instead we took a drive with Dad & Ed, to experience a new Fall color: white. This snap with Anne’s camera from the back seat is the best we’ve captured so far, but I’ll probably go out with mine and try a few shots that aren’t through wet glass. If I get anything better it will hopefully go on the Photo page sometime tonight.

Meanwhile we’re enjoying the warmth of family and watching the news of Santa Barbara’s near miss with mudslides.

Home In The East

Filed under: Aviation,Big Adventure,Flying,Has Photos — John @ 03:45
Today’s flight from Bar Harbor, ME to Waterbury, CT proved yet again how close things are on the east coast when you’re in a small plane. We took our time, added stops in the states we crossed (chalk up MA) and landed in CT after a couple hours’ leisurely flying total. Can you tell I love flying in small planes? 🙂
We cruised down the coast past Portland and then on an impulse Anne wanted to see the Kennedy’s compound in Kennebunkport. Since we’d done no research (do they even have something there now?), I relied on the tiny permanent restricted area over the mouth of the river (see the Photo page for a closer view). Another clue was the congregation of big black SUVs parked there, and what looked like Coast Guard speedboats zooming around offshore. We’d cleared it all with ATC, but the next controller we spoke to warned us to avoid it (luckily that was after we’d already flown over). Looks like a lovely little town.

When we landed at KOXC in Waterbury, another rainbow greeted us. This time it was a vertical band of colors on the sun. Also greeting us were Dad and uncle Ted, who took us to a fabulous family meal at his youngest son’s place. Such a great way to begin our days based in CT!

Tomorrow we might move the plane to a different airport (KMMK) on the other side of Waterbury, because the parking here is apparently $25 – 3x the highest price we’ve paid anywhere in our travels across the U.S. The next highest was Chicago Executive where Flash rubbed wingtips with gazillion dollar jets, and they waived the fee when we bought a few gallons of fuel. Since winter weather is forecast for a few days, it would cost us a lot to leave it at OXC and MMK is free – plus there’s a flying club where Flash could commiserate on being tied down or whatever club planes talk about when the pilots are away having fun without them.
Anyway, we’re here safe and happy having flown many miles and still only covered perhaps a third of our Big Adventure. We’re excited to see what’s next.

2009/10/14

Foraging

Filed under: Big Adventure,Has Photos,Nature — John @ 03:52

We got out early to head for town and enjoy some breakfast. Well, we weren’t exactly up early in this time zone so we missed breakfast and decided to go for lunch. Alas, waking at 11am and taking several hours to get organized it was slightly late for that too. Perhaps we can be excused, since this is the first time we’ve slept two nights in the same city since leaving sweet sis in San Diego. Our departure from this cozy room happened promptly at 4:30pm. The people of Bar Harbor didn’t mind at all, though the sun was completely uncooperative. In the waning light we stopped to enjoy the magnificent fall leaves, many of which had already fallen in the cold wind.

After receiving a celebratory call on our cell from dear Doris whose new green CRV will soon roll into Santa Barbara courtesy of her loving family, we prowled the streets looking for better lobster than our first fun meal in town last night. This time we tried Plan B: consulting the AAA tour book we lugged from home, and chose Maggie’s. We walked completely around it and got directions three times. We were tempted to feel silly for having so much trouble, when one of the locals confessed to having taken three years to find it. “I thawht it was an apahhtment!” he exclaimed. One clue that might help you, the green sign out front (a block up from the waterfront) says “No Boat Parking.” I enjoy contemplating the story that preceded the installation of that sign.

Let me tell you, it was worth the walk in a bracing Maine wind. Fabulous salad with fresh beets from their garden. Best lobster crepes you could possibly imagine. Being cold, hungry and disappointed by last night’s crustacean after months of anticipation, we had been imagining quite intensely! We want to engineer Maggie meeting our favorite gourmet cook Nancy Oster, and Maggie liked the idea of a winter excursion when we mentioned it. For dessert, Maggie recommended the Indian Pudding and Apple something. We had both! I’m smiling all over again. 🙂

So tomorrow’s weather is supposed to be good, and we might make the quick flight up to the intersection of Maine and New Brunswick, just for bragging rights on having flown from the southwest to northeast tips of the USA. Oh, and a glimpse of Canada, eh? Then south along the coast to gawk at some places we’ve heard tell of like Kennebunkport, Martha’s Vineyard and Portland before landing to meet Dad who arrived by airline tonight at Uncle Ed’s in Waterbury.

Up, up, and away!

2009/10/13

My Fair Lady

Filed under: Big Adventure,Has Photos,Nature — John @ 19:03

The rain in Maine falls mainly on the plane, because we’re cozied up in our hotel preparing to enjoy our second night in the same place since leaving San Diego. Delicious rain! Might feel different when we’re out walking to town in it in a few minutes, but right now it evokes feelings of closeness and memories of our years in the pacific northwest.

Here’s the view from our balcony just now at 3pm.

There’s a pine tree just out of view to the left that’s a few feet from the (briefly open) door on our balcony, and I’ve been trying to catch a photo of the little birds that flit around in it occasionally. They’re a bit larger than house finches, and seem to have pale blue bellies.
Hopefully we’ll get some snaps in town, and I haven’t yet looked through the ones we caught after dark last night. We saw a doe with two fawns on the road last night, and the silence of their presence added to the magic.
Sure feels good to rest, though if the weather were clear we’d be thrilling at all the new wonders of this journey. As our friend Willa says, happiness is an inside job. 🙂

NE to ME

Filed under: Aviation,Big Adventure,Flying,Has Photos,Nature — John @ 03:25
Taking off from Bennington, VT we passed over the famous spire. Those tiny dots near the yellow trees are people walking. This thing is tall!

After making the short hop to Keene, NH we stopped to touch another state, to top off our fuel for the flight to Maine, and to have a great lunch at a place near the bottom of this photo.

I liked how the timeless glacier-carved stone contrasted with the fleeting fall colors as we detoured near Mt. Washington before heading due east to Bar Harbor for the night.

Maine has a zillion lakes, and about halfway along our leg east I spotted an airport with a road that connects to this seaplane landing. Those are floats lined up at the top and down the right side. My current theory is that planes land on the lake and moor at this hangar, the floats are removed for winter storage, the planes taxi or are towed to the airport, and they fly home after a summer of lake hopping. Spring would then see a reverse of this migration.

Like all the photos in this blog post, these are pretty lame compared with what we experienced. This one of Bar Harbor, ME tops that list. You’ll find different, larger and better pix by clicking the Photos link at the top-right of our main blog page. Meanwhile, our hotel tonight is just beyond the ferry terminal at the top. There are some stunning mansions along the shore, Acadia National Park with hilltop lakes, and more attractions here than I have time to write or you to read.


Weather is predicted to be marginal for flying tomorrow and better Wednesday, so our location tomorrow is uncertain. It is clear though, that we are at or very near the furthest northeast point of our journey. This leg rightly began in San Diego very near the southwestern most point in the contiguous United States, so until we fly from Blaine to the tip of FL this may be our longest transcontinental flight. Soon we start hopping down the east coast, lingering and zigging around new england until we head for FL. Seems all too soon that we’ll cross the south and our Big Adventure will end back in Santa Barbara!

Meanwhile, good night from ME to you.
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