John & Anne Wiley

2009/10/21

Vineyard, Nantucket, Cape and Long Isl.

Filed under: Aviation,Big Adventure,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,People — John @ 01:34
Our ride back to Providence airport offered the opposite of last night’s driver. Joe has led a long and fascinating life. “I like the seasons,” he offered. He loves living and working in Providence, and going dancing with his girlfriend. He also seemed to enjoy flirting with the desk gals at the hotel, so there’s life in Providence after all.
After much discussion we decided to fly out and have lunch at Martha’s Vineyard. Along the way, RI offered some intricate interactions of wind, sand, sea and hardy plants. We wondered what would cause the shapes in the lagoon.

It turned out the airport is a long ride (when you can get one) from the tourist areas, so we grabbed a sandwich to go at the airport restaurant and then became captivated with the WWII memorabilia and stories from the days when this was a stalwart guardian of the north Atlantic and a training base for pilots. Now it seems to have become an outpost of the FedEx flocks from Providence, and a stop for tasteful tourists.

Then after more discussion we decided to go out and have a quick look at Nantucket. “It’s probably just like the Vineyard.” On the other hand, “It’s so close and something we’ve heard of since childhood.” Turns out it was completely different, and the rewards for our excursion were many. The lighthouse seems the epitome of courageous guardian, standing on a spit clearly overwhelmed by storm seas flashing its warning to seafarers.
Cruising back over the Vineyard, their light seems tame and protected until you contemplate the ferocious storms.
We crossed over to Woods Hole, and went up Cape Cod to Hyannis before turning into the wind for our dash to Islip before dark. None of our photos over Long Island came out due to smog and sunset, but the images sit sweetly in our memories. We were surprised at how few houses there are in the East Hamptons, until we realized they’re all cut directly into little squares of the forest.
Tomorrow we plan to skirt any TFRs and all the myriad airliner playgrounds, and slip into Linden, NJ for the Staten Island Ferry into Gotham.

2009/10/20

Providence

Filed under: Aviation,Big Adventure,Has Photos — John @ 03:45

We took off from Meriden, CT early in the afternoon, stopped at Minuteman Airport near Boston to visit pilot friend Zubair and family, and skirted Boston snapping away (see Photo link). We headed for Newport, RI but nearing the airport at sunset it looked like we might have trouble finding a place to stay (still too cold for camping). So we diverted to Providence. The helpful Tower controller told us to turn right at the end of the taxiway for parking. In that direction all we could see was big jets, while to the left we saw a few planes Flash’s size so we went there and parked.

It was after dark by the time we finished getting everything buttoned up. We lugged our pack and bag each over to what looked like the old terminal and tower where we’d seen people inside. “Oh, you’ll have to move it to the other side by the jets,” they said.

Hike back out to the plane, talk to the ground controller who gave directions vague enough that we taxied toward jet taxiing toward us on the other side of the field. So at Flash’s urging (and Anne’s) I did a 180 and headed toward where all the jets were parked. Going slowly along a row of hangars and buildings, everything was dark until we reached the end. Turning in there it soon became apparent that was part of a cargo jet operation so we turned and even more slowly started back along the row of buildings. Now we see on the side of the next building, facing away from where anyone coming in from the runway could see it, “Northstar” (the name of the Flash size parking operation).

Turning in there, a guy came running out to direct us to a spot. The moment I shut off the engine he ran away. “Oh no,” I’m thinking, “he changed his mind!” He’d run to get chocks for the wheels, so again we buttoned up and trundled our gear in. This time a shorter distance than before, and to be greeted by a helpful gal who arranged the hotel I’m sitting in dreaming of sleep.

Before going in to join Anne who had abandoned me for the warmth of the office, I snapped this pic from under Flash’s wing and over the top of her engine. It all felt like a scene from the movie Castaway somehow.
Riding to the hotel, when we asked the twenty-something shuttle driver (a native Providencial) he said, “There’s nothing to do here – we’re an airport town.” They’re building a cool link from the fast northeast corridor trains direct to the airport, and when it’s done in a year or two he says this will be one of the closest major rail/air links in the country.
Tomorrow, NYC!

2009/10/17

Riding Norwalk

Filed under: Big Adventure,Has Photos,Nature,People,Relationships — John @ 01:16
This morning the snow was gone, the clouds thinner, and everything smelled fresh. Ed & Dad decided to take us on the drive from Waterbury to Norwalk, to see all the places from their earlier years and Anne’s childhood. Being the first outside I took a few minutes to study a leaf dotted with droplets of rain.

We saw the church where her grandparents were married and our friend Dave was a priest, and the cemetery that little sister thought was half named for her. As we stood out in the street snapping a picture of the front porch of the “Union house” where she was snapped as a small child, a warm woman appeared at the door and after hearing the story invited us in. We’d been by some years ago, and wondered what the back yard looks like now. It was an instant journey down memory lane to see the stair bannister and the backyard. We’ve promised to send the new owner some photos of the place as it was years ago.
In the neighborhood where they lived later, we encountered a group (gobble?) of wild turkeys perusing the manicured lawns.
After stopping on the drive home for dinner in Westfield we rode much of the way home in gathering darkness and silent reverie.

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.
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