Day 6 – We’ve Arrived / Celebrated 4th of July at the Lake

Today we woke up and flew from Arcata to Carson, NV.  Arcata was fogged in so we filed an IFR.  The layer was only about 400’ thick.  Upon reaching VFR conditions we cancelled IFR.  Enroute we had one small non-developed thundercloud to avoid.  The weather got better as we flew towards Mount Lassen; we landed in Carson at 10:00 AM.  Greg (Scott’s brother), Livia (sister-in-law) and Joan (Mom) met us at the airport with our boat and we all headed to the lake.  The timing was perfect!   We left the plane at El Aero services where I arranged for parking in a hangar until our return trip home.

We spent a wonderful afternoon visiting with family and friends.  Scott’s sister Susan and her husband Rich have the house for a couple of weeks. Scott’s niece Katie, her friend Taren and Susan & Richs’ friends Bob and Connie are also staying at the lake. Michael and Jamie (Greg’s son and daughter) also came to the lake and Scott’s uncle and aunt, Bob & Barb came up for a bit too.

Later in the evening, a few of us got in the boat and headed down to south shore to watch the fireworks over the lake.  Glennbrook also had a display for those who decided to stay at the house. 

It was a great 4^th of July and a perfect ending to a great adventure in the C172.  We will leave the plane here until late July when we make the return trip home.

Arcata, 500' Overcast - Fog

Over the fog layer.

Undeveloped thunderstorm.

Mount Lasser

Carson Airport

Landing Carson

Launching the boat at Cave Rock.

Greg, Uncle Bob, Scott & Michael (Eddie)

Day 5 - Redwoods

I’m finally getting around to updating the Blog.  On day five of our trip we visited the Humbold Redwoods State Park.  We drove the Avenue of the Giants and visited Rockefeller Forest, the world's largest remaining contiguous old-growth forest of the coast redwoods.

It was an amazing visit and a highlight to our trip.  No need to write about it - sometimes pictures are better than words.

The Giant Tree

This is a Banana Slug - big bug!

Do you see me?

Day 4 - Glasair Visit & C172N Trade In? Maybe.

Morning came too early once again.  We had made arrangements to visit the Glasair production facility in Arlington, which is why we made the planned stop.

Glasair manufactures kit experimental airplanes.  Owners can build their aircraft at the production facility under their “two week to taxi” program.

Scott and I met two principals from Glasair during the aviation trade show in Anchorage this past May.  We flew an introductory flight near Anchorage and decided to visit their facility while sky trekking as it was along the way.  It was a great choice.  Their facility is superb!  We each flew another quick flight with another Glasair owner, Alan Neglin.  The Glasair is an amazing machine and extremely fun to fly.

After our time at Glasair we promptly got underway to Arcata, CA.  We made decent time with tailwinds.  We knew the weather had been IFR all day in Arcata.  In fact, earlier in the day the weather was below IFR minimums.  It was likely I would be shooting an approach – which I was looking forward to.  The fog layer cleared as we were enroute and it was a gorgeous arrival on the coast.  You could smell the humidity as we descended from our enroute altitude of 7,500’ to 3,000’ setting up for the approach.  A beautiful day of flying indeed. 

3.4 hrs Arlington – Roseburg

1.8 hrs Roseburg to Arcada 

Looking at carbon fiber vs. fiberglass.

Inside the hull of a carbon fiber Glasair Sportsman.

Carbon fiber Glasair Sportsman fuselage (upside down).

Glasair Sportsman wing.

Glasair Sportsman

Me - doing a quick 'fun flight' in Alan's Glasair Sportsman.

Scott on a 'fun flight' in Alan's Sportsman.

Seattle Downtown Skyline

Flying Midfield Over Portland International

Enroute to Arcata

Fog Along California Coast

California Coast

Arcata Airport

Unloading at Arcata

Two Lonely Airplanes at Arcata

The Arcata airport has seen better days.