When you return, I would especially appreciate hearing your report on the fly fishing. Where and how good, as I am planning almost the same trip for next year, but with a Fenwick rod . Can't afford 'em expensive Orvis poles .
chuck
Chuck,
My rod was only $129 I think, reel $99 and I bought waders and wading boots too. I've been searching the internet about fly fishing Idaho. I am lining up the camping gear in the garage today for the weigh in. I also have a survival kit borrowed from a friend that he carried along to Alaska. Flare gun, knife, hatchet, survival blankets and various other things.
I plotted out the trip just the other day. I used sectionals and I wrote down my waypoints on a pad. I may plug them into the KLN 90B as flight plans. It was a lot of work and I did it on the floor. Sore knees and lots of gunting on the gettin' ups. Bought some new music for the mp3 player which has over 4000 songs in it already. I'm having a lot of fun just preparing.
I have been reading http://www.mountainflying.com/ site that Dave posted. I should have purchased the Mountain flying Bible but no time now.
I hope to get out of Tupelo on Tuesday. Will load the plane tomorrow and maybe wash the ole girl too. Although she's pretty clean now. I'm itching to get into the air on the first leg.
Melinda is excited too. She's even offered to fly some. I put the yoke mounted hand held Garmin on her side after putting in the KLN90B. That will make it easy for her. She has also volunteered to keep a journal. And I am very appreciative of all the great comments and help this group has offered. This is gonna make for a wonderful adventure.
Have a great flight there will probably be some smoke in the middle are of the state, but I don't think there is much burning to the north. Maybe we'll see you up there I've been thinking about a day trip to Cavanaugh Bay, so if you see a guy and gal in a brown 170 that's probably us.
Jr.
I was concerned about the smoke, thanks for the reminder. I got most of the gear in the jeep right now. Heading to the airport this afternoon to put the first load in. I've got about 100# of gear not including clothing. My wife is the first women I've known who can pack in 10 minute and do it lightly. Hope to get off tomorrow but there is a weather system right on my course. Just have to sleep well tonight and get up and see what mother nature has to offer.
oops, forgot.
We are planning to prehaps visit Cavanaugh Bay. If we get to North Idaho before Aug. 28 & 29 that is most likely where we will be. I have a Sleep's Cabin reserved over at Sandpoint on the 28 & 29. We will look for you.
Curtis if you can update along the way, that would neat! It's the only subject that's interested me lately! Pick a spot for the country boy 170 convention.
Hey Curtis, I haven't been over there yet but it looks like Johnson Creek and that general area is thick with smoke from a lot of fires. If you are looking for another fishing spot you might take a look at Moose Creek. It's a little closer to Sandpoint, and it's got a 4100' grass strip at about 2500' elevation. It should be in your fly Idaho book. Best wishes, fly safe, and I hope you have a great trip.
Chris
Back in to civilizaton...
I am in MSO Missoula, MT. on my way back.
Well, where do I start. We flow into Cavanaugh Bay and camped for four nights there. It is a bit of paradise. Grass strip, marina, restaurant and the host there, Allen is most helpful. After dropping off all the camping gear, to get light. I flew alone back to Clark Fork and landed at a short private grass strip called Riverlakes. It is a fly in community. I got premission from the contact person listed in Airnav. He was nice and offered to take me to the school and pick up my son. Then we flew back to Cav. Bay set up the tent and did dinner at the restaurant, good food. After flying 20.7 hours to get to the wonderful location, I called a no fly day for Friday. We rented a power boat and did the lake tour. Beautiful! Used the boat to get to Leonard Paul's store for supplies. Camp fire dinner that night with new friends. Next day all three of us went back country flying. Flow over McGee and I decided it was to short for the 3 of us and continued to Elk River, grass strip about 3000 ft as I recall and a small town of 156 people. Did a little fishing and caught enough for dinner then went to the general store for Huckleberry ice cream. Flight back to Cav. Bay was of course as beautiful as flight down. Got back to camp just before dark and started dinner on the fire left by our fellow campers so that was perfect. Put the trout in foil and also some chicken breast and red potatoes and onions. Sound good? Next day Kelly flies into Cav. Bay in his Luscombe on floats. We have backfast at restaurant then he and Elliott take off for some fun flying off the water. Melinda and I follow along later and meet up at Priest River. He loans us his car and we ride up the river looking for a place to fly fish some more. Catch lots of little ones. Later Kelly and Melinda fly the Luscombe and Elliott and I watch from above. Got some air to air photos. I think we eat at restuarant that night. By now I do not know what day of the week it is. Halilouha! YeePee! Next day Elliott and I fly into McGee early while Melinda packs up camping gear into the car Kelly loans us.
The Fly Idaho book is very useful when going to back country strips and I felt better with only the two of use. The approach into 18 was exciting and as well as scenic. We were the only ones there. It was beautiful and the smell was so fresh. Mountains all around us. All we heard were the birds, the stream and the soft wind through the fur trees. After we got rigged up and started walking toward the stream in high grass we ran across a gentleman. It starteled us! The solitude was a bit broken but he was helpful in tell us about which way to find the stream in this tall grass. We fished for an hour or so and dicided that there were no fish in these waters. About that time I saw 5 or 6 big cut throat darting away. We just kept trying different flies and finally I caught a nice one. Elliott lost one. The big one, right?
We took off with a strong wind blowing down 18, Galen's book recommends 36 departure but the wind was stiff. It was a little warm and I was concerned only 2400 ft of strip at 3000 ft elevation. We got to the end, did a run up, I looked and the windsock and it was right down the runway and nearly full. I push in the power and as we rolled down the rwy I am watching the length of it disappear. Now I am flatlander, but I feel good about what I have learned so far. Near the mid point she is beginning to feel light and I decide to continue. Three quarters down the rwy she flies off. I let her gain a bit more airspeed and we clear ground effect and I start working her up. It is slow going but I have room up the valley. I start to get some lifting air off some of the hillside and put it to good use. We climb out of the area upwind and along a ridge. It was awsome!
Back to Sandpoint and meet up with Melinda. Kelly has allowed us to keep his car and she has been to the Log Cabin and unpacked. We go back to the cabin and swim in the Lake Pond de Ray but not spelled that way. We go out to dinner and tell her about our adventure.
Next day is out to backfast and tour the town of Sandpoint and visit a winery then take Elliott back to school. Go the UPS and ship camping gear home. $59 for 57 pounds of insurance.
Melinda and I have a nice dinner of fresh trout from Trail Creek at McGee's, some wine and get some rest.
Today I flew her over to Spokane as she was worried we would not get her home by late Thursday. She starts new job Friday.
I head southeast over the mountains out of Spokane and file fltpln to Billings. At 13500, never know delta had it in her, the clouds are getting pretty solid below me. This front is laying out here and FSS is not making it sound too good ahead of me. I see a hole over Missoula and spiral down and here I sit. Melinda may be right.
More to come.
What an adventure! After you get home and unwind post some pictures (if you have any) for the rest of us home/work bound folks. Don't push that weather to hard on the way back, heck I'd be having a hard time making myself fly back toward the daily grind.
Yes, you are right Jr.cub. When things cleared a little here at MSO I took off for a go look see. My route homeward was blocked with weather. So I have returned and with stay the night here.
Magee is one of my favorites. If you evey get stuck there in bad weather and don't want to get wet, you can stay in the snowmobilers shack there(the key is on top of the second rafter in on the left side...i didn't tell you that)
And you guys have INTERNET access out there in the woods?
What'd you do? Plug it into a CURRANT bush?
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention. An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
. Can't afford 'em expensive Orvis poles 
.
This is gonna make for a wonderful adventure.
Plug it into a CURRANT bush? 
