Ron,

It's true that early October often brings some of the nicest weather of the
year, but it's also generally the time when things are about to change: we
have two seasons here in the Northwest: the dry season (a well-kept secret)
and the wet season (for which we are so famous), and the transition to the
big gray drip usually begins sometime around mid- to late-October. If
you're lucky, you'll get some of the best flying weather of the year: clear,
crisp, sunny and impossible to beat for sightseeing. But you could also hit
stretches where we're socked in with fog, rain and low ceilings for days.

The really bad weather tends to hug the coast more than the inland valleys
(even in the summer) but you should probably be prepared to be flexible just
in case (we have been having a somewhat uncharacteristic year, weatherwise,
with our "summer" weather arriving early and some decidedly autumnal weather
in the past few weeks which - we rarely see in late august/early september -
this could just be a brief fluke, or it could presage an early fall.

As others have noted here already, you'll find more services in Medford.
Ashland has a couple things going for it: a great and popular theater
(mostly Shakespeare) community, and lots of accommodations that are there to
cater to all the visiting theater-goers. In October, the theater crowds
should have abated and you should have plenty of rooms to pick from
(although there should still be plays on in case you want to take one in).

As for places to fly and to see, by all means don't miss Crater Lake, it's
absolutely stunning from the air, and pretty damn impressive even from a
car. The same goes for the entire Oregon Coast (possibly the most scenic
hunk of landscape in all of North America). Really there's great stuff in
all directions; you won't be able to see it all.

If you're coming over the mountains (as opposed to coming up from
California), one route you might follow would be to come west through the
Columbia River Gorge (this lets you stay low but can be famously windy in
some places), then turn south and go down the Wilamette Valley (or go down
the east side of the cascades and cross the mountains further south). It's
all really stunningly beautiful country. You will undoubtedly enjoy it.

Hope that helps. If you have specific questions for local pilots, you might
post at the website in my sig below.

Have a great trip!

--
David Herman
N6170T 1965 Cessna 150E
Boeing Field (BFI), Seattle, WA
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Visit the Pacific Northwest Flying Forum:
http://www.pacificnorthwestflying.com/



"Ron Rosenfeld" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking of flying myself there from the east coast the beginning of
October.

I'd appreciate any thoughts as to what sort of weather or other problems I
might expect getting into (and out of) that area.

Thanks.
Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)