Best Leaf-Peeping Flight?

If you are ever in kentucky during peak (right now through next week) be
sure to land at Rough River Dam State Resort Park (2I3), the park is
surrounded by beautiful forrests, a lake, and has a 3200' runway.


"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:2NI9d.213796$D%.200022@attbi_s51...
My Top Two votes:

1. Up the Mississippi River valley from Savannah, IL north to LaCrosse,
WI.

With this sudden, early cold snap, the colors in the Midwest have abruptly
changed, and I imagine the flight past the bluffs that mark the confluence
of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers will be even more stunning than in
years past. (I'm hoping to do that flight Sunday afternoon.)

2. Over Lake McBride and the Coralville Reservoir, just a few miles north
of
Iowa City.

A heavily wooded area of hills and ravines, the late afternoon sun really
digs deep into the parkland forest, setting off the brilliant colors along
the shoreline.

What's your vote?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay,

Just had a superb leaf flight over the weekend. North out of Grand
Rapids, Michigan; color was getting well under way and got better as
went north; best southeast of Traverse City (Grand Traverse dinner
train runs two-a-day 3 hour dinner runs into the area, perfect time
for it). To my surprise, as we approached the shore of Lake Michigan,
the color hadn't started, apparently the residual warmth of the lake
delays things for some miles along the shoreline. We went north up to
the Mackinac Bridge and crossed over into the Upper Peninsula where
colors got more intense, but the winds had picked up to the point that
to go northwest further into the U.P. meant 30 knots on the nose, so
we turned and landed on Mackinac Island, where the color on the higher
points of the island was spectacular. Next morning we flew southwest
along the lake shore, stopped at one of the most beautiful little
airports on the planet, Woolsey, for a picnic at the WPA-built field
stone terminal building. Lots of picnic benches and places to cook
had we brought charcoal. Then south along the coast to Muskegon,
although the color was spotty, intense in the marshy areas, hardly
started elsewhere. From Muskegon inland color was much better.
Excellent trip, lovely color and perfect weather. I guess it was just
sucking us in for the steel-gray of winter. sigh

Warmest regards,
Rick

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:2NI9d.213796$D%.200022@attbi_s51...
My Top Two votes:

1. Up the Mississippi River valley from Savannah, IL north to LaCrosse, WI.

With this sudden, early cold snap, the colors in the Midwest have abruptly
changed, and I imagine the flight past the bluffs that mark the confluence
of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers will be even more stunning than in
years past. (I'm hoping to do that flight Sunday afternoon.)

2. Over Lake McBride and the Coralville Reservoir, just a few miles north of
Iowa City.

A heavily wooded area of hills and ravines, the late afternoon sun really
digs deep into the parkland forest, setting off the brilliant colors along
the shoreline.

What's your vote?

We went north up to
the Mackinac Bridge and crossed over into the Upper Peninsula where
colors got more intense, but the winds had picked up to the point that
to go northwest further into the U.P. meant 30 knots on the nose, so
we turned and landed on Mackinac Island, where the color on the higher
points of the island was spectacular.

Ah, that IS one of the most beautiful flights in the world, at any time of
year.

Even with all the places we've flown in the last couple of years, we still
regret not getting back to Mackinac Island. It's one of the most
spectacular flights I've ever made, and we've missed it now for the last
several years.

Next summer, for sure!

What type of aircraft were you flying?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay,

Let me know when you are going to Mackinac Island again, maybe we can
coordinate the trip.

The weekend trip was in a Cessna 150. Perfect little airplane for
slowly sightseeing over the area without going broke in the process.

Warmest regards,
Rick

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:HLPad.377069$Fg5.103968@attbi_s53...
We went north up to
the Mackinac Bridge and crossed over into the Upper Peninsula where
colors got more intense, but the winds had picked up to the point that
to go northwest further into the U.P. meant 30 knots on the nose, so
we turned and landed on Mackinac Island, where the color on the higher
points of the island was spectacular.

Ah, that IS one of the most beautiful flights in the world, at any time of
year.

Even with all the places we've flown in the last couple of years, we still
regret not getting back to Mackinac Island. It's one of the most
spectacular flights I've ever made, and we've missed it now for the last
several years.

Next summer, for sure!

What type of aircraft were you flying?

Let me know when you are going to Mackinac Island again, maybe we can
coordinate the trip.

Will do!

The weekend trip was in a Cessna 150. Perfect little airplane for
slowly sightseeing over the area without going broke in the process.

Yeah, the only time I really enjoy flying high-wing aircraft is on
leaf-peeping flights. Not so much because the wing is in the way (it
really isn't, in the front seat) but because the windows open wide on
Cessnas, making photography easier.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

We went north up to
the Mackinac Bridge and crossed over into the Upper Peninsula where
colors got more intense, but the winds had picked up to the point that
to go northwest further into the U.P. meant 30 knots on the nose, so
we turned and landed on Mackinac Island, where the color on the higher
points of the island was spectacular.

Ah, that IS one of the most beautiful flights in the world, at any time of
year.

Even with all the places we've flown in the last couple of years, we still
regret not getting back to Mackinac Island. It's one of the most
spectacular flights I've ever made, and we've missed it now for the last
several years.

Next summer, for sure!

What type of aircraft were you flying?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay,

Just had a superb leaf flight over the weekend. North out of Grand
Rapids, Michigan; color was getting well under way and got better as
went north; best southeast of Traverse City (Grand Traverse dinner
train runs two-a-day 3 hour dinner runs into the area, perfect time
for it). To my surprise, as we approached the shore of Lake Michigan,
the color hadn't started, apparently the residual warmth of the lake
delays things for some miles along the shoreline. We went north up to
the Mackinac Bridge and crossed over into the Upper Peninsula where
colors got more intense, but the winds had picked up to the point that
to go northwest further into the U.P. meant 30 knots on the nose, so
we turned and landed on Mackinac Island, where the color on the higher
points of the island was spectacular. Next morning we flew southwest
along the lake shore, stopped at one of the most beautiful little
airports on the planet, Woolsey, for a picnic at the WPA-built field
stone terminal building. Lots of picnic benches and places to cook
had we brought charcoal. Then south along the coast to Muskegon,
although the color was spotty, intense in the marshy areas, hardly
started elsewhere. From Muskegon inland color was much better.
Excellent trip, lovely color and perfect weather. I guess it was just
sucking us in for the steel-gray of winter. sigh

Warmest regards,
Rick

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:2NI9d.213796$D%.200022@attbi_s51...
My Top Two votes:

1. Up the Mississippi River valley from Savannah, IL north to LaCrosse, WI.

With this sudden, early cold snap, the colors in the Midwest have abruptly
changed, and I imagine the flight past the bluffs that mark the confluence
of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers will be even more stunning than in
years past. (I'm hoping to do that flight Sunday afternoon.)

2. Over Lake McBride and the Coralville Reservoir, just a few miles north of
Iowa City.

A heavily wooded area of hills and ravines, the late afternoon sun really
digs deep into the parkland forest, setting off the brilliant colors along
the shoreline.

What's your vote?