Perfect Proficiency Flight

But traffic was not the primary cause of my hatred of driving across
the Midwest and Plains. It was the endlessness of miles and miles of
nothing and nothing and more nothing. And the fact that I was doing
it the summer in a car without air-conditioning, in temperatures and
humidity as high as the miles were endless and the scenery
non-existent.

In the early 1960s my family would pile into a non-air-conditioned Pontiac
Super Chief each summer, and drive West for three weeks.

I know *exactly* what you mean. (Worse yet, 10 years later, when
air-conditioning finally DID become affordable, we'd do the same trip with
the windows UP -- and both parents were heavy smokers...)

However, having ridden a motorcycle through Iowa quite a few times, I can
assure you that there are many roads that offer scenery and curves as
beautiful as anything outside of the mountains. (NOTHING approaches riding
a motorcycle in the Rockies, of course. Although the Blue Ridge Parkway is
quite pretty...)

One key I've found to finding great roads in any state: Find the roads that
follow rivers. There are roads along the Mississippi that I would put up
against any motorcycle roads in America, for twisties and gorgeous scenery.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message Our solution?
The Amana Colonies (Iowa's biggest tourist attraction See
http://www.amanacolonies.com/welcome/index.html if you're curious) has a
small grass strip, located in the town of Amana. It is 2400 feet long,
75 feet wide, charges a voluntary $5 landing fee (there's just a box with
envelopes), and is within easy walking distance of many great restaurants,
shops, a working woolen mill (the last one in the Midwest), and a terrific
microbrewery.


In that 0.3 hour flight, we do EVERYTHING that we need to do on any
flight, from getting a weather/TFR briefing, to pre-flight, to interacting
with traffic in our local pattern, to navigating, to setting up the radios
and transponder, to talking with ATC (Amana is under the Class C airspace
of Cedar Rapids), to landing on a short field. On the way out, it's the
reverse, plus we get to practice short field/soft field departures. And,
back when I was actively practicing IFR flight, I could shoot an approach
back into Iowa City, too.

Total time? 0.6 hours. Flight intensity due to short duration/high work
load? Moderate. Fun factor: Priceless!

What do you guys do to stay sharp?
--

Jay, that's not a short runway have a look at these. They are what keeps us
sharp especially with the Military passing through the overhead without
warning.

http://www.popham-airfield.co.uk/Pro...tm#Runway%2026

Chris

"W P Dixon" wrote in message

Which part of the KY hills did you go through Jim? It really is a pretty
drive in alot of southeastern KY.

We got off near Corbin, onto 25E, down through the Cumberlin Gap, and into
Tennessee, and then eventually back to I-40.

The last overlook before you start down, looking out over the lakes was
spectacular. I think I was last there in around 1967, or 68, when I was 9
or 10 years old. I don't suppose I really appreciated the view, back then.
g

Required aviation component: You could only see a better view, if you were
flying over it. :-)

Jim in NC

Speaking of site seeing there by air, south of Pineville, is a huge boulder
chained to the mountain! Looks small from the ground or even from the
air....but each link of chain was carried up the mountain by a mule, they
are pretty dang big! Supposedly the town was afraid this rock was going to
dislodge and crush the town. So they chained it to the mountain.

Patrick
student SPL
aircraft structural mech

"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"W P Dixon" wrote in message

Which part of the KY hills did you go through Jim? It really is a pretty
drive in alot of southeastern KY.

We got off near Corbin, onto 25E, down through the Cumberlin Gap, and
into
Tennessee, and then eventually back to I-40.

The last overlook before you start down, looking out over the lakes was
spectacular. I think I was last there in around 1967, or 68, when I was 9
or 10 years old. I don't suppose I really appreciated the view, back
then.
g

Required aviation component: You could only see a better view, if you
were
flying over it. :-)

Jim in NC

http://www.popham-airfield.co.uk/Pro...tm#Runway%2026

Those look a lot of fun, Chris!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Hee hee,
Well you know in that neck of the woods they do have to have a draw for
tourist for something. Thanks for the update ob the chain links I'll have to
re inform some local pilots who told me that!
If you have a 4x4 a nice drive is a lonesome road on the crest of Pine
Mountain. Just miles and miles of being in nature. It's a nice little trip.
Beautiful sites and no one around to bother you!

Patrick
student SPL
aircraft structural mech

"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"W P Dixon" wrote in message
...
Speaking of site seeing there by air, south of Pineville, is a huge
boulder
chained to the mountain! Looks small from the ground or even from the
air....but each link of chain was carried up the mountain by a mule, they
are pretty dang big! Supposedly the town was afraid this rock was going
to
dislodge and crush the town. So they chained it to the mountain.

Nah, the links are only 4 1/2 pounds.

Yes, I remember seeing that back then. As I recall, it was mainly a
tourist
magnet. Think about it. What could you do to attract tourists? Would a
giant chain protecting the town do it? Yep. g

If they really wanted to protect the town, wouldn't a well placed stick or
three of dynamite do it? :-))

For story:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepu...9fill0619.html

Some pictures of the rock:
http://www.kspg.org/MiddlesboroKSPG0.../chainrock.htm
--
Jim in NC

If they really wanted to protect the town, wouldn't a well placed stick or
three of dynamite do it? :-))

What would protect the town from a not quite so well placed stick or three?

Jose
--
Quantum Mechanics is like this: God =does= play dice with the universe,
except there's no God, and there's no dice. And maybe there's no universe.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:QGqQe.314076$xm3.79466@attbi_s21...
http://www.popham-airfield.co.uk/Pro...tm#Runway%2026

Those look a lot of fun, Chris!

Reading about it puts a lot of people off, mind you a few have picked up
some turf on the wing tip as they made that final turn on 26. Otherwise it
through the hedge and onto the highway which run parallel to the strip. To
fast and high and its a certain go around, three gos and its time to go and
land elsewhere.
It's fun in a Tripacer 'cos you need to keep on plenty of power for that
last turn otherwise it becomes a brick.

Chris

"W P Dixon" wrote in message
...
Speaking of site seeing there by air, south of Pineville, is a huge
boulder
chained to the mountain! Looks small from the ground or even from the
air....but each link of chain was carried up the mountain by a mule, they
are pretty dang big! Supposedly the town was afraid this rock was going to
dislodge and crush the town. So they chained it to the mountain.

Nah, the links are only 4 1/2 pounds.

Yes, I remember seeing that back then. As I recall, it was mainly a tourist
magnet. Think about it. What could you do to attract tourists? Would a
giant chain protecting the town do it? Yep. g

If they really wanted to protect the town, wouldn't a well placed stick or
three of dynamite do it? :-))

For story:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepu...9fill0619.html

Some pictures of the rock:
http://www.kspg.org/MiddlesboroKSPG0.../chainrock.htm
--
Jim in NC

"Jose" wrote

What would protect the town from a not quite so well placed stick or
three?

Not that dinky little chain, that's for sure!

Under the second link, you can see that the chain is held to the anchor pin
by a little piece of what looks to be 3/16" cable. The anchor is a 1/2" or
maybe 3/4" piece of steel stuck into the rock. Not going to stop a falling
rock, but makes good for a tourist trap!
--
Jim in NC