ArVeeNiner
Well Known Member
This is part 1 of a 2 part post.
I've had a couple of cool trips recently that I wanted to share with the VAF world.
On January 13th, I got the opportunity to take my oldest daughter, Gianna, for her first ride in my new RV. She hadn't flown with me for about a decade as well. Flying is just not usually her thing.
We decided to go for a short flight to Columbia to meet up with Lars Pedersen, a fellow VAFer and recent builder of an RV-7. Lars was kind enough to drop by and help out a bit with my project a couple of years ago and we've been in touch ever since. We both had our first flights last year within a few months of each other.
We didn't get the early start that I usually like to get but it was darned cold in the morning plus Gianna had to get ready. Girls!!
Columbia (O22) is a nice little airport nestled in the Sierra foothills. It's a 2 1/2 hour drive (assuming no traffic) but only a 35 or so minute flight. You climb east from my home airport, Reid-Hillview (RHV), cross the Diablo range, then cross the San Joaquin Valley until you get to the Sierra Foothills. It's beautiful country.
As you get close to Columbia, you cross New Melones Reservoir. Do you have any idea how hard it was climbing out on the wing to get this shot??
On final. Columbia actually has two runways. One is a grass strip that is sort of visible to the left of this photo. Most elect to land on the paved runway.
The bold aviators at their destination.
Columbia is about a 10 minute hike down an unpaved trail from the airport. We found that the restaurant we originally thought we'd grab some grub at was torched by an arsonist around January 1st. We ended up at Billy Whiskers Cafe, a short walk away. It's housed in a building that was built in the late 1800's and is currently owned by the family of the second owner (since 1917). Here Lars and Gianna await our food.
Columbia is a California state park and a Gold Rush town. There is a lot of evidence of hydraulic mining both in and around town. Here is how they used to get around. It's a bit slower and more smelly than an RV.
We've had a cold snap out here that has lasted way too many days! Evidently, it got pretty darned cold in the Gold Country. Here Gianna lifts a sheet of 3/4" thick ice that has formed in a sluice box. Behind her is some evidence of hydraulic mining.
Our two planes finally meet. Lars took about 10 years building his, I took almost 8.
Back at the hangar. We had a great day. Gianna commented that she liked it way better than riding a Boeing. Now that's pretty cool! I don't even have WiFi or peanuts on board!!
I've had a couple of cool trips recently that I wanted to share with the VAF world.
On January 13th, I got the opportunity to take my oldest daughter, Gianna, for her first ride in my new RV. She hadn't flown with me for about a decade as well. Flying is just not usually her thing.
We decided to go for a short flight to Columbia to meet up with Lars Pedersen, a fellow VAFer and recent builder of an RV-7. Lars was kind enough to drop by and help out a bit with my project a couple of years ago and we've been in touch ever since. We both had our first flights last year within a few months of each other.
We didn't get the early start that I usually like to get but it was darned cold in the morning plus Gianna had to get ready. Girls!!
Columbia (O22) is a nice little airport nestled in the Sierra foothills. It's a 2 1/2 hour drive (assuming no traffic) but only a 35 or so minute flight. You climb east from my home airport, Reid-Hillview (RHV), cross the Diablo range, then cross the San Joaquin Valley until you get to the Sierra Foothills. It's beautiful country.
As you get close to Columbia, you cross New Melones Reservoir. Do you have any idea how hard it was climbing out on the wing to get this shot??
On final. Columbia actually has two runways. One is a grass strip that is sort of visible to the left of this photo. Most elect to land on the paved runway.
The bold aviators at their destination.
Columbia is about a 10 minute hike down an unpaved trail from the airport. We found that the restaurant we originally thought we'd grab some grub at was torched by an arsonist around January 1st. We ended up at Billy Whiskers Cafe, a short walk away. It's housed in a building that was built in the late 1800's and is currently owned by the family of the second owner (since 1917). Here Lars and Gianna await our food.
Columbia is a California state park and a Gold Rush town. There is a lot of evidence of hydraulic mining both in and around town. Here is how they used to get around. It's a bit slower and more smelly than an RV.
We've had a cold snap out here that has lasted way too many days! Evidently, it got pretty darned cold in the Gold Country. Here Gianna lifts a sheet of 3/4" thick ice that has formed in a sluice box. Behind her is some evidence of hydraulic mining.
Our two planes finally meet. Lars took about 10 years building his, I took almost 8.
Back at the hangar. We had a great day. Gianna commented that she liked it way better than riding a Boeing. Now that's pretty cool! I don't even have WiFi or peanuts on board!!
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