What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Covid-19 Sanity Trip to the Pacific and Back

jbakeman

I'm New Here
I was itching to get up and go after weathering another long and cruel Michigan winter. My brother-in-law and I headed out on a therapeutic trip west from Michigan to the Pacific and back.
We crossed the mid section; Stayed nights in Rawlins, Wyoming, McCall, Idaho, Reno, Nevada, and North Platt, Nebraska. The weather was great the entire way until we hit slow moving IFR in Iowa on our return, necessitating a deviation north through Michigan upper peninsula and across the Mackinac straits to return home to Lowell, Michigan (no interest in flying across the Big Lake!).

This is my first post regarding this great plane: power, speed, and comfort over the great plains, the foothills, the desert and mountains and the coast: just a fantastic experience the whole way!
I am really looking forward to more adventures this summer! - Cheers!


i-HHz8ZtZ-X2.jpg

i-q6fWBPm-XL.png


Minden, Nevada.
i-DxzGQG7-L.jpg


Crater Lake.
i-cSf9BJd-XL.jpg


The Great Salt Lake.
i-VxTQW29-L.jpg


Laramie, Wyoming.
i-mssCWrc-L.jpg


McCall, Idaho.
i-fqrZgt2-L.jpg
 
Last edited:
Welcome to VAF

James, welcome aboard the good ship VAF:D

Congrats on figuring out the photo posting voodoo :confused:;)
 
Thanks Mike: not sure I have truly figured out the photo posting voodoo (as you put it!) -perhaps future posts will be a bit more elegant!
 
Master Card AD?

that's a heck of a trip. beautiful photos. I like the stripes on the rudder!

Cost of building, soring and maintaining an RV- $$$
Cost of Fuel for the trip across the country -$$
Being able to experience it with your brother -Priceless

Daddyman
 
James...Sounds like it was a great trip... I live at Z98 so certainly understand the Michigan winter comment.

Gary
 
Gary, Z98- Very near by!

Trip west from Grand Rapids, around lake, and all points west is a great adventure. I have done similar trips in my previous Legend Cub in years past; this trip was faster (two fold) and smoother (not bumping along at 1500 AGL all the way!) so it was a completely different and fantastic experience in my RV9a.

Have a good springtime!
 
Flyboycpa,

Most of the legs were from 3000 to 6000 AGL, that put me at about 10000ft MSL over Rawlins and Rock Springs, Wyoming. This was simply dictated by time of day and thermal activity as it progressed into the afternoon. I took Weber Canyon into Ogden, Utah to avoid the highest mountain tops in that area. On the return to the east, after passing again through Ogden, the climb up the mountains led to some developing cumulous clouds and thermals (see the ramp photo from Laramie, Wyoming!) and I climbed at one point to 15000 MSL. I found the payoff at this altitude to be minimal with slow climb rate and mushy controls so I instead opted to return to cloud base at 10000 MSL, accepting some bumps but enjoying better performance from the RV9a.

It was a real thrill to experience the power and the beauty of that area from such a fine machine!
 
Last edited:
Back
Top