Lunch in St. Michaels MD

Friday 4.29

The ladies were catching up on the phone when they agreed we should meet up Saturday to do lunch and enjoy the forecast for beautiful weather. Mary and Nahia had a good laugh and decided to leave the planning details up to the men.  A good halfway point would be St. Michaels MD with us flying into the Easton Airport, KESN, just fifteen minutes from downtown. 

Saturday 4.30

After a quick breakfast I remembered I needed to reserve a car at Easton.  I called and locked in a Ford Taurus for our transportation. Securing a rental is a better deal then paying for a taxi to and from town. I completed my typical flying day ritual of weather and NOTAM checks then packed a few items in the flight bag. The plan was to keep it simple today.

We rolled into the airport and I dropped Mary off for her morning walk, minus the Ziva diva. I continued on to the hangar and completed my preflight. I tugged 3 Tango Charlie out onto the ramp as  Mary emerged from the back of our hangar. In unison we said great timing. 

Winds favored runway one-four and we launched for our flight west. FlightAware detailed a twenty-eight minute flight with fourteen knot headwinds. The ride was bumpy until we climbed through three thousand feet, finding smooth air just one hundred feet higher. I wanted to stay below the R-4006 restricted area base of three thousand five hundred feet, which kept our route direct.

I contacted the Easton tower at ten miles out with the current ATIS and my intentions. Tower cleared me for a straight in for runway four. I found this odd since I was approaching on a perfect right base. Tower changed things up and directed me to the right base, much better to keep the flow.  I made a floaty landing and touched down a bit firm, definitely not my best.

I secured the plane while Mary took care of the rental car paperwork. When I entered the terminal a man approached me and asked about what plane I flew in. I responded I was flying the commander and the conversation went on from there. The gentleman, Jeff, was getting back into flying after 28 years away and he and his wife Vanessa were plane shopping. I introduced Jeff and his wife to Les and he checked out his Sundowner then we took a peek at my Commander.

L-R:  Les, Nahia, Mary and me

We finally walked out to our rental car and pointed for St. Michaels. The ride was just fifteen minutes or so and we soon found some parking in the post office parking lot. Town was really busy, traffic was backing up headed west on Talbot street and the sidewalks were filling up with people. We walked a short distance and all agreed on lunch at the Limoncello Restaurant. 

Gnocchi in Marinara Sauce

Lobster Ravioli

Each couple ordered the Burrata cheese with tomato and balsamic drizzle appetizer to split.  Mary had lobster ravioli and I had the gnocchi in marinara sauce for our entrée.   Lunch was perfect and the service just as good. We shared great conversation and many laughs with our friends and Beech Aero Club members, Les and Nahia. 

Les with the photo bomb

A beautiful Jag

Once we returned to our rental ride I attempted to tour the Marina and lighthouse. Unfortunately there was a wedding reception underway and the waterfront parking area was closed. It was time to head back to the airport so I made my way to Talbot Street, moving along at a snails pace but enjoying the view of all the shops.

We returned the car and then made our way to the ramp to saddle up for home. Once I had the ATIS I contacted ground then the Tower when I was ready to launch. The ride home was smoother then the ride west to Easton, now enjoying a tailwind. I made up for my landing at Easton by greasing one on at Ocean City, it was butter.

Next up, reposition 3 Tango Charlie for Annual inspection at New Garden Airport, N57.