2022 Year in Review

By The Numbers:

Total Time     1504.5
ASEL 2022        52.9

Complex          51.3/232.9

Cross Country    44.0/942.6

IMC               1.5/40.5

New Airports: (2)

KLUL - Hessler-Noble Field, Laurel MS

KGYH - Donaldson Field, Greenville SC

Flights of Note:

Vero Beach Get-Away

Mary and I decided we needed some warm temps and quiet beach time so we packed up and headed south to Vero Beach, FL. Loved Vero, great food, no traffic, very quiet and relaxing.  We already made reservations for March of 2023.

Mary and her friend Jen

Lunch in St. Michaels

Mary and I made the short hop to St. Michaels MD to meet with our friends Les and Nahia from the Beech Aero Club. We had a fun time and good eats at Limoncello.

HGTV's Home Town,  Laurel MS

This trip has been on our bucket list.  Finally, on the third attempt we were able to make the flight. Absolutely beautiful weather all week with plenty of exploration and good eats along the way. 

Group shot with Erin's Mom, Karen

Day Trip, Outer Banks

Nags Head has been one of our favorite places to visit over the years. Our last get-away was back in 2016. Mary and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and day trip to Manteo and Nags Head. Great flight, and fun time exploring the Roanoke Island Festival Park. 

Newport News, Happy Anniversary!

Mary and I decided we would take in a show at the Ferguson Center in Newport News, VA. It was our 18th wedding anniversary and we just wanted to get-away and enjoy an evening out.  WE had an excellent dinner and the show did not disappoint. I also broke 1500 hours!!

What’s in store for 2023? 

The same as every pilot, dreams of many more hours. The airplane is good, no updates on the horizon.

Mary and I plan on heading back to Vero Beach in March for a week vacation in warmer temps. This trip I hope to catch up with my brother and the ladies are planning a tour of the Historic Tuckahoe Mansion of the Coca-Cola heiress Anne Bates Leach.

A return to Boston is in the works to visit family and friends some time in the Spring. As for the remainder of the year there is nothing solid, yet. We do have some travels in the works but the details still have to be worked out.

It does look like we will attend Oshkosh, although not for Airventure, instead, the Annual BAC Fest. Since we'll be in the area we'll some how make an overnight or two at Mackinac Island and visit our friend Jeff and his family in Michigan. 

Mary and I wish all our readers a safe and Happy New Year!

Airport is Open! Flight Planning

Mary and I are anxious to get back in the air now that at least one runway (2-20) is open at Ocean City, KOXB. FYI, runway 14-32 is scheduled to reopen on December 12th.

The plan is to make the short flight to Newport News, Virginia and spend one night at the Hampton Inn. We will meet up with Mary's life long friend Susan for dinner and then a show at the Ferguson Center. Susan is actually coming to our home for a few days later this week.

Costs...Lets do a quick calculation. The Hampton room cost is $136 a night. Tickets for the show $174 for best seating. 3 Tango Charlie is already fueled with 43 gallons still on board after our return from Nags Head and cheap 100LL. 

Rental cars...Always the fun part of any trip.

Hertz Mid-size SUV - @ $107

Enterprise Mid-size SUV - $93

The drive is three hours each way (320 round trip)and Mary's SUV averages around 28 MPG on the highway. The flight time is 48 minutes each way burning about 20 gallons ($125) total at $6.24 /Gal purchased KMQI last month. 

The numbers say drive Mary's Benz. I haven't decided as of today, I'm still watching weather. I'll run all the numbers one more time the make the decision on fly vs ground pound.

The 10 day forecast for the trip presents the following. I'll take a closer look this weekend on all my favorite aviation weather sites and then decide on a go/no-go in case we fly.

About The Show

Inspired by the beloved films, the romantic and adventure-filled new musical ANASTASIA is on a journey to Newport News at last! From the Tony Award®-winning creators of the Broadway classic Ragtime, this dazzling show transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing con man and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love  and family. ANASTASIA features a book by celebrated playwright Terrence McNally, a lush new score by Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) based on original direction by Tony Award® winner Darko Tresnjak with choreography by Peggy Hickey and tour direction by Sarah Hartmann.

A Day at the Outer Banks

The weather was absolutely gorgeous today! Mary and I decided mid-week that we would head south and spend the day in the Outer Banks, Nags Head to be more specific. The last time we were in Nags Head was June 2016.

Departure Day 

We were both up early, I had to take care of the pets and my bride headed for that first cup of coffee. I do the pets in the morning and Mary takes care of them in the evening.

 

I did a final weather and NOTAM check, and made sure the cameras were indeed charged and packed. Time to hit the shower and then look for jeans since the temps may be a bit cooler then usual today. After some thought I stuck with shorts and brought along a long sleeve cover just in case. 

I had taken on limited fuel yesterday, so to complete my pre-flight I needed to sump the tanks. I limited my fuel because here in OCMD it’s $7.25 a gallon. Dare county full serve was $6.24 a gallon. The plan was to tanker as much fuel home as possible, keeping just under the magic 2650 lbs ramp weight limit. 

After some warm up time I back taxied for runway two after picking up my clearance with Patuxent. This morning I was immediately released. 

The air at six thousand was a cool fifty to fifty-five degrees. Mary and I actually had to turn the heat on to take the chill out. 

Pax handed me off to Norfolk and they in turn handed me off to Oceania. Oceania eventually handed me off to Cherry Point. 

Once I had the weather I canceled and switched to CTAF at Dare County. I set up for runway three-five, a first after many trips there. Three-five has quite the displaced threshold but useable is thirty-three hundred feet.

Once shut down Mary went in to secure the rental, a Ford Fusion. I ordered fuel and took on thirty-four gallons to bring me to sixty total for the ride north.

We were like two kids, off on an adventure. First stop was Roanoke Island Festive Park.

The sailing ship Elizabeth II was docked and open for tours. One of these days I’ll climb aboard and have a look around. 

We decided to make our first stop the Wanchese Pottery shop. No kitty today, Miss Hazy Daisy passed a few years ago and there's no new kitty in the shop, Yet. 

Mary and I remember the original cat, Pots. There he sat usually curled up in a bowl on the counter. Luckily we met him and hazy daisy in our previous travels. 

Both Mary and I ate a very light breakfast this morning. I had rice pudding and my bride had yougurt. We were both getting hungry.

As we walked down the Main Street we were overcome by the smell of burgers cooking. So much for seafood, we were seated at an outside table at the Lost Colony Tavern and each ordered the Wagyu burger and split a Scotch Egg appetizer. The meal was very good and so was the service. 

Once we hit all the shops we decided to drive over to visit Nags Head. We checked out the hotel we typically stay at and some of the cottages, maybe there are Airbnb’s to investigate for our next visit.

After checking out the shops, restaurants and hotels, we headed back across the Washington Baum Bridge to Roanoke Island. The last stop would be the Christmas Shop before returning to the airport.

The fuel and rental car were paid when we landed so it was simply drop the keys and go. The winds had changed now favoring runway five. With a full belly of fuel I’m sure 3 Tango Charlie appreciated the additional runway length. With the cool temps 3 TC climbed her way to five thousand five hundred. I contacted Cherry Point and picked up a squawk code and flight following for the ride north. Another beautiful flight, this time north up the coast. 

Virginia Beach came into view just twenty miles south of the vacation get-away. We crossed the Chesapeake Bay noticing more tankers at anchor then this mornings south bound pass. Now traveling north up the peninsula Mary and I were searching for traffic, a Grumman Tiger. 

After fifteen minutes we finally had a visual as the Tiger passed overhead. Once locating the traffic and noting the weather at OXB we canceled with Patuxent and let down for Ocean City. It was busy in the pattern and with the single runway and no taxiway it was a bit congested. 

I entered the left down wind for two-zero and had a school plane report left base for the same runway as I was getting ready to make the same call. Yikes! I quickly announced I would extend my downwind and asked the base turning plane if he meant crosswind, he did. No harm no foul, I turned base and landed offering to clear the runway at the taxiway H end so he could land. It saves time to both back taxi together since there were aircraft headed for departure. It all works out if we just communicate. 

Destinations for 2022

It all starts with a plan...

I have made similar posts over the years but this year I believe we will get back to our travels. Once again Mary suggested we make a list of places we want to explore. So let's get to it, in no particular order, our list.

New Adventures

Fremont, NH

Niagara Falls, Canada

Laurel, MS

Fernandina Beach, FL We did Vero Beach, FL

Destin, FL

Charleston, SC
Mackinac, MI

Return Trips

Key West, FL
Nags Head, NC
Jekyll Island, GA

Boston, MA

Taking a look at New Adventures we see some of the same list as years past. Mary and I really want to visit with Adam and Jeanine in New Hampshire. We both want to meet their son and see their beautiful home. Fernandina Beach, Destin and Charleston can push to the Fall, a go to for warmer temps. Niagara is on the list, but it should really be on the Return To list. Mary and I have both been to the Falls but this time we want to fly there instead of ground pound. 

The Big Trip

Somewhere in the fall schedule will be a BAC Fest flight out to Palm Springs, CA (KUDD). This trip will have many stops and end up being a trip much like our trip out to Dubuque IA, Rapid City SD, Kansas City KS then home. The plan is for multiple places to visit, some new and some returning. We hope to finally cross off Laurel MS (KLUL) and revisit Waco TX (KACT). On the return home we might get to stop and visit the Food Channel's Pioneer Woman in Pawhuska, OK (H76) and finally visit Secretariat's final resting place in Paris, KY (27K). 

There is also a chance that the Commanders Owner Group(COG) may be meeting out west this year around the same time as BAC Fest. What timing if we could do both owners groups and maybe the Albuquerque Balloon Fest. Wow, what a trip that would be!

The Return Trip list is our wish list of places we would love to return to. Nags Head is always a favorite as well as Key West. Jekyll Island would be a great get-away to just lay on the beach and recharge. Boston to visit family and maybe serve as a jump point for Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and Block Island.

So for now this is "the list". We shall see how many new destinations we can visit, and how many places we can return to for some R&R.  

Destinations for 2020

I have made similar posts over the years but this year seems to hold a bit more meaning.  This post was initiated by my bride, that's right, Mary suggested we make a list of places we want to explore. So let's get to it, in no particular order, our list.

New Adventures

Boston, MA
Martha's Vineyard, MA
Fremont NH
Bar Harbor, ME
Niagara Falls, ON, Canada
Charleston, SC
Jekyll Island, GA
Singer Island, FL
Destin, FL
Mackinac, MI
Blacksburg, VA

Return Trips

Myrtle Beach SC
Key West, FL
Nags Head, NC
Williamsburg/Newport News VA
Blacksburg, VA

Lets dig into the 'New' list first. Mary and I have been to Cape Cod and used that as a take off point to explore Nantucket. This time we would like to land near Boston, specifically, Norwood - KOWD. We will finally get to visit family, and our friends Mike B and Kim.  This may also serve as a jump off point for a day at Martha's Vineyard, Lord knows I don't want to overnight there (insert cash register sound...kaaa..ching!). The Boston run can take on a few different spins.  We would also like to finally get to visit our friends Adam B and Jeanine, and meet their little man Declan. So lets add KLWM into mix and a short drive to Freemont NH.  We would plan for some time away to make all the stops necessary to complete this mission, we may even need a four day get-away at Bar Harbor to recover before pointing for home. 

We have had Niagara Falls on our list, not that this would be a new place for us, but a new way to get there. Last time we drove, this time we would fly into Canada or into KIAG and make the short drive across the border. 

Early Fall would be the time to plan for traveling south. Mary and I want explore Charleston SC.  Also on the list is Jekyll Island GA, so we will work that four day get-away into the schedule.

Fall and winter will also be a great time to push a bit farther south.  Singer Island FL has been on our list since we had the Sundowner. Our reservations from January 2014 were snowed out so I spent that extended weekend shoveling snow. Not Cool. 

We have given some thought to returning to Gulf Shores but we both wanted to try someplace new along the gulf coast. Destin FL seems like a place we read a lot about so we both agreed to add it to our list. 

It seems I missed Mackinac,MI this has also been on our list of places to visit, but, its definitely a summer trip. While exploring Michigan we would also like to visit our friends Jeff and Lori who are along the way, located south of Grand Rapids. 

The 'Return Trip' list is a bit shorter but still just as fun. Nags Head, one of our favorites, and Myrtle Beach are always great for a weekend get-away. Williamsburg is also a short hop and we love meeting up with our friend Susan and catching a show at the Ferguson Center in Newport News. 

We have been to Keys twice, well once for Key West and one time to Marathon, although we drove to Key West from there for a day trip. I think Mary and I both love Key West.  We followed fellow blogger Geoff's suggestion and we will return to the Sheraton Key West at Smathers beach. Great beach access, shuttle that runs all day providing access to great food and entertainment downtown.

The last entry on each list is Blacksburg, VA. I should add we haven't been there yet, but, with our friends Candy and Mark from Texas moving there, we will be making frequent trips back and forth. 

So we have a list, now we need to get the plane back online. I am still waiting to have the parking brake valve serviced. Another post is in the works for the repair.

I think Mary is just as excited as I am about getting back to traveling and exploring new places. I am looking forward to more videos and blog posts, taking our readers along for the adventure.  Time to Spare...Go by Air, the next chapter, is about to get started.

Sanibel Anniversary Get-Away

November 7th marks fifteen years with my bride.  Mary definitely deserves a medal for putting up with me for so long. Together we decided on a quick get-away to a warm beach, Sanibel Island Florida was the perfect destination.

Day 1 - 11.3.19

KSBY - KCLT - KRSW

We had airline tickets to use or lose so we paid the ticket change penalty, $200 per ticket, and moved on.  Don’t even get me started on that thieving scam. 

We flew out of Salisbury (KSBY) with a connection in Charolette (KCLT). Once the Piedmont Embraer ERJ-145 regional jet arrived we had to change to gate C. It’s not a bad walk and we had over an hour to get there. The last flight, on an Airbus 321, took off on time and arrived descending through IMC. We broke out in plenty of time to line up and get on the ground without descending to minimums.

KCLT

Charlotte 

Welcome to Fort Myers

Mary and I quickly set out to retrieve our luggage and head to the rental car agency. Our Avis Mitsubishi SUV was ready to go, if only I could figure out how to open the rear hatch. Once the puzzle was solved the bags were stored and we were off for Sanibel.

What would we do without GPS maps on our cell phones?  With easy buttonology we locked in our destination, the Sundial Beach Resort and Spa. Check in was quick and friendly with an added few gifts tossed in. I made sure our SUV was ok out front while Mary and I ordered some dinner to go from the bar. I had the rack of ribs and Mary had shrimp over pappardelle in a garlic wine sauce.  We devoured dinner since the only thing we had was pancakes at home for breakfast followed with the complimentary pretzels and airline cookies for lunch.

Day 2 

Beach Time

The weather looked iffy at best, but we were heading to the beach anyway.  We were determined to relax to the sound of waves and the feel of sand in our toes.  

Mary immediately set off on a shell scavenger hunt while I was happy to broil on that comfy beach lounge. We sipped ice tea and munched on some snacks while watching people hunt for shells. 

I enjoyed the pelicans making passes in formation just skimming along the wave tops and the birds about thirty feet over the water surveying for food. 

It was wild watching their heads pointing down, scanning for food, then plunging into the water. I did hear and see one GA aircraft heading north along the Fort Myers Beach along with one commercial flight (Southwest) over the Gulf.

Time to Explore

Once we had our fill of sand and sun we decided to explore the island. There are a few places of interest we wanted to see so before heading back to the room we went for a drive. It’s not that difficult on an island, follow the main road loop and learn the cross roads as we go. I pointed the SUV to the J.H. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge.  There were options, tram car type tour, self tour by car and some hiking trails.  We selected the self tour by car.  A four mile trail with plenty of places to pull off and take pictures. Now I wish we packed the real camera, instead we opted for our cell phones which couldn’t handle the zoom features we needed.

 We could not believe how thick the mangrove trees were as the provided a network of roots and branches just above the water. It was a safe haven for critters and birds, but not accommodating to man. The waterways were beautiful, and dotted with multiple birds. 

A few we spotted along our trail were the Great Egret, this bird is tall, elegant and white, with a yellow beak and black legs. The Snowy Egret. Smaller than the great egret, the snowy egret also has a white body and black legs. Reddish Egret. White Ibis. Great Blue Heron. Little Blue Heron. Roseate Spoonbill. The roseate spoonbill, a cousin to the Greater Flamingo, is known for its Rosy Pink coloring. 

Picture provided by Haydens Animal Facts

We also saw the great white pelicans. Sanibel Island is a long way from the Nile, but great white pelicans are here, and  a good 4,000 miles from its home range, it’s the first location the Old World species has been recorded in North America. 

photo by Jaydot  https://jaydot.nl/

As we continued our drive we came across a large green iguana. Apparently they are a problem here in Sanibel. The green iguana is not native to the area and has posed a problem to the ecosystem, destroying native vegetation.

The four mile trail provided beautiful views of many birds. It was fun and yet very peaceful to experience. As we drove out of the refuge I pointed our rental for the condo. Along the way we spotted a DQ.  I can not pass a Dairy Queen when it’s hot out and ice cream is so close. I had a pineapple sundae with nuts and Mary enjoyed a Carmel sundae.  With tummies full and lunch crossed of the to do list we headed to the Resort. We showered and dressed for dinner, watching some local news until it was time to go.

The Dinner Adventure

We followed a recommendation and headed out to the Bubble Room, yes the bubble room. The Bubble Room is located on Captiva Island, just north west of Sanibel. The drive reminded us of leaving Nags Head and heading north for Corolla or Duck in the Carolinas.

Our initial impression when we parked was what the heck is this place. It was a quirky collection of Hollywood and Christmas rolled into one place. The staff was very nice and we were quickly seated. 

Our table was bordered by in the wall fish tanks, Hollywood memorabilia and a life size deep sea diver with 20,000 leagues under the sea submarine hanging just overhead. I kid you not, it was all there. 

Now if you can imagine all that, add in Christmas decorations, to include bubble candle lights, and shadow box tables with a mix of Christmas and Hollywood collectibles.  This place caused a sensory overload to ones vision. I called it the Chuck E. Cheese for adults. I don't like Chuck E. Cheese.

Thankfully the meal was excellent. My filet mignon was perfectly cooked and melt in your mouth. Mary's prime rib looked like a Flintstone size cut. It too was cooked to perfection and she said the horsey sauce dip was most tasty. 

The place is noted for its desserts so of course we had to indulge.  I kept it simple with key lime pie, Mary had a chocolate cake with cream layers and strawberry's. We each took most of our dessert home for tomorrows breakfast.

Day 3

More Beach Time

This morning started off a bit slower than yesterday’s pace to hit the sand and surf.

Mary and I passed on the big breakfast and instead made a quick stop for eats at the on site convince shop. Wait, what?  Well we needed more SPF 50 and when we walked in you could smell bagels and bacon. I was giving the grill a look see while Mary was trying on some hats, I have my priorities.

I ordered an everything bagel with bacon, egg, and cheese. My bride had a bowl of watermelon, and did not purchase a hat. Yes, we did remember the SPF 50 sun block. 

We left the store and walked to the beach, making a stop for towels and requesting an umbrella from the young man on duty. All the extras are part of the resort package so why not use them. 

With our piece of heaven selected we sat back and enjoyed the waves crashing, cool gulf breeze, and watched the birds and pelicans diving for fish snacks.

We did notice everyone coughing and sneezing, I notice all the weird stuff.  Mary and I both had a persistent cough and my bride must have used a box of tissues blowing her nose.  What we didn’t know at the time was that the Red Tide can cause respiratory irritation (coughing, sneezing, tearing and an itchy throat) when the Florida red tide organism, Karenia Brevis, is present and winds blow onshore. Offshore winds usually keep respiratory effects experienced by those on shore to a minimum.

We lasted almost three hours on the beach and then headed for our room.  Mary needed cool cleaner air to breath and we both needed showers. While relaxing in our room I watched a news segment on red tide. If you have asthma you should avoid the beach when the winds are blowing onshore, the highest red tide time.  At least my bride does carry her inhaler and now we are informed.

Once the symptoms subsided we headed out for more exploration. We checked out multiple shops, from sea shells to diamonds, we covered it all. 

When it was getting close to dinner time we bounced back and forth between a burger place or the restaurant at the resort.  The resort won out and we each ordered the shrimp over pappardelle noodles. We each enjoyed our meal, savoring a hint of wine with garlic, fresh herbs, and tomatoes.  Mary had a glass of pino and I had an ocean city favorite, orange crush.  We both slept very well.

Day 4

Our Last Full Day

We eventually worked our way towards breakfast at the Over Easy Cafe.  The decision was to pass on a last beach day, instead keeping clear of the red tide toxin and dealing with the side effects.

With full tummys we pointed the rental SUV south for Marco Island.  The first leg took about an hour and a half and traffic wasn’t to bad.  As we crossed the bridge on Collier Ave we were amazed how much of a big city feel Marco island had.  

We drove all over town but really didn’t find a place we liked, a place that felt good to us. Oh there were plenty of condos and beautiful buildings but nothing left us impressed for a nice winter get-away in a quiet setting. 

Our next stop was Naples, just a short hop north.  What we found was plenty of traffic and a big city feel.  Again, it just didn’t fit us.  Mary and I decided it was time to head back north.

Following our fuel stop we headed for Cypress Trail RV Resort. Mary and I had planned to meet up with one of my high school classmates, Debi, and her husband, Bob. Traffic was moving pretty quickly and we were passing through their resort security gate within the hour. We enjoyed catching up, reminiscing  and talking about our life directions. We also got an in depth tour of the resort, it’s a beautiful park.

After three and half hours of catching up we decided we best get moving and head back to Sanibel. Debi and Bob had just gotten into town late last night so I’m sure they had a list of things to do. After fourteen hours of driving I would imagine they also needed some serious sleep time too. 

We said our goodbyes, each of us vowing to catch up again soon. With hugs complete Mary and I headed back across the bridge to Sanibel, making a stop at Cheeseburger Cheeseburger for dinner. We each had a build your own cheeseburger with malt shakes and an order of onion rings. With our tummy’s filled, we only had to find our way back to the condo. I managed to retrace my route, in the dark, right back to my exact parking spot.

Day 5

The Return Home

This morning we decided to return once again to the Over Easy Cafe for breakfast. Why mess with a good thing, if it ain't broke don't fix it. OEC had fast friendly service and very good food, what’s not to like. Once we finished eating we headed to the airport to return our Avis rental vehicle.  There were no lines, we were checked out, handed over the keys and headed to the designated gate ahead of schedule.  

Once entering the terminal I did not see signage for ticketing. We each had our boarding passes but needed to check our bags. Mary and I do not do carry on, it slows the process. I also did not see the TSA screening, but thought maybe it was close to the gate. Again, no lines as we walked up to TSA for scanning, this was working out just fine.  I asked the agent where was check in, there was nobody outside and I did not see anything when we came in.  We had to do an about face and walk back to the entrance, this time making a right turn, just before the main doors, to the American Airlines counter.  Duh! I walked right past this when we came in.

Ok, our bags are checked and we're headed back to TSA for the body scan.  Lose the shoes and belt, empty everything in the trays and enter the transporter, I mean scanner. I went right through with a quick check of each ankle, yes they have plates and screws.  I noticed I had a big yellow block on my forehead, did I have something done that I don’t remember or was that mass my brain? The agent laughed and said you moved your head when it scanned, you're free to go.  I got my tray and got squared away with shoes, belt,and belongings. I looked for Mary, usually waiting for me just beyond the scanners, and there she was, getting the full pat down.  Well isn’t that a switch! We had a good laugh and continued on to our gate, to sit and wait.  

The flight to Philly was on an Embraer 190, it was smooth and quiet at thirty one thousand feet. Once landing at Philly we took a shuttle bus to our next gate in terminal F, to await our connecting flight home. We eventually boarded an Embraer 145 and taxied out for departure. One hop away from home. 

departing Philly

Another smooth flight at twelve thousand feet and it only took nineteen minutes wheels up to touchdown. I should mention it took twenty-seven minutes from leaving the gate to take off roll. 

We enjoyed our Anniversary get-away but are just as happy to be home and back with our Ziva girl.  It's a busy month with an upcoming Clint Black concert then a trip to Austin Texas. Somewhere in between I need to get 3 Tango Charlie flying.