39 US States plus

A 32-day adventure by GUFY trips Read more

Follow Insights Calendar Share

Footprints
Photos

39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 25
Friday, May 27, 2016 at 5:00 PM
🌧 8 °C
Altitude: 821 m
Canada Rocky Rapids 53.265623, -114.95639953°15’56” N 114°57’23” W
Drayton Valley (CER3), AB
May 27, 2016 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 8 °C
Heading southeast tomorrow
Time to get moving again. Looks like there is a slot between the waves of weather pummeling the US heartland. I plan to head southeast for two legs. Leg one is from Drayton Valley to Cut Bank MT to clear customs and get fuel. Leg 2 will go to Gillette WY.

It is another day when conditions improve as the day wears on. So I plan to lift off some time after noon local time.

Found a better airport to clear customs than Great Falls (KGTF) that you have on your list. I will be going to Cut Bank (KCTB) instead. Among other things it is closer to the border.Read more
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 26
Saturday, May 28, 2016 at 2:16 PM
⛅ 18 °C
Altitude: 793 m
Canada Piyami Coulée 49.82649, -112.77836249°49’35” N 112°46’42” W
Oldman River, AB
May 28, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 26
Saturday, May 28, 2016 at 3:06 PM
☁️ 13 °C
Altitude: 1,172 m
United States Cut Bank Municipal Airport 48.607245, -112.36637248°36’26” N 112°21’59” W
CUT BANK (KCTB), MT
May 28, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
2.7 hour flight. Refueled.
First leg was a cross border that required clearing American customs. You are supposed to land within fifteen minutes of time you specified before leaving.
Since it is easier to slow down a lot than to speed up a lot, I padded the duration estimate. As it turned out I had a tailwind so I was going to arrive way too early. I cut power significantly so that airspeed was 20 knots less than otherwise. In the end I landed within 2 minutes of my specified time.

Clearing customs only took a few minutes. As always they ran a radiation detector around the aircraft. Good thing my plane is not fusion powered.

The pilot lounge in Cut Bank had the best facilities I have ever seen. Among other things it had a couple of rooms with made beds and towels, all complementary. There was even a fridge with beer.Read more
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 26
Saturday, May 28, 2016 at 5:19 PM
☀️ 16 °C
Altitude: 980 m
United States 19N12E14DBA_01 Well 47.407296, -110.17450347°24’26” N 110°10’28” W
Pownal, MT
May 28, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
An abrupt change from the gouged badlands to flat agriculture.
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 26
Saturday, May 28, 2016 at 6:34 PM
☀️ 19 °C
Altitude: 1,051 m
United States City of Hardin 45.694658, -107.34874445°41’41” N 107°20’55” W
Badlands in Montana
May 28, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
The badlands in Montana cover a large area. Their name is apt. This view is typical.
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 26
Saturday, May 28, 2016 at 6:58 PM
☀️ 19 °C
Altitude: 1,124 m
United States 08S43E20CBBA01 Spring 45.125629, -106.50340545°7’32” N 106°30’12” W
Racing from the sun
May 28, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
This is here only because I wanted to take a picture of the sun behind me. I stuck my camera out the open side window aimed backwards. The glint in the distance, under the sun, is Tongue River. Position is close to the Montana/Wyoming border just before Hanging Woman Creek. Colourful waterway names, but somewhat creepy.Read more
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 26
Saturday, May 28, 2016 at 7:25 PM
☀️ 17 °C
Altitude: 1,332 m
United States Gillette-Campbell County Airport 44.347979, -105.53909744°20’53” N 105°32’21” W
Gillette (KGCC). WY
May 28, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Flight time 3.1 hours. Total for day is 5.8 hours 1254 km (677 nm).

In Gillette they lent me their Subaru Forrester courtesy car.
Noticed numerous mesas and the smaller buttes while flying to and from this airport. Antelope butte, in the photo, is about 15 km from the airport.
This is coal mining area. One photo here is a large surface coal mining operation.
Stayed the National 9 Inn.
Tomorrow should have wind all the way as I move south then east. Planned stops are (KHEQ) Holyoke CO , (KNRN) Norton KS, (KCEK) Crete NE and (KTVK) Centerville IA.Read more
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 27
Sunday, May 29, 2016 at 1:19 PM
☀️ 26 °C
Altitude: 1,128 m
United States Holyoke Airport 40.578652, -102.28008540°34’43” N 102°16’48” W
Holyoke (KHEQ), CO
May 29, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Flight of 2.4 hours. Refueled.
Flat agricultural region. Land of cropdusters and irrigation.

This leg went as planned except that the predicted tailwind was more of a direct more of a direct cross wind.
Phoned a weather briefer to confirm the predicted forecast for the next leg has not changed, But it had. A line of thunderstorms was pushing into my destination Norton KS, spreading north and west.

So I picked a closer destination in Kansas, Atwood. It was just a half hour hop.Read more
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 27
Sunday, May 29, 2016 at 3:00 PM
☀️ 28 °C
Altitude: 897 m
United States Atwood-Rawlins County City-County Airport 39.837801, -101.04416239°50’16” N 101°2’39” W
1 1 1 1 1
Atwood (KADT), KS
May 29, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Flight time 0.7 hours. Time zone change to CDT. Daily total 3.1 hours and 630 km (340 nm).

I could see lightning further to the east before I landed. By the time I landed and chocked the wheels I noticed towering clouds had spread fast and were just east of the field. I was not familiar, or comfortable, with the speed of its development. I hurriedly tied down the plane and opened the spoilers. Got done just as the wind started to howl and rain began to fall.
Waited about an hour then called a weather briefer the likelihood of the system dissipating so I could continue east. Nope. The pilot lounge had keys for two courtesy cars available. Took the old weather-worn Dodge.Read more
GUFY trips Picked these bugs in the 40 minute flight here.
3/11/17Reply
GUFY trips The tiedowns had hooks at one end that quickly latched onto wire loops in the ground.
3/11/17Reply
GUFY trips Hokey selfie just after tiedown. Wind picking up (note windsock).
3/12/17Reply
2 more comments
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 27
Sunday, May 29, 2016 at 6:00 PM
☁️ 16 °C
Altitude: 867 m
United States Atwood Lake 39.813318, -101.04447439°48’48” N 101°2’40” W
Atwood, KS
May 29, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Downtown. Stayed at "It'll Do" motel. The slogan on their sign is "Not a Hilton but... It'll Do". It was fine.
This eclectic town of 2000 has an opera hall, army tank, and a friary.

Currently the weather prognosis is not wonderful. Looks like I will have to slowly weave across the midwest, probably stopping at currently unplanned airports. Early morning looks good for departure from Atwood, but not for my next planned stop of Crete NE. Will have to decide what makes sense to go to at the time, with the distinct possibility of a major diversion to stay out of nastiness. Going to have to look for places that can hangar my plane if it gets real nasty.

Around 5:30 pea sized hail fell for about ten minutes.Read more
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 28
Monday, May 30, 2016 at 8:45 AM
☀️ 18 °C
Altitude: 520 m
United States Bennett Township 40.54, -97.81740°32’24” N 97°49’1” W
North Fork Turkey Creek
May 30, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
One of many wiggly streams that were wetter than usual from all the recent rain.
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 28
Monday, May 30, 2016 at 9:07 AM
☀️ 21 °C
Altitude: 461 m
United States Crete Municipal Airport 40.62178, -96.927640°37’18” N 96°55’39” W
Crete (KCEK), NE
May 30, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Flight of 1.6 hours. Refueled. Time zone changed to DCT.

Finally got an early start, 7:30 local. The crappy forecast the previous evening did not materialize. This morning's briefer said there would be unpleasantness around Iowa and Illinois later in the day. So I got through there as fast as I could.

Most people I met on the trip were very friendly and frequently talkative. An exception was the refueler here. After I taxied to the gas pumps we had a memorable, laconic conversation...
He: Suppose you want some fuel?
Me: Yes blah blah mogas blah blah.
Later when I needed to use a phone to check the weather:
Me: Do you have a phone I could use?
He: Use this one
After we both failed to get the phone to function...
He: Guess you can't use this phone.

The first photo is a 360 degree panorama featuring refueling. Actually I take panoramas of every new place I land. I tend to avoid them in this blog because the reduced resolution of images stored here makes them very pixelated when zoomed in attempting a better look.
The second pic is of the airport cat. It spoke only a little less than the refueler.Read more
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 28
Monday, May 30, 2016 at 10:24 AM
☀️ 25 °C
Altitude: 281 m
United States Mill Creek 40.658432, -95.60842840°39’30” N 95°36’30” W
Southwest of Riverton, IA
May 30, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Wiggly vegetation patterns.
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 28
Monday, May 30, 2016 at 11:19 AM
☀️ 27 °C
Altitude: 317 m
United States Centerville Municipal Airport 40.688506, -92.90107140°41’19” N 92°54’4” W
Centerville, IA
May 30, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Flight of 1.5 hours. Refueled.
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 28
Monday, May 30, 2016 at 1:13 PM
☀️ 29 °C
Altitude: 202 m
United States Lewis County Regional Airport 40.127262, -91.67642840°7’38” N 91°40’35” W
Lewis, MO
May 30, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Flight of 0.6 hours.
The pilot lounge building was locked with no way to enter. They are often unattended. Normally they have a combination with a clue to its code that would be easy for any pilot flying there to determine. Not here.
The 'show me' state left nothing to show.Read more
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 28
Monday, May 30, 2016 at 1:45 PM
🌫 31 °C
Altitude: 146 m
United States Cottonwood Island 39.963968, -91.46319539°57’50” N 91°27’48” W
Mississippi River at Quincy, IL
May 30, 2016 in the United States ⋅ 🌫 31 °C
About 25 km south is Hannibal, MO home of Mark Twain.
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 28
Monday, May 30, 2016 at 2:25 PM
⛅ 30 °C
Altitude: 206 m
United States Litchfield Municipal Airport 39.165575, -89.66922639°9’56” N 89°40’9” W
Litchfield, IL
May 30, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
Flight of 1 hour.
It was getting hot and the dark, cool lounge with cool drinks was appreciated.
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 28
Monday, May 30, 2016 at 3:36 PM
☀️ 30 °C
Altitude: 160 m
United States Huntingburg Airport 38.247812, -86.95181138°14’52” N 86°57’7” W
Huntingburg (KHNB), IN
May 30, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Flight of 1.3 hours.
Classy sink in washroom.
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 28
Monday, May 30, 2016 at 6:00 PM
☀️ 29 °C
Altitude: 285 m
United States Russell County Airport 37.006606, -85.10060437°0’24” N 85°6’2” W
Jamestown (K24), KY
May 30, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Flight of 1 hour.
The airport is just west of the fractal-like Cumberland river. The map view reminds me of a Chinese dragon with lightning bolts flashing from its body.
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 28
Monday, May 30, 2016 at 7:55 PM
☀️ 26 °C
Altitude: 388 m
United States Troublesome Creek 36.63, -84.5936°37’48” N 84°35’24” W
Daniel Boone National Forest
May 30, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Big bubble wrap covered in trees.
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 28
Monday, May 30, 2016 at 8:15 PM
⛅ 25 °C
Altitude: 360 m
United States Campbell County Airport 36.336145, -84.16153536°20’10” N 84°9’42” W
Jacksboro (KJAU), TN
May 30, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Flight of 0.6 hours. Time zone change to EDT. Daily total of 7.7 hours and 1625 km (877 nm).
The sun was slipping over the ridge when I stopped. From first departure to final touchdown took 11.7 hours. Longest of the trip.

The pilot's lounge door was locked. Although they have a courtesy car, its key was inside the locked building. The phone was inside there too. I found nothing previously to warn of this situation in the online airport info. Grrr.

Since my phone does not work in the US, my choice was to either pitch my tent by the plane or walk to somewhere to call a cab. I started walking.

This was when I was most apprehensive on the trip. Although I know virtually nothing about that region, the movie Deliverance came to mind. I reactivated and took the satellite tracker in case I got into a situation were I could warn potential thugs that my position was being tracked at all times.

Just off the airport there was a single house. I expect my appearance was not the most pleasing after sitting for 12 hours in plane on a hot day. I knocked on the door. After some dog yapping and feet shuffling back and forth for about minute, no doubt wondering how to should respond, the door was opened to a middle aged woman. Telling her my plight she agreed to call a taxi. No, I don't think she was lonely, glad for any company.

Stayed at the Super 8.

Tomorrow the weather looks ok... so far. Only two states left, West Virginia and Ohio. Then on to Ontario to clear customs at Tillsonburg, before hopping over to Woodstock to visit my brother. Total air time should be under 4.5 hours. Slack day.Read more
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 29
Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at 11:06 AM
☀️ 24 °C
Altitude: 351 m
United States Middlesboro-Bell County Airport 36.608983, -83.73629536°36’32” N 83°44’11” W
Middlesboro (1A6), KY
May 31, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Flight time 0.3 hour.
Unplanned stop.

About ten minutes after Jacksboro, the engine began to run rough and have less power. I quickly decided to land at at the nearest airport, Middlesboro KY. Took off the cowlings and made sure the spark plug leads were tight. A ground test at max rpm followed by a flight test around the airport was satisfactory so I returned to the intended route.

It was extremely hot and humid both here and at Jacksboro. Although temperatures were less than I saw in Arizona, humidity was high so the effective temperature was more extreme.

The humidity induced haze, persisting throughout the day, is evident in the photos.Read more
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 29
Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at 1:00 PM
☀️ 29 °C
Altitude: 163 m
United States Ona Airpark 38.441735, -82.20235838°26’30” N 82°12’8” W
Ona (12V), WV
May 31, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Flight time 1.3 hours. Refueled.
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 29
Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at 1:44 PM
☀️ 29 °C
Altitude: 190 m
United States Tanner Run 38.93, -81.8438°55’48” N 81°50’24” W
Ohio River power plants
May 31, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
I saw many nuclear power plants along the Ohio river. Their cooling towers are distinctive. Although there are three in this photo, some are hard to see due to atmospheric visibility and photographer limitations.Read more
0 likes
39 US States plus GUFY trips
Show trip
Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
Share
Day 29
Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at 2:30 PM
🌫 29 °C
Altitude: 355 m
United States Harrisville 40.183489, -80.88499340°11’1” N 80°53’6” W
Harrisville, OH
May 31, 2016 in the United States ⋅ 🌫 29 °C
Physchedelic farming?
0 likes