But what do you... do?

[joycem137]

Flying, motorcycles and radio controlled model planes.
My addictions, in order of severity.

I wonder how that's going to wind up for me... What kind of R/C planes do you fly?

 

[joycem137]

Don't get too hung up on the question of where you'll go. That will work itself out. It does for everyone, and each in their own way. Personally, for the first couple of years it was just boring holes in the sky, taking friends for rides, and a couple of VFR trips. Then I bought a Mooney and did a whole bunch of serious traveling. More kids, and traded for a Lance right when I moved. I didn't travel a whole lot after the move, and the plane was underused. I got into sport flying ... taildraggers, aerobatics, Pitts. Got a seaplane rating. That was a lot of fun, but after a few years failed the cost/benefit analysis and I went back to a traveling machine.

So, your journey will write itself, provided you are able to write the checks to support it. I had to put a hold on it after 23 years to fund the kids' colleges, but I'll be back soon enough.

I suppose that's one upside to not having any kids yet. My partner doesn't even want to consider them for another 5-10 years anyways... More time and disposable income for aviation?

Your path here sounds vaguely like what I expect to happen for me. Lots of little trips for a few years, plus saving, and then eventually, maybe, buying a plane and doing more serious travelling. We'll see.

 

[Bill Watson]

Well, speed isn't really the point, but I can get from Palo Alto to Lee Vining in 90 minutes in winter. In a car, that's a full day in good weather. It's nice to be able to fly over obstacles like 10,000 foot passes blocked by snow. The drawback is that that isn't a really good time to be thinking about engine problems. The high Sierra are very inaccessible in winter. But it's a much shorter distance than you might think. Yosemite Valley to Lee Vining is barely 25 miles.

Up to this point, I've only raced gliders up in the Sierras. I remember landing back at Minden one day and trying to figure out where those beautiful alpine lakes and views I saw during the race were... turned out I had over flown parts of Yosemite, Wow!
Lee Vining was a turnpoint one day but it looked like the middle of nowhere... I'm curious, what's there?

 

[MAKG1]

Up to this point, I've only raced gliders up in the Sierras. I remember landing back at Minden one day and trying to figure out where those beautiful alpine lakes and views I saw during the race were... turned out I had over flown parts of Yosemite, Wow!
Lee Vining was a turnpoint one day but it looked like the middle of nowhere... I'm curious, what's there?

Mono Lake and the Craters. Not much else, but those are pretty significant IMO. And you've seen some of the views. There is a visitor's center north of the field and a deli south.