Well, having flown that route to Oshkosh about 35 times in a C-120, C-170, C-172, and lately in the blueonblue 182, here's my route from near Sacramento to near Oshkosh.
Over the Sierra at Donner Summit (I-80), through the Verdi Gap into Reno, up to Lovelock, shoot the dogleg on V32 north of Mt. Tobin into Battle Mountain, then a straight shot across the railroad yards in Carlin to Elko, and now a choice.
South around around the Lake direct Wendover, direct Toelle, direct South Valley, vectors around the east side of Salt Lake International to Weber Canyon, thence direct Morgan County for fuel.
Or north to Wells, Lucin, across the center of the Lake to Promontory Point, vectors to Weber Canyon, thence direct Morgan County for fuel.
Pick up the 8-lane out of Morgan County and follow it to the junction of I-80 at Echo, then follow I-80 into Evanston. Evanston, Ft. Bridger, Rock Springs, Rawlins and you are done for the day. France Flying Service in Rawlins are good people, plus a couple of courtesy cars, plus a motel right at the bottom of the hill plus three or four good eateries within spitting distance.
EARLY next morning (daybreak if you can) Rawlins direct Medicine Bow. Halfway between the two you will see the hamlet of Hanna; a mile south of Hanna there is a dragstrip with what looks like a large hangar at the east end. Directly over Hanna, the 182 decided it no longer wanted the #3 cylinder on the engine and barfed it off along with most of the oil coming home from Oshkosh 2004. Doing a field service on a dirt dragstrip in a tin shed out in the middle of the godforsaken boonies with a new jug, a big screwdriver, and a crescent wrench was a character building experience.
Anyway, Medicine Bow directly over Wheatland Reservoir keeps paved roads underneath you until you can take a straight shot for Torrington. At Torrington you've got another decision to make. If the thunderstorms in the plains are north, you go south and vice versa.
North up to Alliance, Ainsworth, O'Neill, Sioux City, Fort Dodge and then by whatever route is straightest to your destination.
South to Scottsbluff, Garden County (Oshkosh, the other one), North Platte, Grand Island, Lincoln, Omaha, Des Moines, and then by whatever route is straightest to your destination.
Enjoy the flight. Just for the heck of it, what is at 6Y9? It is a grass strip out in the middle of East Nowhere Michigan.
Jim
