Flying to California low and slow

Diana said:
I'm convinced. :) We'll figure out a way to land at this one. :yes: I see that it's listed as a dirt strip and there might be livestock on the runway. Bruce, which airplane were you flying when you landed there?
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M20J!
It looks like they have meals and lodging there as well.
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Yup, there 's a cook in the bunkhouse.
Back to flying high, there isn't a service ceiling listed in my Citabria POM (not that we're going that high). Don't most airplanes have a service ceiling listed?
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Yours is about ~12,000 IIRC, at about 1950 lbs....O360, no?
 
bbchien said:
Yours is about ~12,000 IIRC, at about 1950 lbs....O360, no?
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The 1977 7GCAA has an O-320 with gross weight being 1650 lbs (we'll be pretty close to that). I asked the Citabria forum last night, and some of the Citabriats are reporting altitudes of anywhere from 14,000 to 18,000. The new 7GCAA (160 HP) lists 15,000 according to one of the guys.
 
Watch out for those power line towers out that-a-way <g>. Have a great time.

Best,

Dave
 

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Diana,

Once you get to the golden state (the real golden state, SoCal doesn't count) allow me to make a few suggestions:

1) KEDU (Davis) is a total bust unless you have someone to see there. Go to placerville (KPVF) instead. It is beautifully nestled in the hills, but only at 2585, there is the Amador County Wine Country and the Apple Hill Growing area near by. If I am home, I'd be happy to spot you a bottle or three of our spectacular Zinfandel. KPVF also usually has just about the cheapest gas.

2) KHAF (Half Moon Bay) is probably the most beautiful airport on the West coast. I know that the Seattle guys all love the San Juans -- and they are beautiful -- but HAF is amazing. HOWEVER, it is also fogged in half the time, you might plan to either hit it on the way up or the way out, so as to get in (I assume the citabria is not IFR). But I would defiantly try to get in if you can.

3) Watsonville? I know you said you don't want fany airports, but Monterey is a cool town (they have a John Steinbeck wax museum). Alternatively, go into someplace like Sonoma County, the FBO is friendly, if a touch fru fru, and the gas is a bit pricey (although pretty much par for nor cal). On the other hand, the Napa Valley/Sonoma County area is beautiful. And wine.

4) Finally, try to get a "bay tour" up through the SF Bay area. San Francisco is a truly amazing city and an evening bay tour is the most romantic thing I've ever done with a girl (to be fair though, I think it's the only romantic thing I've ever done with a girl). Your best shot of getting into the class B is if you arrange it in advance. PM me and I'll send you the NorCal Approach special event coordination number.

Just my .02. Sounds like a great trip.

~ Christopher
 
jwriteclub said:
1) KEDU (Davis) is a total bust unless you have someone to see there. Go to placerville (KPVF) instead. It is beautifully nestled in the hills, but only at 2585, there is the Amador County Wine Country and the Apple Hill Growing area near by. If I am home, I'd be happy to spot you a bottle or three of our spectacular Zinfandel. KPVF also usually has just about the cheapest gas.
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Where'd that come from? I don't recall Diana saying she was stopping in Davis.

Anyways, while Davis is a great little city and most certainly worth spending a few hours in, there's no point flying to the airport if you don't have ground transportation. It's a 50 minute walk to the town.

jwriteclub said:
4) Finally, try to get a "bay tour" up through the SF Bay area. San Francisco is a truly amazing city and an evening bay tour is the most romantic thing I've ever done with a girl (to be fair though, I think it's the only romantic thing I've ever done with a girl). Your best shot of getting into the class B is if you arrange it in advance. PM me and I'll send you the NorCal Approach special event coordination number.
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Definitely do try to squeeze the Bay Tour in.

There's no need to call in advance. 99% of the time, all you got to do is ask. It helps if you sound like you know what you want to do ;)

-Felix
 
Where'd that come from? I don't recall Diana saying she was stopping in Davis.
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I seem to recall KEDU on one of the earlier plans.

Where in our state are they going first?
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First they're going to the ****ole of the state, then they're flying up to lovely California.

I'll fight you hombre.

(SoCal's not that bad, really, mostly, well . . . )

~ Christopher
 
Areeda said:
OK

Where in our state are they going first?
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The current plan is to take the southern route along I10 first after spending time at Marfa. We hope to fly to EMT if you guys haven't left on your honeymoon. A side trip to Catalina would be great if it works out. Our route to northern CA will be determined by our time constraints. Priority stops will be Yosemite and the Grand Canyon with time to be tourists and explore the sights along I40 on the way home.

We hope to make it up the coast to Half Moon Bay. We may have to skip OVE if we run out of time.

Thanks again everyone for your great suggestions! As usual, I have planned to try to do too much on a trip (in a slow airplane). :redface: But, like riding my stationary bike, it's all about the journey, and not just the destination, right? :D
 
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jwriteclub said:
First they're going to the ****ole of the state, then they're flying up to lovely California.

I'll fight you hombre.

(SoCal's not that bad, really, mostly, well . . . )

~ Christopher
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Whoa, Trigger! Be nice. :) I have some fond memories of people and places and flying in southern California.
 
AirBaker said:
If E45 is on your list of stops (Pine Mountain Lake), I'll gladly give you the whole inside scoop on the airport, what to do, where to go. :)
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It was one of the options. We were considering different airports in that area (Mariposa, Columbia, Fresno) where we could rent a car and check out the sequoias and maybe spend a day or two. I'm open to suggestions. :)
 
Diana,

The trip sound really cool!

Just remember to pack your towel. ; )

Missa
 
Nah! We all know what happens to schedules when we fly these airplanes. I was more concerned that I was home when you got there so you didn't have to sleep out in the cold!

Don't forget your computer either... I'm sure I'm not the only one that can't wait to virtully fly at your side through updates on the board.

Missa
 
Diana,

I'm pretty sure he's kidding.
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Pretty sure . . .

Yeah, I'm kidding, I've even lived in SoCal, which I why I figure I have license to make lots of fun of it.

~ Christopher
 
Don Jones said:
How goes the trip planning Diana? Inquiring minds want to know:)
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Still doing lots of planning. :D Several things have come up that may make us shorten our trip. The plan is to head out Thursday if the creek don't rise and the ditch isn't full of water, and we hope to be in Marfa by Friday. We will probably leave Marfa on Monday.

I sent Gouldings (Monument Valley) a copy of our insurance and a signed waiver (at their request) and they gave us permission to land.
 
Let me know if you stop in Half Moon Bay or anywhere in this area, really. I'll fly out and say hi :)

-Felix
 
sba55 said:
Let me know if you stop in Half Moon Bay or anywhere in this area, really. I'll fly out and say hi :)

-Felix
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Thanks Felix. :) Our trip plans have changed and we won't make it that far. Hopefully we will see you at Gaston's though. :)
 
I don't know about the trip there...but since I grew up on the central coast, I could be a virtual tour guide for that area once you turn north from LA. My home town is Lompoc (LPC). The airport isn't much to speak of, but in the spring, the flowers should be blooming and it would be an incredible view coming in and out. Lompoc is the "Flower Capital of the World" (growing flowers is the big ag industry there), and the air literally smells sweet with the aroma of flowers. You could land at Santa Ynez (IZA) and check out Solvang...a danish influenced tourist town with an incredible outdoor theater (PCPA). Santa Barbara (SBA, class C), is a great town and great harbor and beaches...but the airport is a bit busy. You could continue up to Oceano (L52) and start getting into wine country (and a quaint little town on the coast).

Anyway...I'm jealous. Have fun.
 
Diana said:
Thanks Felix. :) Our trip plans have changed and we won't make it that far. Hopefully we will see you at Gaston's though. :)
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Ohh...well, in that case, how far north in CA do you think you might make it? I haven't had a chance to fly much with the new avionics, so a little X/C down south might be a good warm-up for Gaston's...

-Felix
 
sba55 said:
Ohh...well, in that case, how far north in CA do you think you might make it? I haven't had a chance to fly much with the new avionics, so a little X/C down south might be a good warm-up for Gaston's...

-Felix
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Felix, due to a myriad of problems that continue to compound daily, we will be lucky if we make it as far west as the Grand Canyon. :(

We hope to see you at Gaston's.:yes:
 
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