jesse
Touchdown! Greaser!
Gastons 2012 is right around the corner.
Gastons is a beautiful grass airport where you will, guaranteed, forge friendships that will last a life-time. This "annual" fly-in started on the AOPA board back in 2004 and has been going strong since.
I first heard of it back in late 2005, I was a broke 18 year old private pilot with little flight time and a big attitude trolling the pilot boards for entertainment. One night some fellow named Spike Cutler told me on the PoA chat that I should come to the fly-in and he'd buy me a steak if he did. I said I would sure try.
I probably had about $300 total in money back then. But there was something about the event that got my attention. I started saving. In early 2006, I lost my job and was a broke high school dropout that still intended on going to this fly-in, somehow. A friendly fellow by the name of Lance Fisher on PoA introduced me to someone that was looking to hire a tech guy. I immediately drove to Minneapolis, interviewed, and was hired. I had a source of income again. I quickly started to stash all the money I was making with the intent of going to Gastons.
I started to talk to some other broke college guy in Iowa named Tony. Now Tony seemed pretty smart, even though he didn't have a shift key, and was interested in going as well. It was decided that I would pick him and his new girlfriend (Leah) up in Iowa and he'd go the rest of the way with me to Gastons. Probably a good thing because I really had no idea what I was doing when it came to flying across the country (but would have never admitted it). Little did I know at the time that Tony would become one the best friends I've had and that years later I would be a groomsman in his wedding.
I remember sitting in that 172, approaching Gastons from the north, stunned by the beauty of the lake and terrain. I had simply never seen something like that in my small-town Minnesota boy upbringing. We touched down on the grass and brought it to a stop. There was a pretty large group of people sitting at the flight line, most of which turned into very good friends for years to come.
I hadn't really had the exposure to such a good group of people in my life and I was pretty amazed by it. I remember walking along the river one night, watching the fog slowly rise, wanting the weekend to never end. Sadly it did but I vowed I'd return the next year. I've done so every year since.
What does Gastons have to offer? A pristine grass-strip where you will spend an entire weekend enjoying the company of some of the finest people around, all awhile watching airplanes takeoff and land. Lifelong friendships being forged with the smell of 100LL and BBQ grill in the air.
Ken Ibold described the experience better then I ever could in the attached PDF.
Gastons 2012 is Jun 8 to Jun 10 with an early-bird pizza part on the evening of Jun 7th.
Cabins fill up quick so get your reservations in right now: http://www.gastons.com/
For more fly-in details and to register your attendance (not required but sure nice to know who is coming):
http://www.gastonsflyin.com/viewevent.php?id=8
Gastons is a beautiful grass airport where you will, guaranteed, forge friendships that will last a life-time. This "annual" fly-in started on the AOPA board back in 2004 and has been going strong since.
I first heard of it back in late 2005, I was a broke 18 year old private pilot with little flight time and a big attitude trolling the pilot boards for entertainment. One night some fellow named Spike Cutler told me on the PoA chat that I should come to the fly-in and he'd buy me a steak if he did. I said I would sure try.
I probably had about $300 total in money back then. But there was something about the event that got my attention. I started saving. In early 2006, I lost my job and was a broke high school dropout that still intended on going to this fly-in, somehow. A friendly fellow by the name of Lance Fisher on PoA introduced me to someone that was looking to hire a tech guy. I immediately drove to Minneapolis, interviewed, and was hired. I had a source of income again. I quickly started to stash all the money I was making with the intent of going to Gastons.
I started to talk to some other broke college guy in Iowa named Tony. Now Tony seemed pretty smart, even though he didn't have a shift key, and was interested in going as well. It was decided that I would pick him and his new girlfriend (Leah) up in Iowa and he'd go the rest of the way with me to Gastons. Probably a good thing because I really had no idea what I was doing when it came to flying across the country (but would have never admitted it). Little did I know at the time that Tony would become one the best friends I've had and that years later I would be a groomsman in his wedding.
I remember sitting in that 172, approaching Gastons from the north, stunned by the beauty of the lake and terrain. I had simply never seen something like that in my small-town Minnesota boy upbringing. We touched down on the grass and brought it to a stop. There was a pretty large group of people sitting at the flight line, most of which turned into very good friends for years to come.
I hadn't really had the exposure to such a good group of people in my life and I was pretty amazed by it. I remember walking along the river one night, watching the fog slowly rise, wanting the weekend to never end. Sadly it did but I vowed I'd return the next year. I've done so every year since.
What does Gastons have to offer? A pristine grass-strip where you will spend an entire weekend enjoying the company of some of the finest people around, all awhile watching airplanes takeoff and land. Lifelong friendships being forged with the smell of 100LL and BBQ grill in the air.
Ken Ibold described the experience better then I ever could in the attached PDF.
Gastons 2012 is Jun 8 to Jun 10 with an early-bird pizza part on the evening of Jun 7th.
Cabins fill up quick so get your reservations in right now: http://www.gastons.com/
For more fly-in details and to register your attendance (not required but sure nice to know who is coming):
http://www.gastonsflyin.com/viewevent.php?id=8
