Alltrikes

Date: June 27
Subject: The Lady

Barry and I got up, caught an early cab back to Lakewood Airport
and started getting the trikes ready in the dark. We had to park
outside overnight and so had secured them well against possible winds.
There were a few problems but we finally set out well after sunrise.

The winds from the previous day had died down and it was perfectly
calm as we headed North following the beautiful New Jersey shoreline.
The houses were becoming mansions and the yards becoming estates as we
got closer to NYC. Barry was in the lead and I gratefully followed, as
he was approaching his home turf here. With just a little practice
his beautiful Monsoon and my QuikR meshed well together and we flew in
formation, starting to drop below the 1500' floor of the KJFK and
Newark Liberty (KEWR) airspace.

The New York skyline just kept getting taller and wider as we
approached the Southern end of the Hudson River Corridor at the VZ
Bridge. We had to be below 1000' as we entered and throughout the
corridor. We also had to announce our location and direction on 123.050 at
6 mandatory reporting points. We talked between ourselves on 122.750
and as we approached a reporting point, Barry would switch back to
123.05 to announce. My [MGL] radio allows me to monitor a second frequency
while using another as the primary, so I could tell Barry what else
was going on. We were still early and only saw one helicopter exiting
from the Southern end of the Corridor at the VZ Bridge and no other
air traffic throughout.

Barry grew up in New York City and was a commercial boat captain for
many years there and so has a wealth of entertaining stories to tell
and information only a local captain/pilot would have. For example,
where they used to swim with inner tubes as a kid, where they climbed
over a fort guarding the Hudson and where he would Captain his boat
and meet other boats on the Hudson River.

We were flying in formation and I was off Barry's right wing. He had a
new set up on his video camera and the skyline kept growing and
growing. There was so much to see and Barry had much to relate and I
was being careful in formation but then there she was in front of
us...The Statue of Liberty. The Lady, as she is affectionately
referred to in New York, was not as I expected at all. Smaller than I
imaged and yet much more regal and proud than seemed possible. There
was a warm glow to her from the early morning sun as we dropped down
to 400' to circle.

I couldn't hear Barry any more as I circled in awe and tears were
streaming down my face. She represents so much to me, this country
and the world by the simple act of holding this beacon of hope to all,
American or otherwise. She has greeted millions who have come to these
shores and has inspired millions more to carry that beacon where ever
they may be. The moment was more than I had ever expected and I felt
humbled and proud at the same time and incredibly lucky to be seeing
her from this viewpoint.

We circled a number of times, mostly out of formation, then we turned
north again and swung back over towards the East Side of the Hudson.
There was boat traffic, including a large cruise ship as we flew by
Manhattan. The skyline was incredible and seemed not quite real.
Photographs and movies just don't capture it at all. Oh yes, they get
the sense of height but not the scope of it all. The enormous
skyline, the buildings standing shoulder to shoulder for miles, the
river and river traffic, then there is the west side in New
Jersey...just a remarkable view from 800'. I could pick out the new
World Trade Center building, the Empire State Building, Central Park
and much, much more. I would have to fly this 10 times to start to
take it all in.

We continued North past the aircraft carrier Intrepid, George
Washington Bridge, Tappan Zee Bridge marking the end of the Corridor
then past Sing Sing Prison ("He's being sent up the river.") and West
Point where the US Army Military Academy is located. A quick fuel stop
at Sky Acres (44N) in NY and then on to Barry's home field of
Ellington (7B9) in CN.

Barry built his own hangar at Ellington and it was fun to see how
clever he was in the construction. There are problems with ice heave
in the winter, snow and extreme cold...problems I know nothing of
being from California. He has a trike trolley to pull the trike in
over grass, mud, snow or ice, depending on the season and an electric
winch to do that heavy pulling. The hangar is insulated and has a
propane heater and engine warmer as well as a generator, since the
hangar has no electricity. Barry is deservedly proud of his hangar
and trike and it was fun to have him show me some of the the ins and
outs.

I continued on to land in RI, a touch and go in MA and land in
Sanford, ME (KSFM). The turbulence was building and I knew weather
was moving in the next day so I decided to stay here where they had
hangar room, a decent motel 1/4 mile away and a Rotax mechanic who
could change my oil. So far I've hit 28 states and have 20 to go. This
is the Eastern most point of the trip and I start heading West towards
home after this.

Craig

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Then this regarding tomorrow:


From: Craig Valentine
Date: June 27
Subject: Departure

Tomorrow looks like a definite maybe.

cv

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June 27:

I thought I could sneak out of here this morning. The TAF's looked as
if I had a few hours before the weather would come down to my route
and if I could deal with the winds and get past Albany, NY, then the
WX looked to be improving. Checked the WX 15 minutes before leaving
and it was already raining at my first stop at Concord, NH and there
are hills and what passes for mountains around here along the route also. Decided to shut it down, so you were right. I need to study the WX but it looks as if this low will continue to park over Maine for a few more days. Right now, two hours later, the clouds aren't as thick here in Sanford as they were but my window has closed.

Yesterday it looked good early but I could see the rain to the West online and it just poured a couple hours later. Today, not so good. The METARS are often off, especially concerning cloud cover. I'm ... a bit frustrated.

Craig