A quick report on the Idaho trip.

The California contingent left at first light on the 17th, or close to first light.  AT 0530, Wray, (Model IV 912) got an early phone call telling us that the two from Westover - Larry, (Model IV 912) and Ken (Rans S-6 912S) were running a bit late.  We got a heads-up at 6 that they were ready and we taxied up to our runway which put us about 10 minutes behind them and as usual it wasn't until Carson City - about an hour -  that we made first visual contact.  This part of the trip is always a tough one as we are Eastbound and as the sun rises it is right behind the compass, or should I say right beside the compass.

This trip it was all business as our first night was to be at Smiley Creek so we did not fly the Rye Patch Dam outflow at tree top level preferring to make time to Winnemucca for a fuel stop.  The FBO there is under new management the last couple of years and it is a nice place with good people.  We are always remembered there even though we buy less than ten gallons of fuel each.  With four airplanes to fuel and the normal potty stops it is 45 minutes until we are off again for the stop at Caldwell for fuel and the hook up with Mark (Model IV 912) from Caldwell, Danny (Model V 912 ULS) from Tuskarora, and Hal (Rans S-7 912 UL with the high comp piston conversion) from Elko.  As we taxied into the fueling area we heard Mark making pattern calls and he and Hal arrived from a local flight as we were fueling.  Danny was already tied down and fueled.  The trip from Cameron Park to Caldwell put just shy of 5 hours on the airplane and a bit more than 27 gallons through the engine.  For the bean counters, this was at close to 5500 rpm the whole way with the first hour climbing from 1300 to 10,000 ft.  

Now we were a flight of seven and off to Smiley Creek.  This 7,100 ft elevation airport is on the Salmon River in the middle of the Sawtooth Mountains.  http://www.ruralnetwork.net/~smileyck/airport.html  This is one nice grass strip.  The State of Idaho provides a full time caretaker that takes his business seriously.  Showers and a nearby restaurant provides all an air camper needs.  We lined up in the tiedown area near a Bonanza and a C-206 and others and pitched our tents.  Night time temps were in the low 20s with frost on the tents, windshields and wings by morning, but a little sunshine in the AM took care of that and after a great breakfast at the Lodge we were on our way.

Departing Smiley Creek airport, we fly low over the meandering Salmon River practicing our tight turns as the river flows North.  Flying North, the valley tightens into a  canyon with the rim rising above us a thousand feet or more and peaks to 10,000 ft. on either side.  About 20 miles North of Smiley Creek, still on the Salmon, the Stanley airport - grass and gravel - marks the Eastern turn of the river as it follows the canyon Eastward another 20 miles where the river again turns Northward to Challis.  Challis is in more open country, grass land rather than timbered, with lots of irrigated farmland touching the river banks.  Challis is a fuel stop where we once again top off the tanks.  

A note here, The Kitfoxes in the group have never used more than half their fuel on any leg as the Rans airplanes have smaller tanks and the fuel management is usually to their benefit leaving the Kitfoxes with lots of reserves.  A discussion on the design differences arrived at the conclusion that the Kitfox is a Western creation with lots of wide open spaces and the Rans out of the Midwest with an airport around every corner, hence fuel and lots of it is designed into the Kitfox.

Challis is a fun place for me as I once had a dental assistant who had grand kids there on a farm near the river and trying to find it from the air is a nice diversion.

We follow the Salmon Northward from Challis about 35 miles, past Lemhi and North Fork where the river turns Westward where it will eventually merge with the Snake a bit above Hells Canyon on it's way to become part of the Columbia River outflow.  Twenty miles North of North Fork we fly over 6,900 ft. Gibbons pass where we enter the Bitter Root watershed and follow that river to Hamilton where we will once again spend the night.  

A friendly competition between two FBOs there gives us great fuel prices, and a 24 hour FBO with Computer, TV, hot showers and would you believe a restaurant.  Also enough lawn to pitch seven tents and courtesy cars to boot.  When we got there the restaurant was closed and we learned later that the afternoon cook was the owners wife and she walked that day because as he explained, she was divorcing him - at least that is the way he told it.  After tying down our airplanes again on grass, we grabbed the courtesy cars to try to find a restaurant in town where most of us got sick the last time there.  That time the flight was in reverse order and after eating there and barfing all night from both ends we flew to Smiley Creek where those affected did the rapid quick step to the johns as soon as the airplanes rolled to a stop.

Anyway we found the restaurant and I ordered the same thing I had last time, the 12 oz hamburger special with about a half pound of sauteed mushrooms.  Nearly too much to eat, but it got et.  The next morning we had breakfast at the FBO's restaurant as payback for the great night's sleep.  No one got sick this time and it was while there that we heard of the Polson Fly-in at a great little airport on the Southern edge of Flathead Lake near Polson, Montana.  This is a great fly-in.  Lots of airplanes flown by common folk like you and me.  On registering we found that PICs got a free breakfast for their trouble so by ten 0'clock we all had our second breakfast of the day.  Good too.

>From Polson it was across the mountains to the West to Thompson Falls another fuel stop then to Elk River for the night.  
http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=12&Z=11&X=703&Y=6476&W=1 (you may have to copy and paste this one.)

Elk River is a grass? strip with enough length to accommodate rather healthy certified singles.  We were the only ones there this day however and proceeded immediately after tying down to walk the 100 yds to Huckleberry Heaven for that legendary huckleberry milkshake.  On a walk looking for a cabin that was advertised to sleep 7 for forty bucks somewhere on E. 3rd street we found the city park and seeing the grass under a couple of shady trees, I knew where I belonged and that is where we spent the next hour hangar talking and gossiping.  (Larry and I were coming home early - we both had family obligations - and it occurred to both of us that we would be fair game for just such a lazy time under another tree after we left.  We love each other, but we all have done things that make us notorious in our own right and anyone not able to defend himself - and sometimes even if he can - is attack fodder)  We never found the cabin, but we were able to get rooms there for $40 a night per two pilots with a bathroom down the hall so that was the plan.  Dinner was at the restaurant across the street that managed the rooms.  We all had rib eye steaks, fresh corn on the cob, - the farmer came peddling the corn as we were killing time in the closed restaurant - baked potato, and raspberry-rhubarb cobbler.  All this, and it was a big steak, for$12.00.  With bulging bellies once again we went down to the airport for our pajamas and settled into our rooms.  That evening after the air cooled a bit we hiked up the street to an old abandoned school.  It was huge, three stories with a bell tower and lots of gables.  I guess built when the logging industry was booming, but sadly in a very poor state of preservation and a multimillion dollar project if anyone was interested.  A bit of history that will eventually fade from the scene.

Sleep was good and early the next morning I was in the shower expecting the commotion to rouse everyone else, but as I walked back down the hall, I saw Larry look up and wave and that was that for another hour.  I was back in bed shortly and got another wink or two between mental projects that always come up during a long adventure like this.  When we finally got everyone up it was back to the restaurant for everyone's usual breakfast and after packing the airplanes it was a take off to the south, one pass over the airport with Larry and I continuing South as the others headed up to Cavanaugh Bay on Priest lake.  http://www.airnav.com/airport/66s
Some pictures: http://www.nwaac.com/flyout_cavanaugh_bay_2004.htm 

For those old timers on the list it was to Cavanaugh Bay that John McBean led a group after the 2005 Cameron Park fly-in.  Larry and I didn't make it this year, but the place deserves some recognition.  It is one gorgeous place.  A fairway-like grass strip that you approach over the lake with one tall pine right were it shouldn't be, but long enough that the tree really isn't a problem.  Great grass for pitching a tent - last time there we were told that our camp spot became a lake when it rained and it was raining - and a 50 yard walk to the lake and a great outdoor restaurant right next to the runway threshold where we could eat good food while watching the approaching traffic and the float planes coming and going.  I haven't heard from any of the guys that stayed, but I know it isn't raining.  Their plan is to go to Port Hill where there is a neat grass strip that is a POE with customs office.  You have to see it to believe it..

While the guys were off to Cavanaugh Bay, Larry and I were navigating between the fire fighting TFRs back to Caldwell.  We had great skies on the Eastern side of Idaho as we flew North and smoke after smoke as we headed South on the Western Side.  We stayed in Caldwell for the night at Mark's house and at first light we were on our way home with a ten minute stop in Winnemucca for fuel.  We were home shortly after 1100 and it is great to be home.

Lowell