It was a perfect day for flying in the NE today

[eMKay]

It had been a month since I last flew, 2 months since I got my ticket so I planned a $100 hamburger run today from KBQR (Buffalo-Lancaster) to KOYM (St. Mary's PA). But first I thought I would freshen up my skills and do 3 takeoffs and landings. After my 3rd one I parked to program the GPS's, and the radios, right as I was taxiing to leave one of the club members called me on the radio, wondering where I was going, I told him and asked if he'd like to come. I would fly down, he would fly back, split the costs. This turned out to be great fortune, because the restaurant at St. Mary's happens to be closed one day a week during the winter, care to guess which one? Yep, MONDAY! If I was alone I would be 100 miles from home, very hungry and annoyed. But he's a certified old fart, with 50+ years of experience and knows every $100 hamburger stop within a 300 mile radius.

On the way down he pointed out a grass strip (that I never actually saw) that has a good restaurant across the street, so we went there and it was excellent (Great Valley N56) A 3800', very smooth, very snow free grass strip (we have had 2" of snow so far in Buffalo so far, normal is 40", normal for Great Valley is more like 120", they have had 12"). Anyway, excellent flight...

Holiday Valley, only a couple miles from N56, they JUST opened a couple weeks ago, this is mostly man made snow. Oh yeah, check out my sig, 2 STATES!

N56, Great Valley, Old Fart landing...

Guess the city

 

[NoHeat]

That sounds like fun.

It reminds me of the grass strip at the Amana airport in Iowa, where you can eat at the historic Colony Inn restaurant just a short walk from the ramp.

 

[CMTowner]

Looks like a beautiful day to be out flying. Makes me jealous. At least I was at a few airports, even if it was from driving.

 

[Ghery]

Nice afternoon to be self loading cargo, too. SWF-PHL in a Dash-8. Nice flight, with a few bumps approaching PHL. Having a nice smooth ride from PHL to SEA right now. Sounds like you had the better deal.

 

[DutchessFlier]

City looks like Elmira or Corning

 

[flyingmoose]

Nice post. Thanks for the pics.

 

[Anthony]

St. Mary's? Home of Straub's Brewery, and the "Eternal Tap". I've been into KOYM a few times.

 

[David7700]

Binghamton?

 

[eMKay]

The city is Bradford, we flew direct KBQR to KOYM, then to N56, then home

 

[kimberlyanne546]

Nice writeup! Good to hear you are out flying!