Trip report

[Diana]

Tom and I had a wonderful time on our vacation to Marfa. Dave and Janet were incredible hosts and have a lovely home and loft. Dave was a great tour guide and we fell in love with his part of the world. His Super Viking is an airplane that we really enjoyed.

We’re off to spend the day doing more tornado clean-up, so I won’t be able to finish the trip report till tonight.

This first picture is what it looked like trying to get out of the farm. I taxied across the ditch with the Citabria unloaded and flew it to town. We loaded it there and then headed out.

The second picture is a fun surprise that we happen to notice off our wingtip in Oklahoma. There were six of them. They flew faster than we did…but then, most airplanes do.

 

[KennyFlys]

I thought they irrigated lawns in Arizona, not Missouri.

I'm glad ya had a fun trip. More pictures are expected, of course.

 

[tonycondon]

diana-

join the club of Marfa lovers here on the forum. its a pretty special place and I cant wait to get back down there. Hope things are well at the farm. You have had the absolute worst weather anywhere for the last year.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

This first picture is what it looked like trying to get out of the farm. I taxied across the ditch with the Citabria unloaded and flew it to town. We loaded it there and then headed out.

Looks just like Gaston's last year!

 

[ApacheBob]

I wish you were out West a little later. I am planning a trip which might have crossed yours.
Darn high fuel prices!
Hope the farm is okay...
ApacheBob

 

[Diana]

Looks just like Gaston's last year!

Now that you mention it...yes it does!

I wish you were out West a little later. I am planning a trip which might have crossed yours.

Are you going to Marfa? There is a wonderful tea-house style restaurant in town that I would highly recommend.

Darn high fuel prices!

Yea...no kidding...it affects the fun factor of flying right now, for sure.

Hope the farm is okay.

Thanks Bob. The only mess that happened while we were gone was a dead tree that blew down and was blocking the path to the hangar on one side...the tractor with the front end loader took care of that pretty quick.

 

[Diana]

I thought they irrigated lawns in Arizona, not Missouri.

They can turn off the sprinklers for a few days here and that would be OK.

I'm glad ya had a fun trip. More pictures are expected, of course.

Thanks Kenny. We've been so busy with the tornado clean-up that I haven't had much time to work with my pictures yet. Maybe Dave will post a few when he has time.

 

[Diana]

1) Here is a picture of those mystery ships up closer as we flew over the base.

2) The wind turbines were on the approach to the airport at Snyder, TX.

3) Does anybody know what are these lines on the ground are for? They look like some kind of organized grid.

4) Here are two blue Bellancas. Dave had a hangar for us...it was nice to be able to keep the Citabria inside.

5) & 6) Dave took us on a tour of his neighborhood. What a desolate, but beautiful part of the country. It's somehow reassuring to have that PLB in the airplane.

7) & 8) Dave's other airplanes

9) Going to town for groceries. First time I've been on a motorcycle in years.

 

[Diana]

A few more pictures:

1) Cave swallows

2) & 3) Carlsbad inside

4) Final approach

5) & 6) Departing Dave's country

7) Group photo

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

We are going to remember your visit for a looong time, Diana! Thanks for everything - you folks are a lot of fun, and so easy to be around! (not to mention 'tolerant of my flying'!)

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Great pictures, Diana! Who was driving the motorcycle, and where'd you put the groceries?!

 

[Diana]

We are going to remember your visit for a looong time, Diana! Thanks for everything - you folks are a lot of fun, and so easy to be around!

Thanks Dave. Although we didn't get to keep flying west on our vacation, we felt like we had a great vacation spending time with you and Janet.

(not to mention 'tolerant of my flying'!)

I wasn't even scared.

 

[Diana]

Great pictures, Diana!

Thank you Troy. We flew over some impressive scenery in 'Dave Country'.

Who was driving the motorcycle, and where'd you put the groceries?!

Dave was the PIC on the motorcycle (and I wasn't even scared), and he put the groceries inside his jacket.

 

[rottydaddy]

Neato... thanks for taking us along.

 

[gprellwitz]

Gorgeous country! And a pretty babe behind those old farts. (One of whom doesn't understand that the photo is MUCH more important than adjusting trim on final! ) (Flattering picture, BTW! )

 

[Diana]

Gorgeous country! And a pretty babe behind those old farts. (One of whom doesn't understand that the photo is MUCH more important than adjusting trim on final! ) (Flattering picture, BTW! )

My goodness Grant...you're on a roll tonight!

And yes, that part of the country has a rugged beauty. It seems like a good place to live...even if they have tornadoes too.

I took a picture of a plane that was wrecked in those mountains years ago, but it just looks like a tiny white speck. Maybe Dave will go back and take a better picture someday.

 

[Richard]

Those lines on the ground (pic #3) look like utilitiy right of way. Power transmission lines, underground pipelines, etc.

 

[AWACSEng]

Those mystery ships are C-17's. You see them quite a bit on the IR routes and up around Clinton-Sherman.

 

[Diana]

Those mystery ships are C-17's. You see them quite a bit on the IR routes and up around Clinton-Sherman.

OK, that actually explains a lot. I thought that approach said they were B-17's and Tom thought that approach said they were C-130's. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Those lines on the ground (pic #3) look like utilitiy right of way. Power transmission lines, underground pipelines, etc.

Diana, do you know where you took the "lines on the ground" picture? Might help us figure it out.

 

[Linda]

I'm glad you shared all those photos! Very neat part of the country - can't wait to see more of this diverse land as I start my cross country flights soon!

 

[Diana]

Diana, do you know where you took the "lines on the ground" picture? Might help us figure it out.

Troy, they were in Texas...maybe about 100 miles northeast of Marfa? Dave, do you remember where those were?

 

[Diana]

I'm glad you shared all those photos! Very neat part of the country - can't wait to see more of this diverse land as I start my cross country flights soon!

Hey Linda, nice to see you back here. I'm anxious to hear how you like those cross country trips. Maybe when you have time you could post about your solo. Congratulations again.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Troy, they were in Texas...maybe about 100 miles northeast of Marfa? Dave, do you remember where those were?

Is that pic 3, post 8?

 

[Diana]

Is that pic 3, post 8?

Yes Dave, that's the one.

 

[HPNFlyGirl]

I love the picture of the 2 bellancas. It looks as if they are inverted twins.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Diana, do you know where you took the "lines on the ground" picture? Might help us figure it out.

They are the tracks left by 'Doodlebuggers'. These are crews with vehicles that crisscrossed this area in the 40s and 50s looking for oil. Early on they would stop, drill a hole, drop a charge into the hole and set it if off, measure the return wave and then move forward a ways, and continue. This told them if there was oil in the area. Later, they discontinued the explosives and used Thumper trucks
(try searching Jug trucks too) which pounded the ground somehow and measured the return somehow. The mech at my airport talked of being on one of these crews.

Because vegetation growth is so sparse here, the tracks remain visible decades later. Also on that note people say you can see some of the old wagon trails from over 100 years ago in the pastures.

this from an elderly friend who has been around this area for many years.