Whitehorse airport - ready for take-off!
August 9, 2011 – Whitehorse to Penticton
Depart Whitehorse 9:38-Arrive Dease Lake 11:33; Depart Dease Lake 12:17-Arrive Smithers 14:23; Depart Smithers 15:11-Arrive Penticton 18:52
Flight time: 8.2 Hours; Distance 1040 Miles
What a morning!
We did not get an early start – more of a leisurely beginning with a high-powered, super-fast-talking breakfast with Torsten. We had a lot of catching up to do. He’s an entrepreneur through and through and just like Ed, full of great ideas, business and otherwise.
After breakfast we took a cab to the airport. We’d taken our luggage and stowed it in Juliette before breakfast so we were ready to file and fly.
Carcross in foreground, Bennett Lake stretching to the horizon
Ed filed a direct flight to Dease Lake. We had clear skies and a nice little tail wind pushed us along at 10-20 miles faster
Look for it - Atlin village and airstrip
than our ground speed. Flying over Atlin is spectacular. The country is wilderness – no clear cut logging – until after Dease Lake.
We ate a quick lunch of sandwiches and fresh tomatoes from Doug and Dale’s greenhouse at Dease Lake – delicious! The flight to Smithers – spectacular!
In Smithers we walked around for a few minutes to get the blood pumping again. So much
Back in ranch country - outside Smithers
sitting is hard on the butt!
Ed checked the weather on the NavCan flight service kiosk and filed for a direct flight to Penticton.
Smithers' landmark mountain
That flight was our longest leg ever – 3.7 hours air time and 3.9 flight time.
The Fraser River
We had clear skies the whole way and a tail wind until we came out of the Coquihalla Highway above Peachland to turn south down Okanagan Lake – there the winds shifted. But we were only 10 minutes out!
We landed and taxied in to the Penticton Flying Club parking area. We got out of our plane, we noticed Don and Terry and then came Larry, Steve’s flying partner on the Buffalo Adventure, ambling across the parking area with outstretched arms. His voice boomed out, ”The Most Excellent Aviation Adventure is now officially over – you have arrived!”
The home stretch - Okanagan Lake by Summerland, Penticton is just around the bend!
After hugs, he offered us one of his home brewed beers – a true homecoming!
We realized tonight was the monthly Penticton Flying Club meeting. The meeting progressed while Ed and I feasted on home-made salads. The Club recently bought a club plane and the membership is growing. People head off to aviation events all over BC. Next weekend Oliver is hosting a fly-in breakfast and Abbotsford is holding its annual air show.
Fond memories - Steve, Larry and the 2011 Meet the Buffalo Air Adventure
Mark your calendar and come out August 20, 2011 to the Penticton Flying Club fundraiser dinner and dance at Chris Campbell’s hangar. For tickets, contact Herb Clapham, email: herbclapham@ shaw.ca
It’s going to be lots of fun!
