With the conditional inspection due and Osh on the horizon we decided to combine two trips into one. We loaded up the plane and headed to Carl’s house. While in Dogwood we took Carl and Anne for a ride so Carl could see how Anne would ride in a plane as that would be hard to do with her in the back of his RV-8. The ride went well for her in the RV-10. Karrie also got her first ride in an RV-8. The smile would not wipe off for hours.
After departing Carl’s house for Oshkosh a typical line of weather was waiting for us. No issue there as we simply flew north before heading west. We got to fly over a part of the country we have never flown in. We got into Oshkosh late in the day and decided to get the tent up BEFORE the incoming storm made its way into the area. Having left early the prior year to avoid the storm that never came I made a judgement call that turned out to be wrong. Not long after we got the tent up the storm came. The wind was blowing SIDEWAYS under the HBC pavilion. There was a 4 door pickup sitting just to the north of the pavilion that was kind enough to let the kids and Karrie inside to ride out the storm. I watched as our tent began to fail. Having missed my opportunity to run out there and stand inside it and hold it in support, I decided it best to stay upwind of the motor glider that was facing into the wind that had gusts I’m sure were higher than its stall speed. Rudders flapped and a few high wings wobbled back an forth as their ailerons went from one stop to the other. Luckily Skyscraper who was parked (like everyone else) tail into the wind evaded any damage. The tent on the other hand had a few inches of water in it and ALL our gear was soaked. The poles got bent and the rainfly torn. Like a rapid response team, Brian arrived in a borrowed car to take the kids and Karrie to Schooler where his RV-10 gang was RV-ing in the 6 wheeled variety while he and I went to secure a hotel or new tent. Karrie was fortunate enough to find a nearby hotel (Cobblestone Hotel) that had a cancellation for the night. Thanks to the Schmidt’s letting us borrow their Jeep, an hour and a half later the kids and Karrie snuggled up in bed while I fed quarters into the only dryer on the hotel property late into the night to dry our gear. The following morning I went to Lowes and got some plastic pipe and other supplies to repair the tent. After straightening the poles (thankfully none snapped) and repairing the rainfly the tent was good to go.
As is typical of Oshkosh, the time went fast and lots of good memories made.
All the camping gear loaded up for the trip to Dogwood for the conditional before Oshkosh!
The girls playing with Anne, Carl’s 7 yo rescue border collie.
Carl and Anne on a test flight to see how she likes flying before she hops in the back seat of his RV-8.
Karrie about to get her first ride in an RV-8.
Part of our route to avoid the weather from Dogwood to Oshkosh. Got to see Cedar Point amusement park.
Base turn for Runway 27 green dot.
The wind and rain decimating our tent and countless RV rudders.
Standing water in the tent.
Dryer at the Cobblestone hotel. Fed this baby quarters late into the night.
Got in late and borrowed one of their luggage carts for our drying operation.
Everyone well rested and dry with all are DRY gear waiting to return to the tent.
The tent before repair.
Aviation grade tent repair kit from Lowes.
Tent drying operation.
Tent repaired and new parking spot in row 320.
One of those damaged rudders with a hole. Good sense of humor though.
The bratwurst Tom asked me to eat for him as he couldn’t make it this year.
View from the tent in the morning.
Nice game of checkers.
50 ship flight for the 50th anniversary of Vans.
Kids drying their towels.
Doing some rock crawling at the Horizon booth.
Powering up the GTN650XI that took about 3 seconds to install after swapping the GTN650.
Violet getting after it on a Segway Ninebot at Scholler compound.
EAA donut breakfast at the Homebuilt Registration.
Violet working on her name tag.
London doing some match drilling.
Night airshow attire.
Nate Hammond in his Super Chipmunk.
X04 to VA42 (Orlando to Dogwood Airpark)
VA42 to KIGQ 1 of 2 (Dogwood Airpark to Lansing Municipal)
VA42 to KIGQ 2 of 2
KIGQ to KOSH (Lansing Municipal to Oshkosh)
10 hours with engine running,
129.02 gallons of Avgas burned (was running ROP to beat the storm to OSH),
1.4 hours of IMC,
1,636 miles flown (includes 38 miles around Dogwood with Carl and Anne (the border collie).
