First Big Trip - Part 2

This trip has been an experience on so many levels, it's insane.  Insanely GREAT.

LA was interesting... riding your bike through LA is interesting.

The entire purpose of this trip was to go to the RUSH concert on Sunday, June 7 with friends.  That was simply EPIC.

Great day, great friends, great concert!

Monday... time to get outta dodge!  It was fun, but time to hit the road.

Back to the airport via cycle...

Had to wait for the marine layer to burn off... but once it did, YES!  

Leg 1:  KSMO (Santa Monica) to KSBP (San Luis Obispo)

Santa Monica has a noise abatement... not a big deal.  Unfortunately they are under pressure to close... sounds like they have another 2.5 years.  KSMO is an active airport.  Lots of Cirruses doing training, and it is a Sling training center.  Plus, there is scheduled service as well.

Followed the coast until I could see the marine layer, and then climbed and headed direct.  1.4 hours airtime.

Fueled up in SLO.  $6.35 vs $10 at Santa Monica.  BUT, I felt like I was mobbed.  Landed and taxied to the pumps, and all these people came out to say hi.  SLO has a huge experimental community!  Rans, Cubs, RV's, Slings, etc.  Was so awesome to see.  Plus they have scheduled service in and out of there as well.  Wish I had more time.

Feeling overwhelmed, I went where I knew.  Flew back to Concord, Sportsman in Paul's hangar, a known hotel and area.  Decompression day.

Plus, WX to the north into Oregon is not looking good on Tue (June 9), so taking a day.  Get caught up on work, emails, etc.  Trying to plan how to get home...

Decided to ask Google Gemini for advice.  Here is what it planned for my route home (considering weather, fuel prices, etc)

I'd prefer a more scenic route, but I just want to get home.  Need to get ready for Smiley Creek, and we leave in 16 days.  I need to do a 50 hour inspection on the Sportsman, and that will take time (a few days minimum), and I have work to catch up on.

Launched out of Concord at 7:35 and headed to San Luis Obispo.  Flew along the coast up towards Santa Barbara.

Stunning scenery.

Landed in SLO... and was immediately greeted by a bunch of locals wanting to look at the Sportsman.  SLO has an active homebuilding community.  Multiple RV's, Ran's, Cub's.  Lots of cool people.

I've been using Declin Runup (fuel additive that reduces the effects of lead).  You add between 1/2 to 2 ounces per 10 gallons.  There was a couple in a Rotax powered Sling low wing waiting for fuel, and the wife says "I've never seen anyone else ever use that before".  They use it as well.  The husband says he has had no lead fouling on his plugs in 4 years.  That is a really good sign...

From SLO headed to Medford to top up.  Neat airport... the Jet Center (FBO) was gorgeous.

Flew right by Mt Shasta.  That was awesome...

Next stop was Lebannon, OR for fuel before getting through Portland and Seattle airspace.  Foreflight said their fuel was less than $6... but they had none.  FBO locked.  Talked to a local and he said Albany has fuel, but its more expensive.... so quick 6 minute flight to Albany.

Got out of Albany and tried to get Cascades Approach... when he finally got back to me I was out of his airspace... so then onto Portland approach.  They vectored me right over PDX.

Very cool!

Went up the west side of Seattle enroute to Arlington.

Landed in Arlington to use the Glasair picnic table to get my customs paperwork done.  Filed departure EAPIS, flight plan, and called CBSA.  This was my first time using CANPASS.

Wanted to top up before leaving Arlington (at over $8 per gallon) and there was a guy calibrating his tanks at the pumps.  I was on a timeline, and did not plan on this.  So I helped him.... ended up being 7 minutes late arriving, but you have a 20 minute window either side of your arrival.

No one waiting for me, so taxied to the hangar and put the Sportsman away.

The aircraft was buggy, but in good shape.  No real issues.

Total airtime there and back - 22.4 hours.

First big trip.... heading to California... Days 1 through 4

So the phase 1 hours are flown off... permanent Special C of A in hand.  Bugs tamed.  Time to go places!

I am a big Rush fan (Canadian LEGENDARY band).  My old boss is a BIGGER Rush fan!   And to boot, Rush is touring again.

They are starting off their '70 Something' tour in Los Angeles, which is where they finished their last tour.

The Sportsman is packed.  Camp gear, bike, food, clothes, tools, spares... and off we go.

Day 1:

It's been 10 years since I flew across the US border.  And even then it was only once.  Luckily the process was pretty much the same.

EAPIS, Flight Plan, call the port of entry - and do all that 2 hours before.  It's only a 15 min flight from my airport to Bellingham to clear, so that was easy.  Got to the airport before 7, filed EAPIS, called, then filed flight plan.  And off I went!

Stopped at Arlington to see the Glasair folks, which was cool.  Had a break, returned emails, then off south.

The US air traffic system is pretty darn cool.  They hold your hand (especially if you use the 'unfamiliar' vernacular).

Flew through Seattle (west) and landed in Astoria for fuel.  First gulp of 100LL for my 520T.  I added the appropriate amount of Declin (TCP).  Hopefully that works.

After fueling in Astoria, looked at the weather.  My plan was Florence, OR - but Newport (in between Astoria and Florence) was showing IFR in Foreflight.  Started off south from Astoria and started looking at the clouds.  I could probably have gotten through, but I dont know the terrain from the air.  Looked down and saw Seaside airport.  So landed there, tied down, loaded up, found a hotel and off I went.

The only issue so far was the aircraft cover!  Being on the coast it was windy... I only put it on once before, in the hangar.  The wind has other ideas, but i was NOT going to be beaten.  Luckily it is colour coded about what is front and what is back, and I had that from pics I took in the hangar.  Must have taken 30 min to get the cover on and secure.  Then it was off to the hotel for the night.  Well, and find something to eat.

Great first day overall.

The plan for tomorrow (Thu, June 4) is to get into California - hopefully far into California.  Would be nice to be parked in Santa Monica on Friday.

Day 2:

Headed out of Seaside for Florence, OR.  Easy peasy, and gorgeous.

Florence was awesome.  Rene and Don greeted me, and made sure I had no problems fueling.  An awesome cup of coffee, and then onto Crescent City, CA.

The wind was WILD in Crescent City.  Was happy to be on the ground in one piece.  The FBO there was so welcoming.  Another cup of coffee, and a great chat with Cameron - commercial pilot flying a Pilatus on charters.  I was trying to figure out where to go.  Finally ended up on Concord, so I could hang a visit on Paul - who is building a Sportsman with a UL520T.  2.3 hours from Crescent City to Concord.

Great visit, and got to saw Paul's project.  Work of art.  So incredibly awesome to see.

Paul was so generous to let me park the Sportsman in his Hangar.

Day 2 track...

Day 3:

Fuel prices in Concord are... 'very high'.  Nut Tree airport to the north was about 1/3rd cheaper.  And Paul had never flown in a Sportsman, so off we went!

Flew over Travis Air Force Base!

Taking a rest for the rest of the day (pun???).  Just over 2 hours from LA / Santa Monica.  Going to be a good day!

Day 4:

Departed out of KCCR at 7:45.  The coastal route did not look great, so headed inland and followed I5 to Bakersfield.  Not the most scenic route, but got me going.  Stopped at Bakersfield for about 3 hours waiting for the weather to break.  Was a nice rest.

I thought I had a fitting on the right header vent coming loose, but it wasnt.  Nothing leaked.  But fixed none the less.

Got out of KCCR OK.  Passed off to Oakland Approach.  Flight following is so absolutely awesome.  They are so accommodating, its just awesome!

Flight following most of the way to Bakersfield Municipal.

The FBO at Bakersfield was awesome too.  100LL was 6.25 a gallon (which is why I went there).  Had a rest, coffee, and stressed about what came next.  LA... and LA airspace.

Departed out of Bakersfield.  Was 33 degrees C on the ground, and the cylinders were in the yellow.  Had to get to 7500, so step climbed slowly... Did some orbits along the way as Grapevine was coming up quickly.  Initially talking with Bakersfield Approach, who passed me to LA Center, who passed me to Van Nuys approch, who finally passed me to Santa Monica tower.  All the controllers were great.  They don't know my aircraft has 45 hours on it and was built in a garage... LOL.

Found parking... and luckily I looked at the Santa Monica airport website... you need to register to park, and they give you a specific gate code.  A group landed just before me and asked me about the code... "I'm Canadian, never been here before.  But I have a code...". LOL

Biked to the hotel.  15 KM.  Through some not so nice neighbourhoods.  Lots of homeless, people living in RV's, and trash everywhere.

Day 4 route: