Wasilla, Alaska to Creve Coeur, MO by Waco

[Baldeagle]

I've been going through more old slides and photos with my new scanner...

So in May 1992 John Halterman calls and says, "How'd you like to go on an adventure?" The next month, Wasilla, Alaska. I don't want to say that the UPF-7 was ratty, but somebody said it had been tied down outside for 7 years. Tailwheel lock was broken and there was lots of duct tape in evidence, some with white dope over it. It flew straight as an arrow though, and ran good-

Can't remember the name of the private strip or the owner, it was 1,700 feet long, surrounded by trees, I think it was just NE of Wasilla.

First leg, looking south at the Chugach range


First RON, Northway, Alaska. Tie downs were all taken so we tied it to a pickup and to the gas pumps.


Can't remember the name of this place either, somewhere in the Yukon. I remember that there were 15 hotel rooms in town and I got the last one.

Last edited by Baldeagle on Mon Jan 12, 2009 12:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Baldeagle]

It was too far between airports with fuel, so I had a 5 gallon can in the front cockpit, and I'd stop at gravel strips near the Alaska Highway and put in some reserve


The Piper Arrow belonged to a retired air traffic controller who happened to be from St. Louis. His wife had told him to get out of the house, so he hopped in the Arrow and flew to Alaska. He was on his way back, and followed me for several stops. On one leg over the Yukon I gave him my camera and he took some photos as he went past


N29337 is now registered to Robert Vanderbeek in Plainfield, Illinois, anybody know him, or what it looks like now?

[C170BDan]

Wow... what a trip! How many hours did that take? Great pictures over the mountains.

[Baldeagle]

It was about 3,600 miles, and took 36.6 hours of flying.

Here's a shot looking at Lake LeBerge in the Yukon. If you've ever read "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert Service this is the setting, he changed it to "Lake LeBarge" to rhyme better-

[Dave Hadfield]

So, you got south, past Lake LaBarge, and "It was the first time you were warm"?

Dave

Must've been a wonderful flight...

[Eric Presten]

I ferried a UPF from up state NY to Chino, CA. Great trip, and I took Ron Price along for the ride. We spent several days at Rhinebeck on that trip.

Does the term "Old Soft Wings" mean anything to you baldeagle?

Your awsome pictures remind me of my time flying in Alaska. I will go back to fly there again after the kids are grown and out of the house.

[Baldeagle]

It was still cold for a while after that, but it was indeed a great experience.

[astixjr]

I remember the day you landed at Creve Coeur in that WACO. I had my camera with me but I decided not to take any photos. I was afraid they might be used as evidence at some later date! I have always known that your skills as a pilot are matched by your skills as a mechanic so if you decided it was safe to fly from AK to MO, then it was. Indeed it did make the trip but I gotta tell you, I was questioning your sanity as I walked around that plane!

[Baldeagle]

That's funny, I've never had my sanity questioned before, just ask any girlfriend I've ever had....

It was pretty rough, as I remember they had signed off the annual the month before, but dated it 11 months earlier, so I had a month to get home.




-

[astixjr]

But then, sanity is relative, don't you think? I mean compared to my father I am completely sane. Compared to the general population, you know, the average Joe, I'm a complete nutter!

[Baldeagle]

I think I'm going to have to agree--

[Canso42]

A solid airplane and some quack wrap, how could you go wrong? Tim and Jim the Duct Tape Guys would be proud!

[wacoykc]

I flew a Call Air A-2 for a couple years that had a couple tears in the fabric that had been repaired with duct tape that had the edges "pinked" and then sprayed the same color as the airplane!