OUR ADVENTURE ~ 2012

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Exeter, California ~ Elko, Nevada

Route: O63 ~ AUN ~ WMC ~ EKO   468 nautical miles

Clovis is closest, Fresno further west

Early morning air was clear and calm flying North to Auburn California.

Climbing to altitude of 6500′ out of Exeter I flew up the edge of the foothills over several airports, skirting the Class “C” Airspace at Fresno, flying over Reedley Airport and then Mariposa Airport.  Fairly calm at day break for this part of the journey!

Reedley Airport

 

Mariposa Airport

Flying North to Auburn I passed over several airports that I had landed at in previous years, however Columbia Airport is still on my to-do list!

Columbia Airport (O22)

On the way to Auburn California, first fuel stop of the trip.

On Base to Final at KAUN.  Well I took off from Exeter (O63) later than I intended, which later caused problems with flight watch and my flight plan.  I can see why some Pilots don’t even bother!  Landed at Auburn (AUN) bought fuel; very calm at 6500′ cruise altitude on the way North.  I left Auburn for Winnemucca, with a waypoint of Reno-Stead; at 11,500′ it started to get cold but fortunately the heater worked! Fueled up and ready to head out at Auburn, California. Crossing the Sierra’s at 11,500′.

Fairly calm til just before KWMC, when it got bumpy.  Landed at Winnemucca (KWMC) and rested, bought a new T-shirt, took off for the fifty-eight minute flight to Elko – and got beat to death with thermals off the desert, and poor performance of high altitude and air density.

Wing shot out the right window with I-Phone

Pyramid Lake Nevada

Left Downwind at Winnemucca Airport Nevada

Tied down on the ramp at Winnemucca Nevada

FBO at Winnemucca Nevada

Open Pit Mine on route to Elko Nevada

On the ramp in Elko Nevada with my “Room for the Night!”

Welcome to Elko Nevada!

Landed at Elko and discovered my math error on flight time had caused flight service to activate a search?  Couldn’t get ahold of them, but the girls at the FBO said that they had and closed my flight plan.  Who would have thought that there would be a convention in Elko mid-week!  So no room at the Inn, so I rented a van and will make the best of it.