AirVenture 2017 - Flying Home from Oshkosh
We departed Saturday morning for home.  Despite getting up early, it took over an hour to take down the tents, pack everything up, load the planes (and John's car with a lot of our gear).  When we
were ready to go, despite the fact that a lot of others in homebuilt camping were leaving also, one of the ground marshallers showed up right away at our planes.  Then we had the long taxi back to
runway 36L.  There were lots of people departing so they were doing the quick launch thing:  Plane A on right side of R36 takeoff, Plane B line up and wait on right side of R36, Plane C on left side of R36
take off, Plane D line up and wiat on left side of R36, and so on.
 
I took off, made the 135 degree turn prior to the tower, passed a Cessna or two, passed by the seaplane base, Bruce joined up on me, and we headed south.   The weather was excellent.
 
Around Racine, we crossed over to the lakeshore.
   
Heading south down the shore of Lake Michigan.  The Chicago skyline is visible in the distance.
   
Big O'Hare International Airport is visible to the west.
   
To the east, nothing but blue water.
   
I always to have a shot of my friend F(X)'s house (building)  next to the beach and Loyola University down there.
   
I've flown this route many times before but this is the first time I noticed Wrigley Stadium, home of the World Champion Chicago Cubs!  Can you believe it?
   
Approaching the ChiTown.
   
Tall buildings.
   
There is Soldier Field, home of the Da Bears.
   
A good look at the Sears Tower.
   
Bruce heading East.   We stopped at Porter County Airport for fuel, then continued on.
   
Approaching Port Clinton airport (KPCW), Ohio, with Lake Erie on the left.
   
Overhead Port Clinton Airport.
   

Across the runway from the FBO building is the Tin Goose Diner and Liberty Aviation Museum.  We got lunch at the diner but didn't have time to check out the museum which looked pretty good.  Some
other time.  We pretty much are maxed out on airplanes at this point anyways.
   
I liked this picture outside of the diner.
   
On the ramp at Port Clinton Airport.   The FBO gave a substantial discount on fuel for those going to and from Oshkosh.
   
Our next stop was for fuel at Butler County Airport (KBTP) just north of Pittsburgh, memorable only because some other pilot, once he found out we were from Baltimore, gave us the cold shoulder. 
A die-hard Steeler fan, no doubt!
   
Most unusual for a transit home from Oshkosh, we had been fighting headwinds all day.   After Butler County, the headwinds died down and we finally started making some speed.
   
At one point, I was worried that we might run out of daylight.  But the last few hundred miles we had a tailwind and arrived at Essex Skypark with at least an hour of daylight left.
   
Our route back.  And so ends a great AirVenture trip!
   
 
   
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