October 12, 2018 - To and From Johnson City, Tennessee

I had intended to fly up to Maine this weekend for a foliage fix, but I ended up flying down to Johnson City, Tennessee to help my Mom move into a new place.  It turns out that it rained up in Maine on Saturday so I couldn't have gone anyways.

Friday morning the weather was nice at the Skypark.
   
In fact, it was an exceptionally clear day.  I can't remember ever having seen Baltimore this clearly as I flew by it heading west north-west.
   
Fort McHenry is visible in the center of the picture -- the tree-covered peninsula.  It's easy to understand why they built a fort there.
   
A closer look.
   
Once I passed Frederick, I started seeing ground fog.
   
 
   
Check out that antenna sticking up through the ground fog.
   
Looking south.
   
The ground fog nestled in the valleys was pretty.
   
Following Interstate 81 heading southwest.  It's a road I have driven many times.
   
Looking northwest.  The leaves have not turned yet.
   
Passing over Woodstock, my friend Bill B's private airstrip.
   
The ground fog pouring through that gap in the ridge.
   
A dirt road snakes up the mountain to a few structures at the top.
   
I-81 disappears under the ground fog.   I knew the ground fog would be gone by the time I got to Johnson City.
   
The ground fog did end as I approached Roanoke.
   
Roanoke is visible in the distance.
   
I flew over Roanoke's Class C airspace.  There is Roanoke Airport down below.  Air Traffic Control knew I was up here -- I heard them tell a guy on flight following about me.   Of course, I was lit up like a Christmas Tree with Transponder and ADS-B.
   
I know I'm almost there when I see South Holsten Lake.
   
Bristol Baby!
   
The METAR for Johnson City Airport showed haze with 1 NM visibility.  I knew that couldn't be right.  Here I am at least five miles away -- the airport is that grassy area in the center.
   
The big quarry just northeast of Johnson City Airport.
   
Overhead Johnson City Airport.
   
Safe on deck.  Check out that monarch butterfly at upper right!
   
All tied down.  This is my ride home.  Gotta take care of it.
   
I was parked on "Yankee" row next to three of them.  Here is one.  When I left, I talked to the guy that owned two of them.  They were both airworthy and he and his son fly them.
   
Yankee's have been of interest to me of late, as there has always been a Yankee derelict parked at Essex Skypark for as long as I can remember
   

This is the other one owned by the guy I talked to.

 
   
A derelict Baron stands sentinal.
   
I guess this used to the the FBO building in better days.  It just appears to be used for storage nowadays.  I've never seen anyone around the building.
   
After a nice visit with my Mom and Sister, I hopped into the RV and headed back to Maryland.
 
Just after takeoff, I'm overhead my Mom's new place.
   
Which is just down the street from my sister's place.
   
I stopped at my favorite airport Mountain Empire (MKJ) to fill up with AvGas and talk with my friend Brian, the airport manager.  He always likes seeing my RV.  Off to the left, they are putting in beefed-up concrete pads so MV-22 Ospreys can hot-fuel here.
 
 
   

When I was a kid, I lived in northern Virginia and was in the Boy Scouts.  Twice my Troop went to Goshen Scout Camp for a week in the summer.  After a few years of making the Baltimore to Johnson City run in the RV, it occurred to me to find out where Goshen Scout Camp was and fly over it.  It wasn't hard to find its location --  and it turned out to be about ten miles north of Lexington, Virginia.

So here it is:  Goshen Lake, home of the Goshen Scout Camp.  It wasn't as big as I remembered.  The water looks pretty low in the lake, as a matter of fact.
   
The arrow on the left points to where we camped the first year, and the arrow on the right the second year.  I had good times at summer Scout camp.
   
Here I am with my Troop at Goshen Scout Camp.  Can you find me?  There is another interesting thing in this picture as well.
   
The big Shenandoah Valley opens up before me.  I was up high at 9,500, with a tailwind, and making good speed.  The weather was excellent as you can see. 
 
   
But, as I approached Dulles Airport, being high had its disadvantages.  I don't really like looking DOWN at airliners.
   
Passing by Winchester, an airliner is visible in the distance.  I was outside of Dulles's Class B airspace and I knew air traffic control could see me, but still ....
   
Almost home, with Baltimore up ahead to the right.
   
Down below 1,500 feet to stay under the Baltimore Class B, an airliner passes overhead.
   
 
   
Previous
Home
Next