October 17, 2023 - Annual Foliage Flight
Day One - Part Two
South Albany, NY to Stephen A. Bean Airport, Maine
I departed South Albany and headed due east to avoid Albany International's Class C airspace.  Right away I came to the Hudson River, here looking north.
   
Looking south down the Hudson River.   I flew the Hudson River up to Lake George and Lake Champlain back in 2017:  Link.
   
Passing by a private grass strip:  Alexander.
   
I headed northeast across a forest with nice color.  Too bad it was so overcasty.
   
Entering the foothills of the Green Mountains.  The overcast is back and getting lower.
   
William H. Morse State Airport (KDDH) on the west side of Bennington, Vermont.
   
And that's Bennington, Vermont over there, nestled next to the Green Mountains.
   

A close up of the Bennington Battle Monument, a 306-foot stone obelisk commemorating the Battle of Bennington during the American Revolutionary War.

In that battle, on 16 August 1777, part of the Saratoga campaign, that took place on a farm in Walloomsac, New York, about 10 miles from its namesake, Bennington, Vermont. A rebel force of 2,000 men, primarily New Hampshire and Massachusetts militiamen, led by General John Stark, and reinforced by Vermont militiamen led by Colonel Seth Warner and members of the Green Mountain Boys, decisively defeated a detachment of General John Burgoyne's army led by Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum, and supported by additional men under Lieutenant Colonel Heinrich von Breymann.

The battle was a major strategic success for the American cause and is considered part of the turning point of the Revolutionary War; it reduced Burgoyne's army in size by almost 1,000 men, led his Native American supporters to largely abandon him, and deprived him of much-needed supplies, such as mounts for his cavalry regiments, draft animals and provisions, all factors that contributed to Burgoyne's eventual defeat at Saratoga. The victory galvanized colonial support for the independence movement, and played a key role in bringing France into the war on the rebel side. The battle's anniversary is celebrated in the state of Vermont as Bennington Battle Day.

The U.S. Navy has named two ships after the battle, including USS Bennington (CV-20), an Essex-Class aircraft carrier which took part in the last year of the Pacific War against the Japanese.
   
Clouds are starting to get a little low in spots.
   
The leaves are pretty, though.
   

The plan was to fly parallel to the Green Mountains, which run north-south, up to the vicinity of Burlington, then turn east and following a highway pass through the mountains.

Here I'm following Highway Seven north.
   
Looking up at a big tree-covered mountain.
   
Passing a quary where they are cutting out gigantic stone blocks.  Marble?
   
Still heading due north, passing by Rutland/Southern Vermont Regional Airport (KRUT).
   
Just north of KRUT is the good size town of Rutland.
   
A huge mall that has apparently gone out of business.
   
But a hospital is doing well.  People always going to need hospitals.
   
Downtown Rutland, Vermont.
   
Pretty golf course.
   
Approaching Fern Lake, with Lake Dunmore in the distance.
   
Nice color.
   
Things were getting a little dicey with the weather but but I was able to make it up to southeast Burlington and turn right on Interstate 89 which was a good pass through the mountains.
   
Gotta love mountain passes.
   
Almost as soon as I turned east the weather started improving.
   
Approaching Montpelier, Vermont.   I vaguely recalled from learning all the State capitals in the third grade that Montpelier might be the Vermont State capital.  I figured that golden dome might be the State Capital.
   
Just south of Montpelier is Edward F. Knapp State Airport (KMPV).  No commercial air service here, to get to Montpelier you have to fly into Burlington.
   
A closer look at Montpelier and a good look at the State Capital building.  Monpelier is the least populous state capital in the United States.
   
At Montpelier, I left Interstate 98 (which turned south) and headed northeast following Highway Two.   As you can see the overcast is breaking up and everything is getting brighter.
   
Overhead Caledonia County Airport (KCDA). 
 
   
Checking out Burke Mountain Ski Resort.
   
Now I'm just heading east cross-country through the mountains.  Thanks to Foreflight and in-flight weather, I know the weather ahead of me should be good.
   
 
   
Mount Cabot (4,180 feet) is over there somewhere.
   
And there is little Berlin Regional Airport (KBML).  I am in New Hampshire now.
   
Heading northeast.  I'll be crossing into Maine soon, if not there already.  Starting to see some blue sky.
   
 
   
With the sun out a little, I can do some serious foliage flightseeing.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
Yeah, things are getting good!
   
 
   
 
   
I encounter a long lake called Lake Richardson.
   
 
   
A secluded cabin along the lake, probably accessible only via boat.
   
Sandbars, love 'em.
   
 
   
Typical Maine scene.
   
The Upper Dam.  On the left is Lake Richardson.  On the right is a big lake with a big name:  Lake Mooselookmeguntic.
   
 
   
 
   
Leaving Lake Mooselookmeguntic I'm almost immediately on Rangeley Lake.  At the northeastern side, I encounter the little town of Rangeley.
   
Just north of Rangeley is Stephen A. Bean Municipal Airport (8B0).
   
A closer look at Bean.
   
 
   
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