October 9, 2013 - Transit to Kansas City
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Even though we didn't have to be in Kansas City until Friday afternoon, we left a couple of days early to do some sightseeing. It turns out that was a great decision because the weather turned bad on the east coast and we would have had a difficult time getting out on Thursday and Friday.
We got an early start Wednesday morning. The weather was a little overcast when we left Baltimore but was otherwise perfect the rest of the way to Kansas City. Lynnette was into her book before we got to Frederick!
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Flying over Martinsburg Airport where the Air Force Reserves keep their big C-5 Galaxies, seen below.
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| There were some low clouds hugging the Appalaichians, nothing to worry about, kind of pretty. |
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Invariably, I've encountered headwinds when traveling west. But today, in addition to the great visibility, clear skies and smooth air, we were blessed with a very nice tailwind. We averaged 195 mph the entire flight to Kansas City.
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| In West Virginia, northeast of Charleston, we travelled over an area of endless low, tree-covered hills. No airports, no roads, no towns, no nothing. |
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| Finally we emerged from the hills back into civilization. Here is our first glimpse of the Ohio River. |
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The terrain is still hilly, but there is flatland near the Ohio River.
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| Point Pleasant, Ohio, where the Kanawha River joins the Ohio River from the east. Ulysses S. Grant was born here in a one story cottage. |
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We finally emerge from the hills into the flat lands.
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| The town of Cynthiana, Kentucky where we stopped for AvGas and Lunch. |
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| Cynthiana-Harrison County Airport, my favorite stop when traveling west. Why? AvGas costs $4.99/gallon here. Does that seem high? Actually, it is on the low end of the pricing spectrum. It's not unusual at all to pay over $6 these days. Since I was here last, they have opened a very nice, new FBO building located at the left side of the picture. |
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| A good look at the new FBO building. |
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| Lynnette likes the rocking chairs. |
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| The airport still has a huge Ford Excursion SUV for their courtesy car. Which we used to drive into town to have breakfast at Biancke's, established 1894. Recommended. |
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| Back in the plane, we continued west and crossed over St. Louis at 8,500 feet. The famous arch is visible on the west side of the Mississippi River. |
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| After St. Louis, we came to an area I know very well, having flown this section of the Missouri River both in the Citabria and the RV. |
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Then we reached our destination, Lee's Summit Municipal Airport (KXLT), located southeast of Kansas City downtown.
The airport people were very friendly and recommended some good local restaurants for us. Our Enterprise rental car was ready for us. The President of the local EAA Chapter graciously let me keep my plane in their hangar.
Total flight time was 5 1/2 hours in the air.
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