Wilsonville Reflections on 18-20 May while Cooling Our Heels, Aurora Airport Oregon

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Editor's note

This is just a text-only update -- for now. We will "quiet publish" -- that is, update without pestering you with another email -- this entry by adding pictures later tonight or tomorrow...whenever we get wherever it is we may end up going today.

Writing this on Wednesday the 21st, Judy has offered to help the others catch up on their last few days and has plopped herself down on the sofa next to Bob Hawkins. "You expect me to talk?" he asks. So of course, he does.

"So far, the trip has been educational and fun, comments Bob. The turbulence, I think, has strained all of us and the weather is certainly a challenge. Allocating three weeks was certainly not enough. it takes four weeks to do this. The new airports and new people have been absolutely fantastic. I think the best part has been going down the grand canyon. Museums have been interesting and educational and fun."

Catching Up On Goings on Sunday May 18th Near Portland

Sunday, Bob, Bill, Dick and Janice checked in for a couple of days in Wilsonville, the nearest town to the Aurora Airport, and were pleased to discover that the Denny's next to the nearby SnoozeInn served beer. The waitress ensconced them in a back room rather than anywhere near the front booths where NICE families and locals were seated. In return, they entertained her so famously with pent-up banter that they were rewarded with not one, not two, but THREE 20%!o(MISSING)ff come-back coupons. Wilsonville is clearly hurtin' for comedy.

Monday May 19th Near Portland

Monday the 19th, Janice stayed back to do laundry and explore the town and rest while Bob, Dick and Bill headed out to see the Spruce Goose across from the McMinville airport (the originally intended destination before the friendly Aurora Airport was selected because it offered rental cars up to 6 pm on a Sunday).

What's the Spruce Goose like? "You have to ask Bill about that," said Bob, gesturing to the snoozing Bill next to us as we await the new battery getting charged for 624 while hanging out on the FBO's comfy leather-covered couches. "It's a big f***ing airplane, that's what it is," The Hawk opines. "A DC-3 parked under the wing next to its floats looks like a toy. It's bigger than an 747!" Bill and Dick sat themselves in the cockpit of the famous plane, and apparently the only thing missing for true authenticity was a fedora.

The museum's other features include an SR-71, and some stuff from the thirties, but mostly WWII fighters and onward. The museum cafe was nice, and certainly had adequate sandwiches. "Ice cream there is highly recommended. They also have a wine store where you can buy Spruce Goose Wine...which we didn't." After a full afternoon, they returned to find Janice, who had researched nearby bistros and picked out one for perfect dinner: Sharis. The menu was so good that they went back again on Tuesday night as well!

Tuesday May 19th Near Portland

Tuesday's activities include installing a new door handle in the 172, changing the oil and filter in BA and replacing the lower plugs with cleaned and gap-tested ones we brought along, and cleaning the battery terminals in the Cherokee -- which it turned out didn't actually solve the problem, as we've now found out, which is why we're now waiting to charge an entirely new battery for that plane.

"You went to the hardware store!" remembered Janice.

"It was a nice day," noted Bob. "Wet, but a nice day, and all in all, not overly inspiring."

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Comments

[Greg]

I give up.....
So the Cherokee got a new battery on Monday. Then cleaning the terminals didn't fix the problem on Tuesday, so it got another new battery.... So what WAS the problem with the Cherokee?

[CFC C2C]

a fault and battery
must be my writing isn't clear. Earlier, they thought they needed a new battery, but ended up not getting one, just wire brushed corroded terminals and that seemed to do the job...but they were wrong. I myself remember the battery on 624 as having been sluggish on more than one occasion over the past few years, so I was NOT sorry to see it replaced, esp as I'm flying in that plane on this trip.