Tuesday flight--and a milepost reached.

Off late for this flight because a heavy haze was hanging around the area, making flying a chore. I gave it a couple hours then launched anyway, figuring I'd fly part way along my newly-revised flight path and see if it would clear or not. As you can see from these pics, looking straight down isn't a problem, as indicated by this bridge near Sharpsburg, Maryland. But trying to look out at the horizon...forget it.

I did come across this corn maze though. As I flew over, it just looked like a random warren of trails. Still I snapped a shot, and when I looked at the picture later though...

There's some real planning and talent there.
Oh, and how about this gold course? Not only do they put the green on a freaking island, but they go the extra distance and put a couple of sand traps on it, too. Sheesh!

Crossing the Susquehanna River northeast of York, PA.

Hey look--a dairy farm.

I was sharing the pattern at Smoketown, near Lancaster PA, with this little heckiflopter. Cute little sucker, ain't it?

And here we go--my hundredth airport hit since I got this plane. Keller Brothers farm near Lebanon, PA.

And the cows in attendance go wild to mark this historic moment. I've now put this plane on one hundred separate airstrips across six states. (not one hundred landings, but one hundred different airports.) It's made for a lot of extra flying adventure as I've seen a lot more of the country and it's been great training besides; my landing skill has improved dramatically as a result.

Here's Ashland, PA.

Ashland is just south of the old ghost town of Centralia, where a mine fire burning under the town forced almost everyone to leave years ago. (There are still ten hold-outs there today.)

I'll do a separate post about Centralia later today or tomorrow.

Here's one of the coal scrapes just west of the town. This whole area is nothing but coal and illicit marijuana fields and EBT cards.

But there is new building just a short distance away. This reclaimed coal scrape has been filled in and re-contoured and plotted for new housing. The roads are laid and a few houses are in, but right now it's just miles of new subdivision waiting for the builders.

Then I was into Wilkes-Barre and it's Wyoming Valley airport.

I'd originally planned to fly farther north, but owing to the late start and wanting to get home and check on Murphy, I cut the last leg off the flight here and headed back south and west.

Final approach to Sunbury, PA's grass strip. Coming in right over the heads of some fishermen.

Sunbury airfield is on an island in the middle of the river--and they've got a campground, too. Might have to take Spud and Murphy back here next summer.

Train bridge across the Susquehanna River.

And here's the remains of a bridge that once was.

Clean up your yard, hillbillies! The eye in the sky sees the mess!

And on landing, I spotted this little C-130 Hercules tucked in next to a C-5. (And only a C-5 could make a C-130 look "little".) Note that the C-130 is an older one that still sports the four-blade paddle props.

Back on the ground. 5.3 hours flown and 14 landings logged, including this one here at home.