Living on the Great Lakes we have the opportunity to visit lots of islands.
One in particular has risen to the top as our favorite. North Fox Island. There is not much there
but a grass runway, fire pit, porta potty, picnic table, and equipment to maintain the runway.
The Recreational Aviation Foundation brought the runway back to life,
& hence the ability to spend time on this little gem, 2 years ago.
The above is our campsite on North Fox Island.
Here is some information about me that doesn't make it into the blog often. We own an airplane. My husband got his private pilot license about 8 years ago when we inherited this plane from my Dad.
but a grass runway, fire pit, porta potty, picnic table, and equipment to maintain the runway.
The Recreational Aviation Foundation brought the runway back to life,
& hence the ability to spend time on this little gem, 2 years ago.
The above is our campsite on North Fox Island.
Here is some information about me that doesn't make it into the blog often. We own an airplane. My husband got his private pilot license about 8 years ago when we inherited this plane from my Dad.
Our home is beautiful from the air. This is Power Island just off Old Mission Peninsula, where our home is located in Traverse City. I never tire of this view when we take off.
Modern Technology makes navigating so easy. This is Foreflight, a navigation app.
Charts, lots of flying data about speed, altitude, airports... real time GPS view of your flight.
We both have the program in front of us on our respective iPads. That's our flight path in pink, you see North Fox at the end, & our little plane in blue.
After a short flight we land on the grass runway on North Fox.
I posted this picture of mother natures version of hand made paper
from my first trip to the island in 2016.
Algae that washed up & dried on pebbles. Stinky stuff, but attractive.
I love telling the following story of what ensued on this gorgeous week end last summer.
Breakfast around the fire with the chance adventurers who "dropped in" that week end. Then up walks a man from the woods that lead to the beach. We asked, "where did you come from?".
"I got in last night about 10 pm on my paddle board." he replied.
What?????
Meet Chris Lechner
A hand surgeon from Asheville NC who is from the Midwest, & likes nothing better than to spend about a month on the great lakes, alone, swimming & paddle boarding. He is a long distance swimmer with a lot of cred in my book.
His rig that he helped design for his purposes.
Had to get a selfie with all his new friends/admirers. Me crouched in the middle,
husband Merrill far right. These are all people who had met the day before for the first time.
Next stop for Chris was Beaver Island 18 miles away that would take him
several hours of paddling. We had a 15 minute flight home. I'll take it.
What chance meeting of a person has rocked your world?
Fascinating. I looked up the island... oh, what a past it had!
ReplyDeleteLots of strange things happened on islands in the Great Lakes way back. Thanks for taking the time to investigate!
DeleteAs much as I love the water, can't imagine that much paddleboarding! Really enjoying the challenge posts.
ReplyDeleteHay Mary! Nice to hear from you here. I agree. He has been in some harrowing circumstances. Glad you're enjoying this April gig.
DeleteYour view from the air makes the dense island trees look like a rich, thick carpet. I’ll remember that the next time I go for a walk in the woods. Great textures are all around us!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous area to live in and visit.
ReplyDelete"The Third Coast", as the area around us is called, is a great place to live & play. Been a Michigander all my life. In my travels to far away places I think it is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
DeleteLinda--fun story! We had an airplane, too. My husband had a Cessna 152 (2-seater) many years ago--he and his older brother used to fly their two airplanes all over the place and meet. Sometimes I went along to take pictures of the other plane in the air. After his brother died, he sold it. Then, when I went to work in Europe, he bought a salvaged one to restore--his project for while I was away (I came home one week each month). He also bought a 172, to use the larger engine. Debbie Powell said that I was her only friend with two airplanes and a Corvette (another of his restoration projects) in the garage. He finished all the projects before I moved back home after four years.
ReplyDeleteWe used to fly to Catalina Island. As time went on, there were less and less pilots to hang out with, so he eventually sold the second one, too. Now we have to drive to Long Beach and take the ferry to Catalina.
Kristi
Taking pictures from the air is a fun way to pass the time in the passenger seat. There will be some in a later post. General Aviation is definitely shrinking. Young folks can't afford the new stuff as well as the training. So many small airports have closed. Sad. We lucked out on a plane & an instructor that landed in our laps.
DeleteFunny, my husband restored a couple corvettes way back, pre me days. You & I seem to keep finding more we have in common.
Would love more "Penachers" to come visit the challenge.