Big Creek '08

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003399" TEXT="#080000" background="043c8c00erkjxk.jpg"> <div> <B>We took an evening flight through the canyons to Big Creek and the surrounding area.  Early morning and early evening are the best times for canyon flying.  The lack of mid day winds and turbulence make for a much more pleasant flight.</B></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>On a sad note, word spread thoughout the backcountry flying community this winter that the lodge and adjacent buildings burned down over the winter.  Rumor has it that it was started by a chimney fire in the lodge.  It looks like that will be the end of the famous Big Creek Breakfast run.  On the bright side, the strip is still there and there is also a Forest Service Campground on the field, so we'll definitely be back to this beautiful spo</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#99CCFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>John Galban's Flying Site</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>  |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="John Galbans Flying Site"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="16"><B>     </B><A HREF="id88.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Johnson Creek 08"><U><B><IMG SRC="04910100.gif" border=0 width="16" height="16" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>     </B><A HREF="id90.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Salmon River 08"><U><B><IMG SRC="04a10100.gif" border=0 width="16" height="16" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="John Galbans Flying Site"><U><B><IMG SRC="04b100e0.gif" border=0 width="16" height="14" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B> </B></div> <div> Big Creek '08</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="41be8460.jpg" border=0 width="1000" height="582" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Arrival at Big Creek just over the approach end of the runway.   Note the big pipe with sprinkers on the left side of the runway.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2f5386a0.jpg" border=0 width="824" height="618" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Hard to imagine, but this is what is left of an old Chevy pickup after it was hit by a Mooney that overran the runway.  I never would have imagined</div> <div> that a light aluminum airplane could cause this much damage to a heavy steel truck. According to the locals, the Mooney pilot landed long on the</div> <div> south runway.  He decided to abort the landing and added full power for takeoff.  Unfortunately, he did not gain enough altitude to clear this truck </div> <div> which was parked at the end of the runway.  </div> <bR> <div>              <IMG SRC="41940f00.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="240" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">                            <IMG SRC="41a40f00.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="240" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Breakfast no more.  The lodge and outbuildings at Big Creek burned to the ground in the winter of '08.  We'll miss you!</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>