Hey Guys,I have embarked upon a journey that I believe qualifies as the "other side of the spectrum". My FSX world includes FS genesis, UTUSA, PNW, REX, GEX, ASE, MyTraffic X and various A/C addons. I fly with 4 monitors however I do not use either TrackIR or TH2go although I am quite interested in looking into both and bringing both onboard some time in the future. Sorry, I got distracted with that last comment - - which is easy for me to do, mind you. Anyway, last week I though about doing something a little different. My home base is Camden, SC which is a little town about 32 miles ENE of the state capital - Columbia. It has a population of about 8,000 folks last count and is located deep in southern horse country. Our local airport, Woodward Field, is a typical rural facility and served as my jumping off point. I have climbed aboard my Scout, which happens to be equipped with tundra tires, loaded all of the sectionals I could get my hands on and headed off in the general direction of the NW coast. I am flying no faster than 90 knts and no higher than 1,000 ft above local ground level. I am confining myself to radio Nav only (no GPS), sectionals, local AAA road maps and a dog-eared copy of an old Atlas.Fellas, I've got to tell you I am having the time of my life! I fly for about an hour in the evenings, sometimes more if I feel like it. You know you must fly the scout - no autopilot. I am "spending the night" at the end of each leg in some of the most rural places I have ever seen - - sometimes pitching a tent next to the plane on some largely deserted grass strip. Hotdogs, peanut butter, ritz crackers and a coke plus a little fire for comfort and to keep the skeeters away - - you know what I mean. When she gets a little low on fuel I detour to a facility that I believe will have what I need. I am doing my best to stay away from all of the existing traffic lanes and busy airports ( can you see me joining the pattern with all the others at Atlanta's Hartsfield?). Lots of chatter on the radio - all of it faster and way above me.I am getting a truly wonderful look at this country's scenery and topo features. I typically meander through the local terrain using the passes that I can find by following the interstate system and also local roads. I will nudge up against some populated areas just for some company but I do not fly over busy facilities as I don't want to be a bother to anyone. I am indulging myself in one vice however. Some times I fly in weather that no sane person would venture out in. When I do, which is more often than I wish to admit to you all, I think about the early air-mail carriers and how those boys must have felt.I will eventually set her down in the great pacific NW. Maybe even up in Vancouver some place. It will take a few more weeks of just meandering around headed in that general direction with a bunch of detours along the way. So - if you happen to look down and see a little red Scout bumping along close to the deck so to speak - give me a shout and I will gladly share a coke and some peanut butter crackers!John

John:Sounds like great fun. Are you, by chance, flying on line during this adventure. If you are perhaps folks would "see" the little red plane.

Hotdogs, peanut butter, ritz crackers and a coke... John

Hmm, it's not really a healthy virtual diet though, is it? I'd add some fruit. :( :( Glad you're enjoying yourself. It's what FSX is all about..Ian

Good read, thank you. Danny proposes an interesting idea. Perhaps if you consider flying on-line, and publish where and when, some may join you for a segment of the adventure. If you come near St Louis, MO, let me know, I'm interested. Have fun.

You Know Fellas, that's a great idea! I don't have any experience flying on line though. Never tried it. I would have to learn how to that first but it is a really interesting idea! If any of you are at all experienced in flying on line and would like to share your knowledge about how I might try it out, I would love to hear from you.You're right Ian, it's not the best diet in the world - that's for sure. Charley (my lovely wife, Charlene) has been after me to stow away some veggies AND some fruit. Nothing like a peck basket of broccoli resting near the manifold to keep one alert!Danny, I'm going to stop for a minute and try to figure out just how to go on line and see if I can't waggle a wing at one or two of y'all. Thanks for the suggestion!John

You Know Fellas, that's a great idea! I don't have any experience flying on line though. Never tried it. I would have to learn how to that first but it is a really interesting idea! If any of you are at all experienced in flying on line and would like to share your knowledge about how I might try it out, I would love to hear from you.You're right Ian, it's not the best diet in the world - that's for sure. Charley (my lovely wife, Charlene) has been after me to stow away some veggies AND some fruit. Nothing like a peck basket of broccoli resting near the manifold to keep one alert!Danny, I'm going to stop for a minute and try to figure out just how to go on line and see if I can't waggle a wing at one or two of y'all. Thanks for the suggestion!John

John:All you need is an online server. I really enjoy Hovercontrol.com. They are mostly about helis, but, do fly fixed wing occasionally as well. And, you couldn't find a better bunch of guys. You could also use gamespy that is built in to FSX. It is not as stable as hovercontrol, but, it does work. If you do chose to do some on line flight, please let us know. I would love to join you if you would like some company. This is your experience and I certainly don't wish to intrude.Regards,

Cool! You sound like you're having your Richard Bach (Illusions) moment!You might be interested in the rural North American Airports from ORBX that make you want to hang out there. Many of these are Bill Womack's creations, You can find some more at iBlueYonder (Plum Island is a favourite of mine).Cheers,- jahman.

Hey Guys,Well, I sure am glad y'all are close by. Went through a bit of WX today but I am safely down about 1 mile south of Dry Ridge, KY. Got er parked and cooling down right next to Williamstown lake. Mabel (that's my Scout) and I are sittin pretty as you please in Abel Hancock's pasture. Able is a farmer here in Dry Ridge and I happened to see him as I was making my customary low pass at the end of the day - - lookin for a good night's rest. I slowed down and yelled and he waved me on down. He says I'm OK so long as I don't drift on over and take down a few corn rows. I've got a little fire going and the tent is up. Looks like a dry night but I believe the morning dew will wet my butt when I climb back in since I left the Mabel's doors open to air her out a little. I noticed Mabel is complaining just a bit. A smudge of oil around the cylinder head. You know, used to be you could get those good ole cork gaskets. Now all they seem to have are the rubber ones and they shrink after gettin heated up a few times. Took a torque wrench to er and - - sure enough, she needed a smidgen of a turn here and there. I appreciate the company Guys, Thanks for your support and for lookin out for Mabel and me. Y'all take care now and give everybody a hug for Mable and me!John

Well Boys, I believe I've notched a new use for Mabel. Just goes to show you never know just how handy these little Scouts can be. Mabel and I woke up this morning to another wonderful day. As usual, she was a little cold and me, a little stiff - both of us plenty grateful for another sunrise. Old Abel had just eased on down in the pasture to see how we was doing and to ask if I wanted to come on up to the house as Bertha was almost finished pulling biscuits and the gravy was a boiling nice and slow like. I do believe I smelt coffee which always gets my blood up and my innards to growlin.Along the way, Abel pointed to a great ole pile of pulled up locust and pin oak stumps that weren't doin nothin but smoulderin away. Now Abel's up in years like me and I didn't have to guess just how hard he and Bertha had worked to put them stumps together. They was wet and wantin nothin to do with turnin to ash sure enuff.After a mite of breakfast and devotion, Abel, his neighbor, Eli Yoder and me hitched up Pete and Jesse, two of the biggest, most handsome Belgium Drafts you ever laid your eyes on and brought a haywagon down to Mabel. It weren't no time till we had Mabel tucked down and comfey on that wagon pretty as you please. Next thing I knew Mabel was off the wagon with her butt pointed in the general direction of that pile just far enough to keep her out of trouble. Abel sledged a stake down bout two feet while Eli held er steady, Me - I never would have the guts to hold something like that and let some fella whale on it with a 12 lb sledge! No sir!I throwed a piece of hemp around her tailwheel and put a couple half-hitches down just to hold er steady. Able and Eli fixed the other end of the hemp to the stake and then held er down while I put some revs on er. By gosh, we blowed up a fire good fashion in that stump pile!Anyhow, we's off again aheaded to Bloomington, IN or thereabouts. Talk bout good neighbors? Bertha fixed me up a basket of biscuits and a mason jar full of gravey. Nothin would do but I had to take it all and be the better for it, believe you me! I appreciate y'all and hope one day, good Lord willing, to shake your hands!John

Well Boys, I believe I've notched a new use for Mabel. Just goes to show you never know just how handy these little Scouts can be. Mabel and I woke up this morning to another wonderful day. As usual, she was a little cold and me, a little stiff - both of us plenty grateful for another sunrise. Old Abel had just eased on down in the pasture to see how we was doing and to ask if I wanted to come on up to the house as Bertha was almost finished pulling biscuits and the gravy was a boiling nice and slow like. I do believe I smelt coffee which always gets my blood up and my innards to growlin.Along the way, Abel pointed to a great ole pile of pulled up locust and pin oak stumps that weren't doin nothin but smoulderin away. Now Abel's up in years like me and I didn't have to guess just how hard he and Bertha had worked to put them stumps together. They was wet and wantin nothin to do with turnin to ash sure enuff.After a mite of breakfast and devotion, Abel, his neighbor, Eli Yoder and me hitched up Pete and Jesse, two of the biggest, most handsome Belgium Drafts you ever laid your eyes on and brought a haywagon down to Mabel. It weren't no time till we had Mabel tucked down and comfey on that wagon pretty as you please. Next thing I knew Mabel was off the wagon with her butt pointed in the general direction of that pile just far enough to keep her out of trouble. Abel sledged a stake down bout two feet while Eli held er steady, Me - I never would have the guts to hold something like that and let some fella whale on it with a 12 lb sledge! No sir!I throwed a piece of hemp around her tailwheel and put a couple half-hitches down just to hold er steady. Able and Eli fixed the other end of the hemp to the stake and then held er down while I put some revs on er. By gosh, we blowed up a fire good fashion in that stump pile!Anyhow, we's off again aheaded to Bloomington, IN or thereabouts. Talk bout good neighbors? Bertha fixed me up a basket of biscuits and a mason jar full of gravey. Nothin would do but I had to take it all and be the better for it, believe you me! I appreciate y'all and hope one day, good Lord willing, to shake your hands!John

This is going to be fun.....keep us up to date John.

Great thread!Will be following your logbook postings! ;)

Hey Boys,Y'all remember I told ya Mabel and me was going to try to git as far as somewhere around Bloomington, IN by evening yesterday. Well, we was a doin good, steady on NABB's 310 radial at 1250 ft – both of us in a great mood and enjoyin life so to speak. Bout that time we crossed I-71 somewhere between Buckner and LaGrange.Anyhow, as we was crossin the road right there, I spied two of the prettiest Peterbuilt rigs I'd seen in long time. They's both black as sin and all chromed up – one behind the other. Both headin south an puttin a burn on if you know what I mean. Mabel talked me into turning round for a better look. You know how sometimes things are just all pointin in your direction? Well, the wind was bout 7 knts and no more an 2 degrees to starboard by the time we settled down to followin the road so I honked er down to bout 80 knts an eased up beside those boys somewheres around 300 ft and just a bit off their portside. Now they was already movin good fashion so it weren't nothin to hold tight to em. I tell ya, Mabel gits a real kick out a stuff like this! I do believe she just starts a quiverin.Well, it didn't take no time till I had their attention. Seems they caught on that I was fixin to have a little fun with em. Both of em hollered and yanked on the horns just a callin for Mabel to ease on over an give em a kiss! Nothin would do but that Mabel had to pucker up and shoot one back so I jimmied the mixture and popped the mags. Ole Mabel lets out with one beauty of a “hello boys!” They hooped and hollered, blastin the air for all theys worth! By that time Mabel and me had more attention than we was comfortable with and so we waggled our goodbyes an got back to business. All that socializin made my innards start complainin so I grabbed me one of Bertha's biscuits. Now y'all know that even the best biscuits git a little dry when theys cool so I cracked open the mason jar of gravy she'd sent along and just started to take a gulp when – wouldn't you know – Mabel took a dip. That fool gravy went from one end of my kisser to the other and every where else to boot! Here's me holdin on to Mabel with one hand and the mason jar with the other, mouth full of dry biscuit and gravy. You think thats the end of it - no sir. Man's gotta breathe, don't ya know. Soon's I took a breath I had a nose full of biscuit crumbs and gravy. Nature's got a way of fixin that problem and I let out with one great ole sneeze. Next thing I know there's gravy everywhere! I'm smearin the gauges, the throttle is slippery, the windshield is all hazy and speckled with sausage not to mention what I'm sittin in. I got my work cut out for me tonight and Mabel won't forget – believe you me! I'll hear bout this till July!We finally started to look for a place to spend the night and I got on the radio. Not Mabel's mind you, a little ICOM VHF rig I keep with me. Didn't I tell ya? I'm a ham. Well you fellas already knew that! KF40S for them that care bout such things. Anyway, I was bummin around on frequency and I ran into a guy by the name of Randy Taggart. Seems Randy owns Hoosier Propane Silgas just east of Bloomington – right next to Belmont and he knows bout this little grass strip right by a lake next to Yellowwood State Forest. He drove over in his Cherokee to say, “Hey!” and to invite me back to have some supper with him, Sherry and Skeeter. When he and I met and he reached in to help with my bag, he didn't say nothin bout all the gravy stains on my jeans and shirt - just muttered something bout the trip be'in a mite rough. He did allow as how the cockpit seemed to smell a bit like the local Shoney's breakfast buffet. I let it pass.I'll have to tell ya bout little Skeeter, my old harmonica and a ride in Mabel but that's another story.Y'all take care now an give everyone a hug for Mabel an me!John

Hey Boys!I'm bustin to tell ya bout the night we'all had last night - me, Randy, Sherry & Skeeter - an Mabel too!Lets git the business out of the way first. I'm plannin to rise on out of Kibler field which is just a few miles west of Terre Haute here in a few minutes. Me and Mable are goin to fly Mattoon's 265 radial both in and out then come on into Decatur on the 115 and leave on the 270. From there we are going to pick up Quincy's 95 and scoot on over the river to Haerr field right there at Taylor. Whole things bout 300 miles which is all Mabel and me are up for, truth be told.I can't believe I told y'all bout the sausage gravy! I'm havin a tough enough time with Mabel over it and I just know I'll never live it down with y'all. Randy just grinned and said nothin but Sherry was sweet as she could be. It all worked out though. Randy and I got to his place and Skeeter, who is 8, started jumpin up and down. He'd never been up close to anything like Mabel and he pestered like the devil to come on back so's he could rummage around er.Sherry hadn't planned for company - I could tell by the look on her face when Randy showed up with me. I thanked Randy and said I really had to git back to Mabel and try my best to clean er up a bit. I told em I had a good tent and was used to the open spaces. Sherry jumped right in and allowed as how it was a great time for a family adventure. Next thing I know the Cherokee is packed with grub, coolers, paper towels,cleaners, camping gear and plenty of good company!Two rolls of paper towels and a half a bottle of windex later, Mabel is looking much better. Randy has a fire burnin down under a great lookin grate while Sherry is pattin up burgers and layin dogs down to sizzle. Nother good use for Tundra tires, boys - - theys not bad chair backs!After filling our tummys, I wet up my ole harmonica and Randy pulled out a guitar. The tents were up with the bags unfolded, ready to go. Alls left to do was to sit back and let the dark come and kiss us goodnight. I'm sure y'all have guessed by now that my star ain't the brightest in the world but I can play a song or two - mostly old stuff and gospel which I dearly love. Boys, that little Skeeter is one well behaved youngster. Y'all would have been proud to watch him mind. And sing? Mercy! The whole family can make y'all believe you're in church!I slung Skeeter up into Mabel and let him "fly" with the switches and controls for awhile. He had the time of his life - - an about a million questions! He and I went around Mabel and pushed and pulled - rockin her this a way and that just so's he could kinda git to know er a bit. He yanked on Mabel's prop and then decided it weren't worth the effort. Finally he asked me the big question - - how bout a ride? I looked at Randy and he looked at Sherry. She sealed the deal with a nod and a smile. Skeeter and I decided it would be better all round if we waited till mornin so's he could see outside a little better. With that decided and done, we all hunkered down to sing a little more and listen to all the little critters chatter away.Early the next mornin, after some coffee and fire fried bacon, eggs and taters we all cleaned up and got the Cherokee packed up again. Skeeter and I climbed in Mabel while Randy and Sherry spotted for us. Boys, it was like the good Lord had decided to pull out all the stops! The day was mostly clear and the air was cool and heavy. Not much breeze at all - everything kinda calm like. Mabel was cool and dewy and lookin like she was expectin to have a bang-up time with Skeeter n' me. That clean-up job last night gussied er up a bit and I believe she was proud of it. We had a lot of field to work with and y'all know that Mabel don't need much to be satisfied specially with er flaps down. Skeeter got us into the air with me kinda hovering in the background makin sure if y'all know what I mean. We stayed real close to home and Skeeter did a few lazy eights and such. I could swear Mabel felt Skeeter's hand on the stick cause she was a perfect lady - actually I really believe she felt she was kinda like his mom up there.We landed Mabel together although, again I swear to y'all - I truly believe she really did put herself back on the ground. We came in low and very slow - bounced a couple three times an Skeeter really liked that - an finished up back next to Randy and Sherry. Skeeter says he has the all-time greatest "show & tell" to share with his class at school since Randy used his video camera and I borrowed Sherry's camera to snap a few shots of Skeeter at the controls.We said our goodbyes and I got their address for my book. Both Randy and Sherry gave me a hug - dirty as I was - an Skeeter, a big smile on his face, high-fived me. Boys, I know I ain't tellin y'all anything ya don't already know but ain't folks wonderful? Give em half a chance to warm your heart an the'll do it every time!Y'all take care now an give everybody a hug for Mabel n' me.John

Hey Boys,Well, I thought I was goin to tell y'all me n' Mabel was restin comfey like somewheres around Quincy but that just ain't the case. Best laid plans so to speak. We's motorin along - Mabel hummin the same ole tune and me foolin with the little 2-meter rig I'd brought along to scare up some company from time to time. While we was passin close to Abraham Lincoln there at Springfield, I hopped on the local 2-meter net just to say, "howdy do!". Bunch of us got to talkin and pretty soon Mabel n" me was talked into puttin up for the night at one of the local strips called Springfield SW Airpark. Seems the local avclub was havin a cook-out and some of the guys had brought their babies out for the night. Well, I'll tell ya (if y'all haven't already figured it out yet), Mabel n' me ain't ones to likely turn down any invite!Fellas, I got the suprise of my life! I'm bout 4 miles south of the Airpark fixin to ease on in and spend the night with some new found friends. It ain't but bout 15 minutes before the sun disappears. The sky's all painted up right pretty and the breeze is soft. Here I come makin my usual "git to know ya" pass over everybody and I stick my head out and look down. Darn if I don't see somethin that's close to nothin I never saw before! Mabel sits us down pretty as ya please - shes partial to showin off when she thinks folks are a lookin. Up we come - smooth as silk - if'n I did'nt know better I woulda thought she might have let a mite bit a air out of those tundras just to make the squat easier! Anyhow, we pull up to the circle - - right next to what looks an awful lot like an old Jenny! Also looked to me like the Piper family had all showed up for the fun and someone had even talked an old St. Louis Cardinal out a bed! For a big ole grass strip, the place was lit up like they was having some fancy revival with a genuine out-a-town paid-for preacher! The air was chock full of wood smoke, castor oil and coleman white gas, not to mention boilin corn, brats, beer n' vittals - - - you name it, it was there!After our "howdies", someone put a cold bottle of Rolling Rock in my hand. I never had any but the guys told me ole Evan had gone to some trouble to fly it in special from a place called New Castle, PA. I took his word for it and after a few swigs I understood why.While we still had some light, I wanted to get better acquainted with that Jenny so I ambled on over so's I could introduce myself proper. Lester Keller is the guy whose married to er. Lester is a big ole bear of a man, hands the size of butt hams on sale at Sams! He's got a flashlight and he's lookin around the space between the Jenny's firewall and the manifold of the ole Curtiss OX-5. He's wearin a bandana round his kisser and mutterin somethin that ain't fit for me to mention. No sooner than I ease up beside him than I begin to realize why - - - somethin smells like it would drive a starvin buzzard off a full-blown meat wagon! Soon enough ole Lester n' me are deep into this mystery together. Come to find some ole possum had staked a claim to what he thought was the perfect den. Lester, not knowin, fired up the Jenny to come on down to the fest an bar-b-qued the possum along the way. I told Lester not to worry, I'd just ease on back to camp and bring back some sauce so's we could have our own private party. He thanked me for the suggestion an told me he didn't have a greedy bone in his body and that I could have the whole carcass if'n I wanted. He allowed as how he just wanted the beast out a there but we couldn't seem to reach em lessen we started to take er apart. Bout that time a committee showed up led by a fella named Bo Watson. Ole Bo said he had some experience with just this sort of thing him be'in a champion bar-b-que cook an all. Bo's suggestion was to just let the possum carcass alone as he was sure it was fall-off-the-bone tender by now and would most likely just clear on out of the Jenny on the way home. Ole Lester puffed up and gave Bo a stare that would have made my friend Jack Elam proud! By the way, did I tell ya that Jackie Elam and I grew up together. I kinda always felt he learn't that stare we all remember from all those western movies be'in with me - - - but that's another story that I'll git into with y'all sometime down the road a bit. Anyhow, we solved the problem by bringing up the Elgin volunteer fire truck and hosin the beast on out a there. Before we fired up the tanker, Bo put a bucket under the Jenny to catch the possum stew. Lester, be'in a man of sensibility just shook his head an muttered somethin but Bo insisted Lester apparently didn't know a good thing when he saw it. Me? I just let it pass although I did notice that most of the boys seemed to stay away from Bo's grill that night.Nuff said for now. Mabel n' me will be off again bright n' early tomorrow morning. We might even make it past Quincy this time - - but we promise nothin. Y'all be good an give everybody a hug for Mabel an me.John

Great trip!If you make it all the way to the Pacific, come and look me upat CAM3 (our local airport) or if the runway is too short foryour tastes, we can meet at CYCD Nanaimo, about 30 mins by car.http://action-ultralights.com/info.htmlhttp://www.av8software.com/apt/ycd.htmI'd love to buy you a beer and some real food, after all those crackers!