Oshkosh, WI Air Venture

[ralper]

It crossed my mind about having read about the Oshkosh air meet many years ago in a magazine. I checked earlier this year to see when it was. July 26 to Aug 1. I called and got tickets for the week. I joined EAA (experimental aircraft association) so I could camp on the grounds and everything would be in walking distance. 1/2 mile to the other edge of the show. Fine. The advertised full hookups were water & electric only. The dump was down the road. It was so wet I could not move the trailer until I left. I christened my Blue Boy there. It was hot and humid. There were a bunch of golf carts running in all directions. I did my first ever hitchhicking. If there were empty seats stick out my thumb. It works.

There was an air show every day at 3 PM. The best stunt pilot was a woman. She put the men to shame and they were great. The lovingly restored war birds were better than they came out of the original factory. The only privately owned Harrier in the world was there and was in the air show with a takeoff and landing and takeoff and a bow before landing again.

You name it and it was there from WW 1 to fairly new. B 17s, fighters, home builts, DC3s, sky crane, Air Force C5A (quite a few NHs could be packed in it), Honda peddling generators, and I could go on and on not to mention the talks and seminars and movies.

For me it was a one time experience and I am glad I put up with the heat and humidity. I also met a nice lady my age to see the show with. We had a blast. If you are at all interested in that sort of thing do not miss the experience.

[mwilliams]

It sounds like you had a really great time. What did Snickers do while you were out watching the iron birds?

Are you a pilot? Or just enjoy something that flies through the air?

We leave in 10 days for a trip up the eastern seaboard. We are still capturing images of the "Whispering Giants" carved by Peter Wolf Toth.

[ralper]

Hi Mike,
No I am not a pilot. I have 4.5 hours in a Piper J3 in 1962 then I started courting my first wife. I should have kept flying instead.

Snickers was in air conditioned comfort at a vet's. He was at the doggie hotel. I leave him with a vet so if he gets sick he is well cared for.

70 miles north of New York City the fall colors are at the peak around the middle of October. Earlier farther north. Northern NY about the last week of Sept.