A friend forwarded me information about your Flight of Discovery. What a great idea!
I'd like to invite you to consider Seaside Municipal airport as a "waypoint" on your trip. The identifier is 56s, and it has a single
2300' asphalt strip that serves Seaside and Gearhart, about 12 miles south of Astoria.
Seaside is significant to the Corps of Discovery in several ways. First and foremost -- Seaside is 'the' end of the Lewis and Clark
Trail.
Oops, I think I'd better duck! Actually there are a number of places around here that make that claim, and depending on how you measure
it, the more likely candidates are Astoria, Ilwaco, or Cannon Beach. Seaside's claim is actually quite thin but no one can argue that
they've done an admirable job, to local tourists anyway, of promoting the place as the "end of the Lewis and Clark Trail. In any case
Seaside is on the way to the furthest point that corps members traveled, and is the site of a salt extraction and trading camp that
they established during their winter here.
The town is quite involved in the whole L&C Bicentennial thing and I'm sure they'd give you a warm reception and plenty of press.
I'd really like to hook you up with the local chamber and downtown development association and see what could be arranged to promote
your tour. Seaside is quite pro-tourism, and this sometimes takes the form of promoting any and all activity and growth, often at the
expense of the environment. The focus of your tour and the fact that we have some incredibly beautiful and still relatively unspoiled land
around here I think could be quite beneficial in creating enlightenment to environmental issues. I for one would like to see
some more attention paid to preservation of the landscape, and how that can benefit tourism as well or better than a new outlet mall.
In addition to that, I am part of a small group of aviators who's been working very hard to pull Seaside's Airport back from the brink
of oblivion. Just a couple of years ago the airport was on its way out, but we've turned that around and are gaining some momentum. The
city council and business leaders now seem pretty much on board with the idea of an improved airport, and seem to be receptive to the idea
that the airport is an asset to the commuinity. Still, we could very much use the positive PR and your tour is right in line with that.
So I hope we can do something there.
Let me know what you think and I'll see what I can do with the local business and L&C Bicentennial organizers.
Mike, et al,
The trunk arrived!!! It is unbelievable. I was nearly in tears as I unpacked the contents. It's like an interpreter's dream!!!! Our Lewis & Clark study group (otherwise known as the "L & C Groupies" was here when it arrived. They were overwhelmed. Several of them are retired teachers who will be helping with School Days in September. We were all so excited we didn't know what to do first. I've called my teacher friends who are bringing their students when you guys come. They're coming over this afternoon for "show and tell".
We just got more word of budget cuts last week so this was like a HUGE Christmas present. There are a million L & C and science programs we can use this for. I even called my interpreter friends across the River at the NPS to come over and see it. Trust me, words cannot express how much we appreciate this. Can't wait to start collecting specimens.
Sorry, I've gotten a little carried away. But, this is just the BEST!
KC
PS: Are you planning on setting a chopper down here? Just curious after your last e-mail.
PPS: My son who's in the USAF called yesterday and he flew his first mission as a nav student in a 137. Of course, the first thing I looked at from the trunk was the flight bag. Ha, ha.
KC Collins Hummel
Site Manager
3434 Richard Downing AV
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
712-366-4900
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but, rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming....WOW, WHAT A RIDE!"
I am sure that you already have your flight plan set in stone, but on the
off chance that you have a little leeway, we here at the Twin Bridges (7S1)
would like to know if you plan on flying over (or perhaps stopping by) our
little town. We are 10 miles NE of Beaverhead Rock, right on the Lewis and
Clark Trail. Our town is really getting into the celebration. Our airport
has 100LL (2.19/gallon) and Jet A (2.49/gallon) available and a maintenance
facility.
Either way, we would like to get it out that you are doing this so the kids
in our community could watch you all fly. Are you flying in formation or a
line? We are having our first annual fly-in on Father's Day Weekend. The
Young Eagles are coming to give our kids rides. Most of them have never
seen an aircraft up close, let alone ridden in one.
Thanks for the response :)
Heather Puckett, Secretary
Bradley Livestock LC
Ruby Valley Aviation LC
(Part 2)
I was reading the Pacific Flyer (it was the issue featuring Harrison Ford as the new Chairman of EAA Young Eagles) and I caught the Lewis and Clark headline. Because our valley is so Lewis and Clark crazy right now, I read it. I am sure that I can get a great turnout to meet and great you guys (and gals?). (A great turnout for a town of 400 won't be anything substantial by big city standards, though). By your schedule, you will be through on Thursday, June 10 in the afternoon. I can get word to our local Montana Pilots Association and the Lewis and Clark Committee. School will be out by then, but I can make sure that the information is passed out to the kids before the end. I'll give you a call after lunch.
Thanks so much for responding!
Heather Puckett, Secretary
Ruby Valley Aviation LC
Bradley Livestock LC
Mr. Harding,
My mouth dropped open when I read your story in AvWeb this morning. As
a biologist / paleo-ecologist and commercial pilot, flying the rout of
Lewis and Clark has been a dream of mine for years. Of course being the
only biologist and history buff at my field and only pilot/scientist at
my lab, most of my colleagues find my dream a little odd. I was amazed
and thrilled to find that group of fellow pilots shared my dream and
planned to make it a reality. I envy your adventure!
I look forward to following your trip on you web site and hope that
maybe one day, when I've saved enough for a plane of my own, I will be able to
follow in your footsteps as well as those of Lewis and Clark.
Tailwinds!
Helen Woods - KPHF
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Helen Woods
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Gloucester Point, VA 23062
May 21, 2004
You lucky dog, Sigfried.
As a life long resident of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, I have been a student of Lewis & Clark, as well as Thomas Jefferson. It has been my joy to visit many of the historic places each of them touched--all the way from Monticello to Fort Clatsop.
As a private pilot I have had the opportunity to fly over and along much of the Corps route, at least from North Dakota to the Pacific.
Please enjoy your trip. I might suggest that you find a piece of time to visit the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center in Great Falls, MT. Near the center of town there is a stature depicting “Seaman.”
Tell your pilot to be careful when flying over Idaho. It’s still a long lonely mountainous trail from Lolo, MT to Lewiston, Idaho. Perhaps, my schedule will allow me to meet you at your overnight in Lewiston (only a one hour flight in my C172).
Don Pischner
Former Idaho State Legislator
