Sunday morning dream-come-true: Waffles, bacon, coffee... chit chat with the locals and tourists alike. A slow and easy start to the day... Then flying! Yeah!
Mark flew the local flight from Hot Springs Airport. Taking off with a rush downhill and circling around to overfly the town of Thermopolis so I could take pictures. The river that winds through town really is at capacity! Reputation has it that Thermopolis is good place to fish, too.
After doing the "downtown circuit" we decided to head east out of town. We had heard about the new airport being built and knowing it was 10 miles away, we guessed east, to the wide open valley in the distance.
There it lay. So far, just dirt and gravel, but one day in 2015, it will be the airport that all of Thermopolis has dreamed about. A 7000 foot runway, plenty of parking, FAA funded.
Hmmm... So us and the 2 other general aviation aircraft that visited Hot Springs Airport this Memorial weekend will have somewhere fancier to land!
It was becoming a hot day. Mid to high 70's, sunshine and not a breath of wind. Pushing the plane back into hanger (A.K.A swallows haven) was the last physical activity we managed before re-grouping at the hotel, diving into a delightful Thai lunch downtown and following it with a butter pecan waffle cone!
Next stop, the Dinosaur Center. Did you know there are still active dig sites? High in the winding mountains above the Big Horn Basin in Wyoming there are 80 dig sites going in a 500 acre area! At the museum/education center that we visited, there are mounted skeletons, replica's and fossils from as far as China and Scotland too.
Having never counted myself in the high interest group in regard to dinosaurs, I was curious to see the fossils, but not overly excited. Two hours later, I could honestly say it is a fascinating place! Lots to see and learn. One of those experiences where you only realize "you don't know what you don't know" after you open your mind to a new adventure.
I entered with the pre-conception that T-Rex was a hungry, violent, brauny, dummy.
I left with the impression that T-Rex was incredibly smart (by dinosaur standards), a strategic thinker and an attentive parent... While that large vegetarian thing with the long neck and tail, had a brain the size of a kitten!
Time for soak in a mineral spa... Ahhhh.
And then we were off to check out the restaurant that several people around town had recommended. Stone's Throw is located at the golf course, which is also located at the airport, up on that butte above town. It's comfortable and homey in appearance, so the menu might surprise you. Dishes include scallops, lobster, filet mignon and Rocky Mountain oysters. The wine list is not bad either - with prices that accurately reflect both the location (small town Wyoming) and the offerings. They seem to have a full bar, but I'm a wine girl and I couldn't even tell you about the other options you might enjoy.
One bacon-wrapped filet mignon (perfectly medium-rare) and one glass of California red, later... I was more than relaxed.
Sunset was almost upon us and a walk down the middle of the runway, beckoned. Since there had only been sightings of 2 other aircraft here all weekend long, it seemed like a low-risk, high-reward, idea. So we walked!
As with all good ideas, it had to be documented. First, let's try and capture the slope...
Then maybe a quick selfie (that was anything but quick!)...
Sunset? Beautiful. Still. Quiet.
Mark flew the local flight from Hot Springs Airport. Taking off with a rush downhill and circling around to overfly the town of Thermopolis so I could take pictures. The river that winds through town really is at capacity! Reputation has it that Thermopolis is good place to fish, too.
After doing the "downtown circuit" we decided to head east out of town. We had heard about the new airport being built and knowing it was 10 miles away, we guessed east, to the wide open valley in the distance.
There it lay. So far, just dirt and gravel, but one day in 2015, it will be the airport that all of Thermopolis has dreamed about. A 7000 foot runway, plenty of parking, FAA funded.
Hmmm... So us and the 2 other general aviation aircraft that visited Hot Springs Airport this Memorial weekend will have somewhere fancier to land!
It was becoming a hot day. Mid to high 70's, sunshine and not a breath of wind. Pushing the plane back into hanger (A.K.A swallows haven) was the last physical activity we managed before re-grouping at the hotel, diving into a delightful Thai lunch downtown and following it with a butter pecan waffle cone!
Next stop, the Dinosaur Center. Did you know there are still active dig sites? High in the winding mountains above the Big Horn Basin in Wyoming there are 80 dig sites going in a 500 acre area! At the museum/education center that we visited, there are mounted skeletons, replica's and fossils from as far as China and Scotland too.
Having never counted myself in the high interest group in regard to dinosaurs, I was curious to see the fossils, but not overly excited. Two hours later, I could honestly say it is a fascinating place! Lots to see and learn. One of those experiences where you only realize "you don't know what you don't know" after you open your mind to a new adventure.
I entered with the pre-conception that T-Rex was a hungry, violent, brauny, dummy.
I left with the impression that T-Rex was incredibly smart (by dinosaur standards), a strategic thinker and an attentive parent... While that large vegetarian thing with the long neck and tail, had a brain the size of a kitten!
Time for soak in a mineral spa... Ahhhh.
And then we were off to check out the restaurant that several people around town had recommended. Stone's Throw is located at the golf course, which is also located at the airport, up on that butte above town. It's comfortable and homey in appearance, so the menu might surprise you. Dishes include scallops, lobster, filet mignon and Rocky Mountain oysters. The wine list is not bad either - with prices that accurately reflect both the location (small town Wyoming) and the offerings. They seem to have a full bar, but I'm a wine girl and I couldn't even tell you about the other options you might enjoy.
One bacon-wrapped filet mignon (perfectly medium-rare) and one glass of California red, later... I was more than relaxed.
Sunset was almost upon us and a walk down the middle of the runway, beckoned. Since there had only been sightings of 2 other aircraft here all weekend long, it seemed like a low-risk, high-reward, idea. So we walked!
As with all good ideas, it had to be documented. First, let's try and capture the slope...
Then maybe a quick selfie (that was anything but quick!)...
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