It was a great event; I linked up with these Brits..they attempted to teach me to drink vodka. But it was the locals who taught us all how to drink vodka. Headaches all around.

See the article, entitled, East to the Steppes.

After spending the winter, which seemed to flash by in an instant, at home in Reno, Nevada I returned to the small Northern Italian village of Nervesa della Battligia in late April, 2012.  Located about 40km north of Venice, it is the home of the Johnathan Aircraft Collection of Mr. Giancarlo Zanardo.  For more information on this very interesting man who is very passionate about the history of Italian aviation, Google his name as above.  For a YouTube video of his most fascinating Caproni Ca 3 project, go to:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz2c8m1gJmw   

Another gem on this airfield is a real WWI Bessoneau Type H hangar.  The wood frames are the original, found in the UK.  Mr. Zanardo has made a more modern copy of the canvas covering to protect his WWI collection.

Arriving to spectacular spring weather, work on the Staggerwing was aplenty.  The annual inspection had expired during the winter so that work was started.  Most fortunately, I had met an American chap, Jon Roth, married to a French woman, Marie, and they live in Sweden.  They work together as a team in the restoration of Stearmans…mostly.  One of their personal aircraft is a Staggerwing. Another is a Cabin WACO. Their two children love to play in the back seat during flight, when not lulled to sleep by the rumble of a big round thing on the front of the aircraft.  Jon is an FAA A&P and an IA.  For you non-aviators, this means he can fix them and also inspect them to comply with rules of aircraft on the US register.  He was a great discovery for me and we have become good friends.  When I finally get as far north as Sweden I will be visiting them.  That probably will not happen this year.  In the meantime, they have spent some time in Italy and may be planning to escape the frigid winters of the far north.

After nearly a week of work, the inspection was over.  Some of the days were very long.  Jon had already completed several inspections on N (US) registered aircraft for other owners and it was time for him to be home in Sweden with the family.  He had driven down to Italy to do all these inspections and had towed a small trailer to carry his equipment, etc.  One of the heavy items he lugged down to Italy was a set of jacks just for my Staggerwing gear retraction tests which were a part of the annual inspection.  The trailer caused him more of a challenge on the ferry boat crossing between Sweden and Germany than just driving a normal car.  Guess this falls under the category of “Nobody said it would be easy”.

But Jon kept smiling and enjoying the work on the Red Rockette.  He stated that he was very impressed with the workmanship of the Croydon Aircraft Company, especially the metal work.  It’s challenging to find good metal workers to produce the difficult compound curved metal sections which were required during the aircrafts restoration.  He was even more impressed when I answered the inevitable question, “Why New Zealand”?  Just one reason is because the owner of the company personally visits British Columbia every few years to actually go into the forest and select the very trees from which his wood for aircraft restoration projects will be milled.  Prior to making these trips he had received very poor wood for aircraft restoration use by just ordering it sight unseen.  Naturally, this wood could not be returned, thus a great financial loss was incurred.  By using his knowledge of wood, his trips to BC would pay for themselves in savings over time, and guarantee quality output at the end of the project.  It was actually difficult for me to have the fabric applied to cover all the magnificent wood work this little NZ company had produced.  Is there a clear see-through material with which to cover aircraft?  I wish there were.

I remember a wonderful sight years ago at Oshkosh.  In front of the Red Barn of the Vintage Division of the EAA, sat a WACO restoration which was, indeed, covered in a clear material for display purposes.  Watching parents show their children what was UNDER all the fabric of the aircraft surrounding them was worth the price of admission.  The look of awe on the children’s faces was wonderful.  And isn’t that a big part of what Oshkosh is all about?

But let’s get back to Italy.  It was time to visit a new friend near Piacenza.  A beautiful flight westward along the Italian Alps just north of Verona, across Lago di Garda, north of Brescia, then turning southwest getting down to 1500 feet in the Po Valley.  This part of the journey became quite odiforous.  It was late in the afternoon and the very strong smell of barnyard hung in the air.  Guess natures “fertilizer” had just been spread on the fields.  Ugghh.  But what a beautiful afternoon for flying in a magnificent part of the world, northern Italy.  A wonderful dish of homemade risotto, some excellent Italian wine, and the company of new friends topped off a most enjoyable day.

The next morning it was time to head southeast for a visit with friends in Rome.  My new Italian friend from Piacenza would join me in the journey.  It was another beautiful day in northern Italy.  When flying VFR (Visual Flight Rules) in Italy, a pilot faces a great number of airspace and altitude restrictions.  It’s a challenge to remain out of controlled airspace.  We wiggled our way between restricted areas staying at low altitude to avoid others which we could fly under.  A fuel stop was required and Reggio Emilia was chosen.  No grass runway here, only a long bit of concrete.  As some of you know, I like to land on grass and takeoff on a hard surface runway.  This procedure saves a good deal of wear on the tires, which are becoming difficult to find.  Having fueled up with some shockingly expensive fuel, we headed southeastbound through some valleys but mostly over the Apennine mountains.  Air Traffic Control in the vicinity of Florence was very accommodating to us by letting us fly directly over the city saving us many miles.  Passing very close to the small, hilltop village of Cortona which I had visited with my oldest daughter and her husband last year, we proceeded past the famous wine town of Montepulciano, over Lago Bolsena, landing at the delightful small airfield called Alituscia Vejano.  Met by old friends, we all joined for an outstanding lunch at the airfield restaurant “Barrone Rosso”, or the Red Barron.

It’s late and I need a nap.  This brings us up to the middle of May, 2012.  To be continued.

Each of the last 3 weekends we have attended a local fly-in organized by some local aero club.  All have been within 50 miles of “home”. They have all been wonderful events with many aircraft that we don’t get to see in the US.  All have overfed us with excellent quality food and drink.  More details of each will follow in a blog post “sometime” soon.  The last one, the Stradivari Fly-in at Cremona, the violin capital of the world, was magnificent.  Included were classical concerts and other cultural events.

The tentative plan for the next month includes departing this lovely farm environment on Friday, 6 July 2012 to visit the Pipistrel Aircraft factory just across the Italian border at Ajdovscina, Slovenia (LJAJ).  They are one of the innovation leaders in light aircraft production with numerous models of aircraft produced in their factory on this airfield.  Their new Panthera will be a sensation in the light 4 place market.  Then a short flight to beautiful Bled, Slovenia.  A nice airfield with a good restaurant, a castle on a small island in the local lake, beautiful alpine architecture all lend to make it a most comfortable place to be.

Later visits to Austria, Slovakia, and an AOPA sponsored event in the most western part of the Ukraine at Uzhhorod (UKLU) the weekend of 12 thru 15 July 2012.  Hope to do some family research while there since there is a possibility that Charney grandparents may be from somewhere nearby.

And so goes the wanderings of Captain Biff.

Yes, it’s amazing…you get two updates within days of each other.

So there I was…in the sack, out like a light, middle of the night, probably snoring…and my dream turns to jello. The hotel room is shaking…it’s a nice shake, not a violent one, but it goes on for a long time. In my daze I can’t figure out where in the world I am. I’ve been tossed around in the middle of the night in a number of places in the world but I usually don’t have a problem knowing where I am. This time it’s different. Maybe because it’s a soft gentle shake and isn’t all that scary. Maybe it’s just because I’m older but that IS a scary thought so I put it out of mind. After the first big one comes the normal after-shock. It’s also somewhat gentle. I finally remember an Italian dinner, which is now turning into curdled cheese…or a milkshake, and finally decide I’m in Italy.

Several emails arrive asking if I’m OK. So I’ve decided to send this one out as an “I’m OK” note. The Red Rockette is OK as well. Indeed, several buildings, including a church, about 40 to 50 miles away, fell. Three folks lost their lives. No damage in my local area. Fortunately, the RR is in a nice hangar on a wonderful grass airfield of a private nature. I’ve learned that following the RR around can be fun. She gets invited to nice airfields and I just tag along. Wonderful people offer their help and all is good.

One of my esteemed educators from my days at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo…I had a gal there once…sent me an amusing (I think) note. Having heard of the shaker and noting that I was in the same area, he wondered if it was really a shaker or if I was just practicing landings. I may have to reassess my thoughts of gratitude and respect.

Saturday afternoon was a hum-dinger. Gave some really nice folks a ride in the Red Rockette and in return was trusted enough to be allowed to fly a very nice Stearman. More than one flashback in those few minutes. Something about biplanes, especially of the open cockpit type, that bring emotions to the surface.

It’s raining now and will for the next few days if the weather folks are correct. I hope to be at another grass airfield by next Thursday, this one called La Ferte-Alais south of Paris. Big show there next weekend, 25-27 May. Hoping the wx improves.

Cheers, Old Cap’n Biff.

Captain Biff Windsock
www.captainbiff.com

Yes, I’m painfully aware that it has been a long time since this message service has been updated. Life certainly can get busy at times. After spending the winter back home in Nevada I have finally returned to northern Italy, completed an extensive annual inspection with the help of a very knowledgeable and professional fellow American, and have flown the Red Rockette several times. She goes well after being looked after by good friends for the winter.

The mechanic/inspector/restorer who completed the inspection is Jon Roth who is married to a French lady and they live in Sweden. They have a Stearman restoration business there. Yes, there is enough interest in the Stearman and other old warbirds here to make a living at it. There are many N (US) registered aircraft in Europe requiring the services of a person with US/FAA ratings like Jon. Jon and wife Marie also happen to own a Staggerwing for their personal family transport. Good for me! Guess it’s difficult to find a place to stash two kids in a Stearman, which has open cockpits. Eventually there will be a link available on this site to their website. For the time being: www.vintageaeroplane.com

The weather here has been mostly wonderful with the few scattered days of refreshing spring rains. There were times during the long days of work during the inspection that I would just stop and look at the view out the hangar door. The airfield was just 25 miles straight out from Runway 25 at Aviano Air Base northeast of Venice. The view was rolling green hills morphing into the Dolomites, the Italian Alps. Usually very clear but sometimes with various shades of light blue haze to give some texture to the view. Wonderful!

Speaking of green, the vineyards looked very healthy as well. This is the area of Prosecco production, the Italian sparkling wine. It is taken like water here at all times of the day, especially just after work. One could get used to this lifestyle.

After a few formation flights for a photographer, we (the RR and me) headed west to a small grass airfield near Piacenza. This flight was a tad emotional for me. My dear Austrian friend and two of his colleagues died nearby just about a year ago in severe turbulence. I hope to join at least a part of a memorial flight in their honor sometime in June. The full flight would begin in Piacenza, fly to Spain, Portugal, France, Luxembourg, and Germany. My short visit to Piacenza was to visit a new aviation friend and his wife, who makes a wonderful risotto. Have you noticed food and wine mentioned more than flying?

Pretty good reason for that. It IS Italy, after all.

Now down near Rome again visiting old friends before I head off to spend the summer wandering more northern countries. The plan of the moment is to attend a famous vintage event at La Ferte-Alais airfield south of Paris 25-27 May. Close friends from New Zealand, Matt and Jo McCaughan, will join me after that event and we will wander France a bit together. They are the folks who operate one of the best Aviator holiday experiences anywhere. www.flyinn.co.nz .

I later hope to do some family research in Slovakia and possibly the Ukraine later in the summer. We’ll see how it goes.

I have SO many people to thank for the kindness that has come my way. I will not name them all here…it’s a long list. Any of them reading know who they are. Molto Grazzie!!

Well, at least you know that I’m still around and that the wandering begins for another summer.

Captain Biff Windsock
www.captainbiff.com

The journey from St. Georgen airfield in Austria to Italy began back on Sept 27, 2011.  I was pleasantly surprised by the president of the local aero club stating that he and his family, who have been very good friends to me, would fly with me in loose formation on the first leg of my journey to the south.  We left the airfield, located roughly 30 km southeast of Linz, Austria, to fly south through wonderous valleys, around massive peaks and over clear blue lakes of the magnificent high Alps.  I had a consistent smile and sense of awe as the views changed in the windscreen.  These views and the lovely 9 cylinder symphony of the P&W up front made for a most memorable experience.  My friend did the leading as he was the local expert so all I had to do was keep up and watch all this beauty slide by.  All too quickly we had crossed into Slovenia and the coastal airfield of Portoroz came into view.

After an amazing platter of local seafood for lunch my friends flew off to return to St. Georgen, only a tad over a one hour flight to the north.  I decided to RON (remain over night) as it was getting late in the day and the flight down Roma was was going to be over 2 hours.  And the local food was excellent.

Leaving Portoroz, the Red Rockette and I flew the VFR low level route along the beach westward past Venice (which I would be visiting again soon), following it southeastward for a short while, then turning inland to cross initially the flatlands, then the Apennine mountains of central Italy southbound towards Rome.  Flying in Italy under Visual Flight Rules is very challenging due to many restricted, danger, and other high use airspace areas.  The “control” part of all this type of flying would take far too long to explain.  Let’s just say that “overcontrol” is a better term.  After several hours at low level a good number of bugs had accumulated on the windscreen and the leading edges of the wings. But through the bugs I was able to see well enough to find my way and the lovely little “Alituscia” airfield near the small town of Vejano came into view.  High wires at one end (naturally the favored landing direction due to winds) require careful execution of the approach.  I loved it since it reminded me of my crop dusting (topdressing to you Kiwis and Ozzies) days!  Great fun and a wonderful reception by new friends.  They love the music of a round engine as much as I do!

This little airfield is located just a few miles north of Lago Bracciano, a very round lake with loads of seaplane history, about 30 miles north of Roma.  It became even more famous several years back since Tom Cruise rented the entire castle that sits above the lake for his most recent wedding.  For me, it is the location of the Italian Air Force Museum on it’s shores that draws more interest.  More on that next time.  Spent several days getting to know my new local friends and enjoying wonderful Roman hospitality. After giving a few rides to these new friends, it was time for me to wander about 100 km northbound to another little airfield out in the middle of flat farmland in the valley south of Firenze (Florence) but only about 4 km as the crow flies from the famous hilltop town of Cortona. This airfield had a B&B right on the field…and AVGAS as well. I needed little more.

This was a big deal for me.  Not only was it yet another great little airfield of Italy, but one of my three children was visiting the area with her husband.  Elizabeth, the eldest of my 2 daughters, and husband Tim were visiting a local winemaker and would be in the area for 3 to 4 days.  I would join them for part of the time as they enjoyed the fruits of the winemaker, etc.  They also enjoyed the company of friends from Belgium during this period so we all piled into the Red Rockette (this daughter being the one that was a Rockette in New York and that the aircraft is named after) one day to have a wonderful view of the famous piazza in Siena and the surrounding hills of the Chianti region. Amazingly, I later learned via an email from an old Oshkosh friend who was in the area doing a little wine “research” that we had flown directly over the village he was visiting that day.  Although he did not hear nor see us, he looked at my flight track through the website that evening to discover this irony.

This is about all for the moment.  Naturally, there is a good deal more to be filled in.  But to keep you informed on my location at the moment (Tue, 8 Nov, 2011) and plans…I’m back south again, this time staying in downtown Roma doing tourist things as I wait out the brutal weather that has been pounding northern Italy. There has been massive flooding and lives have been lost.  We have had a good deal of rain down here in Roma as well lately.  But being stranded in Roma is not really being stranded, is it?  The plan is to fly north as soon as the weather breaks (forcasted to be in several days) to another private grass airfield, this one housing an aviation museum.  The Staggerwing has been invited to spend her winter there at the museum, located about 40 km north of Venice.  I will find my way home soon after finding the airfield.  Thank goodness for GPS.  Someone please save me a drumstick from Thanksgiving?

One more thing, I had the great privilege of having an article written about the Staggerwing and this journey in the current edition of Volo Sportivo. Check out the Red Rockette in the Volo Sportivo article – you will love the pictures.

Captain Biff Windsock
www.captainbiff.com

Such was the case by reconnecting with the nephew of my old friend Josef, of Reno’s “Josef’s Vienna Patisserie”. Sadly, Josef, originally from Vienna, has passed away but Stefan, his nephew, has taken up the family trade and built it up from one bakery to numerous outlets around Vienna.  He now has a beautiful family and is an outstanding baker.  He works hard but finds time to enjoy life with his family.  I met him many years ago when he was visiting his uncle in Reno and trying to decide what to do with his life.  A ride in a Grumman Albatross was my gift to Josef and Stefan.  He still has fond memories of that ride to Lake Tahoe.  Hopefully it had a small part in his maturing process.

Ready to leave Spitzerberg, I noticed that their windsock was somewhat tattered from a recent windstorm.  At that moment the “Windsock Federation” (of the world?) was created.  The new Federation contributed the cost of a new windsock to the club. More on that another time.  Leaving Spitzerberg was not easy. I had spent several weeks there, made new friends, enjoyed some air touring in Slovakia with old friends, listened to some good music at a local concert, and learned some of the history of the local area.  All good stuff.

Flying to another nice little airport at Gmunden, Austria, I was the guest of another Austrian friend.  He and family took me to the lovely village of Bad (Bath) Ischl, took coffee in a historic cafe on the river, then climbed a well known mountain and toured a famous salt mine.  Then cable cars to the top of the mountain for some of the worlds most wonderful views.  A local Staggerwing ride the next day confirmed that this has to be one of the most beautiful parts of the world.

A couple of days back at nearby St. Georgen airfield where my Austrian adventure all began was most enjoyable.  This was sort of a “goodby” visit with many new friends there.  Noticing that the earlier mentioned windstorm had done a number on this aero clubs windsock as well, the new “Windsock Federation” contributed funds for a replacement.  These folks had been very good to me and some sort of gift was in order.

Then it was time to wander away from Austria and head off to sunny Italy.  One of my daughters and her husband were going to be visiting Italy and the plan was to join them for part of their journey.  So the Austrian adventure ends for this year. The adventures of flying a Staggerwing in sunny Italy begin in our next visit.

Captain Biff Windsock
www.captainbiff.com ]]> http://captainbiff.com/blog/2011/10/leaving-austria-not-easy/feed/ 0 http://captainbiff.com/blog/2011/07/journey-to-austria-earlier-than-expected-july-11-2011/ http://captainbiff.com/blog/2011/07/journey-to-austria-earlier-than-expected-july-11-2011/#comments Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:54:13 +0000 admin http://captainbiff.com/blog/?p=777 Continue reading →]]> Well, it’s been a beautiful day in Zell am See, Austria. But why am I here when I had planned to go to Turkey, Greece, Croatia, and Italy from Cyprus prior to Austria? In June, 2011, I had traveled from home in Reno, Nevada back to Cyprus to rejoin my mistress, The Red Rockette at RAF Akrotiri. There was a good deal of work to do on her after sitting for about 5 months or so. I had planned to be there earlier but “life” got in the way. So finally, I was back in Cyprus with old friends and plans to do some local touring this time. And I actually did that. A very pleasant day was spent up north of Paphos in Polis, site of an ancient port which no longer exists. Nearby was a small church overlooking the Med that had quite a collection of walking aids, crutches, and other bits and pieces that folks had discarded due to their being healed during their visits to the chapel.

Naturally, a nice seafood lunch at a seaside cafe was in order along with the requisite bottle of local white wine. Another day was spent going to Nicosia, checking out the old Ledra Palace hotel for a pal in Reno who had honeymooned there with his new wife many years prior. Sadly, the once wonderful old hotel is in a restricted zone on the border with Northern Cyprus and is no longer taking visitors. It houses British troops who are part of the UN Peacekeeping Mission there. The poor chaps deserve better. It’s a mess.

I continued walking past the Ledra Palace, crossing the border into Northern Cyprus. They don’t stamp one’s passport but a piece of paper that is then slipped into your passport. Another stamp upon return. Had a nice lunch, walked about a bit, and found that it’s really much like the south…but there was just a slight hint of tension in the air. Maybe it has something to do with ME…I’ve been leaving a trail of carnage wherever I go these days. The entire Middle East is boiling and some folks are pretty determined to have regime changes. I didn’t think a little red Staggerwing had that much of an impact. Jeepers!

Then a good deal of work on the Staggerwing was in order to get her ready to visit Turkey, Greece, and Italy with a bit of Croatia if time allowed. Loads of help from my friends at RAF Akrotiri where, as you may remember, the old girl had been invited to winter due to her British WWII Royal Navy history. I was requested to give a talk at the RAF Officers Mess one day and did so. It was the first time I sported a necktie for quite some time. The active duty RAF and USAF folks, in addition to the local members of the Aircrew Association seemed to enjoy the presentation. They were impressed that at least a part of the wartime history of the aircraft was known. That is only because of the work of one retired oceanic air traffic controller from Ayr, Scotland, Mr. Peter Berry. He has written a good deal on the history of the entire Staggerwing production effort.

Then came the shocking news of the death of an old friend, Hans Gutmann of Austria. Following is the statement of the FAI:

Submitted by fca on Mon, 20/06/2011 – 13:40

The FAI deeply regrets to announce the sad death of Hans Gutmann, the President of the FAI General Aviation Commission, who died along with two other people in a fatal crash onboard his C 172 near Piacenza, Italy, on Saturday 18 June 2011.

Elected President of the FAI GAC Commission in 2010, Hans Gutmann had been active in the General Aviation and Amateur-build world for many years as a Delegate, Alternate Delegate, Subcommittee Chairman and Technical Adviser, where his knowledge was highly regarded.

Born in 1948 in Stockerau, Austria, Hans Gutmann was well known for the famous tour Around the World that he achieved in 1996 on board a Glasair IIS-RG that he built himself.

The FAI conveys to his wife Elisabeth and daughter Eva the deepest sympathy and extends our sincere condolences.

As many of you know, The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the world’s air sports federation, was founded in 1905. It is a non-governmental and non-profit making international organisation with the basic aim of furthering aeronautical and astronautical activities. See www.fai.org if interested.

Hans and I had met many years ago when I attended a meeting of the Earthrounders group. They are a group of folks who either have or want to fly around the world in light aircraft. Their purpose is to share knowledge of such activity. And to teach the rest of us how to enjoy life…which they do very well. Hans and I had wandered South Africa for several days after another Earthrounders meeting there. Hans was one of the founders of that organization as well.

With the knowledge of Hans’ death, I decided to scurry about, get my “stuff” together, and move on to Austria for the funeral…which was delayed by numerous factors. This gave me time to get there. So on Friday, 1 July, the Red Rockette flew 5 flights of thanks to the local military and civilian folks at and around RAF Akrotiri who had been so kind to me. A number of Young Eagles were among the passengers that day as well. Lot’s of big smiles around when one gets a Staggerwing ride. I hesitate in naming individuals for several reasons. With the days flying completed, the old girl was partially packed up and put to bed. It was really wonderful to be “back in the military” for a little while…I loved it. One has to admire deeply the folks who make the military a career these days. I am so proud of them.

Having already checked out of my hotel, I returned to Paphos, some 40 miles away to spend the last days with the old friends. They had been so kind and patient with me. After my last 6pm Mass at the ancient chapel where St. Paul had been tied to a pillar and beaten, it was back up the hill to the Kamares area. Several Campari’s and a fine dinner later, I was exhausted.

Sunday morning it was last minute packing, final goodbyes and off to return the rental car. A ride had been offered back to Akrotiri by the young RAF Officer who had been my “go to guy” at the airbase. A nice dinner with he and a young USAF Officer who had turned the Staggerwing’s prop, etc while I was gone, a short nap, and it was time to go.

Monday, 4 July was another beautiful day in Cyprus. Regulations required that I fly back to a civilian Int’l airport, in this case Paphos, to clear customs, etc., refuel, pay the breathtaking bills, and head away to Corfu for the first night. I knew that no matter how early I got started, and was early, that flying to Paphos, completing all the formalities, refueling, and flying 700+ miles was going to be a full day. Corfu had been highly recommended and that was really good information. It was, indeed, a wonderful place to remain overnight.

To be continued…gotta take a nap.

Being a happy wanderer has many advantages, mainly that I can set my own schedule an change it at will when something of major interest comes along. I hired a private car with driver and headed south from Amman on Friday morning, 7 Jan, 2011.

This is where I’m going to add a paragraph about driving…or being driven…on the streets and roads of the Middle East. It reflects my own perception of driving in general and no specific driver is meant to be depicted here. This is a wide paintbrush of the area and it’s drivers. If paragraphs were titled, this one would be “I’m gonna die, I know I’m gonna die!”. This is written with all due respect to my personal driver, who has not hurt me nor hit anything. Left lane, left lane, going fast, lots of traffic all around, left lane, BAM..right turn! Arrghh! Right lane, right lane, goin’ fast, lots of traffic, WHAK..left turn! Awaak! I sit sheepishly with head lowered. A prayer may well have slipped out now and then. I think you get the picture. These guys all go to Boston and New York when they grow up. Having said all of the above, the drive on the national highways is quite sedate. Why?Checkpoint after checkpoint with speed guns (radar) at each. Often backed up with quite manly machine guns as well, especially on the Dead Sea Highway. You may well know that the Dead Sea is disputed territory and Israel is very visible a few miles across the way. So the drive on these highways, especially by professional drivers who want to keep their licenses, is very sedate compared to city driving.

Back to Petra. Driving south from Amman after an hour or so, we stop at a “tourisitc” shop. As we wanderers have learned, each driver or tour operator has a friend or cousin who has a shop that we must see. There is a cousin on every road in the drivers country.A turkish coffee and the purchase of a trinket and we are on our way southbound again. It’s a beautiful cloudless day and life is good. After all, I arrived in this country by Staggerwing. It may be the first Staggerwing to ever touch Jordanian soil but I do not make that claim since I do not know if it is fact.

We arrive in the town of Al-Batra, also known as Petra, find the hotel where I have a reservation, drop the bags, and off we go to the Visitors Center of Petra. There we meet my guide for the day. On to a pony for a ride down the trail to the entrance of the wadi, or canyon, that leads to the famous “Lost City of Petra”. Half way down the trail I have a flash of clarity…should have saved this pony ride to go UP the hill upon my return and not DOWN the hill as I am doing. I’m just a farmboy from Michigan. Off the pony and a long, interesting descending walk through the wadi with numerous ancient markings, carvings, and remnants of the water transfer system are exposed.

Now fade back with me about 65 years or so. I’m in a movie theater in Michigan back in the days when we got our visual news from the newsreels prior to the beginning of the movie. All black and white movies at that time of course. The famous commentator, Lowell Thomas, is describing in his most distinctive voice the first film release of Petra to the western world. The movie camera, a massive thing in those days, was being rolled down the trail through the wadi. Then, accompanied with very dramatic music, the camera captures the sight that I am now seeing first hand after all these years. It still makes the hair stand on the back of my neck. That first sight is of the famous Treasury of Petra.

For the next several hours my guide shows me the rest of the ancient city, all of which are rooms carved deep into the walls of the valley. The Treasury, which it turns out, was not a Treasury at all but a tomb, is the most famous of the rooms. This was a very moving day for me, having had the memory of the film seen so many years ago buried on my memory chip for so long. I leave the rest to your own Google search.

The next morning another ride southbound to Wadi Rum. This area is reminiscent of Monument Valley in the US…but with a different flavor. A ride out into the valley with a local guide in a well worn pickup, I have tea with a well weathered Bedouin in his camp tent. Then off further into the valley made famous by Lawrence of Arabia to wander into another wadi with an active stream. This one was a bit of a challenge but well worth the climb back into it’s recesses. The valley is a magificent, humbling place, full of color and textures.

Wadi Rum is another destination that is well worth a visit There is a hotel near the entrance to the valley with distinctive architecture, including tents if one desires to be adventurous and live the Arabian Nights experience. I leave this area to your own Google search if you care to learn more.

Enough for this entry. The next will cover the flight from Amman, Jordan to Paphos, Cyprus…the long way ’round.

I left off several days ago saying that flight clearances had delayed me here in Amman, Jordan. The clearance issue revolved around the fact that after I arrive at my next destination, Paphos, Cyprus, I intend to fly to the Akrotiri Royal Air Force Base just 25 miles from Paphos.  Because of this Staggerwings WWII British history, it has been invited to use some storage facilities there for a few months while I return to the US.  I am very grateful for that invitation. The serving RAF personnel at the base have been extremely helpful in this matter. As an ex-serviceman myself, it is with pride that I acknowledge their service to their country.

The clearance issue has been resolved, Jordanian and Egyptian overflight clearances have already been issued, now the final clearance to be issued is the Cypriot landing permit. It is expected within several days. Having checked the weather for early next week I find that Monday, the 17th, will not be a good day to fly. So the tentative plan is to fly to Cyprus next Tuesday, 18 Jan, 2011. Weather will be the final determinant.

Having taken this space for the above notice, I’ll leave the tourist info until the next post. I’ve experienced a good deal of touring during this extended visit and a little time off has been enjoyed. This country is very rich is history. I have mud on my shoes and pants from the Baptism site where John baptized Jesus. I don’t want to clean it off. And so it goes.