
Photos for
"Flight Home" Cub Adventure 2006
We are using High Definition photos
They might take a while to download
Width2Width2952Width1This little guy was very friendly. (6/23/06)Width2Width2952Width1z

A vintage 1939 Piper J-3 Cub and its pilot flew from Corona, California to Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. Lock Haven is the location of the original Piper Aircraft manufacturing plant. From Lock Haven we flew to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the EAA AirVenture airshow. After the airshow, we turned for home.
Follow along on this adventure by reading the logbook pages and viewing the photos. The journey is more about the people and places than the time spent in the air. After completing the adventure, we found rural Americana was much the same as it was when this little airplane was first built. Taft Cub
Duffle bag in the rear baggage area, back pack in the front seat. The simpler the better. (6/12/06) PICT9581
Day 1 Ever wondered where old cars go to die? (6/12/06 somewhere east of 29 Palms CA) PICT9593
Day 1 Twenty-Nine Palms Airport. Correct me if I am wrong, but do you see even ONE palm tree? (6/12/06) PICT9597
Day 1 Flying over a valley, too remote and desolate for man to have found and destroyed, this ancient river bed tells its story of time through erosion of multicolored rocks and soil. (6/12/06) PICT9606
Day 1 Just add water to our desert and "Tahh Dahh!" Farmland complete with crops. Okay it took some elbow grease as well. The Colorado river winds its way between California and Arizona. (6/12/06) PICT9624
Sunrise in Buckeye, AZ. Flying east early in the morning has its advantages. (6/13/06) Day 2 PICT9630
Whoever is in charge of placing mountains on this earth is doing one heck of a job. Every motorist on Interstate 10 likely enjoys this little beauty. (6/13/06) Day 2 PICT9645
Just when we were getting comfortable with the colors of brown, grey, and beige, the Good Lord mixes things up with these cottonwood trees in a remote river bed. You should have seen me scrambling for my camera to get this shot. (6/13/06) Day 2 PICT9663
Now this is what I call an airport terminal. Free coffee and donuts. (6/13/06 Wilcox, AZ) Day 2 PICT9676

No caption necessary. (6/13/06 Wilcox, AZ) Day 2 PICT9679
Ooops!!! I do believe we just flew over El Paso International Airport, AZ When did they put that there? (6/13/06)
Day 2 PICT9685
Quite a change of colors and terrain today. (6/14/06 northeast of Carlsbad , NM ) Day 3 PICT9733
Yes, those are old cars scattered around the property. Evidently this man is unaware of the mass burial services available as shown in an earlier photo. But then, he just may prefer the family plot method. (6/14/06) Day 3 PICT9748
Hmmmm, no HazMat here, just a naturally occurring, indigenous body of water in a rural area. What the heck did I just say? (6/14/06) Day 3 PICT9753
As the Cub gets ready for a well-deserved nights rest, I prepare to board the luxurious airport loaner car. (6/14/06) Day 3 PICT9762
Len Miller is the Quanah, Texas airport manager. A fascinating man of 91 years. His recollections of aviation, his time in the Army during World War II and his Cub experiences were both entertaining and heart-warming . Thanks for your time and generosity, Len. (6/14/06) Day 3 PICT9765











The photo was taken through the morning haze about 600 feet above the ground. Farmer's fields and rivers take on a whole new meaning when viewed from above. (6/15/06 Oklahoma, I think) Day 4 PICT9774

Meandering rivers lined with trees bring back memories of childhood adventures of hiking with my brother. (6/15/06) Day 4 PICT9778

Our first stop for the day was our last stop for the day. The winds were well above 24 knots at ground level. We decided to wait the winds out before moving on. This Fixed Base Operator (FBO) is one of the nicest I've ever seen. (6/15/06 Hinton , OK airport id 2O8) Day 4 PICT9781
Rerouting the flight to move through the high wind area as quickly as possible. (6/15/06) Day 4 PICT9788

The shapes and patterns from above tell a story of how people make a living. ( 6/16/06) Day 5 PICT9801
I wonder if the owner of this property has any idea of how remarkable his work looks from above. (6/16/06 somewhere in either Oklahoma and Missouri) Day 5 PICT9812
One of the gentlemen at Camdenton put my Cub in his air conditioned hangar so I could change the oil. (6/16/06) Day 5 PICT9825

The mighty Missouri River in the early morning light. (6/17/06) Day 6 PICT9827

The first fuel stop, Mark Twain's childhood home. How appropriate! (6/17/06) Day 6 PICT9880

The Muddy Mississippi. (6/17/06) Day 6 PICT9886
Do the words "Flat" and "Green" come to mind? (6/17/06 Illinois)
Do the words "Flat" and "Green" come to mind? (6/17/06 Illinois) Day 6 PICT9892
With the doors and windows open on the Cub, one feels like they can almost touch the scenery as it passes. (6/17/06) Day 6 PICT9907

Rural towns with quiet neighborhoods embodied the quality of life in the Midwest. (6/17/06) Day 6 PICT9943

The narrow cabin in the Cub allows for great viewing on either side of the plane. (6/17/06) Day 6 PICT9930

Thank God the Garmin GPS found this field with a north/south runway. Besides, the airport was very nostalgic. (6/18/06 Urbana, OH) Day 7 PICT9971

Just as we were getting fueled two more Cubs on their way to Lock Haven arrived. (6/18/06 Du Bois, PA) Day 7 PICT9976
My friend Len Buckel, from San Diego unloading his Cub at Lock Haven. Len is 75 years young and has flown his Cub here every other year for over a decade. Definitely makes my trip rather ordinary. (6/18/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 7 PICT0004

Helen shared her experiences and respect for Mr. Piper with us this afternoon. Helen started working for Mr. Piper sewing the material on the wings just after high school in the early 1940's. (6/18/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 7 PICT9991


My lodging while in Lock Haven. It's far more reasonable than it appears. (6/19/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 8 PICT0016

We met the author of the newest version of the most definitive book on Piper Aircraft history. Mr. Roger Peperell autographed the copy I purchased. (6/19/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 8 PICT0010

After flying the Cub off of the grass runway all morning, I couldn't pass up this vanity shot of "us" together. This was the 10,001 photo taken with this digital camera. (6/19/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 8 PICT0001

This is for Emma, my granddaughter . The lady who owns this plane told me of her years of battles to purchase it. She finally got the plane and her husband painted it the way she wanted. (6/20/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 9 PICT0064

This is for Caleb, my grandson. Okay Caleb, how cool would it be to fly in this plane? (6/20/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 9 PICT0041

I count 7 kids and four adults in this photo, God lov 'em. Wait, on second thought, it looks as if Mom's expecting. Well, they will need a bigger tent next year. (6/20/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 9 PICT0088

Loren Peters, retired U.S. Air Captain on the left and Don Guth on the right did a fantastic job of restoring a cousin of my Cub. Two very fine gentlemen from Florida. (6/20/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 9 PICT0049

Mr. Cal Arter, aviation enthusiast, hosts hundreds of the fly-in pilots for a BBQ and corn roast at his summer home on the golf course. (6/20/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 9 PICT0108
Conversations stopped and most everyone watched every plane's landing as if the pilot needed their undivided attention to insure success. (6/21/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 10 PICT0195


I suspect this is exactly what we look like seconds before touch down. (6/21/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 10 PICT0208

Mr. Frank Baker, the author of "Piper Cub Tails," and I finally meet in front of his Cub. (6/21/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 10 PICT0227

Grandpa taking his grandson around the patch in their Cub. (6/21/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 10 PICT0184

The big radial engine powered biplane makes a perfect landing. (6/22/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 11 PICT0256


When we landed on our first day here there weren't any planes parked on the grass. (6/22/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 11 PICT0283
Downtown Lock Haven as seen just after takeoff. (6/22/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 11 PICT0274
The evening corn roast. The lady in the blue top takes your money (50 cents for an ear of corn). The lady in the black and white print top gives you a napkin and paper dish. The lady in the pink top with stars, helps first-times like me to butter their corn. Yep, you dip it into the big jars filled with water with hot butter floating on top. Yes, it does work perfectly. (6/22/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 11 PICT0294

This Cub sustained the worst damage of last night's storm. As bad as it looks, the repairs shouldn't be very difficult. (6/23/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 12 PICT0321

I received a message that someone wanted to talk to me at the airshow office. Mr. Fidelis Miltenberger had read my magazine article about wanting to hear from pilots who knew of grass strips along my route. He told me about the oldest continuously used grass runway in the USA located in Cumberland , Maryland . His recollections of learning to fly in a J2 Cub at age 19 were exceeded only by the story of his friend who used to put a parachute on his dog and toss him out of the plane. The dog always landed safely albeit reluctantly. (6/23/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 12 PICT0330

A very small portion of the 450 pilots who attended Mr. Shrack's dinner at his diary farm. The diary is known to be one of the largest in Pennsylvania. (6/23/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 12 PICT0377

This little guy was very friendly. (6/23/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 12 PICT0358

A very realistic reenactment of a World War II battle was staged right in the activities area of the event. (06/24/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 13 PICT0418

While it's physically impossible to get all of this gear in the Cub, the scene created by this pilot makes you want to give it a try.(06/24/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 13 PICT0422

Sharon Best, the proprietor of the Carriage House B&B, invited me to an afternoon tea party on the front lawn. Later I found out that she and the other guests were on the back porch drinking beer. That explains the poor service at the tea party. Perhaps it was something I said at breakfast. (06/24/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 13 PICT0432

Do you remember the photo of the Cub with the broken landing gear. Well the landing gear is all fixed up, save the yellow covering material. He'll be good to go when the rain stops. Cubs were designed for quick and inexpensive repairs. (6/26/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 15 PICT0449


Poor little Cub. It is cold and soaking wet. Now it has to suffer the humiliation of being tied down in the grass again because there wasn't any tie downs on the hard surface. Note the very low clouds against the hills behind the Cub. The ceilings were far too low to fly out of the valley and over the mountains. But we are ever-hopeful that tomorrow will bring us the window in the weather we need to fly west. (6/26/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 15 PICT0446

Oh Yeah!! This is living! A corporate hangar and sitting next to an L-39 fighter plane. Note that the Cub seems to be sitting a little higher on its landing gear attempting to impress its hangar mate for the night. Cubs do that you know. (6/26/06) Lock Haven, PA Day 15 PICT0456

We just left Lock Haven on our way to Clearfield. The Cub was flying really well. Reminding me of a puppy when you take the leash out of the drawer and him for a walk. I must admit even with the dark clouds above, it felt great to be in the air again with my old friend. The forested hills below offered no suitable place to land in an emergency, so the sparsely located farmer's fields were stored into our memory should they be needed. (6/27/06) Clearfield, PA Day 16 PICT0473

On the ground at Clearfield, PA the weather began to deteriorate rapidly. The weather briefer told me to find a place to stay for the night because a line of thunderstorms was on its way east. (6/27/06) Clearfield, PA Day 16 PICT0479

Safely in a new hangar, the Cub reluctantly settles in until tomorrow. We shared the hangar with a bashful little one-place homebuilt airplane. I'm sure they'll get along just fine. (6/27/06) Clearfield, PA Day 16 PICT0485

Thickly forested hills in western Pennsylvania are beautiful but not very pilot-friendly in the event of an umplanned landing. (6/28/06) Pennsylvania Day 17 PICT0493

Rural communities fascinate us. Each home represents someone's world. Each world co-exists with their neighbor. Add four churches within walking distance of each other and a post office and you have a small town. (6/28/06) Pennsylvania Day 17 PICT0523

Reminds me of our sandbox and toy trucks when we were kids. (6/28/06) Pennsylvania Day 17 PICT0550

The best way we found to know what town we were over. (6/28/06) Pennsylvania Day 17 PICT0553

Here's a perfect example of why we found it so difficult to land. Scenery like this passed just below our wings all morning long. (6/28/06) Pennsylvania Day 17 PICT0571

Sometimes I'd close the bottom half of the door and rest my arm on it as we flew along, just like riding in a car. (6/28/06) Eastern Ohio Day 17 PICT0578

A very disorganized vehicle cemetery. (6/28/06) Eastern Ohio Day 17 PICT0583

Terry Henry (left) loaned me his car and left gas money on the seat. Glenn Davis let me use his hangar during the storm while his plane was tied down outside. When I asked him why his plane was tied down outside, he said, "It wouldn't be right to leave a beautiful plane like your Cub outside in a storm." (6/28/06) Day 17 PICT0631

Safe on the ground with the Cub in a hangar seconds before the skies opened up in New Philadelphia, Ohio (6/28/06) PICT0586

The Ford Tri Motor arrives at New Philadelphia, Ohio airport to give rides in the morning. (6/28/06) Day 17 PICT0621

Old McDonald had a farm, and a small lake, and a forest, and a lot of money. E-I-E-I-O (6/29/06) Central Ohio Day 18 PICT0656

This old McDonald did well with his farm. So he dug a lake in his back yard. But he couldn't swim, so he built a corral for his horses that lived in a big white barn next to the lake. He loved his mother so much, he built her a two-story palace at the far end of his estate. E-I-E-I-O (6/29/06) Indiana Day 18 PICT0661

While we enjoyed the forested mountains of Pennsylvania , the flat farmlands of Indiana and Illinois were more comforting to fly over. (6/29/06) Indiana Day 18 PICT0633

Now that's a perfect sky to fly under. We are continuously looking for angels who are supposed to be sitting on top of the large clouds. (6/29/06) Illinois Day 18 PICT0749

Hmmm, I wonder what would happen if I flew our shadow down the centerline of a highway filled with speeding cars? (6/29/06) Illinois Day 18 PICT0772

The Cub felt right at home at Poplar Grove Airport . (6/29/06) Poplar Grove, Illinois Day 18 PICT0793
PART II - Poplar Grove , Illinois to Oshkosh , Wisconsin then home to California

(left) Out the window of American Airlines flight 684. (right) Out the window of the Cub
...Hmmm interesting comparison.(7/19/06)


(left) Steve and Tina Thomas have created a pilots dream. (right) Darren and Kelly stopped for fuel on their way to Oshkosh. (7/20/06) Poplar Grove, Illinois Day 20 PICT0914

Bern 's Cub on the left, Tina and Steve's Cub on the right. Looks kind of nostalgic doesn't it? (7/21/06) Poplar Grove, Illinois Day 21 PICT0927

Excuse me, but is the Cub's nose just a little higher than normal? Just what you'd expect from a Cub when a vanity shot is taken. (7/21/06) Poplar Grove, Illinois Day 21 PICT0943

The Pietenpol Annual Fly In is held at the Brodhead all grass aerodrome where hangars are filled with vintage aircraft. (7/22/06) Brodhead, Wisconsin Day 22 PICT0975

No fancy Pepsi booths at the fly-in, just this little guy making a living the old fashion way. (7/22/06) Brodhead, Wisconsin Day 22 PICT1002

Jo Ann and Frank Baker were kind enough to share their home and dinner with me. (7/22/06) Madison, Wisconsin Day 22 PICT1038

A Wisconsin campground on a Sunday morning. Swimming pool and a lake to cool off in. (7/23/06)
Wisconsin Day 23 PICT1063

Safely tied down at Oshkosh along side of Frank Russo's Cub from Sonoma, CA. (7/23/06)
Oshkosh, Wisconsin Day 23 PICT1069

This gleaming Spartan Executive was perfect in every detail. (7/24/06) EAA Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Day 24 PICT1140

Beach Boys Concert before the big storm. (7/24/06) EAA Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Day 24 PICT1163

The morning sun attempts to push itself through the overcast skies. (7/25/06) EAA Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Day 25 PICT1194

Last night's storm left droplets that give character to polished metal props. (7/25/06) EAA Oshkosh, Wisconsin Day 25 PICT1206

Hmmm this shot was so easy it was done with one hand behind the photographer's back. (7/25/06)
EAA Oshkosh, Wisconsin Day 25 PICT1225

More than a dozen perfectly restored Howard DGA's arrived on Monday morning. (7/25/06)
EAA Oshkosh, Wisconsin Day 25 PICT1216

Yep, they had the poster again with Bugsy and me larger than life on the wall in the member's pavilion. (7/26/06)
EAA Oshkosh, Wisconsin Day 26 PICT1290

The Beech Staggerwing, I believe, is the most beautiful airplane ever built. (7/26/06)
EAA Oshkosh, Wisconsin Day 26 PICT1340
The red Corsair with the big nasty radial engine passed both of the P-51's easily. (7/26/06)
EAA Oshkosh, Wisconsin Day 26 PICT1414

I have no possible explanation for this. Any ideas? (7/27/06)
EAA Oshkosh, Wisconsin Day 27 PICT1098

And you thought the Cub was roughing it! (7/27/07) EAA Oshkosh, Wisconsin Day 27 PICT1735

Contours of different crops create some fascinating visual effects from 700 feet. (7/28/06)
Iowa Day 28 PICT1857

Every once in a while we get a photo that amazes us. This one is one of my favorites. No, I'm not getting better at photography, the subjects are foolproof. (7/28/06) Iowa Day 28 PICT1886

Could this be a result of drinking while driving a tractor? (7/28/06) Iowa Day 28 PICT1901
Almost feels like you could touch the top of the church steeple doesn't it? (7/28/06) Iowa Day 28 PICT1922

Dave and Joan Kramer when we visited the Field of Dreams movie site. They were gracious enough to take me around Dyersville and put me up for the night. Two better people would be hard to find. (7/29/06)
Dyersville, Iowa Day 29 PICT1986

What little kid wouldn't love to pitch a few balls and run the bases on this hallowed groung? Not that I'm suggesting an adult would ever consider it. (7/29/06) Dyersville, Iowa Day 29 PICT1985

Landing on the Dyersville Area Airport's (IA8) impressive grass runway is second only to the folks you will meet before the time you depart. The irony of the movie site for Field of Dreams and the Dyersville Airport being in the same town where a modified movie quote could best sum it up with: "Where baseball players and pilots come out of the cornfields." (7/29/06) Dyersville, Iowa Day 29 PICT2011

How perfect is this? The Cub anticipates a lazy Sunday morning with other vintage planes, though they have yet to be awakened from their hangars. We took the time to join the Antique Airplane Association before departing for Beatrice, NE (7/30/06) Iowa Day 30 PICT2069

Why on earth would anyone build this little guy? Only a mother could love this little fella. (7/30/06)
Iowa Day 30 PICT2097

All better! The number 3 cylinder is repaired and being reassembled. Soon I'll be on the road back to Beatrice, NE. (7/30/06) Nebraska Day 30 PICT2146

We were thinking military weapons bunkers. Anybody recognize these? (8/1/06)
Nebraska Day 32 PICT2181

An airport with a hard surface runway crossed by a beautiful turf runway adjacent to a golf course. Did we just win the aviation lottery or what? (8/1/06) Nebraska Day 32 PICT2190
Now here's a view of some giant silos you don't often get from you car. (8/1/06)
Nebraska Day 32 PICT2198

A quiet neighborhood in a very small town in rural Nebraska. (8/1/06) Nebraska Day 32 PICT2220
Yes, we did that bad thing again. Note the Cub's shadow just ahead of the oncoming motor home towing a black pickup truck. (8/1/06) Nebraska Day 32 PICT2226

Contour farming gave way to mechanical irrigated crop circles in western Nebraska. (8/1/06)
western Nebraska Day 32 PICT2240
We prefer charts and compass to GPS. But we'll rarely leave the ground without the GPS. (8/1/06)
Eastern Colorado Day 32 PICT2300

The GPS is mounted on the crossbars just above the passenger seat. The view of the heavens isn't bad either. (8/2/06) Colorado Day 33 PICT2300

Our route of flight home. (8/2/06) Colorado Day 33 PICT2311

The sun finally woke up and backlit the wisps of clouds surrounding us. (8/2/06)
Colorado Day 33 PICT2341

To the right of the interstate a set of railroad track led to lower terrain. (8/2/06)
Colorado Day 33 PICT2348

From here we had to climb to 9,000 feet to safely clear desolate terrain. (8/2/06)
New Mexico Day 33 PICT2369

No time to spare. Those puffy clouds would soon join each other and become thunderstorms. This would be our place to spend the night. Double Eagle Airport, Albuquerque, New Mexico (8/2/06)
New Mexico Day 33 PICT2369

This is the second time on the adventure this has happened. Immediately after putting the Cub in the hangar, the jet sticks his nose in the Cub's tail. Thank goodness the Cub is a tail dragger. Those executive jets are just like dogs! (8/2/06) Albuquerque, New Mexico Day 33 PICT2387


Interesting contrast between the Midwest (left) and the southwest (right). (8/3/06)
New Mexico Day 34 PICT2433

Once again, we'd like to thank whoever is in charge of placing mountains next to interstates. Good Job! (8/3/06) New Mexico Day 34 PICT2480

The early morning sunlight created long shadows for better definition and richer colors. (8/3/06)
New Mexico Day 34 PICT2399

Okay, put on some piano music, relax and imagine flying the Cub on a perfect morning. (8/3/06)
New Mexico Day 34 PICT2419

That's the old Route 66 in front of this roadside business. I believe we stopped here when I was a kid. (8/3/06)
New Mexico Day 34 PICT2473

In honor of Route 66, a historic highway that spans from the Pacific to the Atlantic Oceans, we chose to fly at exactly 6,600 feet. (8/3/06) New Mexico Day 34 PICT2529

Crossing the Continental Divide at 7,645' just east of Gallup, NM was thrilling. But the terrain over the Petrified Forest National Park west of Gallup was stunning. The automobile view points miss shots like this over much of the Park - photo #1. (8/3/06) Arizona Day 34 PICT2574

The Petrified Forest National Park - photo #2. (8/3/06) Arizona Day 34 PICT2582
The automobile view points miss shots like this over much of the Park

As mentioned earlier, the automobile view points miss shots like this over much of the Park - photo #3. (8/3/06)
Arizona Day 34 PICT2601

With the late afternoon long shadows growing longer, we arriving over Sedona, AZ. (8/3/06)
Arizona Day 34 PICT2634

We had to circle until the sun broke through the clouds, but it was worth it. (8/3/06)
Arizona Day 34 PICT2655

Did one of you request another vanity shot? Probably not. (8/3/06) Arizona Day 34 PICT2492

Leaving Prescott meant circumnavigating rain shafts. (8/4/06) Arizona Day 35 PICT2685

Just east of the Colorado River we say goodbye to Arizona and the most scenic day of our adventure. One more fuel stop at Twenty-Nine Palms. After that all that is left is navigating the busy Los Angeles basin air traffic. (8/4/06) Arizona- California Day 35 PICT2732

Vanity shot of "Us" moments after landing at Corona. This adventure has ended but the next Adventure is already in the planning stages. (8/4/06) California Day 35 PICT2764
Thanks for coming along... see you next time.
Bern Heimos
Feel free to email me with your comments, vintageflying@gmail.com
"Flight Home" Cub Adventure 2006
Trip Statistics:
Number of days on the Adventure 35 days
Statute miles flown 5,217 miles*
Number of legs 55 legs*
Longest leg 2.1 hours*
Total flight time 72.3 hours
Total fuel 358.7 gallons
* GPS kept track
Epilogue
August 6, 2006
The quest to find out if rural Americana is much the same as it was when the Cub was first built was quite successful. The spirit of rural Americana is very much alive and thriving by all accounts in the 35 day Cub Adventure. In the weeks we were 'on the road' we never had a bad experience. People genuinely cared about helping out where ever they could. I never walked to a motel, slept under the wing, or couldn't get fuel. From motel clerks to FBO staff, people were never a disappointment. What amazed us most was how complete strangers became part of every solution to any problem.
From a visual stand point, America is a target rich environment for photographs. We were never bored as the miles of terrain passed below us. Our digital camera was on most of the time.
Flying low and slow over this amazing country is the best way we know to gain a meaningful understanding of who we Americans really are. Bern Heimos