CACA DOES PILLSBURY LAKE

After many aborted attempts to cross the Sierras and fly down to Death Valley (in 80+ m.p.h. winds), Bob Dieterich and I decided on a more accessible goal and met  just north of the San Francisco Bay.  We then flew to a remote camping area in northern California, up by Mendocino.

	Chiquita left Watsonville at 7:00 a.m. and was treated to a spectacular moving art exhibit on the way up to Vacaville.  In the landing pattern, Bob heard me on the radio, still 80 miles out and fighting 35 mph headwinds.		A typical view in the foothills of the Sierras, which are covered with snow-fed rivers.  We traveled up on river canyon to get to Bob's house and shot down another to depart.
	The view forward of Clear Lake.   It was an Air Cam day.  Severe clear.		Bob Dieterich over Clear Lake.
	A shot of Chiquita flying at daybreak over the Pillsbury strip.		Chiquita put away in her organic hanger for the night.
	Bob's engines wouldn't start, so we kept pushing his plane into the shifting morning sunlight.  It's tough to move an 1100 lb. plane across a field perforated by gopher holes.		Bob and I covered 22 miles of fire trails, high above Quincy, CA.
	Sorry for this.  An abstract of the turbo 914 engines warming slowly at sunrise.		Bob's dog Ace stood on the gas tank for the entire trip, leaning into the turns like a pro.
	Bob in front of our two cams, by Pillsubury Lake in northern California.  Fortunately we arrived before the summer hordes.		Upon returning to Santa Cruz I found this Coast Guard helicopter hovering next to our municipal wharf.