We took off late this morning and flew the Cirrus to Kelso, WA to pick up my mom for a flight up to Orcas Island for lunch. My mom has been flying with us a couple times, but she's not so much of a flyer, normally. She's only been in the Cirrus once when we first got it, and before that she flew once with me in our previous plane (an Aerocommander Lark, kinda like a Cessna 172) after I got my pilot's license (because really, how could she not? I got a PILOT'S LICENSE!!!!!) I think the whole-plane parachute that comes with the Cirrus is a great feature for people who are bit scared about flying.
Anyway, look at this — (L to R) Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Hood, on the way to Kelso:
Here we are coming into the San Juan Islands:
Approaching the runway at Eastsound on Orcas Island:
Parked and ready to head to lunch:
There's a nice public path from the airport right to town:
We had lunch at the Madrona Bar & Grill. Right there. Right out there on that little top deck:
With this view:
All three of us ordered the halibut fish & chips and it was…well…it was fantastic. My mom is the one who originally told us about the Bandon Fish House fish & chips (our favorite, still) but we all agreed that the halibut fish & chips we had today were right up there in the top 5. Pretty cool!
After lunch we walked around Eastsound a bit, in and out of a few shops, checking out the bay, etc. We had such a nice day and the weather was just perfect!
Leaving the San Juans:
On the way home, after we took off from Eastsound, Kevin showed my mom how to use the stick and rudders to fly the plane, and she flew us all around the back side of Orcas Island and then pointed us toward home. Did you catch that??? SHE FLEW!!THE PLANE!! She was super smooth and seemed perfectly calm, and…kinda like she LIKED it! It was so cool. (You've come a long way, mom!!!) :)
Mount Rainier off the wing on the way home:
Traffic, high, no factor (and I was totally zoomed in, don't worry):
The Lewis & Clark Bridge, across the Columbia River, just before we landed back at Kelso to drop my mom off:
We had such a great day with my mom, and it was fun to fly over several of the spots where we'd recently spent time in the Airstream (Port Townsend, hi Kerri!, Hood Canal, Victoria…from a little bit further away).
