AirVenture, 2012

By Jack Welsch



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Having kept diaries for my pilgrimages to Oshkosh in 2000, 2001, and 2003, I made the deliberate decision to forego it for my visits in 2005 and 2008. This year I actually started the diary but then abandoned it. What we're left with is my recollectrion as outlined below and a some of my photos.

Again this year my our friend Karl flew from Düsseldorf to join us but there were some differences from previous years.

Ed and Ron, who attend AirVenture every year, had abandoned Camp Scholler in favor of the private but nearby Sleepy Hollow Farm campground where they'd been renting a travel trailer from a private individual. This year they'd be joined by Jamie, a pilot and mutual friend. There would must certainly not be room for Karl and me so we rented a trailer from Quiet Woods RV. Quiet Woods would deliver the trailer to our campsite before our arrival and retrieve it after we left.

Both Karl and I were supplementing this year's trip with additional travel, however. After AirVenture, Karl was planning to head West to Denver, where he's kill some time before renting a Harley to ride to Sturgis. Having just retired and without a time restriction, I was planning to pick up my wife at the airport in Green Bay, head north to visit our son Eric and his family in Duluth, then wander across Michigan's Upper Peninsula and back home by whatever route struck our fancy.

Unfortunately, there was a bit of a cloud over things for me as my dad was in the hospital due to complications from surgery. The doctor assured me he would be fine and encouraged me to carry on with my plans. However, his condition was always on my mind and I spent a lot of time calling back for status reports.

Given the number of people involved and my itinerary, I drove my car and Jamie drove his pickup filled with our gear. Ed and Ron alternated between the two. I picked up Karl in Milwaukee.

Unlike Camp Scholler's open field our campsite was wooded and beautiful. AirVenture was great as always and we had a wonderful time. At the end of our stay, the other guys headed home while I dropped Karl off at MKE and picked Lin up at GRB. After a visit with Eric's gang, we wandered across the beautiful UP on our way to Mackinac Island. Unfortunately, before we got to it, I got a call saying Dad had taken a turn for the worse so we hightailed it back to PA and that was the end of the trip. In the end, Dad recovered almost completely and the surgeon was angry at the nurse for suggesting we return. Oh well, better safe than sorry.