I spent four hours planning the flight to Arlington over my dining room table the week before we took off from Evergreen. The chart was sprawled across the dining room table underneath my plotter and E6B. Scratch papers, notes, pencils, highlighters and erasers were scattered amidst the cookies, chips and beer bottles! But as luck would have it no amount of planning prepared me for the unpredictable weather we were to encounter the morning of July 9th when Percy and I met in front of 29 hotel's hanger--low ceilings and drizzle. After a pause to buy Percy an air mattress at Wal-Mart (I confess, I had one too), the weather opened enough to beat a path north as far as Chehalis/Centralia. I flew most of the leg and was surprised, rather delighted, that my checkpoints actually "checked"--my ETA's and ATA's, ETE's and ATE's actually matched! Thank goodness for no winds aloft! May I be so lucky on my future cross country flights later this month! A hold-over at Chehalis for foul northern weather delayed our arrival at Arlington sufficiently to prevent our continuing on--the air show had begun. We landed at First Air some 20 miles south of Arlington and made good use of the two hour delay to eat, sleep, hike around and visit other airport bums. Percy met a few nice fellows that were rebuilding old planes in one hanger while I lounged under 29 hotel's elevator on the grass and penciled down a "wish list" from a borrowed Sporty's Catalog. We finally arrived to nice weather at Arlington along with a flock of other planes all converging at once. Percy had taken the controls for this leg so I could see "how it was done". It makes me nervous now just thinking about all the traffic and fast thinking/flying that had to be done those last few miles to earn a safe landing on runway 34! I learned a lot on that trip, thanks to my friend Percy.

Dawn at Arlington. Not as early as in prior years. The roar of airplane engines did not occur at first light, probably because of lowered ceilings. And I missed the person who plays the bagpipes at the crack of dawn!

I caught these pictures as the 'coupe row greeted another day.

The tail number is not "two-niner Hotel" for nothing. Here she is, complete with sleeping persons there in. Or under, as in under the wing. Though not "five star," there was plenty of room for two tired flyers. Except for head room. This is why one always sleeps under the right wing. The left wing has the pitot/static tube, which can really "do a number" on one's head!

After the greetings of the day and attending to personal needs, we discussed breakfast. Mr. Andy Pomeroy is native to the area and had a place in mind. There was not the usual amount of debate because Andy also had the car! Here we are parading into Linda's. The food was indeed excellent. Nice pick, Andy!

Mr. Paul Anton is the Region Director for the Ercoupe Owners Club. Here is pictured with his wife beside his Ercoupe.

Also among our "happy campers" was Mr. Steve Lewis, the Washington Wing Leader. Here we see his "home away from home" next to his Ercoupe.

Mr. Maynard "Straight-Line" Smith is probably the most journied `couper on the west coast. This year he took his California to Washington trip in two jumps. He stopped in at Pearson Field in Vancouver, and I shared dinner with him. A very wise flyer, the good Mr. Smith. He went up on Thursday amid clear skys. Not like Wes and I, who dodged clouds and rain from Eatonville to Monroe the next day!

And here area our intrepid aeronauts! Percy G. Wood (left) and Wes Lewis (right), just about packed up and ready to start their return trip.

We had a lot of fun Friday and Saturday chatting with all the great EAA folks there and drooling over their fine crafts. I especially enjoyed meeting the other Ercoupe owners in Row 17 and checking out their planes. I'll never forget sleeping out under the wing that night with my blue tarp pitched and staked down to guard against offending rain--just like the barnstormers of old!. Those air mattresses paid for themselves in spades too, let me add. Here's to a safe trip and looking forward to next year! I hope I can meet a few of you then and who knows, maybe I'll be parking my own 'Coupe on Row 17.

Taxiing in

At the Ercoupe Fanciers Gathering with John, Paul, Maynard.

EFG with Maynard, Andy and Percy

Caught Steve and others looking at Ercoupe alternatives

Myself (left) and Percy (right)

John and Dennis from Idaho next to their plane

Lined up for gas at Scappoose behind a Hyperbipe

Our trip back was as bad as the trip up - low ceilings and rain. The worst stretch was from Monroe to Eatonville, along the 122 degree east meridian. We kept our eyes on the map, our hands on the GPS, and stared out at the mists. Mr. Wes got an excellent flying lesson, and his thorough flight planning really paid off!

I end on a bit of a sad, yet happy, note. I am happy because Ercoupe 2129H has a new good caretaker. Mr. Tom Hill has assumed responsibility of keeping this fine fleet ship of the skys up for another chunk of time. I am sad because it has been one heck of a run, and I will miss the old girl. I am not through flying; just "between Ercoupes."

Authors:  Wes Lewis - Camas, Washington
          Percy G. Wood - Portland, Oregon, soon to be Roswell, New Mexico.