Day 32 Fishing at Red Lake

Today Jack spent the day having some R&R with Braydon at Red Lake.

This is Jack's message with the picture: 

 "I caught 2 pikes to Braydon's 1, finally was better at something than B" 

I am told there is a picture coming of the actual fish but the internet is  bad and the pictures aren't going through. Maybe just another big fish story?

For those of you who do not know the connection between Braydon and Jack, I will give you a quick update.  

When Jack was taking his flying lessons at  Principal Air - Flight Training  ( Jeanette, awesome teacher)  he met Braydon and they clicked.   Braydon was the 20 something year old son Jack did not have. Now don't be mistaken, he absolutely loves his girls but a guy is a guy and girls often don't speak their language. So Braydon became Jack's flying partner, putting in hours first on the training plane then later in GEJG. Those two put in a lot of flying time together, it was a mutually beneficial arrangement, as Jack did not  have to do much paperwork with Braydon there ( you can imagine Jack's happiness!) and Braydon got flying hours to qualify for his commercial licence. Win, win.

 Braydon was successful at getting his commercial  ( he is a very good pilot) and got a job this summer at Whitewing Resort flying the plane of his dreams, a supercub float plane. His job was to fly into lakes in the area to pick up  trapped minnows used for the local fishing lodges. He was so pleased to have this job. (I hope to give you an accurate account here).

One week ago, while taking off from a smaller lake, he got caught in a huge down draft and his plane went down.  This is called a weather phenomenon.  The plane crashed into the trees and ended up in a bog.  Braydon does not remember the crash but does remember waking to the smell of l/AV gas and burning sensation of chemical burns. He was covered in it. Now the next sequence of events are a testimony to Braydon's training and level headedness. He turned off all electrical, rolled out of the plane into the boggy water, removed the clothes soaked in gas, rinsed as much gas off his body as possible, took a picture of the side of his head to see where he was bleeding from to put pressure on it and got out his emergency pack. Radio soaked in fuel but he turned on elt and the search and rescue came, a Hercules circled until a helicopter came to lift him out of there and to the hospital in Dryden. It took several hours and Braydon was every mosquito's dream, out there in the bog with few clothes on.

Jack's comments are, Plane write off but newer and better one coming - the owners of the plane/lodge are saving his job for him as they very much appreciate and respect Braydon as person and pilot. He's loved by many people in town - people walking up to him and hugging him.... Everyone  has been super supportive and thankfull that Braydon was able to be airlifted out by herc plane and helicopter . Very fortunate esp as was doused in av gas! Took off clothes got into water .... Got chewed by hundreds  mosquitoes!!! Bad  -even with netting but I think he was in bit of shock and just glad to be alive - national safety board  investigated, say cause, weather phenomenon downdraft  no further investigation required.  Braydon lucky and smart / trained . 

We are so thankful that he kept his wits about him. The Whitewing Resort owners Bobbi and Dave have been so good to open up a cabin for Braydon's Mom and Jack to stay in. Jack is glad he was able to visit him and as Jack said "to have a day of normal things like fishing!" The next few days or perhaps week will mean some down time for Braydon as he waits to get the all clear to fly again. Every day he seems better and Jack's hearing his laughter again and that's reassuring !  Braydon keep your wings up!! thinking of you as you get back in Left Seat and look forward to our next get together! 

Jack off to St Andrew's, Manitoba in the afternoon for his own bit of excitement there tomorrow.

Flying seems to be both exhilarating and dangerous but then so is driving in downtown Vancouver most days!

So happy GEJG has so many flying hours under his belt already and is on the home stretch. Stay safe. 

Hugs to the Fly Boys

posted by Jo

Day 32 Red Lake Ont

This morning before leaving Thunder Bay, Jack had a gourmet breakfast at the waterfront. 

Of all the freeze dried food Jack had with him, the breakfast skillet was the best!! and look no dishes to wash, just add hot water and mush the bag around a bit. 

While touring the waterfront Jack noticed they serve  good ethnic food in Thunder Bay.

Jack left Thunder Bay and is now inRed Lake, Ontario catching up with Braydon at the  camp where Braydon flies a float plane. 

Jack mentioned to me that he got some nice Gopro video  of a moose running ( will have to wait to get that on the blog) on his way to Red Lake.  He then saw another one  so he circled around and  to get a really good close up on the Gopro. As he got closer it turned out to be a really big brown stump, ah well can't always get just the right video. 

Jack plans to stay in Red Lake until Friday. He has no cell service at the camp and I am not sure about the internet. 

I know he will be enjoying being there and might even go fishing while there. It is awesome lake country.

Goodnight boys!

posted by Jo

Day 31 Canada Day in Thunder Bay Ont and other travel trivia

You have to chain up the propellors because they get lots of snow in Houghton MI

Pingo so  glad to be back  in the Great White North

Getting near Thunder Bay. Not much turbulence crossing the water, once on land a lot worse.

 Canada Day festivities outside the hotel in Thunder Bay

Andres' 1946 CB  named Eve after his daughter. Andre' is a new friend whom Jack originally connected with through a COPA magazine article.

Jack left today  from his night in Houghton MI. after learning some interesting facts of the area.

Did you know ???

- that Houghton Mi is the birthplace of professional hockey - The Portage Pioneers- late 1800's.m

- that the airport folks are very good to a homeless looking pilot and give him pizza

- that the area is nick named "Copper Islands" because it produced more copper in dollar value than the gold rush.

Now you have travelled to Houghton and on we go across Lake Superior to Thunder Bay where Jack will be spending the night due to weather

His  greatest concern once in Thunder Bay, was clearing customs.There were more questions asked when returning to Canada than there were going into US but all was well. Paper work was properly completed!! Jack said he even put on a clean shirt to clear customs =) that must have done it!

Remember the plane mascot Pingo, remember where he got his name at the beginning of the trip?  When Jack was flying into Tuktoyaktuk on Day 10 he saw them.

A pingo, also called a hydrolaccolith, is a mound of earth-covered ice found in the Arctic and subarctic that can reach up to 70 metres in height and up to 600 m in diameter. The term originated as the Inuvialuktun word for a small hill. 

Tomorrow Jack will make it to Red Lake as the weather will be much better. The ceilings were too low today to finish the last leg. Tonight he gets to catch up from last night in the plane, mosquito attack!. Also time for him to reflect that on July 1st 2004 ( I think or 2005) Jack had his re-birthday and was shocked back to life after his heart attack. He is feeling very blessed to be able to do what he is doing  now and to have so much support.

Tomorrow will be a good day spent with Braydon going over the highlights of his trip so far.

Sleep well Captain Jack. 

posted by Jo

Day 30 Travel Trivia

This is the 30th day of Jack's trip and he is still going strong.

He has flown 7,379 miles

He has stopped at 34 airports

Most stressful moment, "getting past point of no return on flight from Cambridge Bay to Resolute, 4+ hours into the flight then being told by Resolute flight services, contrary to weather forecast, it was deteriorating in Resolute, low ceilings, snow. Could not go back!!...no where else to land, not enough fuel, so carried on. Made it through a "hole" after 460 mi.....oh well it worked out"

Other stressful moment, GPS over heating in unfamiliar territory having to remember heading and time to next destination.

Tonight he is sleeping in his little aeronautic hotel at Houghton MI airport which is across Lake Superior from Thunder Bay Ont. 

He will cross over into Canada  tomorrow  and head to Red Lake Ont to visit his surrogate son Braydon. 

More travel trivia next post. 

posted by Jo

Day 29 State Side

Jack made it to Michigan no problem. He said the border agents were very friendly. Guess the best way to enter the US is via your own private plane!

He did hit some turbulence on his way there but by now that is a walk in the park for Jack. Once he landed they took care of his plane for him, tied it down etc. 

Tonight he is having a good chin wag with his youngest brother and tomorrow heading back to Canada.

Tomorrow also marks the 30th day of travel and he does not appear to be tired of it yet. He did say he did not realize how cold he had been at times while up north until he was in the nice hot weather of southern Ontario/Michigan.

GEJG signing off

Posted by Jo 

Day 28 The Ottawa-Toronto Corridor to London Ont

Jack left a great stopover, just outside of Ottawa, at Rockcliffe airport. He spent yesterday evening there with a new aviation acquaintance, Andre'. Fellow plane addict and adventurer like Jack. A visit that will likely last in a continued connection. I mean really what else would one want to talk about other than planes =)

He left Ottawa and made a stop in Stirling Ont. the famous home town of my former boss, Butch. Two retired guys filling each other up with adventure stories....ain't life grand when you are retired!!! In order to stop in Stirling he had to go through a military airspace. That was interesting.

Then, what the heck, might as well take the most direct route and travel through the most populated area of Canada and busiest radio traffic, the GTA!!! Jack said all the control towers, and there were many, were all very helpful and guided him through.

Up north there was so little radio chatter, hours with nothing to hear and down here there is too much!! He said it is so much more beautiful and peaceful up north with its amazing mountains and wilderness. The Toronto area was hot, humid and smoggy, yet he said was still interesting to fly over it and see how it was laid out. You can see from the two pictures, one of Toronto and one of Montreal how congested such a small part of our country is.

The stop for the night is in London Ont. He is nicely set up in a B&B with an excellent internet so he was able to download all the foreflight essentials for tomorrows flight.
Jack will be flying into US air space to visit a brother in Michigan. He feels he has all the paperwork in order so lets hope there are no glitches.

Lots of focusing today made for a tired pilot tonight.

Sleep well Captain J


Posted by
Jo

Day 27 Crossed 3 provinces and landed in 4th

Today Jack left Port Hawkesbury with a big "thank-you" to the team at the airport. Lots of good contacts made and stories told.

Keep your wings up until we see you again

He touched down in Summerside PEI

Then a stop in Miramichi, NB. They must have heard he was coming because they had a nice new hat there for him.

A fly over Quebec, as he said, back to civilization

 And a finally a rest stop in Ottawa.  Had to stop in the Capital of the great country he has been seeing.

Jack's new life saying

posted by 

Jo