About a half hour from my home up the Skagit river valley in the foothills of the North Cascades is the little town of Concrete. It's name comes from the now closed cement plant. The town has a couple hundred people in a very sparsely populated area. People were running from the larger airports with climbing costs and fences etc. The city would lease you a piece of land and you could build your own hanger. There are about a dozen or more there. About 5 hangers house the Skagit Aero Museum. About 50 old planes restored to perfect condition. No charge, all the hangers are open, just walk through and look. Nobody around, pure trust. Most of the hangers have apartments in the upstairs. All the hangers are filled with activity on the weekends and some on weekdays. I went to see Ward, an old codger with two Luscombes, a Cessna 140 and a small homebuilt biplane. I usually buy him lunch at the burger joint. He let me have some stick time before I bought my starduster. Had never flown a stick. A really nice pilot lounge with windows all around, kitchen, showers and rotten coffee with a cup for donations. The old fashion airport that you guys all talk about. The airport elevation is about 600 ft. The mountain is Sauk mt. Elevation about 5000 ft. There is a trail to the top and a firetower. A lake on the other side that thaws for about 3 months with a little trout fishing. Town is about a mile away and a ride is always available. The runway is very narrow but you can use the grass.
But now the sad part. Across the fence is the local high school. Probably 150 kids that are bussed a long ways up and down the river. The fellows at the airport got together and started an airplane project with the high school. Lots of go at the start but it quickly died. I would have killed for that when I was young.
The Concrete flyin is July 19 20. Better than Arlington. See you there! Maybe someone smarter than I can rotate the brownie
But now the sad part. Across the fence is the local high school. Probably 150 kids that are bussed a long ways up and down the river. The fellows at the airport got together and started an airplane project with the high school. Lots of go at the start but it quickly died. I would have killed for that when I was young.
The Concrete flyin is July 19 20. Better than Arlington. See you there! Maybe someone smarter than I can rotate the brownie
