Eureka Trip Report 2002
Hi All :-) We had another 3-day (Mother's Day) weekend so we tookoff Friday morning for breakfast/fuel at Porterville (PTV). I had been there with the SoCAL group a month or two ago but was alone that day so this was a first for Victoria. We then left for Lake California near Red Bluff. RV-4 friends Keith & Shirley Livingston are retired there, and we found this out at OSH 2000 when we saw there plane parked in the 1000+hr lot! Keith now has 2045 hours on his plane now, but I don't know when he started flying it. After a nice visit, they asked if we had dinner plans which we did not. They suggested we fly 10 minutes to Benton (O85) airport at Redding where they'd pick us up as they were already planning dinner in Redding for themselves. I flew a friend of Keith's to Benton who was interested in the RV. After dinner, we flew over Trinity Lake where we houseboat yearly then west over the Trinity Alps to Eureka Murray Field (EKA) for fuel. From there north along the coast to check it out then back to Eureka Samoa (O33) airport to spend the night at the Samoa Bed & Breakfast. We were greeted on the ramp by hosts Don and Shauna Burrow. Their B&B is located on the California coast at a former WWII Blimp Base. Each room is decorated with its own aviation theme: The Radio Room, Bi-Wing Room and Taildragger room. The hallway is filled with pictures of guests with their planes (taken when you arrive!). We even saw a few of our friends on the wall. We still had about 2 hours of daylight so we borrowed the airport car and drove into Eureka to look around. We walked around old town and saw a super display of frontyard wooden artwork by Romano Gabriel (you have to see this!) then stopped in the Humbolt Bay Coffee House for some hot chocolate. We were treated to a husband/wife playing the piano and 'singing the blues' :-) Back to the B&B for a nice visit with owner/pilots Don and Shauna, good people. This B&B wins 'hands-down' on the most fun B&B we've ever stayed at :-) After a great breakfast (cooked by Don) on Saturday morning, we flew south along some beautiful California coastline about 20 to Shelter Cove (OQ5) airport. You have to see this picture as that was enough for us wanting to go there! There is a restored lighthouse near the runway that was commissioned by President Lincoln along with a sculpture of Shelter Cove founder Mario Machi.We then walked down to the ocean and spent some time around some tide pools. It was fun for us since we'd only seen tide pools on TV :-)
We visited for a bit with some CHP officers (flying two C-206s) who we parked next to. What a job they have flying around this beautiful part of the state!
We continued on to Ruth (Q95) airport located midway between Shelter Cove and Benton. While building, I'd watched a Cessna Citation promotional video that showed a jet landing at this mountain valley airport....there is no 'pattern' to landing here.
Depending on the winds, you either approach through the valley from one end or the other, following the river and remaining clear of the trees. On our approach, the runway was not visible until after we rounded the last corner. The following picture is oriented same as the previous picture to show the approach:
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