X-US Flight - Where To Stop? (Eventually to the PPP in BVT)

[PeteMc]

We're going to do another X-US flight from WA (KSFF) to ND, PA, NY and to the PPP in Burlington, VT.  We've done a few of these and have hit the "Top Spots" on our lists and I figured I'd ask here for either local places by you or places you've stopped when you've done long flights.

Looking for both those quick fuel and lunch stops as well as either a great place to spend the night or even a couple of days.  The trip back east will probably be more northern or central US.  But the return trip we might do a loop more to the south.  We're not exactly sure how much time we have.  

So what are your thoughts?

 

Edited August 14, 2024 by PeteMc

[Danb]

C u in Vt..be safe

D

[wombat]

I fly this sort of thing fairly often (2-4 times a year) and usually try to land at new places.  

My typical approach to this is to start on skyvector.com with a direct route to my destination, determine how many fuel stops I'll need to make which is usually 1 or 2, depending on winds and destination.    Then turn the fuel prices on and start scrolling around at about the 1/2 or 1/3 mark on the route to look for something 'near' to direct with low fuel prices.   How far I am willing to go between stops and how far off course changes based on my time pressure and current opinion on my financial situation. 

As an example, if I was wanting to fly from Spokane to South St. Paul in Minnesota, while I would probably want to stop somewhere about halfway for fuel.

I notice that at the 'about' halfway mark is Beach, ND with fuel prices of $5.65.   Runway length 4,200', perfectly acceptable.   So I find it on Google Maps and it looks small and frankly kind of boring, but the fuel point looks new and they are right next to the highway which is always fun.

If I am willing to go a little further North, Poplar MT is also cheap and looks slightly more interesting.  

Oh, but also there is Killdeer, ND, (9Y1) that looks cool!  again 4,200', but right on a little stream (Probably dry this time of year) and cheap gas!

Or go South and hit Mondell Field in Wyoming for $6.09   It's just some place I've never been.

 

On the way back, stop by Leadville, CO!   Highest airport in North America. 

[gdwinc]

Flying back from OSH this year (in my low and slow experimental) my son and I stopped in Granite Falls, MN (KGDB).  It has what looks like a very nice WWII museum on the field.  We didn't have time to check it out, but the nice lady at the front desk let us poke our heads past the first hangar into the restoration hangar.  It's on my list to fully check out the next time I'm heading that direction.

[PeteMc]

2 hours ago, wombat said:

On the way back, stop by Leadville, CO! 

Leadville is definitely on the list and a consideration every trip.  We just haven't made it there yet.  Furnace Creek is also high on the list.  Flew over it when we did our last big circle around the US, but from what I hear, the Rwy is buckled in places and it might not be a place for a Mooney.  So I guess I'll have to do it in a rental sometime.  (On that trip, it was VFR the ENTIRE month of Oct, 2023 while we were flying.  I logged .2 of Actual only because ATC vectored me off into the few clouds there were leaving AWO.  Otherwise I could have departed VFR on course with no issues.) 

As for planning when I'm not looking for any specific place to stay, I pretty much do what you do.  Though my go-to lately has been the Trip Advisor in ForeFlight. On a trip back from I69 in March I ended up in Cedar Rapids, IA (so I could check IA off my list of states visited), Sioux Falls, ND (FBO had a good deal with a downtown hotel and there are good restaurants), and Billings, MT (just cuz it worked with what Trip Advisor was showing me).

 

[PeteMc]

2 hours ago, gdwinc said:

Granite Falls, MN (KGDB)

Gotta love a place where you click on Nightlife and you get one place... Bluenose Gopher Public House  

But the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum looks like it might be fun.  It would be a bit of a stretch to get there in one hop going east, so we'll have to look at it on the way home.  But it's on my list of places to go to now. 

 

[M20F]

KBWP is my go to place in ND.  Nice airport, nice gas, and nice place. 

[Hank]

We had a good stop at Yankton, SD. Great service, good prices, and two crew cars. It's been a few years, though. They still had both runways open then, which can be helpful when the wind is blowing, and plenty long.