If you missed Airventure, you missed...(Cont'd)

Continuing from the previous post. Just had a few more things I wanted to mention about the Airventure Experience this year.

- One of the challenges for folks with kids, especially older kids, is what they can do while attending Airventure. This has been identified in feedback received from those that attend AV. Turns out that our new EAA president also has teen-aged kids, and therefore wanted to focus on that concern a bit more this year. There were some neat changes this year. Part of the package of materials you receive when you enter the campground was a notice about a schedule of events for teens, and this included several meet and greet, Pizza parties, and Bon fires at the volley ball courts throughout the week. Unfortunately, the bon fires could not take place, because of a fire ban in Wisconsin due to drought conditions. (Something I know about all too well this year in Colorado) Regardless, they still met at the courts and had a good time.

My son met several new friends that were his age, which I was happy to see. I also learned something new about the association that EAA has with the YMCA in Oshkosh during the event. There is actually a shuttle bus that runs each day between Airventure and the YMCA. Kids less than 10 years old must be accompanied by an adult, but others can go to the Y without an escort. Bus leaves at 1230 each day and returns at about 3:30 or so. This service is free of charge, and the YMCA in Oshkosh is second to none. It even has a full ice skating rink. Adam took advantage of this a couple of times to go play basketball. I also learned from one of the grown ups that they also allow people flying into Airventure to camp on the soccer fields at the Y. campers have full access to allthe ammenities at the Y, including restrooms, showers, etc.

For the trip up and back, and the few times I saw my son during the event, being able to spend time with him was priceless. He is not an aviation enthusiast as I am, but he has enjoyed each of these past two trips. I am hoping I can share a couple more with him before adult life and work and money and girls take over.....

If you are looking for a way to bond with family, Airventure is an excellent way to do that.

- You missed catching up with old friends, or making new ones from all over the world. Mike Rettig introduced me to a group of RV 10 builders that were in the group camp area of Camp Scholler, which is much closer to the main grounds entrance then I am. These were great folks, and the meet and greet pot luck dinner was fantastic.

- Then there was the "after party" back at my trailer where Mike and I proceeded to do a little card playing and drinking. I was consuming some Batch 19 Pre-Prohibition beer from Coors that Scott Mills graciously provided for me as compensation for hauling his gear to OSH and back. Thanks Scott! Then I introduced Mike to a drink with an interesting history that I call the "El Supremo". Sorry, if you want to know more about that drink, you'll just have to travel to Airventure and meet up with me to find out! Needless to say that we were a little snockered by the end of the evening. After a rather tough journey, and some equally tough weather conditions after we arrived, I was in need of some "relief." Thanks Mike.

- I need to take some time to recognize Mike just a bit further. Other than being a great drinking buddy, MIke deserves honorable mention for a hst of other reasons. Earlier this year a series of events unfolded after he became acqainted with a young man by the name of Alex Cuellar, who had aspirations of becoming a pilot. His dreams were suddenly shattered when he was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. After Alex had visited Mike's RV-10 project, Mike asked Alex if he had ever been to Airventure. A seed had been planted. Then, after hundreds of events and phone calls and inquiries later, this young man and his falther, Allejandro, were on their way to an all expense paid trip to Airventure.

While many folks became involved to make this all happen, Mike was the corner stone that started it, and then coordinated most of the efforts to make it all happen. The VAF community also came together for this young man, who is still recovering from chemo-therapy and fighting for his very life to this day. It was absolutely awe-inspiring to see what a group of people with different aviation-oriented interests and backgrounds could do in just a matter of a few months to make a young man's dream come true. I am very proud to be a member of an organization such as EAA and Vans Air Force, and to know the wonderful people that make up these organizations. Mike - you are tops in my book.

You can see more info about his trip by clicking here.

Just to give a glimpse of some of the things that Alex was able to experience:

1. Transported in RV style to and from Airventure by an RV-10. Thanks Dwight.
2. Interviewed on EAA radio. You can listen to that interview online here. (Note that as of this posting the 2012 AV interviews do not appear to be available quite yet. I am sure they are working on them, so just be patient.)
3. Was introduced and received a standing ovation at the Vans Banquet
4. Got to meet director George Lucas prior to the screening of the Red Tails movie at the Fly In Theater.
5. Got to ride in the B-29 Fifi (Something that I was seriously considering doing this year until vehicle repairs ate up the funds I had budgeted for that.)
6. Got to tour the Airventure grounds and the Museum in style with a golf cart and transportation arranged by EAA. Thanks Chad Jensen and others).

And that is just a taste of what they experienced...... I was blessed to meet Alex and his dad several times throughout the week. I truly wish the best for Alex and his family, and I pray for his full recovery so that he may continue to pursue his dream to be a pilot someday. Cancer sucks.

Mike, you are truly inspirational for your selfless devotion to making this happen. Thank you for all that you did for Alex and his family.

This was probably the highlight of my week - watching a young man get an experience of a lifetime.

- As a parting remeberance for this post, on the last day of the event, I also watched in amazement as a young girl at one of the concession stands proceeded to make the tallest soft serve ice cream cone I have ever seen. By the time she was done, tis thing was at least one foot tall. As she handed it to me, I kept wondering how in the heck I was going to eat this humungous thing. One thing about me, when it omes to ice cream, I will find a way. I managed to down that thing in a matter of minutes, without spilling a drop. This was followed almost immediately by a though from that oldTV commercial that goes something like "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!" Took some more walking to recover from this amazing feat, but that is never a problem when at Airventure, sinec the average person walks about 7 miles per day while they are here.

So, are you going to go to Airventure 2013, or are you going to keep dreaming about it? Make it happen!