{CoffeeShop Family Flying Circus} Day Trip To Ink's Lake!

Oh, how I did missed you my beloved flying! You never know what you are going to see at your local airport and this day it was four military helicopters. 

If you have been following my blog for a while, you probably remember that we are a flying family. Paul started working on his private pilot license in his 20's and finished it in his 40's. Then we purchased a little plane and had many adventures.  

The few years we owned the Gooney (our plane's nickname, now the name of our cockatiel), Paul built up his hours and went on to get his IFR rating. Then the entire world changed with the introduction of a tiny (literally) new-to-the-world virus and everything started shutting down. Not knowing the future, we decided it was a good time to sell our beloved baby. 

It was a very difficult decision (and I won't tell you who might have cried a few tiny tears), but with so many things that happen in our lives, sad changes can lead to better things. Our airport has one of the best flight clubs of the state (maybe the nation) and while the Gooney was getting sold we got on the wait list. This club has three Cessnas, two 182's and one 172, and all are almost new planes with fancy glass panels and all of the bells and whistles. Planes that we could not afford on our own. 

It took a year but we finally got in. Our monthly club fees are only a third of the hanger rental fees we were paying for the Gooney and the rental fees on the planes are cheap. So not only do we get to fly newer, fancier, safer planes; we are flying at a fraction of the cost AND stress compared to owning our own plane.

Paul is telling people he divorced his old wife and now has three sexy mistresses. Interesting way to look at it Paul. Hee hee!

So we are back to flying regularly and I want to catch you up on some of our adventures. A few weeks ago we flew into the airport at Horseshoe Bay Resort outside of Austin for a fun-filled day trip.

What a perfect day to fly. Cool, calm, and clear.  This is the Colorado River. Stunning, right? 

Another cool plane spotted! We had actually seen this aerial firefighter on our flight over, practicing on a local lake. 

At the Horseshoe Bay Resort airport we were treated like royalty. You would think we were high rollers and had arrived in our private jet. In fact, there were several private jets on the tarmac dwarfing our Cessna.

After feeling rich and famous for a few minutes and grabbing a free fancy coffee, we picked out a courtesy car for our trip to Inks Lake State Park.

Look how I have shrunk. And yes, Luke was staring straight in the sun and not happy about it. That is my old Rebel camera, I haven't brought my new Canon RP on a trip yet. 

We were lucky and were able to play in the abundant snow left from the snow"storm" last week. 

After last year's deadly freeze at home this is all of the ice I want to see. 

This park is rocky and wild and gorgeous. We usually come during the summer to swim in Devil's Sinkhole, but it is also nice to visit when it is cool enough for hiking.

We had a picnic on the top of that waterfall. 

Growing up around Houston, you really can't get enough of climbing rocks. 

See those two little heads at the top? I love that my boys are adult-sized but still kids in so many ways.

After a few hours of bliss in one of my favorite state parks, we had to head home before it got dark.

Rita is not scared to fly anymore, but Rita does not fly in small planes in the dark. Rita likes to be able to see the ground so she can look for safe areas to land in case of emergency. Not everyone is lucky enough to land on top of a building and survive. Thankfully Paul respects Rita's (ok, my) decision and always makes it home by dusk.

Paul is a sweetheart. A hot sweetheart. A hot sexy pilot sweetheart who puts up with his crazy wife. ;-)

It was a perfect day, I can't wait for our next adventure!

Lately these trips (and daily life) are a little bittersweet because I realize my boys, now 14 and 17, are growing up and getting closer to leaving the nest. I know they will visit as adults, but we have been so blessed to have them with us on all of these little adventures over the years. I wish I could just pause time right now, just for a few years. I swear they were just toddlers, where did the time go???

Have a great weekend!

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