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they made landings and, of course, taNeoͿs, and visited
new airports. They were delayed three days on the way to Alaska
due to weather conditions and two days on the return trip.
´7he hardest part is finding a place to stay,µ -erry says.
7hey booNed places as they maneuvered their way north in
Canada before crossing into Alaskan airspace. There was sleet
often on the plane as they Áew from 5egina, &anada, after
clearing Customs there, before continuing north to Alaska. The
temperature inside the plane was chilly and they were busy constantly
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monitoring the outside temperatures for potential icing.
-erry says he followed rivers and sometimes roads as he Áew the
Cessna northward.
At 1orth Battleford, &anada, the winds were very strong. A
cropdusting firm at the airport let them tie their &essna down
with the crop-dusting planes. When he heard they were from
)ort 3ierce, )lorida, the owner asNed -erry if he Nnew &hucN
Stone who operated Southeastern Aerial, a cropdusting firm in
St. Lucie County). It is a small world indeed.
7hey Áew to several cities in AlasNa, including the fifth largest
cargo airport in the world, 7ed Stevens Airport in Anchorage.
They did some hiking and sightseeing during their two weeks in
the northernmost state, taking the car ferry from Valdez to Whittier
and spending a couple of days taking a bus into Denali National
Park, where they stayed at the Skyline Lodge just 20 miles
from the north face of Mt. Denali. They also walked the “Edge of
the *lacier 7railµ at Eit *lacier in .enai )Mord 1ational 3arN.
After their two weeks or so on the ground, they were back
in the air making their way through Canada before landing in
1orth 'aNota and Áying on to )lorida.
Before you Nnow it, -erry will be planning another adventure,
either with wheels on the ground or wings in the air.
Groendyke, right, and his son, Grant, an Indian River State College
student, are both avid bicyclists and rode across the country together
as part of a family adventure.
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