New Valley Hills

Sonoma Valley Airport for 0630.

Joe got me here for 0600 then headed home. Glen is unable to get in due to the wildfire smoke. He diverts to Nut Tree Airport 37 mile drive ENE beyond Fairfield. Joe returns to pickup me up for discussion on whether to go or not. We drive 45 minutes to new airport.

Glen has flown 200 miles from home down south.

He’s taking it to Medford, Oregon for a service including the 10 year re-pack of the plane parachute. Oregon state has no sales tax unlike California. The cash cost difference makes it more economical to fly 800 miles round trip out of state.

The PCT makes a huge half-circle detour around Shasta. It dominates the views from the trail for over two weeks. We fly over 700 miles of the PCT in 90 minutes.

Off to the east the smoke from Salt Creek wildfire lies in the valley. I can just see the plume rising above the smoke layer.

We head into Ashland for a breakfast burrito and a supermarket shop for me.

I’ve flown into hell! Ashland is hotter than Kenwood and the smoke is reducing air quality to red levels.

I decide to take a hotel for one night to sit this out. During the day the forecast for tomorrow goes up and the smoke worsens. I book a second night in the hotel. A sign says the AQI is 161!

South of me it’s worse!