Ride to a plane crash- a little ride report

ZZR_Ron · 06-01-2006, 08:40 AM

In 1971, a forest fire was burning near Norse Lake.

A modified Grumman Avenger was dispatched, with a full load of
chemical fire retardent, to keep the fire in check.

The pilot came in over the fire, tried to release the load, but
it didn't happen. Still with a full load, the plane lacked enough lift
to pull back out, and crashed, leaving 300 metres of debris in it's
glide path.

The pilot's life was saved when the plane hit, and the fire retardant
put out the forest fire for 100 metres around the plane.

We decided to go for a ride, and find that plane!

The gpx file is included.

My fellow adventurer for this ride, Bill, on his new KLX250...

Me, with the bikes, right after we found the trail in.

Here's what the plane would have looked like before the crash.
It was a modified WWII plane.

Though a series of events which involved some vague directions, and
a bit of shithouse luck, we found the trail in...
The debris started almost right away.

Part of a wing. You can still see the rounded dents in the front of it,
where it hit the trees, and was subsequently torn off.

Continuing along the trail, we found the fuselage, and main wings, still sitting there after
a third of a century!

Bill, looking over the wreckage.

A good ride overall, but even better because we accomplished our goal:
to find the plane!!

vegasphotog · 06-01-2006, 08:57 AM

Hey Ron,

Thanks for sharing that really cool adventure!

This speaks to my similar interests of DS bikes...not necessarily always riding around aimlessly, (though, that can be quite fun also...) but to BE ON A MISSION.

Nice score finding the plane and great pix.

Ontario GS · 06-01-2006, 09:55 AM

Hey Ron, that's pretty cool!!!!!!

Ride_There · 06-01-2006, 10:05 AM

Cool find

I wonder how many people have stumbled upon that plane over the last few decades.

MooseKiller · 06-01-2006, 10:28 AM

Wow! That's cool! Also a good story and to hear the pilot made it out OK back when it happened... Thanks for the pix!

Dingo Joe · 06-01-2006, 10:32 AM

i wonder what all that aluminum is worth...

ZZR_Ron · 06-01-2006, 10:34 AM

I should mention that Bill took most of the pics...thanks Bill!

I don't think too many people have come across it over the years, even
locals have never heard of it, or thought it would have been long cleaned up.

It isn't easy to find. (Well, easier for you guys with a gpx file in front of you!)

Now, I refuse to do another ride report of any kind, until the "Quest for the Castle" has been conquered...or it conquers us!

Wheeldog · 06-01-2006, 10:57 AM

Pretty cool trip!!!

You make it sound like '71 was a long time ago

.......thats the year I graduated from high school.

BikePilot · 06-01-2006, 11:05 AM

That's a really cool trip

Was the radial engine laying around somewhere? What did the avenger use anyway a PW-2800??

AKDuc · 06-01-2006, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooseKiller

Wow! That's cool! Also a good story and to hear the pilot made it out OK back when it happened... Thanks for the pix!

+1 Cool story. Thanks for sharing. Mark H.

RDJEff · 06-01-2006, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BikePilot

That's a really cool trip

Was the radial engine laying around somewhere? What did the avenger use anyway a PW-2800??

R2600!

Ridemuch · 06-01-2006, 07:00 PM

Great story Ron if I ever make it out your way I would love to see it.

HighwayChile · 06-06-2006, 10:10 PM

nice

mriderleon · 06-08-2006, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BikePilot

That's a really cool trip

Was the radial engine laying around somewhere? What did the avenger use anyway a PW-2800??

We looked for it a couple of times last month when I visited Ron, he got the location of the crash site from the guy that salvaged the engine from the wreck. He said the engine was in a museum somewhere.

sullydirt · 06-08-2006, 10:19 AM

Good story, thanks for sharing.

06-01-2006, 08:57 AM	#2
vegasphotog Las Vegas Cheechako Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Covered in Desert Dirt Oddometer: 3,248	Hey Ron, Thanks for sharing that really cool adventure! This speaks to my similar interests of DS bikes...not necessarily always riding around aimlessly, (though, that can be quite fun also...) but to BE ON A MISSION. Nice score finding the plane and great pix. __________________ "I would rather ride my motorcycle on Sundays and think of God, than sit in church and think about riding my motorcycle..."

06-01-2006, 09:55 AM	#3
Ontario GS Budding Adv. Traveler Joined: Feb 2004 Location: Peterborough, ON, CA Oddometer: 290	Hey Ron, that's pretty cool!!!!!! __________________ John Husqvarna TE250 (The Gator) -- 10 KTM 690 Enduro Life ain't about how fast you ride, or how high you climb, but how well you bounce.

06-01-2006, 10:28 AM	#5
MooseKiller Tripod Joined: Sep 2004 Location: Exiled to Frozen Winter Hell, AK Oddometer: 4,580	Wow! That's cool! Also a good story and to hear the pilot made it out OK back when it happened... Thanks for the pix! __________________ I used to be an adventurer like you, until I took a Hyundai to the knee...

06-01-2006, 10:32 AM	#6
Dingo Joe Frick You... Joined: Dec 2002 Location: Dayton, O Oddometer: 4,448	i wonder what all that aluminum is worth... __________________ "kept down by the man...."

06-01-2006, 10:34 AM	#7
ZZR_Ron ^OP Underground Joined: Nov 2004 Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada Oddometer: 7,467	an acknowledgement I should mention that Bill took most of the pics...thanks Bill! I don't think too many people have come across it over the years, even locals have never heard of it, or thought it would have been long cleaned up. It isn't easy to find. (Well, easier for you guys with a gpx file in front of you!) Now, I refuse to do another ride report of any kind, until the "Quest for the Castle" has been conquered...or it conquers us! __________________ Great minds think alike;small minds seldom differ...

06-01-2006, 10:05 AM	#4
Ride_There Will ride for bacon. Joined: Aug 2005 Location: MN, the state where nothing is allowed. Oddometer: 2,783	Cool find I wonder how many people have stumbled upon that plane over the last few decades.

06-01-2006, 10:57 AM	#8
Wheeldog Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2006 Location: Wasilla, AK Oddometer: 1,609	Pretty cool trip!!! You make it sound like '71 was a long time ago.......thats the year I graduated from high school.

06-01-2006, 11:05 AM	#9
BikePilot Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2005 Location: Tampa Oddometer: 10,901	That's a really cool trip Was the radial engine laying around somewhere? What did the avenger use anyway a PW-2800??

06-01-2006, 07:00 PM	#12
Ridemuch SUP Joined: Nov 2005 Location: GTA,Ontario Oddometer: 2,053	Great story Ron if I ever make it out your way I would love to see it. __________________ "Ya Rob, well she either gets used to the fact that I ride pretty much every weekend or she needs to find herself another boyfriend" KTMike

06-06-2006, 10:10 PM	#13
HighwayChile greetings from Wa state Joined: Aug 2003 Location: Bow, WA USA Oddometer: 4,094	nice __________________ “I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth.” .....Steve McQueen

06-08-2006, 10:19 AM	#15
sullydirt Studly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2006 Oddometer: 701	Good story, thanks for sharing. __________________

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