We picked up the flight M-50, to return the Chimo maintenance crew from Roderick Lake north lodge, including their 1180 lbs. of equipment and material. We picked up 1056 lb "Chun-lun-tao tiger balm", ordered for the Thaj Sauna Week at Joe's. It's Nanny who's responsible for the manufacturing of this old, traditional healing balm.
It's a receipe I once found in a old book in one of these magically smelling old second hand book stores when we were doing business in Chiang Mai. If you ever find any old receipe, bring them back to Nanny and let her take care of the alchemy part... but I'm diverting.

Alas, this cargo was well enough paid and included 5 glasses of free Chun-lun-tao balm. You certainly agree I could not have resisted anyway... so we boarded the cargo and prepared the flight to Joe's, from where we wanted to pick up warm food and head towards Roderick's lake.
Beside the initially bad weather, we had a more positive perspective and indeed the weather became acceptable (at best) 15 minutes after take off.



After a quite unsurprising flight at around 500 ft AGL, fighting nasty gusts and shear speeds that would make the Mistral shiver in humbleness, we landed at Joe's, unloaded the balm and went to the "pub" where we ordered five hot meals (for the maintenance crew) and five "Guarano neuro-thunder shots".
Another Nanny-made syrup, mixed with hot water. Shortly after, we took off again and headed towards Rodericks lake. The weather had improved a bit, and the winds were a wee bit softer over Roderick's lake water masses, so it actualy became a joy to fly a few low passes over the local islands and the countless lodges one can find in this lake district.

If you approach against the wind, the tourists cannot hear you very well, and you can surprise the braver of the couples in many unusual positions behind their rented lodges. Teee-heee.

I need to get my hands on one of these USGS cameras we recently had with us on a flight. My, these cameras delivered a resolution - desirable indeed.

But as with so many other things: don't waste energy to hold something in your grip - rather invest that energy into loving it...




And so we moved on, leaving so many spot of sheer beauty behind us and headed towards our target - the lodge at the north end of the Rodercik's lake, where the maintenance crew of Chimo air services were waiting for someone to bring them home, some to their family, others to their reserved pub seat. Regardless of the individual destinations, they were expecting us to arrive sooner rather than later.

We took the opportunity and delivered a hand full of goodies from Joe's to lodges all over the place on our way from Joe's to Roderick's lake - financially attractive and a very good way to get my rusty ice and snow flying skills refreshed. It's quite challenge, since I was used to look if no lions are sleeping on the runway in the past few months... now, here in Red Lake, we have, let's say, slightly different problems...

In short: we safely landed next to the lodge after we made three low altitude bypasses to be sure we're not getting wet feet upon landing... We delivered the hot meal still quite warm, and the crew was awed by the sound and smell of the Waterpipe - we came like an angel from the sky to rescue them from boredom and canned spam. So for them, we were something like Santa Claus and the easter bunny at once.

After we loaded their equipment and secured the cargo in Annie's belly, we cleaned up the camp ground and prepared for take off. Victoria and the hot meal certainly did bring these fellows in mood quickly, I can tell you. It was like Spring break in the cabine.

And, as you can see from the pictures, the weather cleared up and we had a very nice flight back from Roderick's lake north lodge to Red Lake, and finally Red Lake Chimo base.

We unloaded the cargo, and while Vic brought the crew to their transfer bus, I gave the Waterpipe a thorough check. After all these shaky flights and sometimes bumpy landings, it it certainly advisable to check the euipment one more time than you would in less rough climate.


Ok, M-50 accomplished, accounting done. Next, please.

Clear skies
Cpt.Hak