Simviation Forum - A sad pilgrimage

Feb 18^th, 2008 at 9:38pm

beaky Offline
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Decided to take the El downtown a ways and take a walk today... it was quite cold, and very windy. they ought to call this place "the windy city"... oh, right. Roll Eyes

It was already quite late; not enough time to visit the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium in one visit... but none of those was really on my mind, anyway. Been thinking about visiting this place ever since the first time I fired up MSFS back in '96... but I never thought it would be like this...

I'll never get to fly into Meigs... nobody ever will. It's gone. One of the neatest and most useful airports in America, which first opened in 1948 and became the country's busiest single-runway airport in less than ten years. even after the great seaplanes stopped mooring at the city's piers, Meigs thrived, becoming a proud symbol of Progress and a kind of.. gentility, I guess. A fitting portal to a great city.

It's a mediocre park now, and the land still seems to cry out for a runway.

Not a trace left, except the crumbling terminal and this tower, both apparently unused for anything at all these days.
There is no plaque, no statuary, absolutley no tribute of any kind to this important aerodrome, which brought joy, employment, and revenue into this great city for so many years. Angry

The wind was making my eyes water, but I might have cried anyway... almost regretted going there. Sad

As I walked the length of the phantom runway, an old Cessna buzzed by, over the water, at about 1000 feet. I waved, but I'm not sure if they saw me. I was freezing, and I think my camera actually froze, so I went over to the aquarium, which just depressed me for some reason.

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Reply #1 - Feb 18^th, 2008 at 10:08pm

Aerophile Offline
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Stupid Richard Daley Angry

Thanks for sharing.

My Flickr Photostream

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Reply #2 - Feb 18^th, 2008 at 10:16pm

flyboy 28 Offline
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Jacksonville, FL

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Amazing, Sean. Thanks for sharing. Definitely does look depressing, and the weather doesn't help.

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Reply #3 - Feb 18^th, 2008 at 11:32pm

Willit Run Offline
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Cherry Hill, New Jersey USA

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What a mis-use of power!!! Angry

Great shots, Sean!!

Keep Warm!!

&&

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Reply #4 - Feb 18^th, 2008 at 11:52pm

Brett_Henderson Offline
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Last summer, when I flew a lap around Lake Michigan; the awesome sights went with tempered enthusiasm... I wanted so badly to land there Cry

I'll photo-hi-jack here.. and push the thread's image limit... Embarrassed

Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland is a substitute (barely).. right on the lake.. neat places to go after you land...

*sigh*

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Reply #5 - Feb 19^th, 2008 at 12:04am

Mobius Offline
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Highest Point in the Lightning
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Wisconsin

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I would have run down the length of the old runway with my arms held out and making engine noises. That's the closest anyone can get - for now. You never know, "Dick" Daley won't control the city with his iron fist forever...

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Reply #6 - Feb 19^th, 2008 at 1:13pm

pepper_airborne Offline
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Voorhout - The Netherlands

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You could always try and get the local RC club too terorrize the neighbourhood from there, looks like a fine field, with only little axe work required Wink

.

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Reply #7 - Feb 19^th, 2008 at 1:34pm

The Ruptured Duck Offline
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Legally sane since yesterday!
Wichita, KS

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Maybe we should take a bulldozer to the mayors driveway.

Of course, then we too would be considered A**holes in the eyes of the public.

The least we could do is TP his house.

"If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing" -Ben Franklin&&&&"Man must rise above the Earth to the top of the atmosphere and beyond, for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives." - Socrates&&&&" Flying is a religion. A religion that asymilates all who get a taste of it." - Me&&&&"Make the most out of yourself, for that is all there is of you"- Ralf Waldo Emerson&&

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Reply #8 - Feb 19^th, 2008 at 2:15pm

beaky Offline
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The Ruptured Duck wrote on Feb 19^th, 2008 at 1:34pm:

Maybe we should take a bulldozer to the mayors driveway.

Of course, then we too would be considered A**holes in the eyes of the public.

The least we could do is TP his house.

You'd get in more trouble for TPing his house than he did for committing a felony... it's good to be King. Roll Eyes

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Reply #9 - Feb 20^th, 2008 at 7:54pm

Vuikag Offline
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is it christmas yet?
Boonies ,Oregon

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Trouble? TP? Rum? I'm on it!

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