New2view's Blog   Life on The Blue Marble

It was at or near sunset when I landed right behind a classic biplane Waco from Washington State. My Mooney airplane was slightly intimidated by the Waco as I parked alongside it. The Waco is a true classic bi-plane with radial engine and great performance.

My trip was intended as a brief review of the famous Harrahs car collection occupying several large hanger like buildings. This was an amazing collection; one whole building contained every Ford built. But main interest was in all the unique one-of-kind vehicles, of which there were many, too many to describe. These were labors of love for many highly inventive people, many with very advanced designs. They truly captured my imagination! *

After an uneventful flight from my home base in a private airfield in Saanich (Victoria) B.C. Reno control tower directed me to follow a Waco (classic) airplane in to land, which I did right at sunset, and parked right next to that amazing bi-wing airplane, much larger than mine.

Checking in at the airport registry I met the friendly owner of the Waco airplane *, from Washington State, his wife, and friend and I accepted his offer to share a cab into town. Such immediate private pilot friendship and trust is common and gratifying.

Entering a casino he asked me to look after his wife(!) at a bar while he and his friend were going to do some gambling. So we had a drink together. I had no interest in gambling, (or his attractive wife0, so when they returned I left and went out on my own looking for an overnight place to stay.

It had been slightly more than a whim to visit the famous Harrahs’ car collection, a truly amazing collection of cars, located in several large hanger-sized buildings.

Some, of greater interest to me, were ‘one-of-a kind’ creations by brilliant inventors that never reached production stage. Sadly, as often happens, they were not of those who attained intraprenueal status like Henry Ford. but somehow they had been preserved and located in this amazing collection! 

As it turned out there were ‘no vacancy’s’ everywhere the evening I had landed. So getting a little desperate I ventured into a decent hotel and asked the desk clerk if he ‘had a rollaway for the laundry room?‘  To this very day I do not know where that idea came from, but apparently he assumed I was a tour bus driver and the idea was not totally unknown to him, for a modest fee that is!

Needless to say it was a very odd experience to wake up with an audience of giggling cleaning women in the laundry room! 

In any case a shuttle bus that day took me out from the Harroah’s casino bus stop to the car collection, and a truly amazing experience I’ll never forget!

Sad to say that wonderful unique car collection was apparently sold by Harroh’s family following his death.

Another episode in my adventurous, perhaps somewhat outrageous, flying experiences.