Return to Cherry Ridge

End of an Era

One of our favorite fly-in breakfast destinations has long been the Cherry Ridge Airport Restaurant on site at the Cherry Ridge Airport (N30) in Honesdale, PA. Like other airport diner owners, Marty and Vicky at Cherry Ridge were under pressure to balance hiring and financial challenges with the increased cost of food and changes in patron behavior post-pandemic. Even labors of love become untenable under demanding conditions and, in April 2023, they decided to close their restaurant. Their contributions to the aviation community are missed.

Since then, new owners have assumed operation of the restaurant. On the first day of October, we were faced with identifying a destination on a beautiful, calm day to fly. Tom and I decided that there was no better place than Cherry Ridge to try out the revamped restaurant.

Witch's Brew

 

Date	Aircraft	Route of Flight	Time (hrs)	Total (hrs)
01 Oct 2023	N21481	SDC (Sodus, NY) - N30 (Honesdale, PA) - SDC	2.9	2736.8

After I launched in Warrior 481 with Tom flying Two Six Romeo five miles in trail, it quickly became apparent that the low places along our route were entrenched in ground fog that was only grudgingly yielding before the sun. I love flying on such mornings, passing over valleys overflowing with mist like vast, natural witch's cauldrons.

Cayuga Lake.

Cayuga Lake.

Greater Binghamton / Edward A Link Field (KBGM)

Start of a New Era

Warrior 481 parked in front of the Cherry Ridge Airport Restaurant.

Tom and I enjoyed a good breakfast and great conversation at the Cherry Ridge Restaurant. The new owners seem to be doing well despite not significantly deviating from the style and approach used by their predecessors. As one of the closest airport diners to our home base, we will be back.

Carousel Capital of the World

We faced a significant headwind home. Since our southbound flight that morning, the sun had won its battle with the ground fog and freed the low places of mist. This left less to admire from the air, but I had some crisp views of the city of Binghamton as we flew overhead.

I confess that I do not know much about Binghamton beyond (1) spiedies (which are delicious) and (2) that Edwin Link developed the famous blue-box Link instrument trainers there.

Interchange of I-81 and I-86 over the Chenango River east of Binghamton.

Some mornings are just particularly satisfying for flight. This was one of those mornings. It does not matter that we did not visit a new airport or see, do, or learn anything particularly exciting. Sometimes it is enough for smooth air, brilliant sunlight, and a fanciful landscape below to make for a memorable day. Often, the mornings of simple pleasures are best.