I was impressed! I didn't know what it was, but he found it in record time. My son, Spencer was home, and I also had my neighbors kids, Vanessa and William at my house. I didn't know where we were going...but I got permission from their mom to take them on an adventure. We packed into Steve's car and headed North on the Taconic Parkway. There was excitement in the car...all of us trying to figure out where we were going.

Then William blurts out..."This reminds me of the road my dad would take when we went to Rhineback, New York".
Steve smiled. "Bingo"
William guessed it on the first try out.

I had no clue what was in Rhineback, but Vanessa and William were very excited. Spencer and I were clueless and the three of them choose to keep me and Spencer in the dark...well sorta of because that lasted for all of about two minutes.

Then with everyone bursting at the seams, Steve said, "Okay, tell them William."

"It's an Aerodrome".
"Oh Yeah, wow there's a word I hear everyday. What is that... indoor flying?"

Steve explained, "Close. The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome has antique aeroplanes. They recreate the setting with mechanics, cars, old time announcer with bullhorn etc. to match the era. It was started by this guy, Cole Palen over 40 years ago...he collected, restored and flew these planes and decided to share it with the public.
The place has real planes from 1900 through 1940's and they put on an airshow...you know with planes from World War I, and the Lindbergh era."

"Okay, so they have the bi-planes like Snoopy and the Red Baron?"
"Exactly."
"Sounds different...would be cooler if I could ride one."
Steve smiled and winked. Now I was happy. I never was one for sitting on the sidelines.

On the way up we hit a lot of traffic...so we had to make a detour.
William said, "I think this looks familiar...we should be coming to a fork in the road. At that fork we make a right".

The kid wasn't kidding, there up ahead was a giant fork in the road.
"Steve pull over. I gotta get a picture of this!"

Shortly afterwards we arrived at the Aerodrome. The show was already in progress. There were bleachers for people to sit on and watch the show. The antique planes took off in this huge field...no landing strip, just like old times. The employees were all dressed with the garb of that era, down to the suspenders. The cars they drove on the field were vintage cars. It was like we stepped back in time. (Too bad they couldn't turn back the clock on gas prices!)

Steve was spewing out information.
"You see that plane over there...that's a 1918 original Fokker, DVII, and that over there is a 1917 Sopwith Camel...and that's a 1931 Great Lakes." I snapped pictures...knowing I'd never remember which plane was which."

The show was great...with aerial dogfights between an American plane and a French plane, races between planes to see which ones could hit helium balloons with their propellers, another stunt where they threw a role of toilet paper out the cockpit and each plane would take a turn cutting it with it's propeller. It was like a carnival show in the air.

They even had fun scenarios...like some escapee prisoners hopping out of a cop car and holding onto the wing of the plane with a policeman chasing them (don't worry no real actors were hurt during the making of that scene)....another skit was where this farmer guy walks onto the field. He needs a lift home, but somehow manages to take off in a plane by himself. He winds up doing these wild aerial stunts while the town barker gets the audience cheering for him to make it and not crash. It was some awesome stunt flying.

They of course had some serious "wow" moments...when they rolled out a replica of the Lindbergh plane, it's was not flight ready yet but it was cool to see the Spirit of St. Louie, the plane that Lindbergh rode into the history books when he made the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean on May 20-21, 1927. Other pilots had crossed the Atlantic before him. But Lindbergh was the first person to do it alone nonstop. His feat gained him international fame and the press named him "Lucky Lindy" and the "Lone Eagle."

Lindbergh's quote back in 1927, I think summarizes how many of the pilots there and around the world feel. "The life of an aviator seemed to me ideal. It involved skill. It brought adventure. It made use of the latest developments of science. Mechanical engineers were fettered to factories and drafting boards while pilots have the freedom of wind with the expanse of sky. There were times in an aeroplane when it seemed I had escaped mortality to look down on earth like a God."

That feeling is the reason I love all my adventures...the feeling for a brief moment that you are escaping mortality.

With those thoughts and as if on cue, I saw a plane pass overhead, advertising Bi-plane rides. Steve looked at me, handed me some money and said, "Go surprise the kids." I was a kid myself inside.

I went up to the booth, bought tickets, and then also got ices for the gang so they wouldn't know what I was up to.

After the show we mulled around. We went to the museum, hung around the gift shop, looked again at some planes...all along staying close to the ticket booth. I was anxiously waiting for my name to be called.

The kids got suspicious as I was kept jumping every time someone's name was announced. Then I heard it will Francis Capone come to the ticket booth. I ran over. Another guy was there. I mean come on what are the odds that another Francis was there, and with such a similar name as mine...hell, people often think I've shortened my name from Capone to Capo.

The kids said, "Why did you run to the ticket booth?"
"Okay if you must know I'm going up to write an article and go up in the biplane.

Vanessa and William in unison said, "Oh can we go?"
Spencer was more laid back. I think I've taken him on too many adventures.
"Sorry, it's for work only." I saw Steve smiling in the background.

When my name, the real Fran Capo, was finally called, all the kids came with me.
The lady handed me a leather cap. I put it on..."Wow, is this a hair net or did they really consider this protection?"
The kids laughed..."You look funny in that hat."
"Yeah, well don't laugh too much...cause you gotta put it on too."
"What?" Spencer said.
"Yup, Steve is treating...we are all going for a ride. Now put your caps on." I felt like the teacher on the magic school bus.

There were only four seats in the bi-plane so Steve generously sat it out...he said he had been on it before.

I felt like the Red Baron, all I needed was a scarf and a white beagle to chase me.

We were instructed how to get on the plane, "You want to step on the step by the wing and not pull on the wing...might make it loose."
"Yeah, that's probably not a good thing."
"Also keep away from the propeller."
"Yeah, I saw what it did to that toilet paper!"

William and Spencer sat up front. Vanessa and I in the back. The pilot was behind us.

"We're not blocking your view I hope."
"Nah, done this a few times." He said.
"Good to know. You related to the flying farmer?"
He laughed, "Yeah I can do a trick or two...but you probably don't want me going upside down with you sitting in an open cockpit."
"Oh how wrong you are! If I'm strapped in, I'm game for anything. I remember once my friend Ashrita asking me if I wanted to break a world record with each of us holding on to a wing of a bi-plane...I would have done it, but the rule was no strapping in.

Last thing I want is to be gripping a bi-plane for dear life and have to sneeze, and well there not only goes the record...but a lot more as well."
He laughed, ‘Whoa I see we have a wild one!"

"What kind of plane is this?"
"A 1929 New standard open-cockpit biplane."
"Wow, there's a mouth full.

With that I sat down and let the pilot do his job. As the bi-plane went up and down I was laughing hysterically like I always do on adventures ...I love the feeling in the pit of my stomach. We flew over the Hudson, make a couple or banks (turns) right and left) and had a grand ole time!

We must have snapped a hundred pictures of this barnstorming excursion. (I always thought the term barnstorming was funny...felt like we'd fly the damn thing into a barn and scare the cows and have all the chickens running out all over the place...guess I've seen too many cartoons.)

Fifteen minutes later we landed very smoothly on the grass. We hopped out, returned our gear and ran over to Steve and thanked him.

He looked at me, "Fran a happy girl?"
"Yes, Fran a very happy girl."

Then we all went out for dinner, ate ice cream and rode off into the sunset and into the future.

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Information
Open daily: 10 AM till 5 PM (May 15- October 31).
Airshows: Every Weekend 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM
Admission: $20 adults, $15 students –seniors, $5.00 kids & boy scouts
Phone: 845-752-3200
www.oldrhinebeck.org