Just north of me is a small airport in Fillmore California that is a step back in time. The area boasts a private train collection used in the film industry that offers rides through the vast lemon orchards and the condor sanctuary is nearby. I have the privelege of flying in a french built copy of the german WW2 Feiseler Storch. We were flying a few years ago when the usually dependable radial engine went silent. We were very laid back about it, I had my sailplane license and the owner was very familiar with his ship. We had a long open dirt road between orchards to land in. Trouble was, the thing has such an incredible glide ratio I was tempted to get out and push. We finally landed at dusk. We had my PSK, Chris Reeves Aviator, thermos of coffee and miles of lemons and wood to survive on.I could have even set snares for rabbits <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> Sadly, an Amansadore working a fancy bridle horse came riding up with the orchard manager in a truck behind him <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> The pilot keeps a lucky 50 franc note on the instumment panel ( it honours Antoine de Saint- Exupery'.) Not exactly Wind,Sand and Stars. But it beat standing in line at LAX taking my shoes on and off <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />