It was a thrilling sight to see twelve private airplanes lined up in tidy rows at the Orofino Airport , and all had arrived in anticipation of a great fishing adventure with Evelyn Kaide’s Guide Shop on Highway 12. The first batch of airplanes began arriving on

Tuesday, with the rest, coming in like a flock of geese, landing in turns all during the day on Wednesday. By that night they were all settled in local lodging, and were out on the river bright and early Thursday morning, with their specialty lunches packed by Evelyn and daughter, Stephanie. The first group limited out before noon, and Evelyn was busy hustling fish over to a local smoking facility, and the other boats stayed out most of the day, with everyone at least catching if not keeping their fish!

That evening the Guide Shop treated about twenty-five fishermen, wives, and guides to a barbeque dinner in the Helgeson Conference Room, put on by Country Catering . The group enjoyed hors d’oeuvres while they watched the Mariners baseball game (several of the guests were from Seattle!) and got to know each other during their dinner and the rest of the evening. The next day they were back at the Guide Shop, ready to go out with their guides for another fine day of fishing. The weather cooperated, even with a foggy start or two, the sun usually managed to make a show, and by Saturday a glorious afternoon was spent on the water.

That evening part of the group was seen at one of the local restaurants enjoying their last time together before heading out the next day for home. We greeted them at their table, and all remarked that they had already made this at least an annual, if not a semi-annual event, and the hospitality they had enjoyed with the Guide Shop as their hosts had been top-notch. Their dinner on Thursday, they added, was a highlight of their visit to Orofino.

This group of twelve planes is part of a club called the "Skywagons" and they wouldn’t have been here but for a fortituous call made to Evelyn Kaide last year by a pilot stranded in Lewiston waiting out a storm. This pilot, Reagan Stone, of New Mexico, called the Guide Shop, explaining that he was stranded, and was there a possibility that he could go fishing while waiting. So Evelyn drove to Lewiston, picked Reagan up, and brought him back for a day on the river. He was so happy with the trip that he said he would return and bring others with him. And this is just what he did. He organized this first trip, and has promised that there will be more. The Skywagoneers who accepted his first invitation and came last week hail from Arizona, California, and Seattle, Washington. Regan himself is from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

I’d just like to add: "Thanks for coming. Hope to see you again!"

Jo