Vintage Lindbergh at Rhinebeck

 Spirited Gala
What a great event! The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in tiny Red Hook, New York near the Hyde Park area served as a resource for the 1908-1912 aeroplanes mentioned in Yours in a Hurry. They have many famous models, and most still fly. When we saw that this year's gala would celebrate their completed reproduction of Charles Lindbergh's 1927 Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, as well as restorations of several other vintage aeroplanes and automobiles, we decided to make the trip again this year.
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Featured Speakers
Dr. Peter Jakab, Chief Curator of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, provided mini-lectures on the field during the day and answered a myriad of questions. He even did a British-style stand-up antiques road show spot when a woman brought him worn looking aviator goggles and asked if they were originals from the 1920's era. (They were reproductions.)

Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh's grandchildren, Kristina and Lars, provided touching memories of their grandfather. Kristina, an author, co-edited Against Wind and Tide, the final volume of her grandmother's diaries and letters, and is now working on a memoir of the Lindbergh family life. I plan to read both of these publications.

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Dr. Joe Corn, Senior Lecturer in History at Stanford University, author of The Winged Gospel: America's Romance with Aviation also presented.

Spirit of St. Louis Construction
Ken Cassens, Director of the Spirit reproduction, was honored at the event and we had the pleasure of taking the photo below of him and lovely Tempe from North Carolina, one of the Old Rhinebeck supporters whose generous donations supported the project.  Cassens has had a lifetime career in aviation and has been involved with Old Rhinebeck since 1992.

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We look forward to another gala next year. Check out their website. Maybe you'd like to go, too.

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