Plans for our last full day in Klamath were chalk full of history as we were able to schedule a couple of really interesting tours.
First up was the Baldwin Hotel. Don’t laugh, that place is fascinating!
George Baldwin was Klamath innovation at its finest and the fact the building is still standing is a testament to the quality and care that encompassed the ingenuity of the early 20th Century.
Carved into a basalt hillside, the Baldwin has stood since 1905, had its own theater, and is still one-hundred-percent haunted by Maude B.
They really do take great care in accurately dressing the various rooms with antiques, some original, some donated and it’s truly a step...a leap...back in time. I’d spend a night there if I could!
Our next tour was truly a unique one. We were afforded an up-close-and-personal look at Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base, home of the Oregon National Guard’s 173rd Fighter Wing.
Colonel Martin Balakas was kind enough to take time out of his day and lead us on a tour. (Thanks again for setting that one up, Kathy!)
We were escorted onto the base and guided into the control center: the heartbeat of the airbase.
From the equipment room and flight prep area, it’s just astounding how technology has enhanced certain aspects of flight. Checks, balances, attention to detail...so many people working as a single, highly functioning unit...a team.
Experts in individual areas gave us even more detailed rundowns of their function as a whole. Really so interesting.
We moved on the check out some F15’s and F16’s in the hangers.
Two of the hangers out there were built in 1939 and we were all astounded by the similarity between their engineering and that of the old stages at Universal Studios. Again...built to last.
The maintenance building was next, full of more humble professionals, this time working on engines. Some needed repair, some were simply being checked before repair was needed.
Amazing to know that some of these folks have been working with the same aircraft for so long, they can decipher a potential issue just by hearing an inconsistency in the “turkey feathers”.
As soon as we stepped out of the maintenance area, the training group in the air were on their way back, circling the base and it was like our own private air show. Perfect timing!
Col. Balakas wrapped up our tour at the David Richard Kingsley memorial and had us all misty-eyed hearing the story behind the base’s namesake. It was clear that he has a passion for the job he does and the people with whom he works and serves.
It’s a comfort to know that people like Col. Martin Balakas are in charge. I think we all would have signed on the dotted line if he had asked!
Full of insight and a new education, we were still starved for sustenance and found ourselves back at The Falls Taphouse where we ran into Rick and Sally, Fuzz, Dobey Sr. and Jr., Mary, Matt, and a number of other wonderful faces.
Drinks with the gang and dinner at the Martini Bar topped off the latter part of the evening as we rounded off this unforgettable week in Klamath Falls.
Like Steven said, “We need another week here!”
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