Ten Miles Out
A place, a fly-in, and the people who make it feel like home
Critters Lodge is a private aviation preserve in the rolling hills of East Texas, and a long-standing host locale for spring and fall fly-ins. Follow Highway 7 between Crockett and Centerville. From the intersection of the Trinity River and Highway 7, Dillard Airport, better known as Critters Lodge, is 6.5 miles west. Look for the 499-foot tower on the right side. Turn south and fly one-half nautical mile.
Bev and Wendell have been welcoming guests to their spacious estate for two decades. Now both retirees, they devote their time to maintaining a lighted, 3,100-foot-long packed turf runway, clean and comfortable restroom facilities, dozens of camp-by-your plane parking spots, and a mammoth hangar outfitted with long picnic tables and a full commercial kitchen set up inside. Plus, Wendell’s Beechcraft Baron. It’s the place where aviation friends gather to enjoy a somewhat rustic setting, with camaraderie unsurpassed, thanks to our host and hostess.
Almost always, Critters Lodge fly-ins are three-day weekends. Bev and her team of volunteers set out spreads for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with just a jar at the end of the serving line. Pay what you will. Brisket is mouthwatering, side dishes scrumptious, and desserts...well, let’s just say moderation tends to be postponed.
We normally fly up with our tent, cooler, and camping gear, and settle into our usual spot off the runway in the southeast corner. Wendell runs a tight, safety-first operation. No nonsense, no exceptions. Every time we’ve visited, we’re welcomed on the radio as soon as we announce 10 miles out. Dale, Wendell’s trusted “air traffic controller,” would radio back with the status of the runway; it was clear, or someone was on final, or someone was about to take off. All for situational awareness. Then we’d land, and there’d be Dale with his 1947 military Jeep and Wendell in a utility cart, a Mule or something, waving us along to follow him to our parking place. “Welcome back! So glad you came! Proud to have you here!” Wendall always says.
But this Spring fly-in, things were different. Dale passed away in September, and this fly-in was a memorial gathering for the man who was Wendell’s right hand, who helped keep things running safely and smoothly. And was always there when we called ten miles out.
There was still brisket and fixin’s and more than enough sugary sweets to go around. But there was no camping this time. Just a single day set aside to remember and honor one of the most friendly and genuine men we’ve ever met.
We’re all getting older. Every minute. But it’s still hard to lose sight of dear friends, even the ones you might only see twice a year. Dale was part of the arrival. Part of the heartbeat. Part of the place. This time, ten miles out, another voice answered the radio doing exactly what needed to be done. But it wasn’t Dale.
Still, the fly-in was on, just the way he would have wanted.
