Pilots stop for breakfast in Clarissa
by Karin L. Nauber
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| Pilots and passengers gathered on the airfield in Clarissa for a quick photo before heading over to the Farmhouse Cafe for breakfast. Pictured (in no particular order) are: Lainey Priglmeier, Mark Priglmeier, Sam Priglmeier, Wally Oltz, Jake Olson, Scott Olson, Doug Nemeth, Mark Nemeth, Rolf Turner, Allan Warzecha, Dave Grose, Joel Wensmann, Kent Nordell, Veryl Fenlason. Also joining them for breakfast were: Kittie Fenlason, Margaret Turner, Dale Field, Dave Schmitz, Andrew Schmitz, Sandra Sandstrom and Rose Petersen. |
To say that the Clarissa Airport is used infrequently would probably be a huge understatement. To say that the airport is used by more than one or two planes at a time may be even a bigger understatement.
On Saturday, November 24, the airport not only had 12 airplanes fly in, but they all flew in and out around the same time.
Ten of the planes landed at the airport between approximately 8 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. while two others arrived shortly thereafter.
The Farmhouse Cafe in Clarissa was prepared. They came out to pick up the 15 or so pilots and their passengers in the cafe owner's school bus.
The bus also afforded those who had arrived earlier a place to get out of the wind and frigidly cold air which they had braved to get to Clarissa to have breakfast.
Robin Rewitzer, the owner of the cafe, said that one day there were a couple of men who had come to the cafe to eat.
"They were kind of looking around. They told me they were scouting out the place," she said.
It turned out one of the men was Rolf Turner from Popple Creek. They had just started their breakfast group and he was looking for good places the group could fly to have breakfast.
After some discussion about how everyone would get picked up at the airport, Marlin Crider suggested they use their school bus.
The group originally planned to breakfast in Clarissa on November 17, but due to flurries, were forced to turn back.
The skies weren't exactly clear on the 24th, but there were no snowflakes so the group was able to complete their mission.
Mark Priglmeier is another one of the pilots involved in the flight group.
He said that the flyouts to restaurants for breakfast has been going on for about six weeks now.
It is an offshoot of the Popple Creek Saturday Morning Coffee Group that would meet every Saturday and have coffee at 7 a.m.
"Having coffee together turned into, 'Let's go somewhere,'" said Priglmeier, who along with Turner and Wally Oltz all live in Popple Creek.
Popple Creek is a small town with an airport near Sartell and Sauk Rapids.
The first town the group went to was Princeton. Clarissa is the sixth town. Priglmeier said that the size of the group has doubled since they started doing the breakfast flyouts.
The group consists of mostly people from the central Minnesota area, although they do have some pilots from northern Minnesota who also join them.
"We are not exclusive. Anyone can join us," said Priglmeier.
Most of the pilots in the group fly recreationally, although they do have a commercial pilot who flies with them.
On Saturday, some of the pilots' wives and friends joined them at the Farm House.
Rose Petersen of Clarissa was one of the local people who joined the group. Her niece Kitty (Petersen) Fenlason also drove up to have breakfast in Clarissa. Kitty's husband, Veryl, flew into town.
In all, a total of 21 people met for breakfast.
They enjoyed it so much they plan to come back, Robin said one of the pilots told her.
After breakfast, everyone headed back out to the airport to see the pilots and their passengers off.