The only part of this cross-the-country-and-back adventure that went as planned is that it was a three week trip. And that was only because we had to eliminate several stops due to: bad weather (09J), smoke from Canadian fires (KLMO), and a closed runway (KVBT). Best laid plans and all that.

We want to do another, longer trip next year and will definitely stop and enjoy all those places. First, the exhibition hangar and cafe at KVBT – Louise Thaden Field. She was a bad-ass aviator who got her pilot’s license in 1928 and held the women’s altitude, endurance and speed records in light planes simultaneously. Friend to Amelia Earhart and other female aviation pioneers, she defied sexism and won the 1936 Bendix Trophy race.

We were gutted not to see our friends in CO, and the beautiful Rocky Mountains, so that’s definitely going to be a nice long stop (KLM0). And we had hoped to have a relaxing break on Jekyll Island Georgia (09J), a tiny coastal resort where you fly in and cycle a short distance to your beach-front hotel. Next time.

But back to our flights home. I flew both legs (KGCN to KWJF and KWJF to KDVO), and they were happily uneventful. Very little turbulence with lots of auto-pilot time. Taking off from Grand Canyon Airport was fun but I actually got emotional thinking it was the last day of such an amazing trip.

We did the last of the high mountains (Tehachapi) at 8,500 feet, and then stayed up there to fly up CA’s Central Valley because the air was smooth, and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

But as a fitting ending (not), there were rain showers approaching our home airport, and some coming east toward us from Monterey Bay area. So we first descended to 6,500, then 3,500 closer to home, then 2,500 for the last 10 miles in order to stay under the rain (forget about going over it). But by the time we landed at KDVO the clouds had moved north and east. Cross-wind landing practice for me, then we got Sierra Girl into her hangar.

Today we’re going to wash all the desert dirt and dead bugs off of her.

I’m so grateful we got to do this awesome trip. I can’t think of a better way to close here than by quoting Hunter S. Thompson:

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”