A Mighty Wind

It's funny. I like to think I do things sensibly and efficiently. And it was not too long ago that I thought that with gas prices and the ADIZ and new regs and many other challenges that we all face in general aviation I would sensibly prioritize. I would only fly when I really wanted to. The weather would have to be perfect. It would have to be a fun and useful trip. Why put up with hassles when it costs so much? Might as well stay out of the ADIZ too, unless there is something pretty darn fun in it for me. Let me digress a moment. You notice I mention the ADIZ instead of the SFRA. I'm gonna call it by the wrong name. I'm such a rebel. A real maverick. If you are offended that Christmas is the popular winter holiday celebrated in the US, and you don't want a Chrismas tree in public and you want me to call it a "Holiday Tree" then to you I say "Merry Christmas" and forever I say unto you Merry Christmas. If on the other hand you insist that the one true winter holiday is the celebration of the birth of Christ who was born of a virgin that a god sort of similar to Zeus somehow impregnated, well then to you I say "Happy Holiday" and I shall admire your holiday tree. and perhaps buy you a holiday gift. I'm sorry, geezer rants are for my other blog. Anyway, I was only going to fly on perfect days. I went up to Massey today. It was windy to say the least. Everyone knew it was going to be windy. We had been watching it for days. Even the Massey web site said they were going ahead with the party even in the wind reminding folks to drive in, but come. So by my own rule I should not have even considered going. This morning I woke up at six. I went to my bathroom as I do, alas, twice a night, or more. It's a good lookout. Second floor, and I can see my windsock. At six it was cloudy, barely daylight and pretty windy out of the west and swinging back and forth out of the north. I went back to bed and tried to sleep some more. But I was too excited. It was my anniversary and wife and I had had a wonderful date last night and I wanted to fly to Massey today. I did not sleep, but laid there listening to my dog Jaker snore. It's funny. I hate listening to people snore. My own damn snoring wakes me up. But Jaker's snoring is just soothing. I love it when he sleeps. Back to the bathroom at 8AM. Look out. It was snowing pretty hard! Snow sticking on the grass too. But no sticking on the concrete. I smelled coffee. Wife was up. I had some coffee and told her Massey was out because nothing kills visibility like snow. Twenty five minutes later the skies were blue! And it was blowing like crazy and the sock was standing out with the wind out of the north. So I checked the weather on the web and dinked around for an hour. At 10 AM it was completely overcast again. At noon I bundled up and went out and opened up the hangar with the wind swinging and banging the doors. I rolled out the airplane and re closed those rattly doors. I flew to Bay Bridge first and picked up my buddy, then on to Massey. Even though the ceiling was only about 3500 the viz was 50 miles or so. Quite beautiful. It was a little bumpy. And Massey has a north south runway and the wind was directly across but it wasn't too bad. They would usually get about 70 planes or so or more for a thing like this. There were maybe a dozen planes. Fools like us. But 122.9 was so nice and quiet! Every time I go to Massey the food spread is better and the museum has more neat stuff and more drywall has been hung, and more machines are in the machine shop and more airplane projects are going on. It's quite a place. It inspires me to try to fix up my hangar a bit and maybe display some of my old nick knacks. We pigged out and saw old friends and new. I just barely made it back here to Rosewind before pitch dark. I didn't bother with the hangar and it's doors in the still blowing wind. I tied down outside. Hurried up to the house as I had promised wife another dinner outing to cap off the weekend. It was "Jimmy's Grill" in Bridgeville, De. on the famous Rt. 13 retail corridor. It turns out I sort of wanted to fly when it was cold and nasty and windy and not crowded. It's contrary. Like saying ADIZ or Happy Winter Holiday. This coming Saturday- here at my place- a bon fire. I celebrate the Solstice. Politically correct or not, you are all invited. Gen Av. Informal. :::::+:::::