Stormy

A student and I hit "checkride prep" this morning, and as we were finishing up, I could see that there was some weather out there.  The day was so hazy that you couldn't clearly see it, you could just tell the difference from where it was and where it wasn't.  In other words, if you were just looking at it, you might not see anything, but when you turned and looked to the east, you could see that it was clear, you could tell the difference.  So I was pointing this stuff out, and then said this would be the last landing, mostly because I didn't feel like getting wet putting it away.  As we are taxiing back to the hangar, a big bolt of lightning comes down not that far from the airport, and you still couldn't even really see the storm.  I got bonus points for ending the flight when I did as opposed to doing "one more take off and landing because there's nothing here yet" as was originally the student's plan.  ;)

Later in the afternoon we had a fellow's Cub in the hangar, and Jon had finished up maintenance on it, and wanted it test run.  I was supposed to be meeting with somebody, and it was a little breezy, and I said "Oh, I'll just run it up and taxi it around a bit."  We fired up, the Cub was a nice specimen of one, and I'd never flown this Cub before, and...I taxied out and just decided to launch.  The winds were a light crosswind gusting to 18 knots, and about as soon as I got full power in, it leapt off the runway.  I only got about halfway down the runway before deciding it was silly to go all the way to the end, it was going to take forever!  So I did a quickie circuit, came in and landed, and taxied up to the owner's hangar where Jon was waiting to put it back where it belonged.  I shut down and he leaned over and said "That was an awful high taxi, there."  Heh.  But the door and window were pinned open, and the wind was blowing around in my hair and face, and there was this stick in my hand, and the sky was blue, and...you know the rule.  Other than the Mustang, which didn't count, if ya pull it out and start it up, you need to just go ahead and take it for a spin.  Otherwise it's a waste.  We can't have that.

A huge line of storms moved through, causing tornadic activity in Peru, scaring the cats to death, and making a few people lose power and have a mess to clean up afterwards.  When it went through, I went on a dual IFR cross-country with a student, the good old-fashioned way, with VOR radial Victor Airway tracking the whole way.  We were getting back late for a dinner meeting, and I texted Steve, who said "Oh, and I forgot I don't have a car here...I'm going to need a ride."

I just learned that northern Ohio was hit with that big line of storms too, and there are  a lot of areas without power.  Hmm.  I assume the camp couldn't get tonight's pictures up because of internet problems.  Those poor kids have been stormed on a LOT this week, but the photos I saw yesterday had several of a very happy, smiling, pleased looking Kaylee.  It will be so interesting to talk to her when she gets back and see what she thought and felt about this whole TILT thing!

Well, I'm up way too late, but I couldn't sleep.  Now that it's almost 2, I will go give it another try.  I have a flight in the morning, and two more late in the evening, so...