Labor

Saturday morning dawned clear and early.  Steve, AE, and Justin were out at the airport at the crack of dawn driving the trailer over to Marion.  Steve pulled the T-6 out for me out of fear that I wouldn't get the tug started (legit concern, as I couldn't get it started later).  I didn't complain at that though, it was lovely driving up to the airport and seeing the T-6 sitting out on the pad with the sun just coming up in front of it.  Lovely, truly!

I got to Marion just before 8 a.m., before it got SUPER busy, did a little fly-by then came in to land.  I had a rider waiting for me right away, went up and did him, then sat for a bit.  I ended up doing I think six rides that day before noon.  I got pancakes and sausage and water and a little hot and sweaty in the flight suit, but it was a good day.  Our trailer set up is really nice now, with the banners and awning and all, and once we get the logos and such on the trailer, I think it'll be pretty professional and neat looking!  On one of the rides I noticed the sky off the west was a little somber, so I pulled up my radar on my phone, and saw a bunch of ugliness not far from Kokomo.  I ended up bugging out of there about two hours early, not wanting to get caught again in the gust front in front of that weather.  Then, of course, the weather took forever to actually get anywhere, but I was tired anyway, and I'd rather have been home and not worried about the weather than giving rides while staring at the sky in concern wondering if I was going to get stuck over there.

The fly-in went well, it was hot and started early, but I think it was a good, productive day, we donated a percentage back to the organizer towards a cancer charity, and they said they liked having the T-6 making noise all morning.  The morning was really damp and humid, too, and I saw prop tip vortices on takeoff several times.  The first time I ever saw that, in the past, I thought something was wrong and that I was throwing smoke.  Nope.  :)  One guy got a pretty cool  shot that shows those.  I'll copy that real quick.  Man, I have so many photos to download, edit, and put up, but still no time.  I have to be up at 4:30 a.m. tomorrow for a trip to Baltimore, Maryland.  I plan on finding seafood if I can.  For the record.  Anyway.

Saturday after we all got back from Marion, the three of us had to pack up still, and then we got in the RG and flew to Kentucky.  We hadn't seen or visited with that side of the family since the year before last, and haven't been able to travel much this summer anywhere anyway, so figured we'd better take a day or two and do that.  The weather was decent but reeeeally hot, and Steve had a bad sinus headache, so he slept in the back while Kaylee and I flew down.  We arrived Saturday evening, went out on the boat on Sunday and spent the day out on the water, and came home Monday after lunch.  The weather stayed hot but clear, and the lake was calm and very quiet for a holiday weekend.  On the way home we had Kaylee do most of the flying.  She did the takeoff, flew for over an hour, then the last 10 minutes including the landing.  She couldn't see over the dash yet which posed her a few problems, but she did all right.  She was annoyed that she couldn't just put it where she wanted it and then have it STAY there.  It kept moving and she had to keep making it go back.  :D  It was funny, she got so annoyed at that.  I think we'll get some cushions so she can see better, and get more serious with her flying.

When we got back today, Steve went to check next door, and I started in on unpacking, laundry, and getting things ready for tomorrow.  Did I mention what time I have to get up?  I'll be taking a Tylenol PM and going to bed in an hour here in an attempt to get enough sleep to not be a zombie tomorrow...

These marching band photos are awful--a cell phone does NOT cut it far distance in low light, when they're moving, and you can't even hardly see her.  But you get the general idea at least.

Kaylee is the farthest kid on photo left back row.

After the performance with the hat off walking back. 

They were divided into small groups.  Kaylee is the farthest right next to the girl in the pink dress who was her very nervous friend.

A bit larger of an overview of the group.

Pretty...

Prop tip vortices, blowing moisture in a spiral.  Pretty cool.

Kaylee took this with my phone.

Pretty lake at sunset

Steve chillin'.

Out of order photo of me sitting in the running T-6 on my way to Marion.

Obligatory photo of Kaylee and I up front and the Cap'n asleep in the back.

Murica.  Three Flags and a kid saying "Stop taking photos of me."

My Spider Killer Hero.  There were over 30 of them up there, and he'd get rid of them and more would show up, and we all know how I (and Kaylee) feel about spiders.

Steve was taking photos of the arrival and docking procedures...

Kaylee drew this on her iPad.  "Take Your Licks" is the name of the boat.