It was frigid, and dark, and overcast, and the roads, taxiways, ramps and runways were all completely snow covered, with occasional bouts of ice. It was Not pretty here at Kokomo. Most local schools were on a delay or canceled, in fact. Climbing up to FL210, there was about 2000' worth of decent ice I picked up too, but when I broke out on top, it was beautiful, and made me smile. I didn't relax on the flight, because going into Alabama was going to be tricky too. There was a line of thunderstorms that kept firing up and moving into Eufala (where I was going). I couldn't have gotten in when I was about 45 minutes out. I also didn't have the GDL in the plane (that gives you on board weather and info) because I'd left it in the Bonanza in Springfield. So I couldn't get a good read on the weather there and at the places near by. The other reason that was a problem was that Eufala was reporting right at minimums. If I couldn't get in there, I needed another place to go. I'd filed an alternate, but things change after 3 hours of flight, and I couldn't pull up anybody else's weather until I got within 50 nm and could hear their ATIS. So that makes it hard to plan properly. Eufala's AWOS was out of service. So I really had no good idea what I was looking at when I set up for that approach. I also had been reserving my fuel, so I'd have enough to go about 20 minutes behind me to get out of the weather if need be.
And it all came together. The storms passed and what was left was clouds and rain. I decided to do the RNAV 18 even though the winds were slightly down Runway 36, and the runway was wet, and shorter than Kokomo, because that's the direction I was coming from and it would save 15-20 minutes on the approach not getting vectored clear to the other side for miles, plus into some weather over there. I set my Garmin to shout out "minimums" for me, and I spotted the PAPI lights of the runway right as the Garmin dude called out minimums. Power back, drop the rest of the flaps, last gear down check, and down and stopped by the first half of the runway. It's good to be there. The clouds came below minimums not too long after that, and I wouldn't have been able to get in. It's below minimums right now, in fact. Timing is everything.
It was raining pretty hard, so I didn't want to fuel up, because it's self serve only there. So instead I grabbed a courtesy car and went into town and got a well-deserved breakfast of a piece of French toast, eggs and bacon. Came back, and now it was just misting, so I moved the plane over to the fuel tanks, and took a good long time to top off five tanks. My coat got wet, my pants got wet, but 120 gallons later, I had accomplished it, and taxied the plane back over to its spot. Went inside and took a nap for a little while. I normally don't do that on trips, but 1) I slept like crap and not enough of it and 2) I'd already had a work-out for the day. ;) After the nap I went for a walk, as it was 60° out, and quit spitting for a bit, and then read a book until about 3, by which time I figured I'd better go get more food or I'd regret it by the time I got home, not knowing when he'd be done. I didn't want to take a long time though, because I didn't know when he'd be done. So I just ran through Chick Fil A, where I saw the weirdest sight I've ever seen at a Chick Fil A. An empty store. There was no line. Not a car at the place. I have *never* driven past a Chick Fil A without a huge line wrapped around the building, no matter what time of day. So that was shocking. ;)
He finally got back around 5:20 pm, grumbling about how much bigger than expected the job was. When I took off, it was dark and dreary and sunset time. When I broke out on top of these clouds, that made me smile, and I felt myself relax. I had one guy in the back who didn't say a word, I watched the last stages of the sunset, there was no ice, no thunderstorms, heck, no CLOUDS to deal with any more after awhile, it was peaceful and quiet and warm and pretty. A challenge is good to stay young and keep your skills up, and a relaxing flight is good to...be relaxed. ;) I spotted Kokomo from almost 30 miles away, it was so clear back home. Cold, but clear.
When I taxied up to the hangar, my passenger asked what he could help me with, and I said "Nothing, it's a one man job, but thanks." I hook up the tug, and realize that I'm on the one spot of actual ice out there in front of the hangar, and I can't get the tires to move on the ice at all. I'm stuck. No forward, no backward, just spinning. So I call him back and tell him tonight it's not a one man job, and ask him to help me push and get some momentum going so I can get off this ice sheet and get the plane in the hangar. If he'd have left I wouldn't have made it in. I'd have needed to find dirt or sand or boards or Something to try to get traction. I'm glad he was still there.
Home around 10 pm. I'm beat, even though it was only 6 hours of flying and even though I took a nap, and even though I read a book a lot of the day. I'm still really tired. So...I think it's time to go to bed and see if I can sleep all night this time.
A bunch of photos, don't know which one is the best, so I'll just stick most of them up and deal with it later.
Kokomo's ramp this morning. At least the wind wasn't howling.
Runway 23 is under the snow there somewhere.
Breaking out on top
Sunrise...
On top at 21,000'. The line of storms off in the distance
My nose was pointed to the right of the end of the storms, but my track was actually into them.
A little closer view of the shelf of weather
Doesn't look so scary, does it?
Trashed out courtesy car. I'm always just grateful to have a car with which to go eat or see stuff. This one had a sticky steering wheel and trashed out carpeting, but still...got me food.
Breaking out on top on the way home--sunset.
I know these look the same, but it's still beautiful after all these years.
The 1001-1003rd photos of Indy at night. ;)
Night!
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