Colorado Round Two

Getting up at 6:30 wasn't too bad this morning, but tomorrow morning I have to get up at 5 am and that's much less kosher. 

The trip out had strong headwinds, and took 3.5 hours. We hit an area of turbulence that was strong enough that my autopilot couldn't hold altitude within 200' for awhile there. Everyone checking in on the radio was complaining about the "rides", and ATC was telling them all they were out of luck, it was rough at all altitudes, and for as far away as they knew, through multiple sectors.  But that part wasn't too bad.

We landed at Durango, and met with a guy who is selling a Turbo Commander that E may buy and I would be flying quite a bit for his brother and for him for awhile too.  Nice airplane, squatty and low to the ground. I feel like I'd flare 10' high in that to start with. lol  When we left there, I just went VFR over to Gunnison. It was calling for 'clear' at both Durango and Gunnison. However, in between on that short little hop, it was not clear, and I ended up on top of a layer at 17,500' above the mountains.  I got lucky and there was a hole right over Gunnison, which is why it was reporting clear even though it wasn't.  I circled on down and made a left downwind for the runway at 12,000' high.  Kind of funny.  

We went into town, out to their property, ate lunch, walked around out there, where they had snow all over. Last time I went just a few weeks ago, the trees were in full color. Today the trees were bare and there was snow all over the ground. Bleh.  That all took longer than they were expecting, so we got a late departure. That line of weather we went over on the way out there was now over the last half of our trip home, and parked over Kokomo with moderate to heavy rain. The first half of the trip we were doing 415 knots groundspeed, which was sweet. And then we hit that front, and we lost 150 knots of groundspeed. Unreal.  I ended up doing 250 knots and going backwards on time to destination. 

Coming into Kokomo it was night, IFR, rain, a little windy, and VERY bumpy and rough.  I did the ILS and landed around 8:30 pm, put everything away, came home, ate dinner, fed the cat twice, did the dishes, and then started my plan for my trip to Carroll, Iowa, wheels up at 6:30 am tomorrow.  When it will be (low) IFR and rainy and windy again.  No rest for the wicked, right?  ;)