10:28 p.m. - 2021-07-26
Cowgirl
Back from my Sedona trip and as usual all mixed up emotionally. Yesterday was better at the conference. I started talking to more and more people. I hung out with one woman who is always in our chats and I thought I probably wouldn't like, but we ended up really getting along. I didn't see Alara and Sarah told me she wasn't feeling well, so in one way I was relieved because I didn't have to go through the day feeling nervous, but then also sad thinking maybe I won't see her again.
Turned out she came for the last half of the talks and I said hi to her, told her I was sorry I didn't get much of a chance to talk to her, then showed her the picture I use in the chat..she said she knew who I was, smiled and looked at me, then gave me a hug.
Later we were all getting ready to leave and she was hugging everyone goodbye, she came up to me and I gave her a kiss on the cheek and we embraced for a long time..she said I smelled really, really good. Made me happy. I really want to get to know her, but she is surrounded by many girls I think want the same maybe as well..I don't know.
Sometimes I wish magical things would just happen and that you don't have to try to work on them to make them happen. I guess most people probably want that..but if so why does this so rarely happen???
My flight back today was very challenging. At first I was able to make it on top leaving out of Sedona. But then past Drake I was surfing through the clouds, trying to maintain vfr (because someone let her ifr lapse). Then the terain started to climb and I could only see a small gap to squeeze through miles ahead that might be gone by the time I reach it. So I did a quick 90 degree turn alongside a mountain and hugged it diving back town a few thousand feet. I was mostly under the ceiling at that point and just sort picking my way through some scattered clouds. Then on my radar I saw a huge storm with lightening moving in from Las Vegas area, well north of me, but there was a large area of precipitation over another mountain pass I was going to cross. When I caught up to it everything was grey and I couldn't really see what the conditions were. I looked down and saw Needles airport and decided to land to just catch my breath and figure something out.
When I got on the ground I spoke with Sal and we both were looking over the wx radar and figuring out new routes. I told him I'm just gonna sit an hour to see which way the storm is moving before I make a decision. So I hung out a few in this one shack saying it was a flight school. There were some chairs and tables inside, but most importantly an air conditioner running. I saw a man walking in an out of an old hanger across the faded asfalt and decided to chat with him. He told me the storms have been coming in everyday in the afternoon so I still had time. He said I should have no problem making it..just head for the highway and follow that toward Hector..if the ceiling gets to low hang a right over the train tracks then follow them the rest of the way because "train tracks don't go uphill". Loved that!
I took off again zig zaging low through the hills toward the freeway. Followed the tracks about 1,000agl (just like I use to do in Alaska and other desert flights) flying over Barstow, then I was able to climb back up to 6,500 to make it over Palmdale. The ceiling started coming down again, but I was ok. By the time I reached the valley by Taft I had to go back down to 4,500 and it rained on and off until I got to Paso. Super bumpy over Soda Lake!
Jon watched me on flight tracker and texted me jokes again the whole way. I told him I wore out my cow girl boots on this trip..time to buy a new pair for my next adventure!
