Sunday, July 6 Monday, July 7 Tuesday, July 8 Wednesday, July 9 Thursday, July 10 Friday, July 11 Photo Gallery

Friday, July 11: Proficiency Race and Banquet I had planned to leave early this morning while the temperatures were still in the double-digits, but the prospect of flying safety pilot for Brody Concklin convinced me to delay my departure. Clyde and I were already up, having met at 6:30am to go out to the airport and replace two of cover gaskets (that did the trick for my oil leak, by the way), so attending the pilot briefing at 8:00 was a breeze. In the Proficiency Race, you must predict your time and fuel burn to cover the course (every second off is 1 point and every 0.1 gallon off is 25 points with the lowest total score winning). Brody and I calculated 69 minutes and 17.1 gallons and we came very close (by my watch we were within 2 seconds of our time, but possibly as much as 0.5 gallons high). I was supposed to be handling the radio, but I was so excited that we were go to finish exactly on time that I forgot to change the radio frequency back to Caldwell. I feared that the time keepers handn't heard my "Race 7, Finish!" call and that I had blown the race for Brody, but apparently they saw us. I can't wait to find out how we did! People tease me for not participating in the races, but I have been enjoying riding shotgun in a wide variety of Navions. Next year I will at least fly the Proficiency Race, though, that one is fun! After the race, there was the inevible long fuel line and for some reason the fuel truck wasn't running, so I hung around for a few minutes and grabbed a bite at the cafe on the field. There I met Gus Causbie. When I noticed he is from the same little town in Arkansas (Ash Flat) that my mom was born in, I had to snap a picture to prove it to my mom. It was a very hot flight back to Paine Field (it's even hot here in the NW!) but I had a surprising tail wind and made it less time than the flight out (about 2 hours and 50 minutes). I swung by Arlington on my way home (it's actually 30 miles in the other direction but whose counting) and arrived in time to see the Fraser's perform another show (side view, underneath view)! I also ran into Tom Deluca who I have talked to on the phone a hundred times but had not met until today! Next convention: the location of the next convention should be revealed at tonight's banquet, probably somewhere in the NE this time.