A "Rough" Day at the Office--December 13, 2009

Sometimes it's just not fair.

Woke up at 7:30.  Didn't get out of bed until 7:45.  Went and grabbed some breakfast, then checked the weather.  The report showed clear skies, but the forecast was for clouds at 3000 feet at 9:00.  Kenton and I looked outside...the clouds were already there.  Oh, well...we would at least verify.

All four of us headed over to the airport and prepared for departure.  I was the first off.  Sure enough, the clouds were everywhere...right at 1000 feet AGL.  I stayed under them for about 10 miles, then popped up over a few stragglers.  Quite interesting (to me anyway), the clouds were THICK over the city.  But as soon as I left the houses, buildings, and streets, there was literally VERY few clouds (in comparison).  Out ahead of me was literally nothing but the Everglades...behind me was the city.  Ahead of me were lots of little clouds.  Behind me was a mess of thick clouds.  Pretty neat.

Well, I flew almost 40 miles west to check out if any of the flight plans could be done, but the clouds were everywhere.  I couldn't even complete a 3-mile line!  I let the controller know, then turned around and headed back for Ft. Lauderdale.  I dropped down to 3500 feet (I was at 4500), then was told to squawk VFR.  I dropped down between the clouds, and below me was a fellow pilot!  I had been told he was below me about 10 miles ago, but I had no idea since I had been told to squawk VFR.  But there he was, less than a mile away.  I was glad I had been vigilant enough to look out for him.  We flew within each other's sights for the next 25 miles.

I landed, and that was my day!!!  I had flown 1.3 hours.  ha!  The day was over!  "Work"-wise, anyway.

We all headed to the beach in the afternoon.  I swam in the ocean, played some catch with a football, and pretty much just loved every bit of it.  Here it is, the middle of December, and I am swimming in the ocean.  ha!  It was probably 80 degrees outside.  NICE!!!  The beach was packed.

The day was just good all-around.  Outside of a restaurant that only took cash and didn't tell us, it was pretty relaxing.  I read some more in the Lindbergh biography, swam in the hotel pool, and talked my friend through buying a ticket down here.  She's coming!!!!!!

Not goin' to lie...I'm ridiculously excited about that.

Watched some football before bed...then went to bed at 11:30.

Tomorrow isn't lookin' too good.  Forecast is for clouds at 2500.  Looks like that is going to be the story the entire time we are here!!!