Not So Fast--January 9, 2010

So remember how you can't plan on ANYTHING in this job???

The story continues.

Woke up at 7:30 A.M.  We had a bunch of logistical items to take care off this morning...check out of the hotel, return the rental car, drop off a box for shipping, get to the airport, and get out!  After all was said and done, we didn't get airborne until 10:15 A.M.  About an hour late.

I headed for our last four flight plans with Matt.  But I could see the writing on the wall.  The forecast was skies clear all day...over pretty much all of Louisiana.  The problem?  From the ground, I could see clouds...lots and lots of clouds off to the east.  And right over the airport, we had clouds literally appearing before our very eyes.  Crap.

Well, we still had to scout.  I had all of my luggage crammed into the 172, and I took off for the 60-mile trip to my project.  About 15 miles into it, though, I was over clouds.  Hundreds of 'em.  Thousands of 'em.  As far as I could see, too.  About 25 miles from my project, I even suggested we turn back.  But Matt insisted we at least go over and land in Baton Rouge.  Ok.

And good thing, too.  I arrived at my project...literally ONE MILE away from the edge of the cloud line.  On my turns on the west side, I was literally over the clouds.  But I was able to get an entire plan done...and Matt finished 80% of his.  But sure enough, the clouds remained.  Matt and I landed, grabbed some lunch in that crazy Mercedez-Benz SUV, and wished the clouds away.

That didn't happen.  They were still there.

So we came back to Alexandria...I grabbed a hotel and waited for another pilot to come in.  Matt and Jeff are off to Texas to get their 100-hours done.

I had the hotel room to myself for about two hours.  So nice just to have quiet.  Minus the loud kids next door.  But it's nice just to relax.

I plan to finish the project tomorrow on my own...then head to Texarkana.

Oh, the joys.  I had to cancel my hotel and rental car up in Texarkana.  Oh, well...if that's the worst of my problems, I'd say I have it pretty well.  A crazy day.  A long day.  But really not too bad.

Flew 3.6 hours today.

Went to bed at midnight.