Well, here we are in Columbus Nebraska, waiting out some weather! Please excuse the sparse reports, yesterday was a WHIRLWIND!!!!

Our day began at 5, prepping ourselves, attending a final weather briefing, preflighting and then the TAKEOFF at 8! I cannot describe to you how smoothly everything during takeoff went! We, being number 57, were the last aircraft off the ground, I would say it was around 8:30?! Unreal how quickly everyone was up and out!

The flight over the mountains to Gallup New Mexico was NICE and bumpy! We had a decent tailwind and a fun time listening to all the girls chat on the air to air frequency. Air Traffic Control had a good time alerting us of the 'traffic' ahead. All we could say was, "We're aware!" First flyby went fairly smoothly, quickly! But smoothly.

Let me describe flybys. How the race is determined is based on your aircrafts handicap speed (the speed the plane tested at empty, full power, leaned, ect ect) compared to your speed during the actualy race. You want to have a faster groundspeed than your handicap. The leg speed is based on your leg time, from one timing line to another. The flybys are done at each stop airport, just a few hundred feet above the ground and at full steam ahead. They are an adrenaline rush! From there you are able to land and refuel without the clock still ticking and then you refly the timing line to restart your time.

Yesterday we did a flyby in Gallup and then stopped in Hereford, TX. It sure felt like West Texas, left gusty crosswind the whole way down! And DUSTY! And just a hint Hereford, GET SOME AIR FRESHENER! All the wind and stench aside, what a welcoming! A beautiful spread of food, lots of gifts and goodies and YELLOW ROSES! Love that Texas hospitality! From there it was on to Goodland, KS and overnight to Columbus, NE. We landed and our numbers on the back of the plane were COMPLETELY peeled off, so we had to remake those as quickly as possible! (I guess we were going just that fast!) We were fortunate to get the last hotel room in the area and had a nice dinner with another team. Then it was on to cutting numbers and BED!

This morning began EARLY, too early for me, but Jessica L. had a good point that we should attempt to be up before others were coming in to avoid congestion. So 6:30 arrival at the KOLU to prep the plane, reattch numbers, get a briefing and a bite to eat. Well it was quickly evident that the weather wasn't good here nor at our destination. We opted to eat at a GREAT truckers stop with a couple of other teams, transported by the 'shaggin waggon' (a REALLY old van...what an experience that was!) Then back to the airport. So we waited. And waited. And gave interviews, and waited. and looked at weather, and waited.  And guess what, we're still waiting!!! So right now there is a storm sitting right over the top of the airport, and the airport behind and ahead are closed in too. So we will see! Welcome to aviation, hurry up and wait!

We've had a great time, seen alot of terrain, and learned so much already!! Can't wait to get another leg done!!

Blue Skies and Tailwinds,
Jessica V and Jessica L