40th Annual Palms to Pines Air Race Aug 14-16th:

Well, Race Day 1 is done! Tookie, Pam and I arrived at Santa Monica Airport with the other racers around 7:30am and yes, it was overcast and hazy. The race ended up starting at 10:00am instead of the planned 9:00am takeoff time due to the weather. After getting all the bugs washed off of N22080 and all of our "race plans" briefed we had to sit around and wait for the weather. Tookie piloted our first leg, with me as her co-pilot, to Merced, CA. Even though we were Race #5, the officials told us we could go whenever we were ready, so we did. Race #5 took off 1st!

The weather was pretty good, but the winds aloft were forecasted to be headwinds all the way from the 3000ft to 9000ft...Aargh! Tookie decided to stay around 1000ft AGL through the Gorman Pass, which put us at about 4000ft MSL. After we got past the high terrain, we decided to stay at 4000 since the winds weren't too bad, still a headwind, but not too bad. Pam had her awesome "technology", of course, so we kept a close eye on the XM weather on her GPS. We arrived at Merced around 11:45am and Tookie did a fantastically, exciting "Fly By" at 150 ft. AGL. Woo Hoo!! Lunch at Merced was just delicious. Home grown veggies, almonds, peaches and to die for homemade desserts. The 99s chapter in Merced provided all the goodies - Thank you.

After we finished eating and refueling the airplane it was time to fly the second leg of the race. Now it was my turn to fly and Pam became my co-pilot and get this, Tookie flew back seat!! The next leg took us to Red Bluff, CA where we will RON(remain overnight). I taxied out to the runway, completed our run-up and prepared to takeoff for a re-fly by to time us for start of the second leg. All I needed to do was takeoff and enter the pattern to come around back to the runway, drop down to 200 ft AGL, fly by for timing, and be off on our course. Wow! full power, airspeed in the "yellow arc", screaming across the time line. Very Cool......The winds eased up for us on this leg, thank goodness, so we were able to find a good ground speed at 4000 ft MSL. The flight went great and soon we were approaching Red Bluff for my second fly by of the day. Too Cool! Pam was on the radios, as I eased 22080 down to 500 ft MSL (150 ft AGL). Faster, Faster, Faster! Across the time line we flew-Yea!!! Now I need to slow down to land-oh my! Pulling into our parking spot, we were greeted by 99s with water and as Tookie got out of the airplane (from the backseat mind you) Pam and I overheard Tookie telling her race buddies that the backseat was "spooky". She likes to be in control the "professional racer" that she is, but she said Pam and I did a good job. Pam and I feel pretty happy with that compliment.

We have a Bar-B-Que dinner tonight at our hotel and will be up bright and early in the morning for the last leg of the race. Pam's turn to fly (she has a little anxiety, since she has no idea how to fly a Cessna). We should make it to Bend after our fly by at Redmond, OR before noon.  Shannon

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Schedule of Events

Thursday

9am to 1pm     Registration at the Administration Bldg & Inspection

Noon               IMPOUND DEADLINE

5pm                 Mandatory Pilot's Briefing for all participants

7pm                 Take-off Banquet and Team Introductions

Friday

7am                 Transportation to SMO

7:30-8:30am     Obtain current weather briefing

8:45am             Pilots to planes for engine start

9am                  TAKE-OFFre

5pm                   Deadline to arrive/finish at Red Bluff

6pm                   Dinner and shopping on your own

Saturday

7-7:30am            Transportation to Airport/WX briefing

8am                    Begin Take-Offs

9am                    Take-offs must end by 9am

Noon                  Deadline to finish at Bend

Sunday

7am                   Breakfast at Ameritel Inn

8am                    Awards

9am                    Transportation to airport

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Scholarships:

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