6/15/14

Air Racers Gene Nora, Patty (Pilot) Mitchell and BJ Carter (The Three Musketeers) are in Concord undergoing preparation to fly the 2014 Air Race Classic.   We worked hard getting here Thursday.   Our route was to fuel at Winnemucca then across the Sierra to Concord.  Easier said than done.  Air Traffic was advising the airlines of moderate turbulence which was tossing our little airplane mightily. Then it got worse as the mountain wave lifted us to 14,000' - higher than the service ceiling of the airplane!  Oh well what goes up much come down. Yes, we did arrive Concord and have been surrounded by really neat pilots and a ramp full of 52 beautiful race airplanes. We're now in pre-takeoff classes.  There are 13 college teams.  Sometimes their team includes a flight instructor and a student, then that student flies with a newbie next year.  Terrific racing friends - the veterinary opthalmologist, the Australian who lives in Italy, a grandmother, daughter, granddaughter team, two darling girls dressed as Rosie The Riveter (they would win the fashion award if there were such a thing) and pilots even older than me! We're packing up to start the race heading north through Travis AFB tomorrow which covers 1,800 square miles, to Butte Valley to fly the timing line, land at Klamath Falls for fuel, then Elko next.  Weather is an issue.  We'll let you know how far we get tomorrow.  We have four days to arrive  at the finish line.  
Sent from my iPad        Gene Nora