Okay, so first off let's just say that we haven't been disqualified yet. Today was a weird, weird day, but we're still on the good side of the Powers that Be.
The day started early. Erin was working on the blog late into the night (or early into the morning, depending upon the shift you work) while Captain Kelly snoozed comfortably in her bed. It wasn't long after Erin put down the computer and fell asleep that Kelly, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, awoke ready to start the day. Primed with coffee and scones we somehow both headed out to the airport for our credentials check and aircraft inspection. It was soon apparent that there was a long line for inspections, and while talking with one of the race organizers we were encouraged to head southeast to Yellowstone National Park for a sight-seeing tour since we were so far back in the inspection line.
We launched from BZN around 10:00 with Yelllowstone Lake plugged into our GPS. (For all of you non-competitors we actually had a few race strategies to work out, but we'll get to that some other time). After about a half hour of flying east we hung a right and steered directly to a whole host of touristy sights. We cruised up to 11,500 feet on our way over the mountain passes, through a valley (after a few fits and starts into the wrong pass, and the resulting squirts of adrenaline, yielding a sharp U-turn out of a dead-end valley), back out the valley, into the correct valley and finally out above the vast cobalt lake.
Enroute from BZN to WYS
Skimming the rather huge (and frigid) Yellowstone Lake.
Fighting hypoxia at 11,500 feet!We flew back around the pass toward West Yellowstone Airport and at the last moment couldn't think of a reason not to land (the most compelling reason to return to terra firma was actually that Kelly was starving -- again!). And after all, landing is one of the best parts! Once we were on the ground at WYS (marshalled in by a nice woman named Mary, I might add), we were treated to some See's Candies behind the counter and pointed in the direction of the brand new restaurant at the airport. After filling our bellies with healthy veggies (see, Lezlee, we're trying!) from the salad bar we took a few minutes for a photo op with the lovely ladies of West Yellowstone Airport and headed back up to altitude.
On approach into WYS (West Yellowstone) Runway 01.
The women in WYS Rule: Gay, Mary and Sandy run the airport and treated us like queens!
By the time we left WYS the wind had picked up!Fortified with food and well-wishes from the friendly crew at the airport, we made another trip around Yellowstone Lake in search of Old Faithful, which actually yielded an eyeful -- Kelly spotted this cool "eyeball" -- actually it's the Grand Prismatic Spring according to those in the know. And would you believe it heats up to a toasty 188 degrees F?!
http://www.yellowstonenationalpark.com/midway.htm
We managed to snap these photos while circling a few thousand feet above the spring (and those are people on that little bitty sidewalk!)
After the amazing sight of the Grand Prismatic Spring we couldn't imagine that anything else along the route back to BZN would be stunning, but we were wrong. The canyon that cuts through the valley was breathtaking, and though the turbulence was enough to make anyone else puke, we did manage to take a few shots of the area. Tumbling down the canyon walls was this beautiful waterfall, spewing a rainbow of spray over thousands of feet:
Unfortunately with the mean afternoon mountain air acting up we were tossed around like a sock in a dryer. Which, of course, made good photos of the Old Faithful Geyser difficult at best. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Faithful_Geyser
While Kelly flew around the geologic phenomenon like a mad woman, Erin snapped away. It's with sadness that we admit that the above photo is the best we could get of the geyser that decided to erupt just as we were approaching it! We'd just been talking about what a "ball of luck" each of our lives has been, wondering how long we'd have to wait before the thing erupted again (which happens every 60-90 minutes, we hear). Erin reminded Kelly that we were both exceedingly fortunate women who'd had amazing lives and that we ought to expect that she'd blow her cap about the time we rolled by. The zillion-year old spuot chose that exact moment to unleash her steam! Talk about a Luck Ball, eh?!
With the winds picking up, the turbulence tossing us around like fall leaves and the clock ticking we bittersweetly headed back to BZN. (Not to mention the fact that the ARC officials called looking for us after they noticed our plane had been gone for hours and that we were the only team yet to be inspected -- does this surprise any of our family?!) The terrain along the way was challenging but stunning, and despite the head-banging bumps along the way we managed a few nice photos of the scenery.
Once back at our temporary home away from home we prepared the Wonder Chariot for her inspection by airframe and powerplant mechanics. While Kelly was running up the engine for the propeller inspection with Ruby (who's 91, by the way) Erin was inside with our pilot credentials proving our worthiness to race. Unfortunately Erin had forgotten all of her licenses and certificates at the hotel, so that 1/2 of our team will be certified tomorrow. But the prop passed inspection, though the rest of the Deb will have to go under the microscope in the morning.
Meanwhile, the rest of the racers were headed over to the bar-b-que where the general public could "Meet the Lady Racers". Each team was introduced and good food was had by all. It was during this festive meal that we heard the familiar sound of a Debonair fly overhead. Erin's "second" parents, Phil and Maureen from Bellingham (north of Seattle) had flown in to cheer us on for the weekend. They own a Deb, and Erin and Mo have had literally hundreds of hours of adventures in that airplane (which in a round-about way got all of this Air Racing With Kelly and Erin stuff started!). We picked them up at their airplane and took them back to the bar-b-que after their long flight in through treacherous weather.
It means the world to Erin that they're here cheering on "Classic 31" and we're sure to have an advantage with the addition of Mo's experienced Debonair flying.
Stand by for more adventures from BZN (though our circle of trouble will be reined in with the impounding of the Wonder Chariot after her inspection in the morning)!
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