Mason City, IA

Finally, a clear day in the upper midwest. Bernie sends me a text early and we form a plan to pick up his Bonanza and head south to Mason City, IA, where my buddy Mike is restoring the world's most beautiful C-140. If it were on E-Bay, it would be listed as new-in-box.

The temps were in the 20's and the air was smooth, providing great viz all the way down.

On the way into Mason, Doug Rozendaal brought the EVO Rocket up to shoot us down...er..I mean GREET us..... He flashed by my 9 like I was standing still, chanting "guns, guns, guns".......

After landing, we headed off to Buffalo Wild Wings and snarfed a bunch of wings. Doug provided some great input for my IFR upgrade and then back to the airport for the trip home. The Mason City guys have a great airport community, and Doug is the ringleader - many people stopped by his hangar just to say hello. We might have convinced one of them, a Mooney driver, to order a tail kit today.

Here are some images:

Do you ever tire of this view?



More of the same - had to be 100+ miles



West or east nary a cloud in the sky!



Captured Bernie over the harvest of Iowa's other cash crop - Wind....



A cold lake in the late afternoon sun on the way back to Minne.....



Pulled her in, dropped the cowl, and drained the oil - 400 "Holy Schnikies! I built an airplane" hours on the hobbs. Livin' the dream........ do it - there will be no regrets!!

petehowell said:

Finally, a clear day in the upper midwest...

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Makes you wonder what music would be like today had the weather been that nice on February 3, 1959?

n5lp said:

Makes you wonder what music would be like today had the weather been that nice on February 3, 1959?

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Well, there'd be one less "Long Song" in the catalog....

Nice pictures Pete - glad the weather cleared - it sure was a lot foggier when we drove that route on Friday!

Wait a minute. Bernie has a brand new RV-7 and he took the Bonanza? Oh, wait, he must be in still Phase I.

(BTW, tell him I've got CDs off the master of The Morning Show final broadcast. He mentioned down at Stein's that he'd like to get a copy)

I chopped ice at KSGS.

Just b/c you have a Sports Car......

Doesn't mean the SUV shouldn't leave the barn, too. However, you are right, Bob - the -7A is still in Phase I.

Ironflight said:

Nice pictures Pete - glad the weather cleared - it sure was a lot foggier when we drove that route on Friday!

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Be glad you got out when you did. We had freezing rain in central and eastern Iowa on Saturday. There was a good number of cars in the ditches. Looks like we're going to get a reprieve from the 20s and snow or single digits (or less) weather pattern we've been in for a few weeks.