01-01-10 Happy New Year!

Another decade behind us, how about that? I'm glad we survived it, but in many ways it was the decade from Hell, wasn't it?

Sandy and I had a nice dinner and we sampled a nice bottle of wine that she had gotten me for Christmas.

It started out low key and we watched a 1969 Rolling Stones concert DVD, had a few more glasses of wine, but then...


We didn't stay up till midnight.



New Year's Day was bright and sunny here in southern Illinois, but it was 18F when we got up.

One of my favorite things to do in life is to go out and fly on New Year's Day. It just makes a good start to the year. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to do this the last couple of years, because I was down for the big overhaul.

After a half hour pre-heat using a hair dryer, I pushed the mighty Q-200 out and flew over to Marion (about eight minutes away) and picked up Don Bartlett. This ride would have three firsts; first flight of the year, Don's first flight in the Quickie, and the first passenger ride I've given on the first of the year.

By then, the ground temp had gotten up to 24F. We didn't do to much really, just flew a few circles, demonstrated a stall, and back in. Don is very experienced so I wasn't making a sight seeing trip - but it was fun. With the current exhaust set-up I don't have any cabin heat and I have a couple of pesky air leaks.


After we flew, Don showed me the sweet little Champ he is annualling and then it was time to get back to Carbondale.

It was good to aviate today and so again, Happy New Year!