Day 4 - San Diego CA to Reno NV
EAA Chapter 14 at San Diego was holding a pancake breakfast, so the food was appreciated as all I had been eating the previous day was cereal bars. They had found a young girl for me to fly at Brown Field (SDM), rather than going to Ramona as planned where other Chapter 14 members were also flying Young Eagles.
Soon the mist had lifted sufficient for a VFR flight and instructions were given to me to fly west over the bay and the Corranado Bridge. At 2000 ft msl I could clearly see the approaching marine layer and despite being able to fly VFR on-the-top I knew there was no way that the Corranado Bridge would be visible. A turn east was made and an enjoyable flight in clear air around the low mountain peaks meant that my Young Eagle was able to take the controls and enjoy the great visibility from 'GOOFY'.
Leaving SDM for the flight north meant flying in the murky haze of southern California so I filed IFR for the flight to visit EAA Chapter 1 at Flabob airport, Riverside, CA. There is a connection between Flabob airport and the GlaStar as Tom Wathen, Flabob's owner, also owns NewGlasair, the manufacturer of the GlaStar and Glasair range of kit airplanes.
Flabob
Time flies by when you are having fun and the planned lunch stop at Mojave (MHV) was replaced with cereal bars so that 'GOOFY' could arrive at Reno Stead airport (4SD) at a reasonable time. Still, MHV could be seen in the distance as the flight route wound its way northward. A choice was made to fly west of the Sierra Nevada range as the clouds to the east clearly showed turbulent conditions.
Flying north until level with Sacramento and then turning east meant high altitude exposure was limited to a short distance at 9500 ft to cross the high altitude divide to Reno. Following the GPS approach into Stead satisfied the Reno controller that 'GOOFY' was not going to penetrate RNO's airspace.
On the approach to Stead a warning voice on the radio said that a 'twister / dust devil' had just gone through the hanger area, but its direction was unknown. I had previously been warned about the turbulent afternoon winds at Stead so I was prepared for a bumpy ride to touchdown, and sure enough I was not disappointed.
Steve and 'GOOFY' at 4SD
My host from the Reno EAA Chapter 1361 lived in a supurb setting opposite Stead airfield with one of the Reno Air Race pylons just across the road from his house. The views when the racers come by on a 'knife edge' must be truly spectacular.
