Finally--FLIGHT!

The day started out rainy and overcast.

The sun did not shine.
It was too wet to play.
So we sat in the house
All that cold, cold, wet day.

Well actually, the flipping dogs played out in the rain and the mud as much as I let them, but anyway...

But then it cleared up, as if by magic. Come afternoon, the clouds were gone, the sun was out, and best of all, the wind was light and right down the runway.

Oh, yeah...

Out to the airport I drove, calling en route for the fuel truck to go out and top me off. The battery's been in the basement on a charger since the last flight in December and it only took a couple of minutes for me to install it. Then, after an extra-thorough walk-around pre-flight check (because I have not seen, much less flown, this aircraft in two and a half months), I hit the starter and she fired up as quick and as smooth as if I'd just parked it an hour ago. As soon as the oil temp came up, I was number one for take-off and off I went, heading southeast, just because.
The town below in Charles Town, WV. Above and beyond it, that gap in the mountains is Harpers Ferry, where the Potomac River cuts through the Blue Ridge on it's way down to DC.
(Click on the pictures to enlarge.)

The scant remains of our snow, courtesy of a couple of back-to-back 50+ degree days.

Here's the Shenandoah River, curing north to meet the Potomac at Harpers Ferry.

Just over the Blue Ridge is the farmland of Virgina's Loudon County. It's an economic and cultural different world on that side compared to Dogpatch, West Virginia on this side.

Down the Blue Ridge a bit, a little south of Route Seven, we come upon Mount Weather, the federal government's FEMA center where, in the event of a war or catastrophe of some sort, they plan to shelter all of the important bureaucrats that likely caused it.

I've been leaving this place alone for the most part on my flights in the area, but on my last night flight through here, a helicopter of theirs decided to follow me around and blind me with his searchlight every time I so much as pointed my nose in the direction of the place. I didn't post on it at the time because I wanted to double-check and make sure that I wasn't accidentally violating some temporary flight restriction but after much checking around, I'm certain that I didn't and the helicopter crew were just being tools and/or trying to drive me away from something that someone didn't want me to see. Well hey, Mt. Weather--that old wheel just keeps turning and now it's on like Donkey Kong and you guys are going to get lots of that special sort of attention from me for a while now.

Where's your helicopter now, bitches?

I'll be back. Count on it.

Next, here's the airport at Winchester, VA. I landed just because I needed the practice and it was there.

And yeah, their left-most PAPI light is out. I told them.

And look at this neat plane I found there.

No idea what that is, but that three-blade prop suggests that it's got some power pushing it.
Next, it was a hop down to Front Royal, were I got to practice slipping because I'd gotten way too high and turned base way too soon. But I greased it in right on the numbers and made it a full-stop just so I could taxi back up to the FBO. I mean, where else can I set up to be number two for take-off, following the F-86?

I've been here before, and there are more and better pics of the F-86 here.

Taking off again, it was a short, uneventful flight back to my home airport, but in flying over Stephen City, I saw this quarry with a tunnel leading off of it that practically begs for a scuba exploration. What do you say, Aaron?

Then it was home and down, and the plane put up as the sun sets.

I kinda wish I'd come out later for some night flight, but there'll be time for that later.

And lookit--it's got some spiffy new Kenon sunscreens to keep the sun off the interior and prying eyes away from it's contents. These were a Christmas present and they just got installed today for the first time.

All in all, it was a great afternoon, and while I'm still not walking terribly well, I had no brake/rudder issues at all and for two whole hours, I completely forgot that I'm still having leg problems. I'm happy.