With the ink still wet on my private certificate I loaded the old gal up and headed to Tuscon Az from Mn in the dead of winter to visit some friends in a warmer locale and to mainly stretch my new wings. The old Continental 300 purred over the rockies without incident giving me new courage and swagger (after all I now was closing in on 100 hrs yaknow!) When I landed at Aspen Co for fuel the linemen where very curious seeing my Skyhawk parked at the pumps. When I asked why they were all looking at my plane, they blurted;never seen anything so old and underpowered land here before! They were looking to see what kind of engine mods had replaced the old 145 horse continental. After learning it takes full throttle to taxi at a 9000 ft AGL airport I caught thier drift.
Undaunted off I flew south over Durango, to Tuscon. Being my first cross country out of Mn I was elated to touch down at Old Ryan Field and call my friends. After a few days stay I was ready to make the return flight, but over flatter ground.
I had picked up a Passenger for the flight back, welcome company in my Green starship. Ignoring the preflight weather briefings (I can See the Blue Sky..DUH...) It was IFR to (I follow Railroad) to Texarkana Arkansaw. The skys had started getting real black like to the rear of us by the time we taxied out to takeoff. Not to worry, this thing will outrun any storm! Off we went dumb and dumber into wild blue yonder, again without a briefing.
About 40 minutes later, we had not only not outrun the fast advancing Black monster, but it had also formed to the front of us and all sides! Lightning was striking everywhere and after doing a shaky 180 Turn I shouted to my terrified passenger, " Look for a place to land !!!" (My cockpit manner had yet to evolve past terror.) Down to about 300 ft Agl I started thinking that all was lost when I starting a slow turn to the only one half mile spot of fast closing open sky left. Suddenly my passenger points directly down and says " Airport, Airport!!"
I did a sharp turn and plunked the Green Girl down just in time for all Hell to break loose. I had to keep flying the old girl on the centerline with the brakes locked just to keep her from flipping from the torrents of rain , hail and 70 mph gusts! One more minute in the air and we would have been another "God were they stupid statistic" The storm passed in about 20 minutes and we taxied to the small dark line shack.
Weak kneed and very humbled, we both agreed we would park this death trap go to town and have a few strong ones for medicinal puposes. After an hour walk to the local berg we were told that " Sorry boys, this here is a Dry county!"
