Yeah, I’ve lurked here for a while. I enjoy the mountains and general adventuring. This forum captures what I want from my flying experience. I’ve been riding dual-sport motorcycles for a number of years. Lessons learned in packing light for motorcycle adventuring translate well to the plane. Skills practice is important. As mentioned here regularly, the pilot is often the limiting factor over the plane; as is the rider the oft limiting factor over a bike’s capability. I’m trying to learn my plane every time I go out. The ideas of self-sufficiency and survival options in case of incident resonate strongly with me given where I’ve ridden and where I would like to fly. Thanks for the survival vest article in the knowledge base.
It’s been a great flying year so far. Two trips to the Hooper Sand Dunes Pool; we were welcomed at Mack Mesa after seeing Mineral Canyon was too wet to land; trip to a ranch in WY (my cover pic) including a quick side trip to the Backcountry Super Cub shop; La Garita Ranch fly in; Chaparral strip in Kiowa, CO; and I have a fresh certificate for landing at Leadville. Respecting the weather and keeping wide performance margins, the 150hp O-320 and climb prop along with low ground effect action has served me well. All the reading I’m doing on mountain flying, principally Sparky’s Mountain Flying Bible and Mountain Flying Shirt Pocket Guide books are helping me to gingerly and respectfully explore the 172s performance envelope. Of course my eagerness to go too far into that envelope is tempered by my next statement. My wife and I just welcomed our first baby, a boy, on my ‘Member Since’ date. Yay. Wingman.
Thanks and see you around.
