They're Off!!!

Well the day has arrived. The ladies arrived at the airport promptly at 0500H. They had packed light with less than 20 pounds of personal baggage each plus the flight gear. The skies were beautiful and calm. A light layer of fog sat low across the field and the plane had a coating of morning dew. Denise wiped down the windows while Teresa checked the plane for flight.

The crew was pleased to receive a gracious send-off from fellow members of the local 99's and Women in Aviation groups. Helicopter Pilot A.J. took some long lens shots and came to wish the ladies a safe flight. Fellow pilot Donna drained a local Dunkin Donuts of all their coffee and cups for a final chilly morning toast. Sam, Denise's daughter, and Teresa's husband Bill also came by to see the gang off on their epic adventure. All in all it was very nice though the mini-tailgate celebration delayed departure by a half hour. The memories were worth it as well as a few pretty shots of sunrise over Brainard Airport.

At 0600, run-up and cross-checks complete, the Purple Hearts officially rotated and  with a send-off wing waggle, drilled a hole skyward toward the West. The first fuel stop will be somewhere in Pennsylvania with another near Indiana thereafter. If weather cooperates, the plan is to drop in on Teresa's old home base of Spirit Airfield in Chesterfield, MO, a suburb of St. Louis by dinner time to see old pilot friends, share a meal, and hit the hay for the next day's progression West! -ed