We left Outagamie Airport, Appleton, Wisconsin, shortly after 10:50 am. We say goodbye to Oshkosh, the Airventure, and Nancy, who is flying back commercial from Green Bay. The Boeing B-17 crossed the runway prior to our takeoff. It was a fitting last glance at the amazing air show and the impressive restored planes we saw flying during the last 3 days.
Imagine the Seattle Boat show on steroids with most of the attendees arriving by boat and having somewhere between 14,000 and 25,000 boats anchored around the outside of the show with dingies and small motorboats moving the sailors to and from their boats to the show. Add to that image several 100 boats of various sizes and types on display as well. The air show has the advantage of being on dry land (unless it rains, which it did during the show and at night). Rich and I decided that we have never seen anything before that would compare to this, from the restored aircraft, to the planes on display, to the planes of the folks attending and then to the aerobatics each afternoon. We could certainly relate to the vendors selling everything under the sun.
We started out with a course direct to Bozeman, Montana, cruising at 8,500 ft, speed over the ground is 120.7, airspeed is 130 knots so we have a headwind of about 9 knots. So unlike the trip out we are not making as good progress. We stopped at Aberdeen, South Dakota to refuel the plane and ourselves.
We planned to go to Billings, Montana, but we continued to fight headwinds (seems just like cruising), so we stopped at Miles City, Montana, a burg of 8,400 souls. We are staying at the Sleep Inn, a new hotel that just opened a month ago and the nicest place we have stayed at yet. Dinner was at the Ribs & Chops, where we had, yes, you guessed it, ribs and chops. Now we are watching the Olympics.
Tomorrow we want to get an early start to head west.
Sent from SV Windarra iPad
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