July 20 | Wednesday was the easy, stress-free, relax and play day. We were going to visit and tour Rolette County, North Dakota.

July 19 | I recommend that you think carefully about staying a truck stop motel next to the interstate. Especially next to a downhill grade.

July 18 | We got off from Sonoma Skypark just before 9 am today. I had planned to leave Sunday, but woke up Saturday night after two hours of sleep and started thinking about all the things I needed to do and remember before leaving. That was “game over” for any more sleep that night.

Go to Oshkosh and AirVenture for the airplanes. Keep returning for the people.

August 1 | I flew over Sonoma Skypark at about 1,500’ AGL to check the windsock and had someone on the ground answer my announcement by telling me that runway 26 was currently the one the wind favored. I was grateful for the help.

July 30–31 | I bought Sam McIntosh’s wonderful, fully-instrument equipped 182 so I could get my instrument rating, among other things. It’s like handing a neurosurgeon’s scalpel to an electrician. (I’m and electrician.) You’re probably going to die.