Results Update from Bee

Sunday Banquet Finale where winners announced. Sad to report we did not win but did find out why – WE COULD HAVE. We made mistakes. Our enthusiasm was to be the first to land which we accomplished along with the three final legs including the terminus, Atlantic, IA. We arrived after 2 ½ days at 11:15 and no one else there until 6+ hours later. We did have 4 days to complete the race and should have spread out our flying. We should have flown in the mornings and avoid the extreme turbulence encountered in afternoon flying . This does reduce your speed. We know the Diamond Star has the speed. Proving we had the right airplane is that the other Diamond Star came in second. They had only 2 in the plane and had raced before. There are no first time Air Classic racers – like us – who have ever won. At the Banquet we did receive good advice from the winners for future use.

We did not go home empty handed. We won 3 leg prizes out of total of 9 (one of which was the leg going into Sweetwater) and an unofficial one for having the oldest (88) participant. Our “Award of Merit” certificate along with the leg medals we won will be proudly displayed.
The hospitality shown us along the way was unbelievable. At the terminus we were divided into groups to have dinner at a local volunteer’s home. Lucky us we were invited to Mike and Kathy Henningsen. He had opened his private hangar at the airport to all of us in which, among other airplanes and restored cars was a P51. He gave a ride to someone whose name had been drawn from a hat. These wonderful hosts served a great dinner preceded by “diet” Margaritas and followed by Pink Rabbits and Grass Hoppers – a dessert to die for. After dinner we watched tapes of his P51.

All in all, the three of us are still speaking to each other and would consider entering another race but not now. There is a lot of preparation work and stressful flying. We learned not to take on tasks promised that could not be filled. When racing there is not enough time or energy to communicate on a daily basis.

Thank all of you for your support. I may check back later with some other thoughts and perspectives. Christy and Susan will give their accounts later.

Bee