Day 1 - It finally arrived

17th of May 2006

The day was a 5 o’clock start. Out to the airfield to meet our pre- prepare fully packed and fueled up Flying Machine. No wind on the ground and clear crisp blue skies, it was the beginning that we had hoped for. We said our goodbyes to our most helpful fellow triker friend, warmed up the engine and taxied out to the dew covered grass strip.

A little nervous but mostly excited, it was time to begin what we had planned to be a long and successful trip covering many miles across the USA. Destination unknown. With a final wave to the crowd we imagine was there to see us off, I flattened the little 2 stroke 582 engine and we began speeding down the grass strip.

With all our gear, 2 up with a full load of fuel off a wet grassy strip, it took what seemed forever to clear the ground.Finally we where in the air and with the help of a nice tailwind we had clicked over our first of mile of many. YEEERRRR HHHHHAAHHHHH the journey has finally begun.

STOP 1 DAY 1

We decided to land after about 80 minutes of flying for a stretch. I picked an airport from my GPS and we entered the circuit pattern and landed. The local pilots there came over and had a good laugh at what we where looking to do in such a small aircraft.

“Well today is coffee and donuts day upstairs” one of them announced in a big American accent, inviting and almost forcing us to come along.

---America where pilots fly their plane hundreds of miles for morning donuts---


STOP 2 DAY 1

We flew on. Grabbing the nice tailwind and heading south for the heat. Spotting a power station we flew around it. This is a requirement in the USA since 911. We ended up with an empty petrol tank at Greenville Airport, Illinois. With the wind now up to 20 knots we decided to stay the night there and see the town. This meant missing a BBQ that the pilots from Ralph Jacobs Field was warming up along with cold beers they promised were waitng for us. But that is triking sometimes. A cold front came through not some after came through with rain squalls attached so we felt we made the right decision not too push on.

It was game on in Greenville. I discovered that there is this courtesy car system in the USA for pilots to get into town. What a laugh!! Grabbing the keys I went to surprised Anna-Klara who was with the Trike and who became very excited when I turnup in our new found friend, BETTY.Here she is our saviour from hunger and gateway to adventure in Greenville.



















Driving into town for a meal we stopped off at the local cattle sales.Try talk faster than this guy and have a look at the young steer karate kick on the left hand corner of the screen. (click on play button, best with broadband and sound)



The manager of Greenville Airport was ever so helpful and friendly, letting us take a shower at his place and sleep in the pilot lounge at the airport that night. We made some Skype calls using the broadband internet access provided there. The Trike was in a nice cosy hanger out of the wind. We cooked up a nice warm meal in the kitchen-ette and watched relax back on the lounge/beds in front of the big screen TV. God bless America, heh !