Airventure 2008: what a spectacle! I LOVED it! Incredibly, so did my wife who came with me, and who has NO interest in aeroplanes. People wonderful, so welcoming, and friendly. We met and chatted to all sorts.

Arrived home in England this morning, having left OSH very reluctantly. Everyone who said 2 days is not enough was absolutely RIGHT!

Flying a J3 Cub on straight floats was an odyssey – fabulous fun, but humbling and at times very difficult. The 15 hours of flying that it took, taught me more about flying than I could have believed. After 20,000 hours, I thought I was beginning to get the hang of it until that little Cub humbled me somewhat.

Flying across the US, non-radio, with a sectional on my lap was an unbelievable experience. It’s what flying is all about. The countryside through Canada and the US that we flew over was dramatic, stunning, breathtaking, and just spectacular. The trip was not without drama, and the support and help of individuals on the way was something to behold, and treasure.

I will write an account of it, but I have to apologise to everyone who knows me in advance: it was such an adventure, I’m likely to boast about, and become utterly boring it for years to come! It will take me a while to collect my thoughts, and collate it all though.

I checked over the J3 yesterday evening, pumped her floats dry one last time, before setting off for Chicago, and my flight back to England. Someone else wil take her home. Saying goodbye left me with a lump in my throat – I couldn’t believe it!

A huge thank you to everyone on this thread who offered suggestions on how to enjoy OSH, especially Dan, the tbyguy.

Ndege.