Alison flew the second and last leg of the day from Norman Oklahoma into El Dorado Arkansas. There really is a stop in this state in every race, at least the ones we've flown. Really pretty scenery, with rolling tree covered hills and lakes. As seems to be our pattern this race, we were one of the last to leave Norman, so are definitely at the back of the pack as far as sequencing goes. We're just on a different schedule, is all.. The leg went really well, we are realizing that just cracking open the cowl flaps a hair really helps cool the C182 engine at these speeds, and it was purring along. We also have to remember to cool ourselves, and are downing gallons of water as the temperature in the plane was probably in the high nineties. We didn't get great tailwinds but we flew the engine well and made good time I think. Landed early evening in El Dorado, where many of the planes are parked for the night. We were rescued for dinner by Mary Wunder and Rose Brown, who came and picked us up in a rental car and took us for dinner with a crowd of other racers, at a seafood restaurant where we feasted on king crab legs and trout(we didn't ask where they get king crab in Arkansas..).
Only one more leg to go to the finish tomorrow. Running only 5 legs instead of the usual 10 or 11 gives you only just enough time to get use to racing again before you have to stop, but it also reminds you how challenging and fun it is (also hot, noisy, intense, bumpy, exhausting... we're back to fun again!). It also reacquaints you with your own plane, and our baby has done everything we asked it to do so far (except start when it's feeling too hot!) without complaining. Bless.
I know there have been requests for more photos - they're coming, Linda will upload them tonight or tomorrow morning latest I'm sure.
