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 | Sunday, September 23, 2001
It was a beautiful flight near the Salton Sea in southern California this morning.
We were up early this morning for an early start to beat the predicted warm temperatures today. Flying was as smooth as silk and quite comfortable at 6500 feet. The terrain from Casa Grande to Yuma, AZ is mostly desert and follows highway 10. Our arrival at 9:00 a.m. in Yuma found us ravenous and the local flight based operator was kind enough to give us the complimentary use of a rental car for a quick trip for ?egg McMuffins? and coffee. This was strictly a fuel stop and after a few quick interviews, we headed for Burbank, CA. I had never been in the air over the Salton Sea and what a wonderful sight that was. It was heartwarming to realize that I was once again back home in California and had successfully completed one half of the journey with the touchdown at Burbank.
As we descended from 6500 feet, I was able to get the first breaths of salt air and felt like I was home!
At this juncture, I am able to reflect on the trip so far and it is with a real sense of awe. I am so incredibly proud to be an American and feel fortunate to be able to enjoy the wondrous beauty of this country. The freedom to fly an open cockpit biplane each day is a gift that I will always cherish, but the best part of this trip so far has been the people. The smiling interested faces that wait patiently for my arrival and welcome me with open arms into their communities will always have a very special place in my heart. Thank you for being a part of this Amelia Earhart flight re-enactment.
We will get a little later start tomorrow, spending the night at Las Vegas, Nevada. Maybe I'll drop a quarter in a slot machine!
When I arrived in Burbank a magazine wanted to take some pictures, so here I am posing for the camera.
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