(Just re-read this and it's a bit TL/DR... so sorry)
Headed out to OXB today with my son and daughter. Unfortunately, we had to turn back about 10 miles SE of HEF because my daughter's stomach was hurting... as far as I can tell, not flight related, but who knows. I asked Potomac for a 180 and headed back. My son ended up driving her back to my wife and the comfort of home. After my wife telling me I better keep my plans and head to OC, I filed a new SFRA flight plan and headed back out.
Amazing flight. Was either controlled by Potomac in the SFRA and when out I had PAX flight following the rest of the way. Amazing views of the Chesapeake Bay and the flat land between the bay and Atlantic. Restricted airspace was cold today, so I was able to go at 3,500. Really neat views of Ocean City, MD on the way to the 45 for left downwind for rwy 14. I think I was so engrossed in the coolness of it all, I lost track of my downwind spacing and I also made my base turn too early. I went to OC as a kid and was just so thrilled to be flying so close to it... Anyway, was a bit high on approach, but corrected ok and had a pretty stabilized approach. Caught a nice xwind from the south, but did ok with it to bring it in safely.... ok with a bounce (not a bad one, was handled with a shot of power and 14 is so long I was able to do well even after the bounce). Still not a perfect landing, which I hate. I guess I am becoming a perfectionist, here.
Great folks at OXB. Had to call them up to ask where to park (FAR away!! but it's labour day so no worries). Parked and got out and just loved the ocean air. Caught a $10 lyft to the boardwalk, got my daughter a t-shirt and had an amazing crab cake sandwich and fries at a Harrison's Harbour Watch (great views of the inlet and all the boats going out/coming in).
After lunch, another Lyft back to the airport. Uneventful, but just amazing flight back to HEF. Ceilings came down a bit from the 4,500, but it's kind of fun dodging clouds instead of just using the autopilot to hold heading.
To reward myself upon landing, I went over to one of the flight schools across the field and picked up the set of Lightspeed Zulus I wanted. I realized on this long-ish xc that the DC 14.3's I was using just don't do that great of a job drowning out the engine noise. So what the heck, right? I mean, I pretty much just went for a $400 crab cake so what's another $850 + tax.
With each of these longer flights, I become more and more addicted to this. I never imagined when I set out to learn to fly that I would catch the flying bug like this. Honestly, the rest of this Labor Day weekend is going to be downright boring after this. I am honored to be part of this group of people who have earned the right to be called pilots. A bit melodramatic I know (and I'm ready for all the PoA flak! Don't care...) But all the hard work, training and studying has really paid off - I couldn't be happier with this passion!
Thanks for listening. TL/DR, I know.
