The journey across the country was amazing. One stop for the night in Oklahoma City. Took off in the fog the next day…and it was Instrument Meteorological Conditions all the way (meaning I was in the clouds dodging thunderstorms…WAY COOL.

I made it to Philadelphia, about 1200 nautical miles, in the rain dodging thunderstorms landing on what’s called the ILS approach blind…my kind of flying.

I think Team Misbehavin’ back at the office are about to put up some nice video and photos. It’s hard to keep up with work, flying and fun while posting as things happen.

For those of you following my spidertracks I hope you are enjoying them. They are rather frustrating for me as that company does not have a good hold on a bug in their software that keeps changing Knots per hour and feet in altitude to a cryptic metric system. Hopefully I can get them to fix it. Being an ex-software developer myself, I have given Luke at spidertracks the hints he needs to fix it…but no luck so far.

So about twice a day I trick their software out and it reports in feet and knots so that we can understand it.

Spent some time with my cousin Mark in Philly…this is special time for me. I gave him the love from all my friends that know him and he gives it back.

Tomorrow I’m off to Charleston where Don and I will install the HF radio and be off Sunday morning for the rest of this great adventure.

Don Ratliff just informed me he is stuck in Africa not to arrive in Charleston at the earliest on Thursday. This sets up a series of issues.

We must arrive in Greenland on Saturday or wait until Monday, if not, landing in Greenland on Sunday has a $1200 fee to get the crew out. They close the airport on Sundays which means you have to pay to open the airport.

Needless to say I’m a little disappointed. But perhaps if Don is ready to leave on Friday we’ll get out this week.

Stay tuned…

I really don’t know what to say. I’m tense and excited.

It looks like I will have a straight shot from Van Nuys to Charleston, SC tomorrow. Weather willing I will arrive a little after midnight in Charleston.

Getting north may be another story.

I’m busy packing and planning so I’m a little short here.

Name: Lisa Miller

Question: Jeff, on the eve of your Great Adventure I cannot help but think of how wonderful you are from head to toe, on the inside and out. You have made such a difference in my life and for that I thank you. You will be in my thoughts from the start of your Journey right to the end. There is no one more deserving than you to experience the Adventure of Flying the North Atlantic. May it be the first of many more. Cheers!!!Till you return…Love Lisa

City: Burlington,Ontario State: Canada

What can I say but love you back and then some!

Jeff

Michelle and Roni invited my friends to a Bon Voyage party last night at the Enterprise Fish Company in Santa Monica. We all had a great time.

Last night was the first time in 4 days that I was not stressed…woo hoo!

Now I’m looking at the weather map for tomorrow and it looks like a day of flying staring at the Stormscope for thunderstorms I’ll be dodging most of the way across the country. Don will probably have to meet me in Philadelphia or we won’t be able to get north of South Carolina.

I guess I have a bumpy exciting ride ahead of me. Team Miss Behavin’ will probably post some party pictures and others up here in the next day or two.

Michelle is on her way down to San Diego to last minute replace my non-functioning satellite phone.

Later…

Am I nervous? No!

Am I a little stressed? Yes!

There are so many things to check and double check…and I still have a few little items to buy…then it’s pack them all up and place them in Miss Behavin’.

Right now Art and Bill over at the Cessna Flight Center in Van Nuys are doing the final preparations to Miss Behavin’. They are hard wiring my satellite phone, back-up navigation gear (electronic flight bag), an air hose to cool Don and I off in our immersion suits and they are rigging a quick release in the back of the plane for getting the life raft and ditch bag out should it be needed.

Sunday night should be fun, Roni and Michelle are throwing me a Bon Voyage party at the Enterprise Fish Company in Santa Monica. That should be much fun.

When I get to Charleston, SC Don will hook up our HF radio, tuner and antenna that are required to fly the North Atlantic.

Then it’s off to Philadelphia to visit my cousin Mark before we leave for Bangor, Maine and then off to Goose Bay, Canada and beyond.

Lots to do!