Solo Cross Country...and more waiting

I did my first solo cross country last Monday! It was great -- Modesto was still hazed in, but Kevin helped me quickly plan a flight to Salinas, so I went there instead.

The flight was totally easy. I took off from PAO, went over SLAC, and turned south. One cool thing was that for the first time I brought my GPS. That really helped me avoid the San Jose Class C airspace, and also helped me identify my checkpoints. But I didn't have any trouble looking away from it -- I don't want to become overreliant on it, but I don't think it'll be a problem. For one thing it doesn't know the floors/ceilings of the airspaces, so even with the GPS I was referring to the chart all the time. For another thing, it's so beautiful outside, so I look there!

I flew over KWVI Watsonville, and then straight in to Salinas. I taxied back, asked for a left downwind departure (make your turn early, he says. Which turn?) and headed home. I took Kevin's advice and kept my airspeed low; after all, I need 5 hours of solo cross country time so there's no point in rushing. The flight was a lot of fun and totally smooth.

Since then I've been trying to get my long solo cross country in. Yesterday was far too windy. Today is still far too windy. This weekend a storm system is probably coming in. Next Thursday and Friday I'm out of town. Next Saturday thru Monday Kevin's out of town. So my goal of testing by the end of the month might not happen.

I have flights scheduled for Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, thinking that the weather will probably not cooperate. But we'll see what happens.