Date:      Friday, August 1, 1997
States:    IL, MO, NE, IA
Weather:   Thin haze
Altitude:  6,500 ft MSL
Dep Time:  9:38am CDT (1438 UTC)
Arr Time:  4:11pm CDT (1911 UTC)
Airtime:   4 hr 40 min
Distance:  620 nm
Avg Speed: 133 kts
Fuel Burn: 58 gal

    Today, Jared launched from Clow (1C5). Chicago Approach gave vectors directly over Midway Airport, then to the shoreline and northbound to Meigs Field (MGX) on Lake Michigan. With the recent battles over the airport, and the long-term life expectancy very much in doubt, we wanted to use this unique airport before it is too late. It was worth it with a wonderful view of downtown Chicago up close; it was fun. Traffic was using runway 18 flying out over the lake and the boats on the north side of the airport. Bill was waiting at Signature, and had already paid the $21 landing fee.

    We loaded up and launched VFR to St. Louis. We had trouble getting continuous flight following but eventually got there. We landed at Spirit of St. Louis (SUS) and got good service there, except they did not have IFR charts. Luckily, across the street and down a block was a complete pilot shop that had everything! We got enroute charts and approach plates and got off the ground IFR to Omaha (OMA).

    We got to Omaha without incident and flew above a broken layer so the IFR was nice. Once we got to Omaha, we had a visual into runway 14L. We got good service there with fuel and oil. We filed IFR to Sioux City, Iowa (SUX) and launched.

    The flight to Sioux City was in more haze and we had more clouds building way up high and to the west. As we flew along, ATC asked if we were in any precipitation and we replied that we had just a brief spotting. It was a good flight with smooth air (as it was all day) and we landed on runway 35. The FBO, Jetson, didn't have hangars but were able to take care of us otherwise. They got us rooms at the Hilton downtown with excellent rates.

    Bill and Jared planned out how to finish the rest of the 48 states. We are going to try for a run home to Utah tomorrow, which will get the plane back to Provo (PVU) for an oil change. Then we'll take a round- robin to get ID, OR, WA, and another to NV, CA, AZ. So by Wednesday next week we should be done with the big adventure!