Dave,

The shortest way you can fly the "250nm leg, 300nm, 3 stops," and
return the aircraft where you got it, is to go straight out 250nm,
land, and return, stopping once on the way out or back. In other words,
the shortest way you can meet this requirement is to fly 500nm *if*
you're not leaving the airplane somewhere.

I'm going to back to school full time in the fall, so feel kinda cash
poor, so I have turned kinda cheap.

Right, but you're equating distance with money. That's not how it works.
Let me explain.

For this thread, let's assume you average 100 knots (ignore taxi etc to
simplify things). Let's assume you're flying a $100/hr plane (again to
simplify things - use whatever figure you want). Also, OPD == Original
Point of Departure (PAO for you I assume).

Quickie round trip of 250nm x 2 = 500nm = $500


My suggested way = 300nm (to an airport 250nm away from OPD), pick up a 2
year-old girl with wearing a cute hat with bunny ears, and a backpack to aid
her liver/kidney transplant. Fly her and her Mom to Palo Alto (250nm).

Round trip = 300nm + 250nm = $550. That's just $50 extra, but wait, there's
more, have your VISA card ready for the tax man to *credit*. It is all tax
deductable. Let's assume a 35% tax brakcet (use your own number (just a
complete guess)). Your longer flight now only cost you $360 - that's almost
a $200 SAVING!!!

And what's more, it is possible to write something like what I did for my
Angel Flight with Katherine: "The head-winds and the small delay in finding
one another at Lincoln meant we arrived in Palo Alto slightly behind
schedule. We unpacked the aircraft and I helped load up the van. Despite
their running late, Kelli must have thanked me several times. Once was
plenty; her appreciation was obvious. I began waving at Katherine hoping to
catch her attention for a good-bye wave. For her, this simply did not
suffice - she wanted to give me a hug. I obligingly knelt down and was
embraced by the most adorable little 2 year-old girl one could imagine. She
followed up the bear hug with a kiss on my cheek.

I've always wanted to help people by contributing in the form of charity,
but unfortunately not being one with limitless patience, I have never quite
found the appropriate vehicle for this desire. Aviation and Angel Flight
have allowed me to achieve this goal. Each of my two Angel Flights to date
has rewarded me in ways I had never expected. It will be a long time before
I can climb in the Cutlass without remembering the shining person sitting in
the back. Katherine is a girl who is full of life."

Everytime I read this, well, it's pretty emotional, even more so now that I
have two beautiful healthy little girls.

Dave, it's just as idea. As always, do what makes you and those around you
most comfortable. But just in case: http://www.angelflight.org

Hilton