That was basically what I was saying. You didn't dodge a bullet
because had the gun actually have been loaded, you would have
never stepped in front of it ;-)

I figured that's where you were going with that... ;-) and... you
are right! I didn't dodge a bullet, because I wasn't or wouldn't have
been willing to put myself in a situation that might have got me into
trouble. I knew the conditions I was coming from were favorable, with
a slight haze, and could have easily turned back to try again another
day.

The point of my post was not to suggest I dodged a bullet, but to
emphasize how quickly things can turn. Any VFR pilot could have hopped
into a plane from Cameron Park to do some air-work that might have
taken them to a practice area further than where I was coming from, in
Georgetown. They could have ascended up to a few thousand feet in a
light to moderate haze, practiced some turns and stalls for an hour or
two and headed back to Cameron Park to land. In the hour I left the
airport and had pizza at a local shop, things turned from what appeared
to be haze to fairly ominous looking clouds. I would have not wanted
to be away in favorable conditions practicing maneuvers, only to return
to what I saw when I left the pizza place.

Even though it was "only" a 10 minute flight for me, I think I have
something to learn from the observation as well. Weather can change in
an instant, and you can't always know what's looming behind haze or a
layer of clouds without seriously preparing for a flight into those
known conditions. Even then, there are no guarantees.

Best Regards,
Todd

Todd