A few of you out there knew I was moving from the East out West last
spring. I packed myself and my travel trailer up last April and headed
west. I arrived in Montana late April. I was to have a job out of Salt
Lake but that evaporated on the way. I started looking in Missoula as
soon as I got there. there is a very active aviation community there. Big
Forest service base. I tried getting on with on of the few Air tanker
outfits in the country. They seemed interested but no luck. I tried the
local Airlines. Over qualified. I interview with one regional airline,
Bad experience. Not going interview with them again. I signed up for a
couple of aviation job boards... Within a month I had a job. In Oregon.
I was to spend the summer working on and flying planes on contract to
the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. One of our pilots quit
so I am now flying out of Boise, ID until the end of September. Cool
Job. Good pay.

Well a few weeks ago I flew commercial back east to retrieve my plane. I
hit the ground at IAD at 16:15 Wednesday the 19th. My friend picked me
up ad we headed back to her place for the dinner. After Dinner we drove
down to Fredricksburg and picked up the plane. It was now well after
dark. I flew the plane back up to IAD. We went back to my friends for
the night.

Got up early Thursday morning and headed back out to Dulles. Preflighted
my plane and we departed around 0900. My last time flying the ADIZ if I
can help it. Due to weather over Illinois and Indiana we headed due west
towards Cincinatti. We ended up stopping at Claremont county (Home of
Sporty's) for Fuel and a quick break. A check of the weather and we had
to head due north to Ft Wayne and then west to Iowa City. We spent the
night at Jay and Mary's fabulous Hotel right next to the airport.
We departed the next morning to low VMC so we filed IFR. It finally
cleared up once we left Iowa about and hour and a half later. Once we
crossed into South Dakota the terrain started to rise. We were cruising
along at 4500 at only 1500 AGL. We stopped in Winner, SD Nice place,
friendly. Had lunch at the local DQ. Most of the local resteraunts were
closed for the afternoon. We continued on. Flew by Crazy Horse and Mt
Rushmore, Stopped in Sturgis, SD, flew by Devils Tower and on into
Sheridan, WY.

Had a nice dinner and stay at the Best Western in Sheridan. We tried to
get into Buffalo Bill Cody's for dinner but being Friday night the wait
was just too long as we were too tired to wait. Left Sheridan around
0900 Saturday and headed west for Yellowstone. Flew over and got to see
one of the geysers erupting from the air.... Cool. Then headed on into
Missoula. My new home. Stopped for lunch and needed to run a few
errands. Left there around 1500 and headed for La Grande, OR where I
was working for the summer. Nestled my bird into our hanger for the
night and passed out in my trailer for the evening.

I am now working in Boise for the rest of Fire season as a Air
Attack/Recon pilot. We get to fly over beautiful country and I get paid!.

On my days off My boss is going to fly my plane down to Boise so I get
to explore the Idaho back country... Cool.

go fly,

Michelle