Adrian was my first regional contest, in our 1-26, in 1969, when I was 18. A split weekend affair. We got one or two days in early but a tornado went through the airport and tore up a bunch of planes, a few gliders (I recall seeing a Dart in its trailer overturned and split open), our tent (it got REALLY dark and loud in the clubhouse where we all took refuge and we watched a shape go rolling by), and some house trailers in town. We came back the second weekend but no flying. We did get to watch Neil Armstrong's moon walk from the motel.

We tried another weekend later in the summer with the same effect. We finally got another day, maybe two, over Labor Day weekend to make it an official contest. Four weekends. Reminded me of last season: 22 possible days over 3 contests yielded 7 contest days.

My dad flew a regional there a few years earlier. Then we both flew the 15M Nationals there in 1979. I recall the FAA grounded us one day for an hour or two while NASA brought SkyLab down in a sort-of controlled crash. By the time we launched, the day was dying. Fond memories.

Chip Bearden