Wind gods and other gods of Flying

[Harold Holiman]

On my recent flight from LaFayette, GA (9A5) to Fort Lauderdale, FL (FXE) the Wind gods and other gods of Flying were smiling on us. The entire 650 mile flight from LaFayette to Fort Lauderdale with stops at Cordele, GA (CKF) and Leesburg, FL (LEE) was CAVU without a hint of turbulance plus about a 30+ tail wind on all three legs. However, for our return, the gods had changed their minds. We had planed on flying from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa on Thursday to spend the night with friends then flying home Friday making short stops at Camp Blanding to see where my Grandfather had been stationed at the start of WW II, and Albany, GA to speak to friends, and then on to LaFayette. Thursday morning the severe weather had already reached Tampa and western Georgia so we decided to head up the east coast of Floriia from Fort Lauderdale and hopefully at least get into the SE corner of Georgia before the severe weather arrived. We made it almost to Jacksonville when ATC told us the severe thunderstorms had already made it to Waycross, our intended destination, so we diverted to Fernidiena Beach, FL (55J). After landing we found out there was a tennis tournment in town and all the hotels were full. The lady at the airport finally did find us a room. She called us a cab for about a five minute cab ride and told us the cab should be about $7.00. When we arrived at the hotel he said $15.00. I questioned it and he said the rates were up because of the tennis tourment. We checked into the hotel and ate lunch at a very good restrauant across the street. About fifteen minutes after we finished eating the severe weather arrived. Yesterday morning the cab fare back to the airport had risen to $17.00, again when questioned, it was because of the tennis tournment. Talk about gougeing. The weather was forcast MVFR to below Macon, GA then IFR the rest of the way, changing to MVFR with scattered thunderstorms in the PM. We started out at 4500 and then had to come down to 1500 and landed at Milledgeville, GA (MLJ) for lunch and to look at the conditions for the rest of the trip. From there to LaFayette it was now forcast MVFR and at 2000 the viz was good but the ride was rough and we had to go around a number of rain showers, but all the thunderstorms stayed east of our route. This trip was definitely an example in a change of attidude of the gods of Flying. Hope I havn't rambled too much. Look forward to seeing many of you at Petit Jean.

Harold
N92CP