Sunday Morning Over Elkhart County

After so many years living in this area, this is the first time we've made it to the annual Father's Day Fly-In at the Mishawaka Pilot's Club.

I enjoy watching the planes fly over our house in the summer (the Pilot's Club is just a mile or so away) so it was a real treat to be able to see them up close.

Their $5 breakfast included scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage and OJ. It really didn't occur to me until after we ate, that this event is a fund raiser. I ate very quickly so we could get in line for a plane ride. For some reason, I thought the pre-event publicity signs, posted like Burma Shave signs along Mishawaka Road, said "free" plane rides. But, alas, this is a fund raising event so I had to run down to the Speedway's ATM to get some cash.

In the seven minutes it took me to get cash and return, Bruce had almost talked himself out of going on a plane ride. We had discussed, earlier in the week, that we should do it together. That way if something bad happened, it would happen to both of us at the same time.

When it came our turn to go up, some random kid ended up going with us. Not sure why his parents would let him ride alone, but he was quite content counting all of the "lakes" (actually ponds) we flew over. I found myself acting like his tour guide, pointing out the various landmarks below.

Our pilot was named Auggie. He's a master pilot and flies a corporate jet for a living. He said his son is also a pilot. I'm pretty sure the Rolls Royce we saw in the parking lot belonged to Auggie.

Here's an aerial view of hundreds of Hummers lined up between the train yards and the Mishawaka Pilot's Club.





Below is a video of the first six minutes of our plane ride.