Daisy
Her name is Daisy and the two of us went everywhere together. She continued to teach me about this new world of flying. We flew from the San Francisco Bay Area to as far north as Seattle, WA and as far east as Midland, TX and the Commemorative Air Museum (at http://www.airpowermuseum.org). I had planned a cross-country trip to return to my childhood home in NJ; however 120 mph over 6,000 miles of terrain sounded less and less like a good use of my non-working hours. I would love to do this trip...maybe in a faster airplane.

Next Steps
As any overachiever knows, once a goal is set and achieved, a new goal must be created. So, what would be my next goal? How about Aerobatics, you know -- Daredevil Stunt Flying? That should continue to inspire me, don't you think!?

The first loop for me was in a 1929 TRAVELAIR 4000. For those of you unfamiliar, that's an open cockpit biplane built before all of us were born. As soon as I got over the fear of falling out of the plane -- I really started to enjoy myself -- maybe too much.

Again, we forward fast about one year to my first Aerobatic Contest. I came in Second in the "Basic" category for newbies, people like me. I was addicted to the energy, the mixture of control and gravity, the fear and the exhilaration. And I really enjoyed winning a trophy.

By now, if you know me, you probably know that my next step was to purchase my Aerobatic plane. I bought a tiny Pitts Special single seat biplane. Her name is Ruby and she and I are learning how to fly all over again; this time, upside down.

Learning how to fly is nothing compared to learning how to fly Aerobatic Maneuvers and then Sequences of Maneuvers together. While learning this, I also started learning formation flying and ACM (dog fighting) techniques. I was constantly searching out difficult experiences to expand my knowledge and to test my mettle.

The process continues
The most recent test for me was to attend Pylon Racing School in preparation for the National Air Racing Championships in Reno every September (at http://www.airrace.org). If you haven't heard, we race airplanes 50 feet off the desert floor at top speeds. There are six different classes of airplanes, including biplanes and jets, and the only words that come to mind are "hard core." This is mettle testing time.

So, why am I telling you this story? See, flying changed my life. I was a pretty good consultant and a decent human being BF (before flying) -- however, I have changed enormously. I learned how to focus. I learned determination and diligence. I learned the meaning of Courage, with a capital C. I learned how to overcome fear, to rely on my wits and my skills to work through a dreadful situation (I've had a few). I learned respect -- for machines, people, and talent. I learned the meaning of the word "Honor" and I've met people worthy of that word. I've learned the importance of punctuality. And I know that showing up isn't really half the battle. It's all about what you do after you show up, you know the results.