Where are we again?! - updated with pictures

This morning we completed our registration at the hotel, then headed back to the airport where the first order of business was the credentials check, where you have to present your pilot certificate, medical, biennial flight review and a ton of other paperwork. We also found David of Desert Detail in a tent right outside the FBO, and like many other racers we signed him up to wash and wax the plane (remember, every squashed bug on the airframe leading edges is going to perturb the airflow and take microscopic amounts off your airspeed - you'd think it doesn't matter, but it does!). His team spent three hours in temperatures of over 100 degrees washing and waxing the airplane to a smooth and spotless finish, and we have truly never seen it look so good. Thanks guys!!

 We also spent the morning bumping into many old friends, and mid morning seven of us headed over to the London Bridge area of town to get a ferry over the lake to the California side. Here we encountered a truly bizarre sight - the original actual London Bridge from my home country England was transported here in the 1950s and rebuilt brick by brick in the Arizona desert! It now sits in stately splendor under the baking sun with US and British flags waving over it, while neon colored speedboats carrying beer drinking, bikini-clad students zoom about on the channel underneath it. It was completely brilliant. Only in America! The ferry gave us a good view of the jagged mountains all around the bright blue lake, and we had lunch in the casino on the California side. Then, fellow Ninety-Nine Ginny Harmer and her husband Dennis turned up and gave us a fast ride back across the lake in their speedboat! Very cool. Then it was back to the airport for our airplane inspection. Three teams of mechanics worked to inspect 49 planes all yesterday and today in the insane heat, and we had the last appointment of the day, but despite being exhausted and probably ready for a beer they were lovely, and found that the plane and all the paperwork were in order so... We are now GOOD TO GO! For the rest of today, we hope to spend a little time with our Baby Birds, Team 42, Esther and Mollie from Liberty University in VA, and go to the Welcome Reception for more catching up with everyone.

This is Linda updating the blog with some pictures from the day.

Linda and David from Desert Detailing...as they say...what happens in Lake Havasu stays in Lake Havasu!

Alison and Barb Zeigler, fellow Eastern PA 99, pose at the airport

We ran into one of our baby birds from last year. They are both racing this year but on separate teams. Here is Nicole with her new race partner Tonya. Good luck classic racer #8!

Classic racer team #13 Judy and Linda

Here is the boat we took across Lake Havasu to the casino for lunch

One of the other teams from Eastern PA 99s, classic racer #25, Ethel and Barb

Mary, Alison and Barb on the boat crossing the lake

The three teams from the Eastern PA 99s...classic racers #25, #15 and #5

The channel out to Lake Havasu

Lake Havasu...the lake and the city

The boat on the way back from the casino was just a little smaller than the one on the way over

Linda and Barb riding in the front of the boat

The rest of the gang was in the back

Heading back into the channel, it was filled with boats

Nice ride...thanks Ginny and Dennis!!

Alison and Barb at London Bridge....say what????

London Bridge....yes, in Arizona, really?

Classic racer #35 from Purdue University, Chantel and Amanda. They have a connection to Philly at Wings field. They know two flight instructors there...Liz and Zac.

Our plane at the inspection

The inspection team with Alison. We were the last plane of the day for them and they were ready to go home. They did a great job over the last several days. Thanks guys for volunteering for the Air race Classic!

Our plane being towed back to its tie down spot where it will stay until race day.