As I was doing my flight plan, my computer estimated the trip would take 30 min, which took me aback...I had made the trip from Traverse City to Lansing several times and it usually took me at least an hour...then I remembered that the Lancair can travel twice as fast as a 172!
Although the computer only listed Traverse City's VOR TVC to use, I added Mt. Pleasant's VOR MOP in case I couldn't raise it immediately.
As I taxied to the active, I had everything tuned, but was picking up neither VOR (at least I know the general direction...NW)...
I just pointed the camera behind me a few times to get a shot of my leaving Lansing...

As I was passing Mt. Pleasant (the halfway point), the sun was exactly where I wanted it. A funny saying about Mt. Pleasant is : "It isn't mountianous, and it isn't pleasant...so why do they call it Mt. Pleasant?)

And approaching the outskirts of Traverse City...to the Southwest of KTVC...

A few seconds later, I could see the airport on my right...

At this point, I cancelled my flight following and went completely VFR, setting my squawk to 1200. I then went into a sort of holding pattern over East and West Bay (my reasons for leaving at 5:50 had aesthetic qualities, as you will see...)
There is the sun peeking through the light cloud cover with Elk Lake in the foreground, while I am over East Bay...

I had called ahead to the NMC flight school and so I wasn't alone. There was a 172SP in the sky with me and they took a lot of shots! In fact, it was N223LP, the very same one I took my Introductory Flight in! Unfortunately, in order to stay within the size restrictions, I had to get rid of a lot of them....

I'm currently still over East Bay (now you see the reason for my timing!)

And a shot of West Bay. I was over a point between Greilickville and Suttons Bay, and that you see is Old Mission Peninsula!

Another view of Old Mission (from the base)...

And back over West Bay for the bridge in Elk Rapids!

Here is a shot of me from below by the pilots in N223LP...

And this is the Grand Traverse Resort (formerly the Hilton). It is an extravagant Resort that, from what I've heard, always ends up being a big money pit for whoever is unfortunate to own it. The current owners, a local tribe of Native Americans, is having trouble making a profit on this (I wouldn't mind being wrong though...) The resort has a big golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus called The Bear (I have no idea if it's a bear to play as I don't play golf...)
Behind is M72, which leads to Kalkaska...

Okay, time to land...slowing down on upwind

It seems NMC wasn't done with me yet...

Maybe not on the numbers, but at least more or less in the center!

At his instruction, I had called the owner (Barry Lavine) when I arrived. He was waiting for me. He already had a flight plan filed for a destination in Jacksonville Flordia.
Well, this is it. Endings are usually a mixed blessing. I was getting settled in with the Lancair and I'll miss it


Though I'm sure I'll see it again
