As we careen down the mist-shrouded country road, he tells me not to worry. "That fog'll be gone by 10:30 at the latest", he says. "It's always the same around here this time of year. Thick fog every morning, then clear by 10:30". Well, I think, if he can drive in this stuff, he must know a thing or two about this area... after breakfast, I sip my coffee calmly while admiring a spider's overnight masterpiece, now adorning 3KK's tail. "Come 10:30, Mrs. Spider", I say, "You're going to be taking a little ride..."
The fog lifts precisely when forecast, and 3KK lifts shortly thereafter. Today's weather looks pretty good: much like yesterday, only this time I'll be passing over lowering terrain, so I'll be able to stay low and clear (staying within gliding distance of airports, fields, or roads, of course). Storms coming up from the Gulf, but not expected to hit NEW until well after I arrive. I decide to make my planned stop at RMG, to make absolutely sure I'm fat with fuel for the last leg, and to avoid making up a new navlog...
Cruising at 4500 again, with light headwinds. Soon I'm crossing into S. Carolina, then flying over Lake Jokassel.
Foothills VOR and the Georgia border... flying the plan.
My memory is hazy on what happened next, but I do recall that I got way off course near Atlanta despite tracking the VOR... must've been losing the signal, or maybe I forgot I was reverse-sensing. At any rate, I almost blundered into the Atlanta Class B airspace (which goes down to 1000 feet at the outer edge). I'm pretty sure it was here, near Alatoona Lake ("What's that lake doing there? Let's look at the chart... Oh, crap! Turn, turn!!")
Putting my faith in a VOR again, I track straight to the Rome station, and soon have RMG in sight.
I make a good landing, and when I go inside to pay for the fuel and close my flight plan, the guy behind the counter says, "some fellas from the FAA have been asking about you..."
Uh-oh. I must've busted the Class B, and now they're going to bust ME!! But it wasn't that- it was worse. I'd forgotten that I'd crossed into an earlier time zone, and I was almost an hour late closing my flight plan. Fortunately, they hadn't mobilized SAR yet- whew. Counting my blessings and smacking myself upside the head, I saddle up and get the hell out of there. Next stop- New Orleans!!
Next: Last Leg!!
