Each day, during my journey, I would call my mother in Ohio and tell her where I was, with whom I had flown, and some of the highlights of the day. She would always listen with great interest and usually had one or a few new phone numbers to add to my list of pilots who had called, offering a ride if I got near their state.
My journey wouldn't have been possible without Mom's continuous daily assistance and encouragement. Not only did she talk to all of the people who called, but she wrote several in-depth reply letters every day. My mom has been my best friend forever.
I have 68 pages of my Mother's hand-written notes she kept on many of the details of my journey. She added to it daily, writing down the details as I would tell them to her when I called in from wherever I landed. My additional comments will be added in [brackets] within Mom's Telephone Log. I'm not sure if lacing our notes together like this is the way to do it, but it's the closest way I can think of to try to cover the whole story and keep it somewhat chronological. Perhaps an editor will think it is too much information for one book, I don't know. Everything previous to this I consider the introductory and preface sections of the book. So, here comes page one. Drum roll, please...
From Mom's Telephone Log ~
Day 1
Saturday, May 28, 1988
Florida
9 a.m. At Rosie O’Grady’s hangar at Orlando Executive Airport, Channel 6 CBS was there, filming Church Street Station's Dixieland Band - a banjo, tuba and trumpet accompanying a 1920’s vaudeville-style singer, Spats Donovan, while he serenaded Martha with “Blue Skies.”
Joe Kittinger called for the crowd to gather around them in the big hangar. He had arranged months ago to be Martha’s first pilot. In front of the crowd, he announced, “I hate to tell you this Martha but we have an engine problem with the Stearman and I’ll have to bow out. Like some women, airplanes are unpredictable! Can I still get one of those silver wing pins you’re giving your pilots?”
Martha replied, “Well Joe, if you can’t fly me somewhere, I can’t just give you a pin, but if you’d like to buy one…”
Joe Kittinger then pulled out a ten dollar bill from his pocket and offered it to Martha.
“Uh, Joe they’re custom-made and solid, sterling silver.”
“Will you take a check?” Joe asked.
“Can I see your driver’s license, Joe?”
9:30 AM. Mac Barksdale arrived from Orlando County Airport in his 1946 Champion, and they took off on the first flight for Zellwood, Florida. Three planes escorted them at the beginning of the flight: Johnnie Vincent in Rosie O’Grady’s (one seat only) Ag–Cat they use for skywriting and banner towing; a Mooney with TV cameraman in it; and Ralph Wainwright, a local Orlando pilot in a 1946 Aeronca Champ.
Steve Prindle, a pilot from Washington, D.C. who has offered to help Martha with publicity, talked with reporters.
Day 1 continues...