i'm writing a book - right here!

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Mom's Log
Day 73
Monday, August 8
Wisconsin to Illinois
At Portage Airport (1-608-742-****), Martha was waiting for Chuck Downey from Chicago (Downer’s Grove). See letters 6-25-88—to pick her up. He called and said there was a line of thunderstorms approaching and would not arrive until 4 p.m. Two TV stations (ABC channel 27 and NBC from Madison, Wisconsin) were arriving in fifty minutes to interview Martha and Downey.

Martha regretfully informed them when they arrived that the gentleman flying in from south of Chicago in his very rare Meyers OTW to take her to the next place, wouldn’t be arriving for approximately five hours. The news crews chose to wait it out anyway. In the meantime, they took Martha to a nearby restaurant in Portage, and bought her lunch. When Chuck Downey arrived the film crews taped his landing (a good one), Martha meeting him, and they taped their take off and departure, too.

Duane Cole (60 yrs old), from Texas, an aerobatic instructor and famous air show pilot stopped at Portage airport for gas on his way back from Oshkosh where he performed. Martha is a big fan of his and she talked with him and got his autograph on her silk scarf. He also took the Air Adventurers pledge and she gave him a membership card.




Martha stayed at Downey’s overnight in their estate home on an airfield, in Downer’s Grove, Illinois. Charlie Downey, Jr., Chuck Downey’s son, is taking Martha to West Lafayette, Indiana on Tuesday afternoon in the 1941 Meyers OTW. OTW stands for Out To Win.

Day 74
Tuesday, August 9
Illinois to Indiana
Bill Thornberry will send Martha’s newspaper she left at his house. Charlie Downey, Jr. and Martha landed at Aretz Airport in Lafayette, Indiana.

Bill Thornberry in his 1948 Navion flew Martha to Westfield, Indiana and landed at Wilderness Field, which he owns. Age 57—very interesting person-also owns a magnetic and plastic sign shop. He is prominent in the Aero Club of Indiana and he introduced her to the group of around 250 members at their monthly meeting—formal banquet. Her talk went well and she recognized a number of people there that she had met at Oshkosh!

Thornberry’s introduction began, “I have the distinct pleasure of being her 81st pilot in her 21st state.” Martha stayed in the Thornberry’s guestroom this night. The meeting was at the Sheraton in Indianapolis.

Day 75
Wednesday, August 10
Indiana
Visited downtown Indianapolis and Fred Jungclaus’ Art Studio and then to Martinsville where Fred had a party for her with a few friends in the evening.

Day 76
Thursday, August 11
Indiana to Illinois

Jake Atterberry in his Stinson 108 Station Wagon took Martha to Beardstown, Ill. TV 8 CBS videotaped the take off. Jake and his friend Larry with the same kind of plane flew in formation and buzzed the airfield after take-off, for the cameras. Martha stayed at Mark Vincent’s home In Rushville, Illinois. He is the Sheriff of the town, 28 years old, and is the oldest son of her friend, Johnny Vincent, the Skywriter for Rosie O’Grady’s in Orlando. Mark Vincent will send us Martha’s box she is packaging with her souvenirs from Oshkosh, extra papers and clothes which add about ten pounds to her luggage from Rte. 2 Box 99A Rushville, IL. 62681.

They landed at Beardstown Airport an abandoned airfield where Johnny was the manager. Mark has a big beautiful brick house in Rushville, built in 1914 that he is restoring that was the Schuyler Hotel at one time. He also lives in it. [In the front parlor room, Mark has about a dozen Victrola, wind-up record players, on which he plays old records from the 1920’s.]

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Mom's Log
Day 77
Friday, August 12
Illinois to Iowa
John Crum flew Martha to Mount Sterling, Illinois in his 1946 Aeronca Champ. M met his family and the newspaper reporters—landed on a grass strip at Brown Country Airpark. A CBS Channel affiliate, named Amy from Quincy met them at departure from Beardstown, Illinois.





John Crum called here at 11:00 p.m. (10:00 p.m. his time) to tell me of his meeting Martha and what a fine and intelligent person she is. [Ha, guess I fooled him.] He is a Psychologist at a Mental Health Facility and took the day off. They flew to Blakesburg, Iowa just southwest of Ottumwa. [See book introduction for more of this flight.]

Blakesburg is the home of The Antique Airplane Association. President Bob Taylor gave M a tour of the hangar museum and is helping find a ride west.

Joe Pundzak will fly her in his Twin Beech H-18 tomorrow. Martha slept in the First Aid Room in one of the hangars of Antique Airfield this night.

[Having the little First Aid Room on the airfield for my hotel room was a fun experience. I had the whole airfield to myself with not another soul around. Around Midnight I went out and danced around on the hillside under the bright moon.]

[FliegerJG1]

Every chapter I read leaves me anxiously anticipating the next! Loved reading about your travel through South Dakota!

Three Cheers for the Cadet Leader!

FliegerJG1

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Mom's Log
Day 78
Saturday, August 13
Iowa to South Dakota
At sunrise, Les Gaskill, Bob Taylor’s friend, flew Martha to Ottumwa, Iowa, northeast a few miles in his Piper Cub J-3. They landed at Ottumwa Industrial Airpark.

[Les was so nice to encourage and allow me to fly the entire flight from engine start, taxi, take-off, cross-country, landing, to engine shut down. He told me afterwards he never once touched the controls - said he didn't want to. I was sure I could get us through the air to where we were going, but wasn't so sure of my taildragger ground skills. Accomplishing a good take-off and landing did wonders for my confidence. Extra thanks to you, Les, for believing in me and allowing me this great privilege!]

A few minutes later, Joe Pundzak picked Martha up in his Twin Beech H-18. They flew 170 mph. to Mitchell Field, Mitchell, South Dakota in 2 hrs and 20 minutes. He is in advertising and magazine publishing. Wants to put together an Air Adventurers Club magazine for Martha at his expense - Martha would do the artwork, etc. Joe’s business is in Des Moines.

[During my flight with Joe, I looked out my right window and could see North Dakota about ten miles away according to my map. I asked Joe if there was any way we could possibly divert just a bit and make a landing there on our way to South Dakota, but he was limited for time, so we couldn't. He suggested I ask my next pilot, Norma.]

After Joe Pundzak dropped Martha off and departed Mitchell Field, Dwayne Wright of Wright Brothers Aviation (not kidding) who has an aircraft maintenance shop on the field took Martha to Mc Donald’s drive thru for lunch.

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Mom's Log
Day 78 continued
Saturday, August 13
Iowa to South Dakota

When Martha and Duane Wright returned from McDonald’s, Norma Hellmann was waiting by her plane. She had landed while M and Duane were gone and she was in a hurry to get back in the air to fly home as she was worried that afternoon thunderstorms might crop up. [I boldly asked Norma if she would mind taking me another forty miles northeast on over to North Dakota before heading back west across South Dakota. She wasn't too keen on that idea.] Norma flew M to Sturgis, South Dakota 3 hours 20 minutes in her 1947 Cessna 120 silver and red.



[As our flight progressed toward where we were headed, I was amazed looking down on what appeared to be a long trail of ants on the road, all heading toward a busy ant colony with more smaller colonies in the outskirts. They weren't ants at all, but motorcycles all heading to the little old west town of Sturgis, South Dakota and biker campgrounds for their annual get together. I'd never seen anything like it!]

Norma’s friend is Laverne Kramer of Deadwood, South Dakota or Nemo, South Dakota and both are subscribers of Lee Spencer’s newspaper. Martha stayed at Norma’s home in Black Hawk, South Dakota.

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Mom's Log
Day 79
Sunday, August 14
South Dakota to Montana

Norma and Martha drove to Luverne Kraemer’s home in Nemo, South Dakota. There were cows walking on the road on the way to Luverne’s home with a most beautiful grass airstrip. It was formerly a public airstrip, now private, and the only one in the Black Hills. It is called Paradise Valley.

[i'm saving my very best shot, a close-up eye to eye view of the Presidents, for the printed version of this book]

He flew Martha around Mt. Rushmore (Washington-Lincoln-Jefferson-Theodore Roosevelt) in his yellow 1940 Cub. They saw rock formations in the Black Hills near Needles Mountains. One of the needles is the tallest mountain in South Dakota.

Luverne afterwards flew Martha back to Sturgis, South Dakota and Norma flew Martha to Billings, Montana in her Cessna. It took 3 ½ hours [partly because I fell asleep during the flight and poor Norma on only her second cross-sountry flight - her first, being the day before when she came to get me in Mitchell South Dakota - lost track of her landmarks out in the middle of nowhere. When I woke up, she didn't know where we were. So when we spotted some big power lines, we turned northward, as I recall, to follow them, figuring they'd take us to a city. They did. They brought us to Billings, Montana.] They landed at a Corporate Commercial Flight Center and Martha might stay the night in the air conditioned FBO.

[FliegerJG1]

WOW! Those are the coolest pics of Mt. Rushmore! It's really an experience to see the state from the air. You had a first class tour, M!



FliegerJG1

[Kilian]

Hi MArtha.
I saved the thread now. Have to read up the last 2 weeks postings until Christmas. Its now about 130 KB plain text without pictures

Wish you a merry Christmas

Kilian

[crankcase]

I've only seen photos (and movies, "North by Northwest") of Rushmore up close. Your wide angle view is so interesting and unusual!
CC

[AAC Cadet Leader]

flieg and crankcase,
thanks for your compliments on my mount rushmore photos. luverne's little private airstrip was the nearest one to that american icon and he knew how to get in close. and i saw very little general aviation traffic out in the winds of south dakota, so i know i had a truly privileged air tour of it and of many other best places in america!

killian,
is 130 KB's a lot? i'll bet all the photos add a bunch more. and we're not even to the halfway point yet. yoy!