Breakfast with the New Garden Crew

Picture by Jon Martin

I received a text from Charles G last night asking if I wanted to meet up for breakfast at Cape May/Wildwood, NJ (KWWD). Initially I said yes, then went and looked at temps for the morning, it was going to be chilly. 

I turned on the preheats overnight around 3 am and settled back in for a few more hours of sleep. At 6:15 I let Ziva out and got her fed then checked NOTAM's and weather for the flight across the Delaware Bay. I almost backed out but I know I need to get in the air.

I taxied out for runway two zero with a ninety degree mild to no crosswind and launched. I decided on five thousand five hundred to cross the Bay and of course I forgot my life vest safely stored in the baggage area. 

I had 30 to 34 knot head winds across the nose for the north leg to Cape May. I was seeing 110 knots and Charles in his Cherokee 140 with the 150 HP upgrade was cruising along at 160 heading south east to WWD. I would have the laugh heading home while the New Garden bunch bucked the headwinds going home. 

Lunch was very good and so was the service at the Flight Deck Diner located in the airport terminal. We finished up dividing the bill then all of us headed out to our planes. I was number five for departure and pointed for the Cape May light house to circle and climb to altitude to cross the bay. 

My new hangar neighbor was headed in and said he would follow me in for runway two. There was a plane holding short waiting to back taxi for two also. Once I landed, the Cessna waiting and I coordinated a plan for him to come out and taxi by so I could exit the runway and be clear. Everything worked out great and my ramp neighbor extended so the Cessna that taxied by me could depart.