There have been times in my life when foreshadowing preceded notable events. A flight to Jackson Hole Airport (KJAC) in 2004 was one of those times. I’m a lover of the outdoors, whether I’m skiing, hiking, biking, or climbing, so Grand Teton National Park has long been on my bucket list. I decided to take a detour to visit the famous resort on my way back from EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh to Los Angeles in a Cessna 182.
I departed Fond du Lac, Wisconsin (KFLD), in the early morning, taking a quick break in Huron, South Dakota (KHON), for lunch. There were some scattered clouds over the Great Plains, so I chose to fly IFR and shoot the ILS to Runway 12. However, I was able to depart KHON VFR and stay clear of the localized thunderstorms to the west. The total flight time was nearly eight hours, so I was thankful for the extended daylight of summer.
