From: Tony Texeira tonytex@cox.net

Hello Everyone,

Nine people in four planes made the July 20th Fly-In.

Flying from Gillespie (SEE) was John Hammerstrand, Dave Rowland & Jerry
Heise in a Cherokee 180. Also from SEE was Robert Werve, Jerry Jackson & Ray
Frank in a Skymaster. Both planes went out IFR.

From Brown Field was the hard core Fly-In guy Dennis Cullum in his RV3
who somehow found a "small" hole in the ceiling and got up above the
overcast. Flying from Montgomery (MYF) was Jim Newport & Tony Tex in a
Skymaster who got out IFR. Also from MYF, in a newer C172 with a glass
panel, came Chris Maier who waited until VFR and met us in time for desert.
He said the glass panel C172 was like flying a video game.

San Diego had a marine layer with ceilings of 1500-2000', but it was thin
and the tops were only 2700'. However, it wasn't the marine layer that
convinced me to change our destination.

At 0600 the Big Bear (L35) forecast was for a 40% chance of T-storms at
1400-1600 local. I figured we'd be out of there by then and initially said
it was a "GO". However, Jim Newport called me while I was driving to
Montgomery at 0745, and said Palm Springs was already experiencing
lightning, 1-1/2 visibility in heavy rain and the "stuff" was moving
northwest toward L35. That did it. I called the pilots I knew were coming
and infoed them it was a "NO GO" and we were flying to Riverside (RAL).

At RAL we did the usual "hangar flying" over brunch on the patio right
next to where we parked the planes. The weather was hazy, but generally good
with temps in the seventies. Great day and a fun flying time.

Those of you who took pictures, please forward them to Chris Claborne for
our website.

Next Fly-In will be on August 24th and we'll see if we can fly to L35 and
not worry about thunder bumpers.

My cell phone (619-997-4858) will be on until lift-off about 0845.

Best of clear skies and tailwinds,

Tony Tex

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