Weathered in

 I didn't get very far today - only a few hundred miles. 

Dennis and I split up: he wanted to fly over Niagara Falls and that is definitely not my type of flying!  So I flew southwest, intending to fly around Toledo and Cleveland's airspace. We agreed to meet at Willard Airport, (HG1) in Willard, OH.

When I left, there was haze and it became low clouds, scattered, after a few hundred miles. So I climbed to 4000' and flew over them. And over more and more. Then they started clumping together and there was another layer of clouds above me. I decided that this was not smart - to keep going - so I diverted to Grove City, PA (29D) which my GPS showed as 5 miles away. I descended through a hole in the clouds, to find the ceiling was very low. Just as I was looking for a good field in which to land, there was the airport. In mist, but definitely close enough to get to safely.

I landed, tied down, and texted Dennis. Then I went looking for a restroom. The FBO was locked up - of course, it's Sunday. No one around and no porta-potty. Then, as I was looking for a bush, I saw some folks. They had just arrived, to set up a meeting for EAA Chapter 161. They were astounded to see me. The meeting agenda was a quick meeting and then a barbeque. Wonderful! It was past 1:00 p.m. and I had only had a few handfuls of raisins so far. 

There were about a dozen members who arrived and I really enjoyed meeting them. There were several who were ultralight pilots or had flown ultralights in the past. I felt right at home. They asked me to be part of the agenda and tell them about the Aeroprakt and the flight. And they fed me! Great hamburgers, coleslaw, pie, and other fixings. What a welcoming group.

By 3:30 p.m. as folks were leaving, it looked as though the sky was clearing, and that's what it looked like on radar. I texted Dennis that I'd leave about 4 p.m. WRONG!!! At 3:50 p.m. the sky turned charcoal grey and by 4:00 p.m., it was pouring.

I decided to spend the night in the FBO. Everyone left and I brought in my sleeping bag and settled down with a good book. Then my phone rang. It was a woman from the City. (It's a municipal airport, and I had called their after-hours number when I was first looking for a porta-potty, so she had my phone number.) She was really really nice - and apologetic. She said she'd been checking the airport cameras and saw me sitting and reading - and saw my sleeping bag on the couch. I couldn't spend the night; it's a liability issue. 

Happily, a block away are several hotels, so that's where I am now. Dennis flew to northern Michigan to a friend's airstrip and will wait for me there. The weather is supposed to be much much better tomorrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.