Made it--by the Skin of my Teeth

Sometimes things go well. Sometimes things change and you modify your plans. Sometimes you don't modify your plans and things go very wrong. But once in a while, once in a great while you find out that maybe, just maybe you realize you've been living at the foot of the cross. At least on that particular day.

Eureka CA to Lakeview OR KLKV

Early morning at Eureka and we're cranking up. The wx is scattered showers here but the forecast for Lakeview OR is less well. 2500ft ceiling and seven mile visibility calm wind but no rain or snow reported in the area.

So on our way we go. Me, Joyce and two friends. Full load for the 182 (in my opinion) since we need 9K feet to get over the mountains between us and today's target destination.

No problems. Lakeview is reporting 6 mile vis, 2000 ft ceiling and calm wind. Half way and things are...ok.

Seventy five miles out and now I'm shooting these screenies between snow squalls. Lakeview is now four miles and 1500 ft ceiling with wind 10 from 143*.

Would you have turned back or found an alternate this close to your destination? I didn't think so either.

30 miles and Lakeview is reporting snow and 2 1/2 mile vis and 1000 ft ceiling.

And I'm totally not lying or hedging here. This was taken seconds after I popped out under the ceiling. For me, I couldn't ever imagine doing any better.

Before reaching this point I had decided to fly the airplane in, not simply cancel the flight and scratch it off. I felt certain I was going to crash somewhere short of the runway.

Not the best landing perhaps, but any landing you can walk away from...etc.

Sometimes you feel that maybe--today at least--you were living at the foot of the cross.