2011 Recap of the Top of the Chesapeake II
by Ben Armen
Which is faster? A Light Sport Aircraft or George chasing a chinchilla with a butcher’s knife? Well at the Top of the Chesapeake II we got a taste of both, and each was exciting!
During the night before the race a loud and infrequent strange noise kept coming from the empty bedroom at George’s new fabulous house. Occasionally someone would look in the adjoining room and see nothing.
On race day George went into the empty room to grab the computer and printer being used for the TOTC II. In the dim light of the early morning, he grabbed the printers’ power cord to give it a yank and unplug it from the wall.
All of a sudden George got a wake up call and a zap! WOW! “What was that,” he yelled?
The extension cord next to the Chinchilla’s cage was frayed over a 12-inch section with exposed copper with wiring showing through some parts of the insulation. During the night, the boarded chinchilla had eaten the insulation off the cord next to its cage. And not just in one place of the electrical cord but an entire 12-inch length of damage electrical cord.
The frisky chinchilla was alive and kicking and as ornery as ever. And George was now wide-awake and ready for the day after his electro shock therapy.
The day started at 0800 at the Cecil County airport (58M). The weather on race day was spectacular! Clear skies, calm winds, and unlimited visibility. What more could you ask for? Eight racers!
George fired up Midnight Mistress and gave a guest named Tony the ultimate thrill. “The Mistress” needed a few warm up minutes and a brief shake down flight consisting of a few low passes over runway 31 . The racers, visiting crowd, and volunteers arrived greeted by the sounds of speed!
