Friday Photo: solo cross country view

The view: Morning at Sabine Pass, southern border between Louisiana and Texas

The pilot: William Groves, Private – ASEL, ASES

The airplane: 1976 Cessna 172 M

The mission: Second solo cross country from Southland Field near Lake Charles, Louisiana to Galveston, Texas

The memory: Wow, this was an crisp and beautifully clear morning for my second solo cross country flight. The marshes of southern Louisiana and Texas fade into the Gulf of Mexico. This was my first time into Galveston Scholes Airport and doing it solo was a great confidence builder. Navigation was straightforward pilotage and dead reckoning. I will never forget the solitude and freedom I experienced, and the light from the sunrise was perfect for this picture.