|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
If you’re like me (…and I know I am…), then you probably have—or want to have—one shining accomplishment. Your Superbowl. Here’s a story about mine.
On May 1, 2023, I set out in N148DW, my 2013 Cessna Turbo 206, in search of a world record: the 48-48-48 Pickleball Challenge—playing pickleball in 48 states in fewer than 48 days. It was as much a pickleball record attempt as it was an aviation feat. Either way, it promised to be a ton of fun.
My inspiration came from James Lawrence, better known as “The Iron Cowboy.” My wife and I watched the documentary 50-50-50, where he completed 50 full Ironman triathlons in 50 states in 50 days. Yes, you read that right: 140.6 miles a day, every day, in every state. Against all odds, he pulled it off—a true testament to the human spirit.
I’d long dreamed of flying around the country for an event like this. I’ve been flying since high school, a member of AOPA for 45 years, and an aircraft owner for nearly three decades. While I had flown to about 35 states, I’d never tried anything close to a record. At first I imagined a golf-themed trip—48 rounds in 48 states—but logistics got in the way. Then, after my wife and I moved to Sarasota, Florida, in 2021, we discovered pickleball. My dream was reborn.
Retired in 2022, I finally had the time to plan and execute my “Superbowl.” After some weather research, May 2023 looked like the best window—past winter, before hurricane season. I lined up sponsors, including Selkirk (paddles), Tyrol (shoes), and OS1 (performance socks), who thought my idea was just crazy enough to support.
Next came the route. To save time, I skipped far-flung cities like Seattle and Miami in favor of tighter stops like Sacramento, Amarillo, and of course, Sarasota. Each location required ground transportation, a place to play, people to join me, and media coverage. Twenty-six cities also meant overnight stays, so lodging had to be arranged. Planning took four months and continued right up to takeoff.
In the end, the route covered 9,000 miles and 80 flight hours over 26 days. Departing Sarasota-Bradenton (SRQ), I headed north, turned west at the Florida panhandle, and circled the country clockwise before returning home on May 26.
Originally, I registered the attempt with Guinness World Records as a team effort, but my partner had to drop out a week before departure. Guinness didn’t recognize solo attempts in this category, but I wasn’t deterred. I even asked my priest to bless the airplane before leaving. When I asked if he’d ever blessed a plane before, he said, “No.” I could only hope he knew what he was doing.
Six friends joined me for various legs—none of them pilots. It was their Superbowl too, a chance to see the country from a small airplane and meet people along the way. My wife, Luanne, flew with me for the Oregon and Idaho stops, the only two states she had yet to visit. When we played in Oregon and then flew to Boise, she became an official member of the All 50 States Club, complete with a plaque from the mayor of Eagle, Idaho.
I played everywhere: city parks, private residences, pickleball complexes, even on the ramp at AOPA Headquarters in Frederick, Maryland. One highlight was playing center court at The Greenbrier, a five-star resort in West Virginia. I faced local pros, former governors, NFL and NBA players, Special Olympics athletes, and even a wheelchair competitor.
Media attention grew as I went. By day four, Fox News ran a segment on the trip. Local outlets covered nearly every stop.
Flying days were long: usually airborne by 7 a.m., in bed by 8 p.m. after posting highlights to social media and filing the next day’s flight plans. My 206 handled everything from short hops in New England at 5,000 feet to long climbs over the Rockies, Sierra Nevadas, and Cascades at 18,000 feet. The longest leg—Salt Lake City to Sioux Falls—lasted 5.5 hours, testing both airplane and pilot endurance.
Weather caused a two-day delay in Salt Lake City, where icing in the Wasatch Range forced me to cancel stops in Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, and North Dakota.
When I finally landed back at SRQ on May 26, the clearance to land on Runway 32 felt routine—but it wasn’t. I had just completed a 44-state odyssey covering 9,000 miles and 80 flight hours in 26 days, playing pickleball in 44 venues.
As I descended, the memories flooded in:
-
Thousands of people who came out to cheer us on
-
Hundreds of new friends across the country
-
97-year-old Minnie LaPoint in Michigan and 93-year-old Vince Golden in Florida
-
Adaptive athlete Kevin Falk in Idaho
-
The Special Olympics athletes in Arkansas
-
My six fellow travelers: Ron, CP, Luanne, Rod, Kurt, and Jimmy
-
The diverse landscapes of mountains, rivers, farms, and cities
-
The sponsors who believed in the journey
-
And my Cessna 206, which never missed a beat
Conclusion: Pickleball is alive and thriving all over America. More importantly, the American spirit is alive too—in friendship, respect, and a sense of shared purpose.
So if anybody wants to break this self-declared world record, feel free. I’ll be happy to pass the torch—and happily acknowledge your Superbowl.
For more information in this World Record: The Pickleball Challenge
And Instagram (including aerial videography and more): @muchodeanaero
Media, podcasts, and more at Media Coverage.
- My Superbowl: A 9,000-Mile Pickleball Flight Around America - September 3, 2025
It was a great time while you were in Jonesboro, AR. The Fox and Friends news thing was fun. Thank you so much for including us and sharing this. Randy Johnson, Jonesboro Pickleball