The intrepid aviators. On the left Stuart; on the right SteveZ, just prior to takeoff from Waukegan on Day 1. The goal of the trip: to fly from Chicago to Reno and back the long way around, soaring where the weather permits and messing about at every opportunity. In the end we were able to carve out 11 days from our schedules: a full week enroute to Reno; two days on the ground at the air races; and finally two days, at full throttle, motoring on a beeline back to Chicago.