Trip to KFNL Sept. 3/4 - Connect with other R/TR182s?

[scottrsellers]

My son lives in the Ft. Collins area so we're headed there from WI to do some fly out fishing & camping.

Would be fun to connect with other R/TR182s and check out camping & fishing options.

Appreciate suggestions or connecting with area R/TR182 folks.

Scott Sellers

[scottrsellers]

Looks like trip is cancelled. Oh well.

[scottrsellers]

Rescheduled trip looking like arrival at KFNL on 9/14. Hoping to see TR182s there.

[scottrsellers]

Arrived 9/14 1PM local after 5hr33min en route RAC>CKP>FNL. Cruising at 8500' in good VFR arrived CKP on IFR flight plan via RNAV/GPS runway 36 Appr due to solid layer from 6K to 4K.
Cruising at 8500' we saw high 150s to low 160s for TAS making 23" MP(wot) at 2350RPM running 50F lop at about 13gph. Flightaware figures attached indicate low 170s mph in cruise that remained until the final hour of the trip when 25kt headwinds slowed us to low 150s GS. Reminder: we have the 300hp conversion so may use more fuel and be somewhat faster than stock airplanes.
At FNL found TR182 tied on the ramp and a 2nd R182 observed taxiing out for departure. Lots of activity at FNL including multiple PA28s flight school training with 1 person tower closed for Saturday so defaulted to CTAF.

[scottrsellers]

Flightware shows the 1st leg above from RAC to CKP as 2h 23min. We departed VFR but picked up IFR clearance due to layer from 6000' to about 3500' and includes about 20 min IMC with Rnwy36 RNAV/GPS approach as seen on below map. Comparing the Foreflight logbook shows 2.8hrs for that 410mi leg.

2nd leg from CKP to FNL was 3hr 10min on Flightaware including some weather dodging is shown on Foreflight logbook as 3.5hrs total for this 526mi leg.

So depending which source you choose(lets use Flightaware cuz faster) the trip time was 5hr 33min to go
936mi total works about to be about 170mph or 148kts which sounds about right since we had about 10-12+/- kts on the nose on the 1st leg about 20-25knt headwind the last hour of the 2nd leg.

The return trip at 9500' involved less weather dodging- see dissipating line below with rain cell & lower headwinds and turned about to be about 15min shorter. There was no instrument approach involved in the return trip which explains the time difference.

[scottrsellers]

Final trip items worth noting is a reminder about the value of LEIDOS Flight Service that we easily overlook with so many weather info sources. I called FSS via phone before departure for there opinion on how weather on the route would be developing and their input turned out to be very helpful. Called them again en route for further input how the line of weather was developing and course deviation comments. Texting Mike Pattison en route he commented on my 'Old School' practice, but without an XM weather source(didn't renew) I found FSS worthwhile. SkyWest was also talking to them so why can't we do use the same resources as the big boys?
Lastly remember in the event of FAA trouble the more you can document prep for the flight - remember FSS records all briefings & inquiries, the better able you will be to defend yourself.