After the Ebay auction Tom asked me (Ron McKinley) if I would be willing to deliver the airplane to his airport/farm in Connecticut. 
I quickly reminded him that the sale was AS-IS, Where-it-is, (FOB Waco, TX) and that any delivery would have to be handled as a separate agreement. That didn't slow him down at all. Since I happen to own a second home in up state New York near the Canadian border, and haven't had a chance to get up there in quite some time.

I told Tom that I might consider it if he was willing to pay the truck rental and other expenses for the entire round trip. That way the time out from my current activities and the ware-and-tare on these old bones of mine caused by a 4,000 mile round trip might be worth the effort. I would get a chance to check on the north country house, plus I could pick up some of my tools and a few other things that we had been wishing we had with us here in Texas. 

I didn't really expect him to agree to the deal, but it was worth a try. When I presented him with an estimated cost, he never even gave it a second thought, but instead quickly agreed and asked me when I could leave. 
Just about that time I began wondering what I had gotten myself into and why in the world did I even think about doing that! 
Although in one of my past lives I used to drive tractor trailer all over the lower 48 states, it's been over thirty years since I drove a truck cross county. Why would I even consider taking a rental truck from Texas to Connecticut and then back again? But I agreed to do it so the trip was scheduled and arrangements began to get the Stewart to Connecticut. 

The schedule called for me to arrive at Whelan Farms on October 15th when Tom said he would be at home and could get several of the Chapter 101 members to help unload the truck. That meant I would have to leave here at least by Oct. 12th. in order to cover the 1800 miles by truck and leave a little extra time for any un-expected delays. So we rented the truck and loading the Stewart began on Oct. 10th. Several of the Chapter 59 members showed up to lend a hand and by friday after noon the truck was loaded and ready to go. 

I left home Saturday morning (Oct 12th,) at around 8:00 am Central time and headed north. By the time I got to Little Rock Arkansas I began to settle in to the trip, my old truck drivers blood began to kick in, the brain went into neutral, and the seat (mine) went numb. 

It rained nearly the whole way across Arkansas and Tennessee. But inspite of the rain and rough Arkansas highways, I managed to make it as far as Knoxville, Tenn. just shortly after midnight Saturday. After catching a few hours sleep in the truck and a one of those "unforgetable truck stop breakfasts", I headed for Roanoke Virgina. Like I said, the old truck driver blood in me had kicked-in, the brain was in neutral and the truck was in overdrive, and around three am Monday morning I pulled into Southbury Connecticut. 
I would have been there earlier but in the rain and road construction in Pennsylvania somehow I missed a turn that I knew like the back of my hand thirty five years ago. I was early by one whole day and thankful for the opportunity to get some rest and  a chance to cleanup before meeting with Tom Whelan. I took advantage of the time off and stayed in a motel for the day. After contacting Tom the next morning I made the last twenty miles up to his place with little effort. 

Whelan Farms airport is an impressive place, clean as a whistle, and everything in its place with very well manicured landscape and grounds. The 1500 foot grass runway looked as flat as a pool table with only a very slight rise from one end to the other. Tom Whelan is a (younger and lighter) Wilford Brimley look-a-like. He met me at the edge of the hanger along with two other chapter members who had taken the day off to help. I must have out run the weather because it stopped raining for the day and the sun was shinning. 

We finished unloading the Stewart around 2:30 and it appeared that the S-51 had somehow managed to survive the trip with no apparent damage. After unloading Tom showed me around his private piece of the Connecticut hills and gave me a little tour of his shop and hangers. As I said earlier the place is spotless, and the airplanes are really something that this old poor boy can only dream about. The RV-8 in the shop looks better than any factory built airplane ever made by any of those spam-can manufacturers. The two RV-4s looked like they had just been completed last week in spite of taking first place honors at Oshkosh and Sun-And-Fun in '93, '94 & '95. 

After spending some time visiting and trying to figure out how I could stay and build a house near the side of the runway I decided it was time to get back on the road. So I headed the old Ryder truck back towards route 84 and then up to Hartford. I had decided to go on up to New England to pay a visit with my family. My sister lives in Massachusetts and my mother and brother both live in New Hampshire. From there I traveled up to what is typically called the North Country in up state New York to pay a surprise visit to our summer home up near Lake Ontario. I headed back to Texas early Friday and arrived back in Waco Sunday night. 

The total round trip ended up covering 4,307 miles in eight days. I'm verythankful that the trip worked out well with no troubles, accidents, speeding tickets or any other difficulties at all. 
 

Here are some photos I managed to take while I was at Whelan Farms. 
Click on the images to see a larger view. 
 

Here's a view of the S-51 loaded into the back of the Ryder truck.	All tied down and ready for the trip.	Another shot of the main hanger.
The Ryder truck backed up to the main hanger.	Tom, Doug, and Matt for EAA chapter 1097. We had perfect weather for the job.	That's Tom and his pretty wife.  The crew does a little inspection.
Here's a look at the grass runway.  1500 feet and flat as a pancake.	The second hanger. A third hanger is currently under construction.	Tom Whelan with his award winning RV-4 named the Bounty Hunter.
Two of the prettiest RV's I've ever seen.	Toms RV-8 nearly complete sitting on its side in the racks.	Another look at the RV-8.
I think Tom said that is a Lycomming IO-540 with ourhead exhaust system.	A full IFR instrument panel.	For those who have only heard of the foliage in the New England area. Everything you've heard is true.
There is simply no way anyone could ever match these colors with a paint brush.	The colors of the trees at this time of year is nothing short of spectacular.
Another look at the trees in front of the house.	This shot was taken out front of our North Country house in Antwerp, NY.	Rain, rain and more rain.