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SPIRIT OF FLIGHT: INSPIRE2INSPIRE
In Flight USA Celebrating 38 Years
By Denise DeGregoire
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Denise/Zara with InFlight full shot of SHARK
AVIATION OXYGEN EQUIPMENT
WWW.AVIATIONOXYGEN.COM
pdate – FlyZolo.com: I have been following a young pilot, Zara Rutherford, since the day we met on the tarmac at the Palo Alto Airport (PAO) on Sept. 15, 2021. Zara had just started her journey to fly around the world one month earlier. This 19-year-old Belgium-British teenager is flying around the world in a SHARK Aero high-performance two-seat tandem ultralight aircraft, and she’s doing it solo to, not only break the world record for youngest female pilot to circumnavigate this wonderful globe of ours; but this kind young woman’s goal is to inspire girls and women to dream big, encouraging them to enter STEM, now STREAM related fields – Science. Technology. Robotics. Engineering. Art. Math. Going all in and doing it well. Zara is my newest hero. Zara has had some excitement, fun, bumps, detours, weather, high winds, and a few cold spells along her journey with many stops along the way. She recently crossed the equator and is now in Dubai – what a cool story she must tell. As of year-end 2021 she’s been in route for more than four-and-a-half months – 134 plus days and counting! Zara was scheduled to be home by Thanksgiving 2021, now a 2022 arrival is pending. One thing that inspires me about Zara and her team is that they are playing it safe. It’s not a race; it’s about taking the right amount of time, enough time to keep Zara healthy rather than pushing ahead too quickly. I can only imagine how many lessons she has learned, how many minds she has inspired, along with a plethora of new faces she has met along the way due to unexpected delays. Zara spent almost three weeks in a Siberian town that Siberian’s didn’t even know existed. How cool is that? For me, this journey began the day my friend Ana Uribe Ruiz, Co-President of Women in Aviation, International – SF Bay Area Chapter (WAI-SFBA) and pilot sent me a text saying, “Zara is landing in
January 2022
30 minutes. PAO. Grab your camera!” I did just that and hopped into my car trusting Ana, and not really knowing who Zara was – not yet anyway! Often you must have faith in the unknown and, like me, drive 25 minutes not knowing if you’re going to witness this historic landing or not, and somehow knowing you will. I knew I was ready, once again, to share stories about people and places that inspire me. Especially when it comes to navigation, flight, and those who inspire others. Navigating this and that, from here to there, while telling stories of those faces and lives that inspire me. I enjoy sharing my personal stories while strolling down memory lane, too.
Memory Lane, Destination Monterey:
Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area has been an adventure, to say the least. On any given day you can hop in your car or plane and make your way south following the mountain ranges and coastline while discovering the many treasures and little towns dotted along the way. From the beauty of San Francisco to the beaches, mountains, and coastal societies that lead us down to the Monterey Bay. As you make your way between the San Francisco and Monterey bays you will find an array of art, agriculture, microclimates, math, science, and faith: A plethora of knowledge and beauty that is sure to stimulates the senses as you catch magnificent views, enjoy delectable wines paired with many foods picked straight from our waters and local farms that sit within our collective bay areas. It’s fun to take in the offshore breeze as you fly over or drive the winding roads and rugged coast through the Santa Cruz Mountains towards Monterey. If you are flying in, touch down at Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) where you can pick up a car, get lost, and have a blast – Monterey is Charlie airspace. One of my favorite places to stop in Monterey is Loulou’s Griddle in the Middle, a sweet little café that I discovered more than a decade ago. Here you are sure to be greeted with a smile by restaurateur Loulou who along with Chef Jonathan are serving up their award-winning clam chowder, as well as Loulou’s famous HubCap Griddle Cake. Enjoy the sights and sounds with this fabulous team of “Crazy Waitresses & Good Eats.” Stroll along the Wharf and take in the sights as you wait for your table – you may even Continued on Page 17
