Wind 330--right down the runway--at 9 gusting 14, pretty clear, with only a little haze at the horizon.
This was a nice flight, mostly around in circles. Well, to be more accurate, I did a lot of steep turns, back and forth between heading 180 and 270, flying generally southwest, and then turned around and did more steep turns between 360 and 090, flying northeast. I was just having fun feeling the plane roll over to 60 degrees of bank and just didn't want to stop. I also had a good time feeling the ridder movement and presure, and I was pleased that I could still hold the altitude and airspeed steady through the turns and roll out pretty much right on the heading.
Then I flew back to the field and did three landings. The first was fair and the second, almost perfect. The third--well, I'd like to think that a gust got me, but the truth is, I just flared a foot or so too high and bounced once. It only countd as one landing, though.
I had planned to do touch-and-goes, but the engine in N75709 had just been overhauled, and touch-and-goes were proibited (stalls and slow flight, too) so I did full-stops, instead.
I'm looking forward to an aerobatics lesson on Friday, in a Pitts biplane. Should be great fun--if I don't get sick right away.