Tell me again, how did I get into this all consuming "Hobby"?

Ever since I can remember, all I ever dreamed about was traveling around the world in my own sailboat.  How I came to be so enamored with airplanes is still a bit of a mystery to me.  I think much of the credit must go to my father who traveled all over the US and some in Europe for work.  Although most of his traveling was accomplished via commercial airlines, some of the companies he consulted with would send their private planes for him.  Upon returning from each trip he would tell his growing family about each airplane he rode on and what it was like to break through the clouds and how bright and beautiful the sky was above the angry clouds.  Although he never took flying lessons he did have a subscription to Flying Magazine, which I would tear through.  I sometimes wonder if he didn't get this subscription because he knew I would read it and being the poor student I was, getting me to read anything would have been a success.

Western Michigan University accepted my application, so off I went to Kalamazoo.  My senior year I roomed with three great guys and had a fantastic time while still managing to get some of my best grades.  All three, who will remain nameless to protect the guilty, were enrolled in what is now know as the "Collage of Aviation" and were working towards becoming professional pilots while I was working on a degree in engineering.  One of the three wing nuts was working on becoming a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) when one sunny winter day he said he needed to "practice" and wanted to know if I would be willing to join him.  Of course I jumped at the chance.

Once at the airport he signed out the plane and promptly showed me how to preflight the little Cessna 152, start it, taxi, and takeoff.  While climbing out he told me he wants to practice spins and that I was along because he needed an inexperienced "student" in the left seat to get him into the spins.  Funny how he waited until we were off the ground to tell me this.  And to think, he was (is?) a good friend!  Eventually the two of us arrived at 5,000 feet AGL and started doing a series of spins.  I don't remember getting nauseous and must have enjoyed it because a year after graduation I started flying lessons.

In the 18 years that I have had my license, I have been fortune enough to be able to fly many different makes and models of airplanes.  Here is a partial list of some of the more notable ones: '41 T-Craft BC12/65 which I owned for three years, J-3 Cub, Luscomb, Champ, Stearman PT-17, AT-6 Texan, Great Lakes, Van's RV-4.  It was that ride in the RV-4 that got me thinking about the homebuilding journey I now find myself on.  What a great airplane!