Trikes are called the motorcycle of the air. Just as a motorcycle road trip is more involved than a car trip, so my flights are different from those in a Cirrus like the one in the picture.

-- I fly at 53 mph. The Cirrus at 211.
-- My flight to Bermudian Valley took 2 hours. In a Cirrus, ½ hour.
-- A 12-mph headwind would delay me by half an hour, the Cirrus by 2 minutes.
-- The Cirrus has a certified engine which supposedly will never fail. My engine hasn't failed in 24 years, but it's Experimental. So I don't fly where I can't land. The Cirrus pilot doesn't worry about that much.

To get to Bermudian Valley, the Cirrus pilot would check the weather, pre-flight the plane, and go - almost as casually as driving to the mall. He'd fly high and see very little. I liken it to riding in an elevator. The door shuts then opens at your destination.

By contrast, I want a route that has a stop after the first hour in case nature calls. I want to avoid mountains and trees. I'll pick a low-wind day. I'll fly low for the view, and because climbing high takes too much time. But that means I'm constantly looking for landable fields. In short, I'm a lot more engaged with the land and the weather than the Cirrus pilot is. I love it!

And like that motorcycle trip, it takes a lot more planning. But I love doing the planning, too. I'd rather have the trike.