RE: Joining a club
I resisted the club thing for a long time. I had heard it was nothing but a bunch of crabby old guys bickering. I flew at construction sites, country roads, wherever I could. I finally got sick of it and a nice runway and pit area sounded nice. I finally broke down and joined. Did I meet a few crabby old guys? Sure, there are a couple and even a gossipy drama queen or two. It's no different than any other gathering of individuals. Still the vast majority of the people I met were great. There are people of all ages and from all walks of life all with a common interest. I became a much better pilot too, unlearning a number of bad habits I had taught myself. When I hear people say they'd like to fly but don't want to join a club, I just shake my head. It is the absolute best way to go in my opinion.