ALLIANCE, Ohio – Brad and Sue Goris presented at the Continued Learning Program (CLP) on Tuesday morning at the University of Mount Union. Their presentation, “Flying to the Pacific in a Small Plane,” discussed their trip to the west coast.

The couple has always had a passion for flying. Brad began flying when he was in high school. He received his pilot’s license shortly after college. When he met Sue, he found out that she had taken flying lessons when she was in high school as well.

“I knew right then she was the girl for me,” Brad said.

Sue later got her pilot’s license and together they fly in a 1987 Beechcraft Bonanza.

Last April, Sue and Brad decided to fly across country on what she refers to as “Brad’s Bucket List Trip.” During their travels, Brad was able to cross three items off his bucket list: fly to the west coast, visit San Diego, California and fly into Sedona, Arizona.

They began their travels on April 13, 2017 and spent 12 days flying 4,503 miles. In total, they spent about 25.5 hours in the plane. They left Akron-Canton Airport and made their first stop in Hays, Kansas.

As Brad talked about their flight. He used a map to show their flight path. In-between talking about the flight, Sue gave some facts and history about the different cities and land marks they stopped while traveling.

Brad explained that they chose their flight path based on the towns and cities they wanted to see.

The couples next stop was in Santa Fe, New Mexico where they stayed for three days and three nights. When they left Santa Fe, they traveled to Sedona. Photos displayed to the audience showed the mountains and red rocks that Arizona is known for as they made their way to Sedona.

“We were not sure what the weather would be like on the way back,” Brad said. “So, we wanted to make sure to stop [in Sedona] once.”

On the way back home, they were able to stop for a couple of days to explore Sedona, which they hadn’t been able to do during their first stop.

The couple left Sedona and made their way to the coast. It wasn’t an easy flight to San Diego with so many plames going in and out of the 11 air ports at any given time.

“I was happy to get in and out of San Diego in one piece,” Brad said.

They were able to spend a few days in California where they explored local sites and spent an entire day at the San Diego Zoo.

“There was so much to do in San Diego, but so little time,” Sue said.

On their trip back to Ohio, Brad and Sue stopped at a couple more places, including Sedona, in order to explore and see some of their family.

The room was filled with people who were excited to hear about the Goris’ travels at CLP and ask questions afterwards.

CLP takes place on Tuesdays in October, February and April. The next presentation will take place on February 20 at 10 a.m. in the Alumni Room located in the Hoover-Price Campus Center. It will feature Barb Armitage as she presents “The Thomas California Fire – The Things You Never Think Of.”

The presentations are open to the public and ideas for new and interesting topics are always welcome.

For more information about CLP, contact Abby Honaker Schroeder by email at honakeal@mountunion.edu.