Where is Steve Fossett?

By Libby

Fossett has always been a hero of mine. He's the adventurer's adventurer. The daredevil's daredevil. The Evel Knievel of the monied class. There isn't a speed record on the planet he didn't try to break and his aeronautical exploits are legendary. It was a long time dream of mine to get on one of his crews. Alas, it may be too late.

He disappeared almost two weeks ago while flying a small plane over the Nevada wilderness. Authorities are currently weighing whether to discontinue the official search and although I'd expect the family will still fund private searchers, it's looking more possible that Fossett will become the Amelia Earhart of our century.

Still, with today's technology, the mystery may yet be solved. Online volunteers who have been combing satellite imagery from Google and Amazon in search of traces of Fossett's plane. They haven't found it yet but they have discovered wreckage from seven previously unrecorded crash sites so at least the families of those pilots will finally know what happened to their loved ones.

For myself, I find it hard to accept Fossett is really gone. He's a tough old bird. I won't believe he's dead until they find his body. In fact I half expect him to emerge from the wilderness under his own power. One lives in hope.