Ric.....Hey!!! Just wanted you to know that I had a wonderful time listening to your seminar there in Atchison, Kansas. Overall, it was a very rewarding weekend! For those of you who missed it...Ric talked for about two and a half hours. Very informative and let me say that Ric has all his ducks in a row. Anyway, as I was glancing at things in the birthplace museum I caught where the museum had the actual document of Amelia's purchase of the Electra and where she clearly stated that the Electra had to have the gasoline capacity of 4500 miles. I was rather overcome by Amelia's persistance on making sure that all the details were done to a T. Basically, people's overall attitudes in Atchison almost let me know what kind of woman Amelia might have been. Stubborn and bullheaded and things are goin to be done my way!!! But, overall its a good attitude to have. Anyway, I was really amazed that the Electra only lasted a year. Almost to the anniversary date of her disappearance! Anyway, this past week I have been doing some research and been talking to a lady from Lexington, Nebraska who is related to Amelia through the Earhart family tree. As we were talking about things in Atchison, Ric's seminar, and just stuff in general...she pointed me to a website that had pictures of Amelia and Fred looking at maps before her maiden voyage around the world!!! As I was glancing at them, I caught something that your team may have caught already, but has led me to believe that a great mistake had happened. In this particular map, it shows a greater part of the phoenix islands, with howland island and gardner island all in one big picture. On this map it appears that Fred may have erased or crossed out a portion of their itenary going from Howland Island to Hawaii...but however retracing the map to where they were going to Gardner and the phoenix islands region, and then on to Hawaii. It shows where two flight patterns were used. My question is...did Fred Noonan give Amelia coordinates for Gardner Island instead of Howland Island by mistake, and did Amelia think she was going to Howland Island as planned! Also, as some of you may have noticed...you can almost fit the two maps of Howland and Gardner Island on top of each other. They are so close in similarity! Also, in my research I learned that Amelia had enough fuel left in the Electra to last another 4 hours had she landed at Howland!!! My other question is if this is the case scenario...and she was headed to Gardner after passing over Howland...is the trip about an additional 4 hours...If this is such the case...then the Electra may have indeed landed on Gardner Island (Niku). Anyway, sending pics of the map and a letter that readers may find interesting on Fred Noonan! thanks!!!!!