First Passenger and "The windsock never lies"

Until yesterday, I have not had time to get back into the air. I had the itch and needed the appropriate fix. I had been looking at the weather all morning and decided, at lunch, that the conditions would fall within my comfort zone. I grabbed a neighboring co-worker (who is going for his private pilot's license) and we headed over to HKY for a quick flight around the area.

We departed rwy 19 with one of the smoothest take-offs I have ever made headed west to the surrounding foothills. The humidity was very low so the usual summer haze was non-existent; giving way to a very crisp view of the mountains. Being summer however, there were some bumps which to my surprise the passenger enjoyed. As we made out way closer to MRN I decided that we should get back to avoid missing too much work and spending more money than I should.

As I entered the downwind and advised the tower I was doing so, another pilot was landing on rwy 24. When there were safely off of the taxiway, the pilot (my instructor) told tower to let me know that the winds were actually favoring 06. After waiting for a few seconds for tower to relay the message, I announced that the windsock, although flaccid, was favoring 06. As a result, I asked if it was possible for me to use this runway instead. Tower replied that they were observing variable winds and I could take 06 if I wanted. I should have gone with my gut and taken 06. After turning final the plane was subject to a tail wind. With two notches of flaps and the throttle pulled back, the plane refuse to descend. I threw in a forward slip to help it out a little, but we ended up landing long.

After the wheels touched, the plane weather-vaned to the right. I corrected with some right rudder, and observed no drift. A few seconds later I found myself left of center. Although it wasn't significant, I was still disappointed that it wasn't down the centerline. For some reason I find it difficult to keep the upwind wing down when faced with the crosswind. I tend to relax and focus on the rudder. I am thinking that the next time I fly with a significant crosswind I will have my instructor there to help a little and give me some advice. I am also curious to see if I would benefit from flying the length of the runway, at about 25' from the surface, in a side slip, to help build muscle memory.

When we got out of the plane my instructor called and said, "the windsock never lies" and went on to remind me the importance of not landing a tailwheel airplane in a tailwind. I should have heeded his advice, and will gone with my gut.