I love that bit about calling ATC for a ground speed check. Can you imagine hearing that come over the headphones?
...and the best part is that by the end of the story, you realize he still had another 600 knots in the sticks!!!
600 KNOTS MORE!!!
I have no idea if it's true, but I've read a similar story where the pilots are are asking Air Traffic Control for ever higher altitudes until an SR-71 sled driver calls in asking for Flight Level 60.
ATF responds that he can have it if he really thinks he can get to that high altitude. Of course the sled driver calmly responds that they'll be *descending* to Flight Level 60.