Don't Have 100 Roubles Have 100 Friends

[Vlad]

After the ride there was a ceremony.







Great custom! Sworn to Balloonism! New Mongolfier Brother!!!















Thank you ATC and NASA!

[Vlad]

Balloon Fiesta continued for three more days but my time was up. It looks like Guy fits well in my RV. He looks like Ted Turner doesn't he? There is no time for ride today they have a Command Center to run.








Happy and still under impression I set course to the northwest.







Peace around no humans no animals total bliss.







Occasional coal mine. There is an ATT bar or two. Enough to check on VAF no need for weather it's always sunny in NM.







Entering Country of Red Rocks. Monument Valley is an hour away.

[Vlad]

All my life I was fascinated with Monumental Rocks. Always dreamed to visit. And day has come.

[Vlad]

No words needed I guess.
























Looks very tempting.







Couple circles looking for watchmen with bows and arrows. Will I fit?







Plenty of room on both sides.







Famous private airport. I didn't landed on it. Instead I did low pass and you can guess the rest. There is a picturesque valley right around the corner.

[Vlad]

After Monument Valley I headed to Page, AZ.











Went high this time and picked up a lot of chat on Page frequency.












They indeed flew a lot that day. An air/car/food show was just wrapping up.









I fueled at promotional rate, grabbed a cup of cold coffee and flew out of that heaven.

[Vlad]

Next stop was Boulder City, NV. Passed Grand Canyon. Didn't do any scenic routes on this leg.





















Hoover Dam and newly constructed engineering marvel by it. Nothing was here in 2004.








KBVU approach.








Lots of colorful helicopters there. All professional, courteous on frequency and respectful. Different from Hudson River gang.








Road to Vegas starts from here. I will tell you little secret how to get VFR to Big Vegas. First you land at Boulder City, find a yellow RV owner and do exactly what he tells you. He tells you what point to appear over what freq to dial what to say and possible route you will be vectored. Easy as one-too-tree right Seb?

[flytoday]

Vlad's visit made this year's Fiesta extra special. When he is present the Fun Meter gets pegged!

Can you imagine picking a random table to sit and enjoy a coffee and doughnut, and the balloonist to your left is a nuclear physicist who speaks Russian to Vlad and they discuss a "secret city"?

Vlad isn't difficult to feed when there is a good buffet! And his pictures and captions inspire us all to fly cross-country and enjoy the VAF friendships! Personally I want to get out and fly by the Arches, Monuments, and Canyons!

Carl

[Vlad]

Originally Posted by flytoday

Can you imagine picking a random table to sit and enjoy a coffee and doughnut, and the balloonist to your left is a nuclear physicist who speaks Russian to Vlad and they discuss a "secret city"?






Carl

Carl I am convinced you preset the situation.



... I surfaced at right waypoint, dialed right frequency and told them what Sebastian taught me. Sin City Bravo clearance followed a second later.





















Wohoo big tarmac bigger then Plattsburgh. Where are those road signs?








All markings at KLAS are for big guys. I hesitated a bit then turned in right direction. "Here we go" chuckled ground control. Then I saw a yellow car. I might get me one of them fancy airport driving gpses after I retire.







Parking at McCarran couldn't be better. Fits $40 facility fee and $60 overnight parking.







I booked a room at Motel 6 just across the road. This was the view from my window. Do you see that unpainted RV in the corner?




There was a networking event at Cosmopolitan I attended that night. After only two drinks I was on verge of collapse and asked "staff" to escort me out of premises. What kind of Russian are you? - everybody joked: - you can not survive couple drinks and good company? Little they knew I flew balloon in the morning dodged hundred stones afternoon and still arrived in style in my own plane.

Somehow I got inside my room looked out of the window and dropped dead for 10 hours.






Next day my RV was waiting to share next part of the adventure. She liked Vegas very much and wanted to come back.

[pmccoy]

Peter when I was building my wings I kept your website bookmarked. Then you slowed down a bit...

Now I really feel slow. You were watching my website, and now you have 600 hours of flying. Yep, I did slow down.

Moving from the garage to an airport an hour away was a mixed blessing. Lots of new friends. Ability to acquire a great hangar. Started flying rental aircraft again, after 20+ year break... however, all at the cost of one or two days a week of building and the years slipping by on the building hobbs meter.

[lucaperazzolli]

..for sharing that experience, grat photos that gives me a new dream, another bucket list item.

'Flying in Usa with my 8'