Mikey
Active Member
Louise has talked about this trip for a couple of years and we are finally on our way. Louise has a sister with a coastal home in Oregon and she figured that my builder, Mike Seager, and I would like a reunion. So, she, Paul, Bear, and I launched from Polly Ranch a little before sunrise yesterday morning. Good thing we left early as a big storm tore through the region later in the day, dropping lots of rain and causing flooding.
Departing Houston
It was an uneventful flight to Hereford, TX, where I took on fuel and Paul and Louise rushed off to inspect the FBO. They say it was a nice place. Flying towards the West, it wasn't surprising that we fought modest headwinds. Once we reach Las Vegas, NM, Paul and Louise perked up and I could feel their excitement rise along with the terrain. Finally, the real West began. Just north of Santa Fe, a plume of smoke rose out of the forest with no evidence of someone attending it. Louise called Center to let them know and we continued on. It was a spectacular flight as we crossed the Rockies and then landed at Cortez, Colorado, to once again feed me. (You know us 19-year-old eat a lot!)
Aspens turning color in the southern Rocky Mountains
Rio Grande River Gorge near Taos
Mesa Verde National Park
Once we left Cortez, we continued across the Colorado Plateau viewing the beauty of Zion and Capitol Reef National Parks and the Escalante. Hard to beat this scenery. We continued on to just south of Salt Lake City, where we entered the Basin and Range Provice
Now, those are cool lava fields!
Departing Houston
It was an uneventful flight to Hereford, TX, where I took on fuel and Paul and Louise rushed off to inspect the FBO. They say it was a nice place. Flying towards the West, it wasn't surprising that we fought modest headwinds. Once we reach Las Vegas, NM, Paul and Louise perked up and I could feel their excitement rise along with the terrain. Finally, the real West began. Just north of Santa Fe, a plume of smoke rose out of the forest with no evidence of someone attending it. Louise called Center to let them know and we continued on. It was a spectacular flight as we crossed the Rockies and then landed at Cortez, Colorado, to once again feed me. (You know us 19-year-old eat a lot!)
Aspens turning color in the southern Rocky Mountains
Rio Grande River Gorge near Taos
Mesa Verde National Park
Once we left Cortez, we continued across the Colorado Plateau viewing the beauty of Zion and Capitol Reef National Parks and the Escalante. Hard to beat this scenery. We continued on to just south of Salt Lake City, where we entered the Basin and Range Provice
Now, those are cool lava fields!