Ultralight Flight Across US with Dad

Ultralight Flight Across US with Dad
Ultralight Trip PLAN

Legend

Ultralight
Electric vehicle
Hiking
Plane

Truckee-Tahoe Airport, United States ‐ May 8, 2024

29.7 mi

We finished out the day with a very turbulent approach into Truckee-Tahoe, but once established in the pattern, everything smoothed out nicely.

+7

Day 144C -- A Kite in the Wind
Slide Mountain

17.6 mi

Back in 1983, a large portion of this mountain experienced a landslide that flowed down into Washoe Valley. Amazingly, nobody was killed.

+10

Day 144B -- A Slippery Slope
Lake Tahoe

50.3 mi

Lake Tahoe from the air is amazing.

+21

Day 144A -- The Heavenly Lake
Minden-Tahoe Airport, United States

It's a cloudless day and the winds look cooperative, so... we fly!
Minden ‐ Apr 28

This is a beautiful valley.

+15

Day 143 -- Walking Back Through Time
Minden-Tahoe Airport

64 mi

Today we're following Hwy 395 north past Sonora Junction, through Walker Canyon, and onwards to the Minden/Gardnerville area. We have nothing in particular on our list of things to see other than the beautiful mountains in every direction and the Carson Range escarpment to the west of town.
Bryant Field

Returning to the airport before sunrise on a cold morning.
Bridgeport ‐ Apr 23

Into town for a peaceful and relaxing stay.
Bryant Field

15.9 mi

Completed the day by touching down in Bridgeport, California. I always liked this town.

+5

Day 142B -- Crisp Air and Clean Water
Bodie State Historic Park

70.9 mi

While en route to Bodie, we spotted Mt Tom and Big Pine Cinder Cone in Owen's Valley. We then flew over Aurora Crater (a cinder cone), which was a little disappointing. Seeing Bodie from the air lets one get a sense of all the mining that took place there. Not surprisingly, Bodie's reputation didn't manifest itself. Winds were very light (as forecast) and we had a pleasant leg for today's flight.

+19

Day 142A -- A Wild and Violent Reputation Has the Bad Man from Bodie
Coaldale Airport

Today's aviation forecast indicates the winds will be light, the clouds sparse, and the temperature at altitude a comfortable 66°F (converted from °C). Nonetheless, I still feel just a shade of apprehension. It's a feeling I get before any flight into the mountains. In these situations, I tell myself, "Be brave, but not stupid."
Ghost Fuel Station ‐ Apr 22

Went to check out the "ghost town."
Coaldale

Flew north to pass over Tonopah, Nevada, then turned west for the leg to Coaldale where we landed for the day.

+24

Day 141 -- Turning Coaldale into Diamonds
Goldfield Airstrip

Flying to Coaldale Junction today.
Goldfield ‐ Apr 19

Into town to visit Mr. Skeeter.
Goldfield Airstrip (NV50)

91 mi

Today's stop is Goldfield, Nevada. For me, it's a place that goes way back in my memories. Along the way, we'll fly over a large alluvial fan. I saw this fan several years ago on a raised-relief vacuform map with enhanced colors, and it stood out from the surrounding terrain with surprising color and a distinct shape. I figured it was worth a look on our way to Goldfield.

+21

Day 140 -- "When We Walked in Fields of Gold"
Yucca Airstrip

After staying overnight, we're heading to Goldfield today.
Sedan ‐ Apr 18

Went to see Sedan Crater and several other sights.
Yucca Airstrip

6.7 mi

Landed on the lakebed that is Yucca Airstrip. It feels big. News Knob ('Nob' in some spellings) is right here. We'll go check it out along with some other sights of interest.

Day 139B -- Scoring a One-point Touchdown
Nevada National Security Site

58.4 mi

We've been granted special permission to fly over the numerous atomic test craters at Yucca Flat. We're particularly eager to see Sedan Crater.

+19

Day 139A -- "They irradiated their own planet?!"
Beatty Airport

My back is feeling a lot better, so we're heading to the airport.
Beatty ‐ Apr 10

Into town. This is a nice community. UPDATE: I've been having a lot of back pain since arriving in Betty. Consequently, we are grounded here until I improve.

Back Pain in the Saddle Again
Beatty Airport

44.7 mi

Finished out the day by flying to Beatty Airport. En route, we flew over Scotty's Castle, although our flight plan only took us that way by chance alone.

+10

Day 138C -- Oasis
Ubehebe Crater

14.7 mi

A volcanic crater that we wanted to see from the air for comparison to the several other types/sizes of craters that we've flown over thus far.

+6

Day 138B -- Tempintta Wosah ("Basket in the Rock")
Eureka Dunes

24.2 mi

The Eureka Dunes are a remote, quiet, fun, and interesting place to camp. These dunes, just like others, will "sing" (hum) when a large handful of sand is pushed down from a crest.

+16

Day 138A -- "Eureka!" "You don't smell so good, yourself."
Chicken Strip

Once again, into the sky.
Lower Saline Valley/Warm Springs Campground ‐ Apr 5

Dad wants to stay at the lower springs because it's more developed than the upper; so that's what we'll do.
Chicken Strip

18.4 mi

After leaving Racetrack Playa, we crossed over the southern end of the Last Chance Range and made our way into Saline Valley for an upslope, downwind landing at The Chicken Strip (KLOO).

+13

Day 137C -- Broiled Chicken
Racetrack Playa

22.5 mi

After leaving "Star Wars" Canyon, we flew north and rode the escalator up a ridge along Mill Canyon, then flew over Racetrack Playa and its Grandstand.

+12

Day 137B -- Off to the Races
Star Wars Canyon

17.4 mi

Of course we're going to fly "Star Wars" Canyon! We'll make a crosswind takeoff from 07 because it's a downhill roll. Then we'll turn and climb to ~5,000 ft AMSL for entrance at the west end (top) of the canyon for a low-level transit downslope and out the mouth.

+15

Day 137A -- Star Wars Canyon Rock and ROLL!!!
Panamint Springs Airstrip

It's breezy today, but we'd like to get back on track. To the airstrip! We're only going about 40 nm to Warm Springs, so we'll have plenty of fuel to fight the wind. Besides, it's a south wind, so we'll have a tailwind and should be able to ride the escalator up Mill Canyon.
Panamint Springs ‐ Apr 4

We've decided to stay overnight here to enjoy the offerings.
Panamint Springs Airstrip

47.5 mi

This morning's leg brought us to Panamint Springs... for gas, mainly. We've been fighting some wind, and the Drifter is a gas hog, so we're stopping in to fuel up. Dad and I know this place. We've been here many times. Maybe we'll stay a while.

+25

Day 136 -- Thirsty for Fuel
Furnace Creek ‐ Apr 3

Took an MD 500 helicopter on a tour of the region and went for a "bobsled ride" from Dante's View down to Badwater. It was a magic carpet ride!

+46

Day 135 -- Bobsled DESCENT!
Furnace Creek Airport

We're going to fly an MD 500 today. Should be fun.
Furnace Creek ‐ Apr 1

There's an excellent resort here and a LOT to do.
Furnace Creek Airport

30.3 mi

Continuing on our way, we passed over Zabriskie Point, then landed at Furnace Creek -- the lowest airport we'll land at on the entire trip.

+9

Day 134C -- The Furnace at Minus 210
Badwater Basin

8.9 mi

Had to hit Badwater on the way through. It's the lowest point we'll get to on this adventure.

+3

Day 134B -- Dante's "Inferno"
Copper Canyon

43.3 mi

There's a superb example of a large alluvial fan at the mouth of Copper Canyon in Death Valley. There're also some remarkable fossil tracks left by big cats, moose, camels, and mastadons that used to live in this region a very long time ago.

+18

Day 134A -- Copper Canyon Fan Boy
Trona Airport

Returning to the sky today after a fun visit.
Trona ‐ Mar 27

We're off to see the sights.
Trona Airport

22 mi

Finished the day with a bumpy approach into Trona where we discovered a fleet of three Pitts painted in the MSFS Aviator's Club livery.

+2

Day 133C -- "Trōn"
Trona Pinnacles

27.2 mi

The Trona Pinnacles are something I've long been fascinated by. If you don't know about them, read up. They we're once a very hot thing, indeed. Now, they're pretty cool.

+5

Day 133B -- Trona Pinnacles
Superior Valley Gunnery Range

35.9 mi

SAM SITE -- This "target of opportunity" was so close to our route that we decided to include it because of the presence of a mock SAM site (and a AAA site, too?). [Side note: The satellite imagery shows what appear to be several F-4s on the ramp and runway, but the Flight Sim AI has decided to interpret this place as an actual airport. NuTz.]

+8

Day 133A -- "SAM Launch!"
Barstow Daggett County Airport

It's calm and clear today, so you know what...
Barstow ‐ Mar 23

Done flying for the day.
Barstow Daggett County Airport

37 mi

We finished out the day by heading to Barstow, California. By the time we got to this leg of the flight, the wind was variable from 20 to 25 kts, so we avoided the mountains. It was only a 74-mile flight, but we used a lot of fuel fighting the crosswind and some downdrafts. Nonetheless, we didn't experience any worrisome incidents.

+8

Day 132B -- Racing Our Shadow
Blackhawk Slide

36.6 mi

Once again, we were up early to catch low Sun angles; this time at the spectacular Blackhawk Slide. We wanted to be airborne earlier but were slightly delayed. Nonetheless, we decided to try. There was wind in the forecast, so we were expecting a fight against downdrafts, and that did play out to some extent. However, that also meant we could take advantage of updrafts, and we did.

+14

Day 132A -- Slide Rule
Yucca Valley Airport

To the airport for an early start.
Yucca Valley ‐ Mar 22

Into town.
Yucca Valley Airport

115.2 mi

Departed IFR under IMC (thick fog, but no wind), buzzed the tower at Marimar, then climbed above the clouds and cruised to Yucca Valley during what turned out to be a beautiful morning.

+30

Day 131 -- Cloud Atlas
MCAS Miramar Airfield ‐ Mar 21

Stayed a couple of nights aboard the Saratoga, then took a sunrise cat shot from the bow and returned to Miramar in thick but broken cloud cover.

+36

Day 130 -- Cat Shot
USS Saratoga (CV-60) ‐ Mar 19

It's 1986 again and we took an F-14A from "The Wolfpack" on a supersonic hop out to the USS Saratoga for a trap. She's about 100 miles off the coast, so we were able to get a few photos along the way.

+34

Day 129 -- On Mighty Wings
MCAS Miramar Airfield ‐ Mar 12

42.4 mi

Onwards, to Fightertown USA. We've been invited to make a flyby of a "Gator Freighter" that'll be just off the coast this morning. From there, we'll fly under the Coronado Bridge. Then it's past the USS Midway, over RTC, out to the coast, and finally, to "Fightertown USA" (because that's what it'll always be in my heart). Winds are calm and the sky is dark with thick overcast, but the Sun is trying to break through.

+28

Day 128 -- Haze Gray
Naval Base Coronado – Imperial Beach

Today is rather cloudy with a slightly broken but thick overcast. Nonetheless, we're going up.
San Diego ‐ Mar 8

Staying with old friends. By the way... This trip isn't over. We've still got to go back into Nevada and up into Oregon and Washington State before coming back down into California for the finish.
Naval Base Coronado – Imperial Beach

97.4 mi

Flew over several lesser mountain ranges this morning to get to the San Diego metro area. We were expecting a lot of turbulence, but to our surprise, the flight was unusually smooth in spite of a 15-kt crosswind from 315°. Curiously, while passing over Engineer Springs, the Heading Hold shut off causing us to deviate to the NW. We'll file a "gripe" so our ground crew can sort it.

+24

Day 127 -- "From the Desert to the Sea..."
Kane West MOA ‐ Mar 6

I got to ride in the back seat of a vintage Blue Angels F-4 Phantom II. ...And in case you're wondering, yes, I did black out. More than once. The team is about to return to Pensacola, Florida, but they decided this old Navy guy needed a ride. Sweet!

+22

Day 126 -- What Dreams Are Made Of
Naval Air Facility El Centro ‐ Mar 4

95.8 mi

We had a very gusty, windy, turbulent flight from Blythe to El Centro, but we made it, nonetheless. We were originally planning to fly this leg at night but ultimately decided that we wanted a glimpse of Algodones Dunes. We crossed over the San Andreas Fault (not manifest at the surface), but strangely, it never crossed our minds. On a brighter note, the kind folks here at NAF El Centro have a treat in store for us. [Side note: The airfield is at -46 ft MSL.]

+20

Day 125 -- The Erg and the Irksome Landing
Blythe Airport

Returning to the air today after being grounded for a few days of 40-MPH winds! The forecast for this afternoon is for much calmer conditions. [SIDE NOTE: This would turn out to not be true.]
Blythe ‐ Feb 29

Heading into Blythe, California, to stay a while.
Blythe Airport

18 mi

Wrapped up the day by crossing over the southern end of the Big Maria Mountains and heading into Blythe Airport.

+3

Day 124B -- A Short Hop Over Big Maria Bereft of Riches
Blythe Intaglios

109.3 mi

Made a long leg to fly over some geoglyphs known as the Blythe Intaglios. They're equally impressive from the ground as well as the air and worth a visit if you're in the Blythe area. Side note: We heard over the com radio that a Lockheed L-1049 Constellation (a "Connie") was airborne in the region! Looked, but didn't see it. Rats.

+22

Day 124A -- Joyous Intaglios Resplendent in Old Age
Hart Mine Airport ‐ Feb 28

101.4 mi

THE KEYSTONE THRUST FAULT -- We departed Nellis and flew an aerial tour of the Keystone Thrust Fault in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. From there, we pushed on in fantastic flying conditions for Hart Mine Airport at the site of a former gold mine. We'll camp here.

+22

Day 123 -- The Keystone and the Hart
Desert MOA at Nellis Air Force Base ‐ Feb 27

Attacking Godzilla! Dad got to fly a vintage F-86 Saber Jet. After landing, parking, and opening the canopy, he couldn't stop smiling. It was wonderful.

+36

Day 122 -- Godzilla Getter
Nellis Air Force Base ‐ Feb 22

39.7 mi

Made a trek over Railroad Pass and into Las Vegas to cruise the strip (wanted to see it during the day (...nerd)), then landed at Nellis. Maybe we'll get a chance to fly a jet or two here.

+12

Day 121 -- The Meadows
The Dry Lake 03 ‐ Feb 21

Dad and I got to pilot a "Tin Goose" (Ford Trimotor) like the one we saw here on the lakebed back in the '70s. We wanted to fly one when we were in Detroit, Michigan, earlier on this journey, but one simply wasn't available.

+33

Day 120 -- Tin Goose
The Dry Lake 02 ‐ Feb 15

FLYING a 103 -- I took up a friend's ultralight aloft for a 10-minute flight. That was enough. I didn't like it very much. It felt like a flying sewing machine... that is to say, underpowered. There are some things about it that I liked, but frankly, I'm very glad Dad & I aren't attempting to cross the US in a machine such as it.

+11

Day 119 -- The Flying Sewing Machine
The Dry Lake 01, United States ‐ Feb 14

14 mi

A short jaunt around Boulder, then landing at the dry lake for some camping. The weather forecast shows no precipitation in the coming days, so we shouldn't have to worry about the lake filling with a few inches of water and mud.

+15

Day 118 -- "Boulder Holder"
Boulder City Municipal Airport

Today, we're repositioning to a nearby dry lake after we first take a quick jaunt around Boulder.
Boulder City ‐ Feb 12
Boulder City Municipal Airport

29.7 mi

Wrapped up an awesome flight by passing through Black Canyon, crossing over Willow Beach, and landing at Boulder City Muni.

+5

Day 117B -- A Picture Made from Plants and Dirt
Hoover Dam

59.7 mi

HORNETS!!! A swarm of HORNETS!!! We got BUZZED by two F/A-18 Hornets over Hoover Dam! SWEET!!!

+18

Day 117A -- HORNETS!!!
Grand Canyon West Airport

The weather today looks amazing. Interestingly, the sky is full of airlines and private planes departing (and arriving at) Las Vegas on the day after the Super Bowl. We'll see how crowded it feels aloft.
Grand Canyon Skywalk ‐ Feb 11

We'll be taking in the sights here, and staying with some of the locals... new friends.
Grand Canyon West Airport

126.1 mi

This felt like an uneventful flight. The canyon becomes a little less impressive as one makes a westward advance. Nonetheless, we saw a handful of places that hold a personal significance.

+23

Day 116 -- The Inverted Mountain, Part 2 -- Pages in Earth's History Book
Grand Canyon National Park Airport

Once again, we had been grounded by unfavorable weather of multiple types (fog, snow, frozen mix, in-flight icing, clouds, and high winds), but there's finally a break in today's forecast so we're finally skybound.
Grand Canyon Village ‐ Jan 29

We'll spend some time checking out the canyon from the south rim.
Grand Canyon National Park Airport

98.1 mi

Hit several features in the eastern region of Grand Canyon National Park: Lee's Fery, Historic Navajo Bridge & Hwy-89A Bridge, Redwall Cavern, Nankoweap Granaries, the Little Colorado confluence, and the Desert Watchtower, and even Grandview Point. From there, we crossed over the south rim and landed at the airport in a 21-kt crosswind.

+20

Day 115B -- The Inverted Mountain, Part 1 -- Bridges and Gorges
Glen Canyon Dam

3.3 mi

We couldn't resist the temptation to split the gap between the dam and the bridge, so after studying the obstacles (powerlines, etc.) and assessing whether such a feat would be possible, we decided to acquire permission and give it a try. Turns out, it was a piece of cake. The wind was ZERO, the sky was clear, and the temperature was 41°F.

+9

Day 115A -- Over the Dam and Under the Bridge
Page Municipal Airport

It's another spectacular day, and the weather is even better than it was two days ago. We're off!
Page ‐ Jan 27

Into Page, Arizona, to stay awhile.
Page Municipal Airport

104.2 mi

We were hoping Fiftymile Mountain would be more visually interesting, but it wasn't. Odd spelling for the name. Continued over Lake Powel to Glen Canyon Dam and Bridge. The dam was spectacular in size and form.

+22

Day 114 -- 50 Miles of Mountain and 50 Miles of Lake
Escalante Municipal Airport

We've been grounded in Escalante, Utah, because of unfavorable flying conditions such as in-flight icing, strong winds, low & heavy clouds, and snow & freezing rain. Today, the conditions look great, so we're going to hit the sky.
Escalante ‐ Jan 11

You know the routine.
Escalante Municipal Airport

112 mi

It's cold and windy, but we've flown in worse conditions. This will be another repositioning flight taking us towards Fiftymile Mountain.

+21

Day 113 -- CRAB!
Milford Municipal Airport

We're going to try slipping south to Escalante, Utah.
Milford ‐ Jan 8

Into town.
Milford Municipal Airport

196.9 mi

A "repositioning flight" without much on our actual agenda so we took advantage of some sights of opportunity along the route. Made it without the slightest incident. Had a good tailwind almost the entire way, but made a planned stop at Goshute Airstrip for fuel. We then flew over the ruins of three old Pony Express stations and finally pushed on to Milford, Utah, for a late-evening landing. Humorously, at Milford, the sim superimposed a building over each of two aircraft. See pics.

+28

Day 112 -- Pony Express
Historic Wendover Airfield

After several days of poor weather, it looks like we can finally take a stab at flying again.
Wendover ‐ Jan 2

We'll stay in Wendover, Utah, then continue our trek south as the weather sees fit.
Historic Wendover Airfield

19.6 mi

Finished the day by flying over the old hangar where the Enola Gay was kept during its stint at Wendover Air Field, then landed shortly before sunset.

+10

Day 111B -- The "Bonneville Lines"
Bonneville Salt Flats

50.1 mi

In the late afternoon, we departed Lucin on 08 and flew into the Great Salt Lake Desert to see the Newfoundland Evaporation Basin and Bonneville Salt Flats. The weather was great, but the Sun was low and glaring.

+14

Day 111A -- Salty Dog
Lucin Airport ‐ Dec 31, 2023

Hiked back to the airport where we'll set up camp inside the hangar. We'll be here for New Year's Eve -- TONIGHT -- and maybe a few days beyond that. It all depends on how hung-over we are... and the weather gets a vote, too.
Sun Tunnels

Continued our hike, and went to see the Sun Tunnels -- a piece of modern art installed way out here near Lucin, Utah.
Lucin Pond

Took a hike over to Lucin Pond, a water source originally developed for the railroad, but now dedicated to wildlife.
Lucin Airport

119.9 mi

For this leg, the weather forecast was very favorable, but we kept a very close eye out for clear-air icing. Overall, the flight was nearly windless and utterly without incident. Thus, we also got to see a great deal of ancient shoreline from Lake Bonnevile.

+13

Day 110 -- Contrail on the Shore
Downey Airport

There's an opening in the weather forecast that shows no icing, no cloud cover, no clear-air turbulence, no strong winds, or anything else. We're taking it!
Downey ‐ Dec 26, 2023

Into Downey. The forecast for in-flight icing over the next few days isn't good, so we'll be here for a day or two... or three until the forecast improves.
Downey Airport

9.8 mi

Finished the day at Downey, Idaho having had no additional icing.

Day 109C -- Peaceful End to an Eventful Day
Red Rock Pass

59.8 mi

Got back in the air, stayed within ~500 ft AGL, and flew on to Red Rock Pass -- the outlet for Lake Bonneville when it experienced a catastrophic breakout of the weak dam here.

+13

Day 109B -- Foundling
Brigham City Municipal Airport

82.8 mi

We were on our way to see some stair-step wave-cut terraces but diverted to Brigham to take on fuel after having to deal with a brief but significant episode of icing while over the lake. Both the airspeed gauge and altimeter froze. We descended to ~500 ft above the lake, monitored our backup instruments, watched our shadow, and prepared to land on Fremont Island. However, a few minutes later, our gauges thawed so we continued to Brigham City.

+23

Day 109A -- Stairway to Heaven?
Bolinder Field-Tooele Valley Airport

The weather report predicts that tomorrow will have significant in-flight icing for the elevations we fly at, but if we fly today, we should be fine if we stay under ~2,000 ft AGL.
Salt Lake City ‐ Dec 22, 2023

Into Salt Lake to see some of the sights.
Bolinder Field-Tooele Valley Airport

11.8 mi

Finishing up the day at Tooele Valley Airport. On approach, the water in Salt Lake was so smooth that it was difficult to judge altitude. Thank engineers for altitude hold.

+3

Day 108C -- Encountering another Real-world Pilot at Bolinder Field
Historical Airway Beacon 61A SF-SL / LA-SL Lake Point

16.2 mi

This is a little piece of history that we wanted to see given the nature of our overall trip.

+8

Day 108B -- Historical Airway Beacon 61A
Bingham Canyon Mine

58.5 mi

This man-made excavation is deeper and wider than Meteor Crater in Arizona. I've seen it several times from the ground but, as usual, had to see it from the air.

+23

Day 108A -- Pit Stop
Nephi Municipal Airport, United States

Tomorrow's forecast is for snow in the greater Salt Lake region and we want to get a look at the Tooele Aviation Marker (61A) so we're off...
Nephi ‐ Dec 21, 2023

Spent about an hour soaring over some low ridges in the northwestern-most San Pitch Range, then transitioned to the southernmost end of the Wasatch Range on the flank of Mt. Nebo in search of better lift. The flight was FUN and we got to over 10,000 ft AMSL with little effort in spite of the light wind.

+28

Day 107 -- Pterodactyl
Nephi Municipal Airport

It's a gorgeous day, so we're going to try for a little ridge soaring. Unfortunately, it's not the best season, and the winds are a little light, but let's see what happens.
Nephi ‐ Dec 14, 2023

We'll stay here a while to take some glider lessons.
Nephi Municipal Airport

142.8 mi

Transit flight to Nephi. While in the pattern, our airspeed gauge froze for about three minutes while we were 1,000 ft AGL, then thawed while we were at 500 ft and descending on final for 35. On another note, this airport is known for glider ops. We'll see if we can get a hop in a day or two. It all depends on the weather.

+33

Day 106 -- A Mote of Dust Nearly Hits the Target
Hanksville Airport

Getting an early start to catch the sunrise.
Hanksville ‐ Dec 12, 2023

Into Hanksville to meet the locals and see the sights.
Hanksville Airport

10.2 mi

We finished the day with an easy straight-in to Hanksville on the dirt runway (17).

+6

Day 105D -- Dust in Our Butter
Goblin Valley State Park

19.2 mi

The hoodoos formed by weathering and erosion here are astounding.

+8

Day 105C -- Goblins! 12 o'clock low!
Edge of San Rafael Swell

9.8 mi

Flew a leg along the east edge of the uplift.

+9

Day 105B -- Along the Reef
San Rafael Reef View Area

11.4 mi

I first saw this place while driving from California to Wisconsin to start college. I was, in a word, gobsmacked. There's a parking area with interpretive signs to explain the geology. I must have spent over an hour here reading, looking, and feeling a sense of wonder.

+18

Day 105A -- Shark Teeth at the Reef
Green River Municipal Airport

It's a cold but beautiful day to go flying. It's 0°C, but very dry and there's no in-flight icing predicted for this area.
Green River ‐ Dec 8, 2023

Into Green RIver, Utah.
Green River Municipal Airport

35.4 mi

Final leg of the day was to Green River. The Earth is an artist.

+9

Day 104B -- Earth Art and "Lightning Bolts"
Arches National Park

32.1 mi

Today, we made an overflight of Arches National Park. Side Note: We tried to fly yesterday (7 Dec. 2023) but the winds were very gusty and turbulent... We got off the ground, flew ~3nm out, then returned to the airport. Today, the air was MUCH better and we were not disappointed with the park's wonders.

+25

Day 104A -- Arches National Park
Sky Ranch Airport

Returning to the airport.
Moab ‐ Nov 29, 2023

Into Moab for a while.
Sky Ranch Airport

19.6 mi

Our final leg for the day brought us to the private airstrip at Sky Ranch Airport for some more good ol' Western hospitality. There's a little snow on the ground here.

+11

Day 103D -- Unexpected Fins and Joints
Dead Horse Point State Park

14 mi

I wanted to pass over Deah Horse Point because my wife and I have visited this place on a geology field trip we took very early in our relationship.

Day 103C -- A Brief Pass Above Dead Horse Point
Upheaval Dome

6.2 mi

This impact structure was, of course, a must-see feature for us. I've hiked the rim trail and into the center. Ever since then, I've wanted to see it from high above. I was not disappointed! This thing is amazing!

+8

Day 103B -- Of Giants and Don Quixote
Switchbacks at Mineral Bottom

29.2 mi

I drove a 15-passenger van down and back up these switchbacks on a geology field trip while trying to get to the center of Upheaval Dome. I wanted to see them from the air.

+10

Day 103A -- Visiting the Switchbacks
Happy Canyon Airport ‐ Nov 19, 2023

Returned to our campsite along the airstrip with our friends who flew in with provisions. We'll spend the Thanksgiving holiday here, relaxing in these quiet canyons.
Happy Canyon Airport

Walked over to the west end of the bluff to watch the sunset... one of Dad's favorite activities, and something we did often while I was growing up.
Happy Canyon Airport

33.2 mi

Made a looping turn to get a longer look at The Grabens, then headed into The Maze District. Finished the day's flying with an exciting landing at Happy Canyon Airstrip -- sitting atop a bluff. We'll camp here. Some friends are flying in to camp with us and they're bring supplies.

+13

Day 102B -- Hot Landing at Happy Canyon
The Grabens

36.5 mi

The Grabens in The Needles district of Canyonlands is a system of arcuate ridges and valleys (horsts and grabens) caused by the movement of underlying salt layers toward the Colorado River. Their subtle arcing sweep reminded me of The Canyon of the Crescent Moon from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

+22

Day 102A -- Quest for "The Canyon of the Crescent Moon"
Hite Airport

Heading back to Hite Airport this morning to catch some low Sun for our attempt at The Grabens.
Hite Marina ‐ Nov 17, 2023

Once again, we're staying with friends in their houseboat. What could be better?
Hite Airport

15.9 mi

Onwards to Hite Airstrip at the junction of the Dirty Devil River and the Colorado River. It was an interesting leg full of sights to behold, a fun approach that had us dropping into North Wash canyon, and a fun landing.

+10

Day 101B -- "The Forbidden Zone"
Mount Hillers

32.3 mi

At the time of this writing, Mt Hillers is listed in Google Maps as having the nom de guerre of "Hello Kitty Meowntain." What could be better than that? I'd been here before, but Dad hadn't. So we waited for late afternoon to get some low light and set out to see this GINORMOUS laccolith.

+12

Day 101A -- "Hello Kitty Meowntain"
Cal Black Memorial Airport

Spent a couple of days at the lake. It's beautiful here.
Halls Crossing ‐ Nov 15, 2023

We'll be staying overnight on a houseboat.
Cal Black Memorial Airport

52.4 mi

The second leg for today was just as challenging as the first -- turnin' and burnin' through the second half of the Goosenecks of the San Juan River. Before reaching Lake Powell, we climbed out of the canyon and made for Cal Black Memorial Airport.

+13

Day 100B -- Finishing Our Trek Down the San Juan River
Goosenecks of the San Juan

27 mi

After having to attend to some important familial obligations that took me away from this trek for over two months, I'm finally back and we can on with our adventure. This first leg back has us taking on the challenge of flying the Goosenecks of the San Juan River at ~200 ft above the canyon floor. It was tight and demanding, but fun.

+16

Day 100A -- We Wrung Our Necks at the Goosenecks
Bluff Airport ‐ Oct 14, 2023

Returned to the airport to watch the annular eclipse and get some photos of it with the ultralight. It was chance alone that brought us to the Four Corners area at this time -- perfectly poised to watch the eclipse. How lucky are we?

Day 99 -- One Ring to Rule Them All

Day 99 -- One Ring to Rule Them All

We watched the annular eclipse of 14 October 2023 from the airport at Bluff, Utah. The poem from The Lord of the Rings came to mind. That poem is: One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, One...
Canyon Wren Bed and Breakfast ‐ Sep 8, 2023

TEMPORARY GROUND STOP -- An annular eclipse is passing through here on Oct 14, 2023. So. we're going to stay, soak in the culture, enjoy some good company, and wait for the celestial event. (That, and in real life, I won't be able to fly for the next several weeks, so the adventure is going to be put on temporary hold for about 2 months.)

GROUND STOP for ~2 Months
Bluff ‐ Aug 30, 2023

Into Bluff, Utah, where we can debrief on my dumb mistake that could have ended very differently.
Bluff Airport

14 mi

Having survived the downdraft unscathed, we proceeded with our plan to fly along the east flank of Comb Ridge before landing at Bluff, Utah. As we anticipated, the east side of the ridge is every bit as worthwhile as the west side.

+15

Day 98D -- Ribs Along the Devil's Backbone
Comb Ridge, North

6.6 mi

Proceeded north along Comb Ridge marveling at the spectacular geology. We became wrapped in sightseeing & weren't paying attention to how an east wind had come up. This should've been a warning. We turned to cross low over the ridge & suddenly found ourselves in a DOWNDRAFT! Wind from the east was flowing like a waterfall over Comb Ridge. Fortunately, we had enough altitude & power to push through, but it was close enough to make the hair on the back of my neck bristle. I wasn't thinking. Grrr!

+8

Day 98C -- DOWNDRAFT at Comb Ridge!!!
Comb Ridge, South

11 mi

Did some turnin' & burnin' in San Juan Canyon, then flew to the southern part of Comb Ridge.

+11

Day 98B -- Mother Nature's Ginormous Comb
Abandoned Gooseneck of San Juan River

31.2 mi

We flew a counterclockwise circuit through a GIANT abandoned gooseneck-type loop in San Juan Canyon. The overall shape of the landform reminded me of the deep channel formed by the brim of a sombrero.

+22

Day 98A -- Counterclockwise Gooseneck
Monument Valley Airport

Had a fantastic time here. Now it's time to get underway.
Gouldings Campground ‐ Aug 18, 2023

Camping at Gouldings.
Monument Valley

64.4 mi

We were generously granted permission to conduct an aerial tour of Monument Valley. It was splendid. Earlier this morning, rain moved through the region, but cleared out, so we took the opportunity to fly. Near the end of our flight, rain was threatening again. No matter. We've "seen the elephant."

+32

Day 97 -- A Prawn, a Horsefly, and a Falcon
Kayenta Airport

We're off to see Monument Valley!
Kayenta ‐ Aug 16, 2023

Into town to see the sights and meet the people.
Kayenta

24.3 mi

We came here to overfly some of the volcanic plugs in the Kayenta area. NOTE: Do not confuse these igneous formations with the sedimentary buttes of nearby Monument Valley.

+13

Day 96B -- Volcanic Plugs
Unnamed Monocline

70 mi

This leg brought us past some neat features such as a series of dry channels, a GIANT laccolith (far to our north), a network of box canyons, and an unexpected monocline.

+16

Day 96A -- Monocline
Tuba City Airport

Back to the airport.
Tuba City ‐ Aug 15, 2023

Into town.
Dinosaur Tracks

Stopped to see an excellent paleosurface with myriad dinosaur tracks. Well worth a visit.
Tuba City Airport

38.9 mi

Proceeded north x northeast to Tuba City Airport. In the process, passed over the Little Colorado River (LCR), and some of the striking erosional features that it has been partly responsible for forming.

+11

Day 95B -- Plateau Stream
S P Crater

52.8 mi

We flew to SP Crater (a better name would be SP Cinder Cone). This cinder cone got its peculiar name from folks who thought it looked like an overturned chamber pot (shit pot) because of the prominent lava flow emanating from its northern base. The (possibly) ~70 ka cinder cone is in the San Francisco volcanic field & is surrounded by several other cones that are older & more eroded.

+14

Day 95A -- The Spilled Chamber Pot
Chilson Landing Strip

We're off... like a herd of turtles!
Meteor Crater Ranch ‐ Aug 11, 2023

We'll be staying here with some new friends.
Chilson Landing Strip

2.2 mi

We were invited to land here so we could photograph the crater from ground level. A further invitation was extended for us to stay as long as we wanted.
Meteor Crater

50.2 mi

This feature did not disappoint!

+39

Day 94 -- IMPACT!!!
Holbrook Municipal Airport
Holbrook ‐ Aug 9, 2023

Staying in town. Lots to see.
Holbrook Municipal Airport

18 mi

Departed the park and landed in Holbrook, Arizona.
Petrified Forest National Park

24.9 mi

Proceeded to fly a zig-zagging course over several features as we made our way to the south end of the park where the "Long Logs" and "Giant Logs" reside near the park headquarters and museum.

+15

Day 93B -- Scattered Toothpicks
Painted Desert

38.6 mi

Flew south to Pilot Rock, then turned to 061° and proceeded along a low ridge for about 7 NM until turning to 197° towards Onyx Bridge. It was very hard to spot, but we bagged it in the "blind" photos we took. Then, as we were approaching I-40 we chanced upon an unexpected drainage divide.

+15

Day 93A -- A Painted Desert, An Onyx Bridge, and a Drainage Divide
Greasewood

Finally getting back into the air after a long stay with many friends.
Greasewood ‐ Jul 26, 2023

Accepted a kind invitation to stay at a private residence for as long as we like.
Greasewood Airstrip

50.9 mi

Stopped here to position ourselves for a north-to-south overflight of the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest on the next leg of our journey. (Side note: The dirt airstrip is designated KGAN but doesn't appear on any aviation charts that I've seen. Nonetheless, it's in our nav software. Strange.)

+12

Day 92B -- Across the Desert to Greasewood Airstrip
Buell Park Kimberlite Pipe

17.5 mi

One of the world’s largest kimberlite pipes is located on the Navajo Indian Reservation in northern Arizona. The pipe is larger than any diamond-bearing pipe in South Africa, and at ~2.7 mi across this kimberlite pipe actually may be the largest in the world. No diamonds have been found here, and studies of Arizona kimberlites suggest they aren't likely to have any. There are kimberlites in northern Colorado & southern Wyoming that do have diamonds.

+15

Day 92A -- A Hot Date with Kimberlite Pipe
Window Rock Airport
Window Rock ‐ Jul 25, 2023
Window Rock Airport

84.9 mi

Window Rock, Arizona, Tségháhoodzání in Navajo, is the seat of government and capital of the Navajo Nation, the largest territory in North America of a sovereign Native American nation. Until 1936, the area was sparsely populated and known by the Navajo only by its ceremonial name Niʼ Ałníiʼgi ("Center of the World").

+26

Day 91B -- Journey to "The Center of the World"
Zuni Salt Lake

35.3 mi

Zuni Salt Lake is a rare high desert lake sitting in a classic maar crater. For centuries, the Pueblo people of the Southwest, including the Zuni, Acoma, Laguna, Hopi & Taos pueblos, have made annual pilgrimages to Zuñi Salt Lake to harvest salt for culinary & ceremonial purposes. Ancient roadways radiate from the lake to the various pueblos & ancient pueblo sites, such as Chaco (visited earlier on our adventure).

+4

Day 91A -- A Lesson from Geronimo
Nalda Ranch Airport

After a few days of gorging ourselves on delicious pie, we return to the airstrip to get underway again.
Pie Town ‐ Jul 22, 2023

Into town for some pie! Apple... pecan... lemon... chocolate... turtle... The list is long.
Nalda Ranch Airport

12.4 mi

This airstrip is near Pie Town, the name of which comes from an early bakery that specialized in dried-apple pies.

+5

Day 90D -- Pie in the Sky
Magdalena Radial Dike Swarm

27 mi

The Magdalena radial dike swarm (MRDS) is a large diameter (200- 250 km) radial array of basaltic-andesite dikes of Oligocene age broadly focused on the large volume (7000 km3) Socorro-Magdalena caldera cluster (SMCC) of the central Rio Grande rift.

+8

Day 90C -- Dike Swarm
Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA)

43.5 mi

The Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) is a centimeter-wavelength radio astronomy observatory. I heard as a teen that pilots call this place "The Mushroom Patch" and use it as a visual navigation aid.

+15

Day 90B -- The Mushroom Patch
Adobe Ranch Private Airport

67.4 mi

A Mine and a Cowboy Breakfast -- Flew over the Chino Copper Mine, then, first stop: Adobe Ranch Private Airstrip for fuel and a real cowboy breakfast... steak, eggs, beans, tortillas, chilies, and cowboy coffee. It was to die for! Thanks for hosting us.

+10

Day 90A -- Cowboy Breakfast
Grant County Airport

Return to airport.
Silver City ‐ Jul 18, 2023

Into town to visit and see the sights.
Grant County Airport

92.5 mi

Jump to Silver City, New Mexico. Apollo 17 astronaut, geologist, university professor, and US senator Harrison "Jack" Schmitt was born near here in the now-gone town of Santa Rita, New Mexico, and grew up in nearby Silver City. During the Apollo program, he was the only scientist to walk on the Moon. The 11 others were test pilots. I took his class, Resources from Space, at the University of Wisconsin - Madison when I was an undergrad there. It was like taking a class from Columbus or Magellan. [...]
Why isn't this airport named after him?

+21

Day 89 -- How to be a Playa
Gray Ranch Airport ‐ Jul 17, 2023

Hiked back to the airport to camp.
Cloverdale Cemetery

Went for a hike to visit the site of Cloverdale Ghost Town and Cloverdale Cemetery.
Gray Ranch Airport

11.7 mi

Closed out the day with a short leg to Gray Ranch. Once again, we've found a very beautiful and relaxing place to stop. Once we parked and shut down the engine, we could hear birds singing in the calm morning air. Side note: The approach was smooth as silk because the wind was only 1 kt and thermal activity hadn't yet begun for the day.

+5

Day 88D -- Dropping Into the Erstwhile Gray Ranch
Continental Divide at US/Mexico Border

45.4 mi

Having crossed the continental divide between here and Canada more times than we can keep track of, we simply had to add this location to our trip. Technically, this portion of the divide is on an endorheic basin, but this is the higher leg of the bifurcated divide, so this location wins.

+12

Day 88C -- The Continental Divide at US/Mexico Border
International Boundary Monument Number 40

26.6 mi

Traveled onwards to the US/Mexico border, then overflew the Monument 40 Boundary Marker at "One Corner" New Mexico (wink).

+12

Day 88B -- FEATHERS! But No Tar
Tethered Aerostat Radar System

5.5 mi

We started this morning by flying over a Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS). It's a low-level airborne ground surveillance system that uses an aerostat (moored balloon) as a radar platform. (We were granted special permission to cross the restricted airspace, of course.)

+5

Day 88A -- T.A.R.S. But No Feathers
Luna Landing Airport
Rockhound State Park ‐ Jul 15, 2023

Camping here.
Luna Landing Airport

51.1 mi

Flew over the Portillo Volcanic Field, then onwards to the Florida Mountains where we surfed down the west side through a STRONG updraft before proceeding to the airstrip (which was difficult to spot). ... ... ... Holy cow! It's a hemp farm.

+18

Day 87B -- "Fly Me to the Moon"
Kilbourne Hole

16.3 mi

Made an early morning hop to a marr crater in the Rio Grande Rift named Kilbourne Hole. This volcanic feature is notable for the large number of mantle xenoliths -- solid fragments of mantle rock -- that were carried to the surface by the eruption. Most of the mantle xenoliths at here are Lherzolite, a rock composed mostly of olivine and pyroxene. Estimates of the age of the crater vary from ~24,000 to ~80,000 years.

+10

Day 87A -- Kilbourne Hole
Doña Ana County International Jetport

Up early to catch the low Sun.
Travel Lodge ‐ Jul 13, 2023

Staying here.
Doña Ana County International Jetport

37.4 mi

Completed the day by crossing the southeast quadrant of the Organ Mountains, transiting the Rio Grande, and landing at Dona Ana.

+12

Day 86C -- Rocky Mtns and a Cubist River Valley
White Sands Missile Range Museum

6 mi

Flew over the outdoor exhibits (Missile Park) at the Missile Range Museum.

Day 86B -- The Missile Range Museum
V2 Launch Site

35.1 mi

A historic site from which captured V2 rockets were launched after WW-II as part of the effort to develop a US space program.

+6

Day 86A -- The Repurposed Vergeltungswaffe 2
Holloman Air Force Base

Return to base.
Alamogordo ‐ Jul 8, 2023

Into town.
Holloman Air Force Base

15.3 mi

Short leg over to Holloman AFB to complete the day's flying.

+4

Day 85D -- This Place is MASSIVE!
White Sands National Park

50.5 mi

Proceeded south to White Sands.

+7

Day 85C -- Ancient Footprints of "One Point Twenty-one 'Jigowatts'"
Carrizozo Volcanic Field / Valley of Fires

23.8 mi

Flew to the geographic center of the Carrizozo Volcanic Field and past the Valley of Fires petroglyph site.

+14

Day 85B -- Carrizozo Volcanic Field and Valley of Fires
Trinity Site

13.7 mi

Overflight of Trinity Site -- where the world's first atomic bomb was detonated.

+6

Day 85A -- "Jornada del Muerto" to Trinity Site
Stallion Army Airfield

Back to the airport.
San Antonio ‐ Jul 3, 2023

Camping along the Rio Grande.
Stallion Army Airfield

92.3 mi

On this flight, I experienced a moment right out of the movie, E.T. because, during planning, I completely overlooked the fact that a FULL MOON would rise on this night. It was spectacular!

+24

Day 84 -- "Gonna Take a Ride Across the Moon"
Double Eagle II Airport

Returning to airport for a night flight down to Stallion Army Air Field at the northwest corner of White Sands Missile Range.
Albuquerque ‐ Jun 30, 2023

Into the city.
Double Eagle II Airport

59.2 mi

Just a basic transit down toward Albuquerque, New Mexico. We're making it an early morning flight in the hope of getting good "side lighting" on Valles Caldera supervolcano.

+16

Day 83 -- On the Flanks of a Monster
Los Alamos Airport
Los Alamos ‐ Jun 29, 2023

Toured several parts of the lab and town, and visited the museums.
Los Alamos Airport

15.3 mi

Completed today's flight by setting down at Los Alamos Airport. We flew a right-hand pattern... that's kinda rare.

+9

Day 82B -- Flumes on the Flank
Valles Caldera

63.8 mi

I have been fascinated by supervolcanos ever since I first learned about them way back in high school. The Valles Caldera is one that, unlike Yellowstone, is beautifully discernable from the ground as well as from above. I've been here before, but this will be my first time seeing it from the air.

+23

Day 82A -- Valles Caldera Supervolcano
Pueblo Pintado Airport

Finally getting back underway.
Gallo Campground ‐ Jun 22, 2023

Car-camping here, and exploring this wonderful park on foot.
Pueblo Pintado Airport

15.1 mi

To finish the day's flying, we hopped over to Pueblo Pintado Airport.

+2

Day 81E -- Pueblo Pintado Airport
The Sun Dagger

4.1 mi

The Sun Dagger (atop Fajada Butte) is an astonishing feat of ancient astronomy that was also profiled in the aforementioned series, COSMOS (1980), by Carl Sagan. I was gobsmacked when I saw it presented in time-lapse for the show. Over 40 years later, I'm still deeply in awe of it.

+4

Day 81D -- The Sun Dagger
Pueblo Bonito Great House

2.7 mi

While traversing Chaco Culture National Historical Park, we flew over several Native American structures. They were far larger than I was expecting. This one, Pueblo Bonito Great House, has suffered from a rock fall.

+4

Day 81C -- Pueblo Bonito and Others
Supernova Pictograph

49.3 mi

Dad and I first learned about this incredible pictograph from Carl Sagan's 13-part series, COSMOS, which aired on PBS in 1980. Even though I was 10 years old, I thought the series was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.

+9

Day 81B -- Supernova Pictograph
The Hogback

8.4 mi

We flew low over The Hogback on our way to Chaco Culture National Historical Park. It's another perfect morning with clear skies and light winds. The desert air smells fresh and clean.

+7

Day 81A -- Hog Hunting
Shiprock Airstrip

Return to the airport.
Shiprock ‐ Jun 21, 2023

Into town for a comfortable stay with friends.
Shiprock Historical Marker

Got permission from the Navajo Nation to go visit Sa-bit-tai-e ("the rock with the wings") up close.
Shiprock Airstrip

13.1 mi

Flew along most of the exposed length of the most prominent dike, then turned northeast and landed at the airstrip.
Shiprock

20.2 mi

Onwards to this day's main attraction: Shiprock. I've been amazed by this volcanic neck since I was a kid. I've been here before -- on a field trip -- but now I get to see it from the air.

+19

Day 80C -- The Rock with Wings
Hogback Area of Critical Environmental Concern

71.6 mi

Pressing on towards Shiprock, we cross a ridge at nearly 9,000 ft and head into a vast desert while maintaining an altitude of 8,500 ft for a good view. Yet again I found myself expecting a drab "shuttle flight" but instead was enthralled by all the wonderful sights, including upturned and warped strata, interesting erosional features, and a coal mine & power plant.

+10

Day 80B -- A Ridge, a Desert, a Coal Mine, and a Hogback
Chimney Rock

14.8 mi

A short hop to Chimney Rock National Monument (on our way to Shiprock). Here, we'll briefly overfly the rock formation and the Native American site with the remnants of Chimney Rock Great Kiva and Chimney Rock Great House. Amazingly, there's NO wind on this leg.

+4

Day 80A -- Chimney Rock, Kivas, and Great House
Stevens Field

Return to the airport.
Pagosa Springs ‐ Jun 20, 2023

Staying in town tonight.
Stevens Field

66.3 mi

There's a stiff headwind that's eaten up a lot of our fuel, so we begin this leg by stopping for gas at Astronaut Kent Rominger Airport in Del Norte, Colorado. From there, we'll peak into La Garita Caldera (a supervolcano), cross the Continental Divide (again) at Wolf Creek Pass (10,800 ft elevation) and head on to Pagosa Springs, Colorado. It's another banner day!

+20

Day 79B -- Wolf Creek Pass and the Continental Divide
Summer Coon Stratovolcano

53.7 mi

Flew across the Rio Grande Basin to Summer Coon Stratovolcano hoping to see the spectacular geology there. We were disappointed. Ya can't win 'em all, I guess.

+13

Day 79A -- "Pretty Sneaky, Sis."
Pinyon Flats Campground ‐ Jun 18, 2023

Returned to camp.
High Dune

Hiked the High Dune.
Great Sand Dunes National Park

106.7 mi

Passed through the toe of the Front Range, made a stop at Silver West Airport for gas, then flew over the Sangre de Cristo Range to Great Sand Dunes National Park. Finished with a bush landing there to camp at Pinyon Flats Campground.

+25

Day 78 -- Great Sand Dunes National Park
United States Air Force Academy Airfield

It's time to get underway. We've enjoyed every experience here, and look forward to returning.
Colorado Springs ‐ Jun 16, 2023

Back into town after a day of great fun.
United States Air Force Academy Airfield

One of Dad's favorite plains is the P-40, perhaps made most famous by the Flying Tigers of WW-II. Today, he gets to take one up... it even has a shark mouth paint scheme. I'm green with envy.

+20

Day 77 -- "Shark Mouth"
United States Air Force Academy Airfield

Dad was invited to fly a P-40F Warhawk, so we're returning to the airfield.
Colorado Springs ‐ Jun 10, 2023
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Fossil stumps, insects, and other cool things to see.
United States Air Force Academy

53.7 mi

Buzzed the Air Force Academy Chapel, Terrazzo (main quad), Stadium, and Airfield at "high speed" (wink). They never saw us coming. They never knew what hit 'em.

+12

Day 76D -- Navy Wallops Air Force 4-0!
North Dinosaur Open Space Park

5.7 mi

This place is fascinating on the ground and I had long wanted to see it from the air.

+3

Day 76C -- Dinosaur Tracks and Red Rocks
Coors Brewing Company

17.2 mi

Couldn't resist an overflight of Coors Brewing Company. As a kid, I recall Dad's beer of choice was Coors.

+7

Day 76B -- Dad's Favorite Beer (I'm not sure I agree)
Flatirons

14.2 mi

Flew past the Flatirons. (Side Note: I've seen them in real life a few times and found them impressive. Unfortunately, the sim does not do them credit.)

+4

Day 76A -- The Flatirons Fall Flat (in the sim)
Vance Brand Airport

Return to the airport.
Longmont ‐ Jun 8, 2023

Return to Longmont.
Buckley Air Force Base

Flew an F-16 (two-seater) from Buckley AFB to Falcon, Colorado, and back. Broke the sound barrier, went to 54,000 ft, and put it through some aerobatic maneuvers. Had so much fun that I forgot Dad was in the back seat!

+38

Day 75 -- "The Viper"
Buckley Air Force Base

We've been invited to fly an F-16D courtesy of the 148th Fighter Wing of the Minnesota ANG out of Duluth. They're at Buckley AFB getting some training in mountain flying and offered to let us take a Falcon up. We jumped at the chance.
Longmont ‐ Jun 7, 2023
Vance Brand Airport

7.3 mi

Another airport named in honor of a local kid who grew up to become an astronaut. Vance Brand flew on the Apollo-Soyuz mission and the Space Shuttle.
Longmont

31.6 mi

Overflight of Megan's former home. Upon departing Dream Lake, we turned towards Longmont, Colorado, where Megan used to live when she was a kid. Once there, we flew past her old house for some pics.

+9

Day 74D -- A Landslide, Longs Peak, and Megan's Old House
Dream Lake

12.6 mi

On December 27, 2011, Megan and I went snowshoeing to Dream Lake and Emerald Lake (>10,000 ft elevation). It was unforgettable. I couldn't resist taking another look at this magnificent place... this time, from the air.

+4

Day 74C -- A Dream of Emerald
Chapin Pass

10.9 mi

Chapin Pass sits at ~11,200 ft. It's one of the few places in this region where we can cross over the mountains without making a significant detour to the north. We were thrilled to cross the pass and immediately find ourselves in a glacial trough but to succeed, we must face the Sirens of the Odyssey.

+7

Day 74B -- The Siren Song of a False Pass
Headwaters of the Colorado

28 mi

The headwaters of the Colorado River, at La Poudre Pass, sit at an elevation of ~10,200 ft. We'll cross directly above. The pass straddles the Continental Divide, & separates the headwaters of La Poudre Pass Creek from that of the Colorado River. The pass itself is a broad, flat, swampy area. In the wet meadow just south of the divide, the Colorado River begins its course as a tiny stream emerging from this area.

+8

Day 74A -- A Grand Ditch, the Divide, and the Headwaters
Granby-Grand County Airport
Granby ‐ Jun 6, 2023
Granby-Grand County Airport

44 mi

Our final leg for the day took us to Granby, Colorado. This will position us to visit the headwaters of the Colorado River, then cross the eastern crest of the Rockies at Rocky Mountain National Park so we can fly into the Denver Basin.

+8

Day 73C -- Crossing Yet Another Pass Named "Ute Pass"
Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel

21.4 mi

Flew at 10,500 ft AMSL to within sight of the western portal of the Eisenhower–Edwin C. Johnson Memorial Tunnel, then executed a max-performance 180°.

+13

Day 73B -- Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel
Vail Pass

43.7 mi

Made a LOW crossing over Vail Pass (elevation of 10,662 ft (3,250 m)) at about 100 ft above the ground. Kept vigilant for power lines, trees, towers, etc.

+10

Day 73A -- Vail Pass at "Low" Altitude
Eagle County Regional Airport
Eagle ‐ Jun 5, 2023
Eagle County Regional Airport

37 mi

Made a *beautiful* flight through CALM air with an approach into Eagle County Regional that was so SMOOTH it felt fake. The sensation of flying was... weird but incredible. I don't think I've ever had a smoother approach and landing (using Live Weather).

+12

Day 72 -- Smoothest Landing Ever
Aspen/Pitkin County Airport

Had to have hand surgery, so we've been delayed here in Aspen. Couldn't have picked a better place! Sadly, it's time to leave.
Aspen ‐ May 30, 2023
Aspen/Pitkin County Airport

18.2 mi

"GO AROUND!" While we were on final approach into Aspen, some tool flying a jet in from the north bullied his way onto approach for the runway we had been cleared to land on, and WE were ordered to go around. Grrr!!!

+14

Day 71B -- STOLEN LANDING! "Ultralight 822, GO AROUND!"
Maroon Bells

39.1 mi

Had a great flight to Maroon Bells. Windy flying, but awesome scenery.

+15

Day 71A -- Maroon Bells
Glenwood Springs Municipal Airport

It's been a busy 10 days with Memorial Day and whatnot! Time to get back into the air. We're going to try for Maroon Bells.
Glenwood Springs ‐ May 20, 2023
Pioneer Cemetery

Doc Holliday's grave site.
Glenwood Springs Municipal Airport

36.7 mi

This final leg for today takes us along the remainder of Grand Hogback to the Colorado River, and into Glenwood Springs.

+7

Day 70C -- Short Jaunt Along Interstate 70
Grand Hogback

25.8 mi

The name of this long mountain ridge is quite appropriate... it's easily among the largest hogbacks I've seen.

+5

Day 70B -- A Big Ol' Hogback
The "Spoked Wheel"

29 mi

This is the approximate center of an amphitheater-like structure of low topographic relief with rills and gullies weathered into it in a mostly radial pattern. The overall effect is that the feature resembles a portion of a bicycle wheel when seen in planform. We tried to capture images that reflect this curious attribute.

+8

Day 70A -- The "Spoked Wheel"
Rangely Airport

Return to the airport.
Rangely ‐ May 19, 2023
The TANK Center for Sonic Arts

Took in a performance here. Pretty cool.
Rangely Airport

37.7 mi

Our third and final leg requires we surmount an 8000-foot ridge before we can cross into Colorado and descend into the town of Rangely, Colorado.

+19

Day 69C -- The "Reef" of Split Mountain
Dinosaur National Monument

36.6 mi

This second leg has us tracing the Green River through its narrow canyon that traverses Dinosaur National Park. The canyon is narrower than what we were expecting from our flight planning.

+4

Day 69B -- Steamboat Rock in Dinosaur National Monument
Gates of Lodore

31.9 mi

This first leg for today's flight takes us from an uncommon takeoff over a deep, sinuous canyon at Dutch John, to the Gates of Lodore and into the Canyon of Lodore.

+9

Day 69A -- The Canyon of Lodore
Dutch John Airport
Dutch John ‐ May 16, 2023
Dutch John Airport

87.2 mi

Flew along the trace of the Green River through Flaming Gorge. Had a pleasant surprise when we arrived at Dutch John... It's beautiful here! I had no idea.

+29

Day 68 -- Flaming Gorge, Firehole Canyon, and Dutch John
Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport
Rock Springs
Western Wyoming Community College ‐ May 15, 2023

Outstanding fossil exhibits here.
Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport

96.2 mi

Boar's Tusk, the Green River Basin, Lake Gossiute, White Mountain, the Rock Springs Uplift, and more are among the numerous geologic attractions in this fascinating region. There's far too much to explore and write about to cover here.

+10

Day 67 -- Green River Basin, Lake Gosiute, and Boar's Tusk
Ralph Wenz Field
Pinedale ‐ May 13, 2023
Ralph Wenz Field

55.2 mi

Tight passage through a narrow fault-controlled gorge to trace the path of the Green River and get a glimpse of its headwaters. Winds were light, the temperature was cold, and the density altitude was in our favor, so we were able to climb to 11,700 ft AMSL to clear a col in the fault trace. We'll be above 10,000 ft for less than 30 minutes.

+22

Day 66 -- "...Facing Fearful Odds"
Kinky Creek Divide Airport

Packed up, warmed up, and ready to go.
Kinky Creek Divide ‐ May 12, 2023

Camping.
Kinky Creek Divide Airport

39.9 mi

This airstrip is on the drainage divide between Kinky Creek (just to the southwest) and Tepee Creek (just to the southeast).

+16

Day 65 -- Gros Ventre Slide and Kinky Creek Divide
Jackson Hole Airport

Return to airport.
Jackson ‐ May 11, 2023
Jackson Hole Airport

35.7 mi

Took a 30-minute flight along the Teton Range at 10,000 AMSL. Highlights include Mt Moran and its amazing diabase dike that's 775 million years old, Grand Teton, numerous glacial troughs, and Jackson Lake. It was a perfect day. (Rain kept us grounded the previous day.)

+21

Day 64 -- The Teton Range
Grassy Lake Campground Spur #2 ‐ May 9, 2023

Fishing along Snake River. Camping in the meadow with other flyers.
Grassy Lake Campground Spur #1

72.1 mi

Flew through Yellowstone NP, then made a planned bush landing in a meadow behind Grassy Lake Campground. This is our planned stop for the day. There's patchy snow and rain to the west that will probably move through the area in a couple of hours. It didn't interfere with our flight, though. However, the Tetons (our next leg) may be heavily clouded for the next few days.

+27

Day 63 -- Tour of Yellowstone National Park
Gardiner Airport

Return to the airport.
Gardiner ‐ May 8, 2023

A nice town on the banks of the Yellowstone River.
Gardiner Airport

37.2 mi

Shuttle flight to Gardiner, Montana, to position us just north of Yellowstone National Park.

+14

Day 62 -- "Blow Me Down"
Yellowstone Airport
West Yellowstone ‐ May 7, 2023

Lots to do and see here. Naturally, we'll take it all in.
Yellowstone Airport ‐ May 6, 2023

30.9 mi

Completed the day's flying by departing Henry's Fork Caldera, picking up Reas Pass Creek for a brief distance, then sighting Yellowstone Airport and landing. The weather is closing in a little bit to ruin some of the visibility.

+4

Day 61C -- Yellowstone Airport
Henry's Fork Caldera

17.4 mi

Of the many calderas formed by the Yellowstone hotspot, including the later Yellowstone Caldera, the Henry's Fork Caldera is the only one that’s currently clearly discernable as a landform. This is the first supervolcano that we're visiting. There will be others.

+5

Day 61B -- Henry's Fork Caldera (a Supervolcano on the Snake River Plain)
Possible Lava-flooded Dunes

10.4 mi

Back in 2003, I was on a geology field trip here. The trip leader explained that the unusual crescent-shaped pits in the lava flow here might have been formed by lava flooding a field of either barchan or parabolic sand dunes, but the evidence was inconclusive at that time. Since then, I've been wanting to see this place from a plane. Today's the day... finally!

+4

Day 61A -- Lava-flooded Sand Dunes?
Stanford Field

There are some clouds and light rain in the area this morning, but nothing serious. We're go.
St. Anthony ‐ May 5, 2023
Stanford Field

106.3 mi

Cruising low between the Lemhi and Beaverhead ranges, then out into the eastern Snake River Plain to St. Anthony, Idaho.

+21

Day 60B -- Did We Just See the Metaluna Mutant?
Leadore Airport

31.2 mi

Crossing the Lemhi Range and landing in Leadore, Idaho for fuel, because, considering the winds, St Anthony, Idaho is right at the limit of our predicted range.

+8

Day 60A -- Crossing the Lemhi Range
May Airport

After a peaceful night of camping, we head back to the airfield where our support crew has been giving the ultralight a thorough inspection.
Morse Creek Campground ‐ May 4, 2023

Camping at Morse Creek Campground.
May Airport

59.3 mi

“Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence.” ― Henry David Thoreau This leg to May, Idaho, started with a confined climb out from Lower Loon Creek. At the very end, I had a hard time finding the runway. I kept confusing agricultural fields for the strip. Aside from that, the flight went well. We were careful to choose a route that gave ample time & space to achieve an altitude sufficient to cross the high ridgeline.

+24

Day 59 -- "Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked..."
Lower Loon Creek Airport

The wind is calm, the sky is clear, and the density altitude is 5000 ft, so we're going to fly out. We've got places to go. Besides, we'll definitely be back.
Big Loon Campsite ‐ May 3, 2023

Camping along the river.
Lower Loon Creek Airport

83.4 mi

We're flying up The River of No Return (Salmon River) gorge and landing at Lower Loon Creek Airstrip. Our plan is to stay low in the gorge and enjoy the scenery. After yesterday's landing, we'll see if I've learned anything.

+31

Day 58 -- The River of No Return and Lower Loon Creek
Lewis and Clark Airstrip

The wind is VERY light this morning, so we're heading back into the air while the going is good.
Red Rock ‐ May 2, 2023

Camping, fishing, relaxing, watching the stars... What could be better?
Lewis and Clark Airstrip

117.2 mi

Generally followed Highway 93 and the Bitterroot River south, then picked up the Salmon River for a short distance to hook into Lewis and Clark Airstrip. Started out nice. Became windy.

+21

Day 57 -- BUSH LANDING! ...Ugh!
Missoula International Airport

Back to the airport.
Missoula ‐ Apr 30, 2023

Enjoyed a couple of nice days here.
Lolo

Stopped in Lolo for a drink in honor of Norman Maclean and his brother, Paul.
Traveler’s Rest State Park

Travelers' Rest State Park & National Historic Landmark is located at a campsite used by the Lewis and Clark expedition (Corps of Discovery) in Sept 1805, and again from Jun 30 to July 3, 1806.
Missoula International Airport

28.9 mi

The second half of our flight, today, is a leg that will take us into Missoula, Montana -- another town that Dad and I passed through on our road trip from all those years ago. The author and professor, Norman Maclean, grew up here (among other places). he wrote the novella, A River Runs Through It. I enjoyed the book and others he wrote, but I regard the movie as being among my favorite films.

+7

Day 56B -- Can You Please Connect the Jetway to the Aircraft?
Lindbergh Lake and Mission Mtns

23 mi

The first half of today's adventure is a flight up the long axis of Lindbergh Lake and its impressive glacial trough followed by crossing the crest line of the Mission Mountains near Gray Wolf Lake.

+15

Day 56A -- Lindbergh Lake and Mission Mtns
Condon USFS Airport

Another beautiful day calls us skywards.
Condon ‐ Apr 27, 2023

Into Condon to meet friends.
Condon USFS Airport

95 mi

Transit flight south to Condon, Montana. Decided to fly up Hungry Horse Reservoir and through the mountains rather than take the Swan Lake route that's west of here. Wanted the scenery, the practice, and the challenge. (Author's note: hippos is Greek for horse.)

+20

Day 55 -- Hungry Hungry Hippos
Ryan Field

After several days in the area, it's time to head south.
West Glacier ‐ Apr 22, 2023

Stunning scenery here... and I was born and raised in the high Sierra.
Ryan Field

59.4 mi

Flew to Saint Mary Lake, then followed Going-to-the-Sun Road over Logan Pass, over to "The Loop" hairpin turn, and out through Lake McDonald to Ryan Field. (SIDE NOTE: I finally learned how to use the 'Manual' route function to draw a circuitous path as a single flight!)

+27

Day 54 -- Going-to-the-Sun
Starr-Browning Airstrip

One day later, it's clear enough to fly. We're off!
Browning ‐ Apr 21, 2023

Can't fly. Still clouded in.

+2

"REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT"
Waterton Lakes National Park, Canada ‐ Apr 20, 2023

Low clouds and snow keep us grounded, to we visit Waterton Lakes NP, Canada.
Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump ‐ Apr 18, 2023

The amazing museum here is well worth any extra time and effort it takes to get to this place. I've been here before, spent the entire day, and loved every minute of it.
Browning, United States ‐ Apr 16, 2023
Starr-Browning Airstrip

54.5 mi

Final leg of the day. Initially, the cruise was a little rough but smoothed out once we passed Heart Butte at the northeastern end of the Sawtooth Range.

+9

Day 53C -- Strata and Drumlins
Sawtooth Range

21.2 mi

Now we cruise northwards to examine the thrust belt. There's some chop up here, but we manage to fight through it.

+4

Day 53B -- Is this Pluto, or the Sawtooth Range?
FS 6497

3.8 mi

Right turn to the northeast to put os over some beautiful ridgelines in the Sawtooth thrust belt. (SIDE NOTE: Photos of our dogleg climb-out from Benchmark Airstrip are posted here.)

+14

Day 53A -- Under Purple Velvet in the Sawtooth Mtns
Sheep Sheds Mtn

2 mi

A turn to the northwest while continuing our climb to cross a ridge.
Lange Creek Trail (243)

3.3 mi

A short and easy climb through this valley.
Fairview Creek

0.8 mi

Takeoff followed by an immediate left climbing turn into a valley through which I know we can ascend to our planned cruise altitude.
Benchmark Airport ‐ Apr 14, 2023

Return leg to our campsite at the airstrip.
Continental Divide Trail

Hiking a small portion of the Continental Divide Trail to do a little fishing along South Fork Sun River.
Benchmark Airport

5.5 mi

We'll camp here in this stunning place. We're having the most incredible adventure.

+16

Day 52B -- Sawtooth Range and Benchmark Airport
South Fork Sun River

6.4 mi
Sun Butte

4.3 mi
Gibson Reservoir

32.6 mi
Choteau Airport

97.9 mi

The Sawtooth Mountains call to us, so we'll fly a leg to Choteau, Montana, and fuel up so we have plenty of gas to tackle the mountains. Our ultimate goal today is Benchmark Airstrip (3U7). [Afternote: Once again, I was guilty of expecting a somewhat boring leg, but the clouds and morning sunlight were fanciful.]

+15

Day 52A -- On a Painted Sky Where the Clouds Are Hung for the Poet's Eye
Big Sandy Airport
Big Sandy ‐ Apr 12, 2023
Big Sandy Airport

43.9 mi

I like the name of this place... and the view here is awesome.

+5

Day 51C -- A Beacon Tower on Final at Big Sandy
Bear Paw Battlefield — Nez Perce National Historical Park

75.3 mi

The Bears Paw Mountains appear rugged in their high peaks yet easily traversable in their valleys.

+10

Day 51B -- Bear Paw Battlefield — Nez Perce National Historical Park
Fort Benton Airport

41.9 mi

Today's plan is to see the place where Chief Joseph surrendered. I learned a lot about the man in grade school, high school, and college. I'd like to get a look at this last bit of territory through which he led his people in their effort to reach Canada. There's snow in the region, but it's all hanging to the southeast. We fly!

+7

Day 51A -- An "Electrical Storm" of Weathering and Erosion
Great Falls International Airport
Great Falls ‐ Apr 11, 2023
Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center
First Peoples Buffalo Jump SP
Great Falls International Airport

7.1 mi

Final leg to the airport.
First Peoples Buffalo Jump SP

51.4 mi

We weren't sure if we'd be able to see anything from the air, but the site is quite prominent, as is Taft Hill.

+10

Day 50B -- First Peoples Buffalo Jump
Preston

27.1 mi

The wind is less intense around 7000 ft MSL, so we'll wend out way through these hills between the ranges.
White Sulphur Springs Airport

44.9 mi

Gas and a bathroom break. The wind is giving us a workout.

+6

Day 50A -- Crazy for Flying in This Wind
Clyde Park

31 mi

Today offers up 25-kt winds from out of the west. Our plan is to make Great Falls, Montana. We'll fly a leg to Clyde Park, then turn north towards White Sulphur Springs for a fuel stop.
Big Timber Airport
Big Timber ‐ Apr 7, 2023

We're ready for a celebratory dinner.
Big Timber Airport

62.7 mi

Having made a successful circumnavigation of Pilot Peak, Wyoming, we proceed north into Montana, pick up the Stillwater River, and fly to Big Timber, Montana. The scenery is spectacular and we feel like champions.

+5

Day 49B -- Splitting the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains
Pilot Peak

18.8 mi

Today, we're on a Vision Quest of sorts. Pilot Peak is a spectacular glacial horn rising to 11,699 feet in the Absaroka Mountains. We're going to attempt a circumnavigation of its topmost horn at 11000 ft AMSL. The *absolute* ceiling for the Drifter 582 is 12000 ft, so we'll be near the performance limit.

+17

Day 49A -- Circumnavigation of Pilot Peak
Luckinbill Airstrip

The weather is perfect for an attempt at Pilot Peak, Wyoming.
Peterson Ranch Road ‐ Apr 6, 2023

After dinner, we all return to our camp for some star gazing and relaxation around the fire.

+4

Day 48C -- A Wonderful Night Under the Stars
Peterson Ranch Road

Having pitched camp, we went out for a short walk and have been invited to dinner at a nearby hunting lodge.
Luckinbill Airstrip

29.2 mi

No more training in the hills & low mountains... no more tests. We're about to enter our first major mountain belt -- the Absaroka and Beartooth Ranges. Our beautiful stopping point for the night will be at a remote airstrip. We'll be camping with friends a good distance off the west end of runway 27.

+13

Day 48B -- Clarks Fork Yellowstone River
Heart Mountain

37.4 mi

Heart Mountain is one of the last remnants from the largest landslide known to have happened on the Earth. It took place about 50 to 48 million years ago.

+5

Day 48A -- The LARGEST Landslide Known
North Big Horn County Airport
Cowley

Visiting friends.
North Big Horn County Airport ‐ Apr 5, 2023

26.3 mi

Some weather began to threaten us up at the Medicine Wheel, so we came down.

Day 47C -- North Big Horn County
Medicine Wheel

25.8 mi

The Medicine Wheel is likely under a blanket of snow, but maybe we'll catch just a hint of it... maybe. It's worth a try.

+7

Day 47B -- Medicine Wheel
Sheep Mountain

8.7 mi

Sheep Mountain is a textbook-perfect anticline. I didn't even know geologic structures like this existed until I took Earth Science in high school.

+13

Day 47A -- "Auntie Cline is Old at Heart"
South Big Horn County Airport

There are lots of things to do in this town for any geologist of any level. Now, it's time to get airborne to see it all from the air.
Greybull ‐ Apr 3, 2023

Into Greybull for the night.
Devil's Kitchen Overlook

Can't resist going to see Devil's Kitchen (an anticline).
County Lane 33

Syncline.
The Museum of Flight & Aerial Firefighting
South Big Horn County Airport

65.8 mi

We are "go." In midafternoon we decide to test our skill set for mountain flying. The weather is broken clouds with patchy snow, light winds, and temperatures above freezing. We'll hop over the Bighorn Mountains to Grybull, Wyoming.

+17

Day 46 -- The "Final Exam" has Come -- Flying Over the Bighorn Mountains
Sheridan County Airport

Returning to the airport to study the weather...
Sheridan ‐ Apr 2, 2023
Sheridan County Airport

113.1 mi

Crossed the Powder River Basin. Pushed through a 28-kt headwind all the way to Sheridan, WY. Flew below the Drifter's rated cruise speed to increase fuel efficiency.

+11

Day 45 -- Crossing the Powder River Basin
Belle Fourche River Number Two Mine ‐ Apr 1, 2023

Return to our campsite.
Missouri Buttes

Going to visit Missouri Buttes. They're geologically related to Devils Tower.
Devils Tower National Monument Visitor Center
Tower Trail
Red Beds Trail
Climbing Trail

Dad and I hiked this trail on our visit here in the 1980s, so we had to repete the excursion.
Devils Tower National Monument Visitor Center

We're off to see the Wizzard.
Belle Fourche River Number Two Mine

1.4 mi

After circling Devils Tower a few times, we were given permission to land in this mowed hay field and set up camp.

+8

Day 44B -- Landing at Number Two Mine
Devils Tower National Monument

20.3 mi

This morning treated us to a bright and cheerful short flight to Devils Tower, Wyoming. My first exposure to this feature came when I was an adolescent from the movie, Close Encounters. When I found out it was real, I was amazed and had to see it. Dad took me here when I was 14.

+10

Day 44A -- Devils Tower
Schloredt Airport ‐ Mar 30, 2023

Back to the airstrip.
Vore Buffalo Jump

Worth checkin' out.
Green Mountain

We had to check out the laccoloith.
Schloredt Airport

4.5 mi

Stopping here for the day.

+5

Day 43D -- "Dorway to a New World"
Green Mountain

27.7 mi

This "giant blister" is one of many laccoliths in the region. It's textbook perfect. The upturned beds of sedimentary strata on the periphery are great examples of flatirons. No doubt they've been baked by the heat from the intrusion.

Day 43C -- A Giant Blister
The Open Cut

36.8 mi

The Homestake Mine was a goldmine, and The Open Cut is the manifestation of the operation at the surface. Too bad it was dusted with snow. There are some excellent examples of igneous dikes exposed by the excavation.

+3

Day 43B -- The Open Cut of Homestake
Crazy Horse Memorial

34.3 mi

I've been here twice (in real life) and even in its incomplete state, it's a sight to behold. I hope it's finished in my lifetime so I can see it in all its glory.

+8

Day 43A -- Crazy Horse Memorial
Hot Springs Municipal Airport

There's a gap in the weather, our Drifter 582 ultralight has been thoroughly inspected, and there's no major damage or concerns after the bird strike we had upon arrival here. As such, we're off to visit Crazy Horse, a big hole in the ground, and a giant blister.
The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, SD ‐ Mar 28, 2023

Simply put, this is a must-see.
Hot Springs Municipal Airport

25 mi

Had a BIRD STRIKE on Final into Hot Spring! On another note, this town has one of the most amazing geological sites in the world. Thus, a stop there is absolutely required in addition to a thorough inspection of the ultralight.

Day 42C -- BIRD STRIKE on Final into Hot Springs
Custer State Park Airstrip

11.6 mi

A convenient visual navigational aid.

Day 42B -- Custer State Park Airstrip
Mount Rushmore National Memorial

26.2 mi

Special permission was granted to make three low passes at Mount Rushmore. Coincidentally, our approach gave virtually the same first glimpse of President Washington's profile that I got as a kid when Dad and I first came here in the mid 1980s.

+13

Day 42A -- The Red Racetrack and Mount Rushmore
Ellsworth Air Force Base

After a few days of being grounded by light snow and clouds, it's now clear and calm, so we're heading skyward.
Rapid City ‐ Mar 24, 2023

We'll stay a little longer in Rapid City.
Ellsworth Air Force Base

Return leg of an out-and-back flight in a B-52 Stratofortress. Things got pretty hairy on final.

+19

Day 41B -- SKETCHY Landing at Ellsworth AFB
Badlands National Park

Outbound leg of an out-and-back flight in a vintage B-52 Stratofortress from Ellsworth AFB to Badlands National Park. Ellsworth AFB is where this aircraft first went into active service.

+12

Day 41A -- Taking a Badass to the Badlands
Ellsworth Air Force Base

We've been invited to fly a B-52. Who are we to refuse?
Firehouse Brewing Co. ‐ Mar 20, 2023
Museum of Geology

This is the first geology museum I visited. Who brought me there? Dad.
Ellsworth Air Force Base

43.1 mi

Accepting an invitation to Ellsworth AFB, we hop in the Drifter and take the short jaunt while cheating some sparse clouds out of icing us along the way.

+6

Day 40 -- Short Hop to Ellsworth AFB
Wall Municipal Airport
Wall Drug ‐ Mar 19, 2023
Story of Wounded Knee
Wall Municipal Airport

139.6 mi

Crossed the "Sand Sea", The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and the Badlands. Stopping in Wall, South Dakota. Every geologist is required to visit Wall Drug.

+19

Day 39 -- A GIANT Fingerprint Made of Sand
Grant County Airport
Hyannis ‐ Mar 18, 2023
Grant County Airport

99 mi

This leg through the Sandhills of Nebraska treats us to a smooth and pleasant flight over a sea of grass-covered dunes. We're glad we came to see this amazing landscape.

+21

Day 38 -- Sailing Across a Sea of Sand
Ainsworth Regional Airport

Up early to catch the rising Sun.
Ainsworth ‐ Mar 16, 2023
Ainsworth Regional Airport

88.9 mi

A shorter-than-usual leg to go south so we can check out the Sandhills of Nebraska -- a dune field now covered by grass.

+15

Day 37 -- Beehives, TURBULENCE, and a Bleriot XI
Chamberlain Municipal Airport

The weather today is similar to that of yesterday, but the wind is out of the north. We'll try the same tactic as yesterday... flying under the cloud base.
American Creek Campground ‐ Mar 15, 2023

We'll camp here, just like in the summer of '84.
Chamberlain Municipal Airport

129.6 mi

We flew a long crosswind leg to the banks of the Missouri River in central South Dakota where I-90 crosses the river. Dad and I camped here on the east shore of the river in the summer of 1984 and stayed up late to watch the stars and planets.

+13

Day 36 -- Cruising Low Under Pea Soup
Sioux Falls Regional Airport

It's windy and mostly cloudy, but we're going to try flying below the clouds to the Missouri River at Chamberlain, South Dakota.
Sioux Falls ‐ Mar 14, 2023

Into town for a well-deserved rest after a long day of aviating.
Sioux Falls Regional Airport

126.6 mi

Pushed hard against a stiff headwind from the south. Made a bush landing for fuel in a field at Estelline, South Dakota.

+10

Day 35C -- Jousting With the Wind
Big Course District

16.1 mi

Interstate 29 descends the east slope of the moraine complex here. Dad and I drove I-29 back in the '80s and didn't know enough about this formation to stop here.

Day 35B -- Big Course District
Browns Valley

37 mi

Flew an incomplete leg to Browns Valley. Turned to next waypoint early to avoid light fog and potential icing conditions.

+8

Day 35A -- NAVY Takeoff, and the Outlet of Glacial Lake Agassiz
County Hwy 2

Taxiied to County Highway 2 for a grass-field takeoff into a 30-kt wind from due south. In addition to the wind, we have to contend with the trees and hummocky terrain.
Campsite ‐ Mar 13, 2023

Camped here by a small, boxy, nondescript, black cabin.
Stagnation Moraine

98.2 mi

An unexpected change of weather let us make the leg to the GIANT moraine complex (that includes a stagnation moraine). Landed atop the complex near its northernmost tip (in South Dakota just south of the border with North Dakota). We've been invited to camp here adjacent to a hunting cabin.

+14

Day 34 -- Stagnation Moraine!
Detroit Lakes ‐ Mar 3, 2023

Return to Detroit Lakes for the stay. UPDATE: March 10, 2023. Snow and clouds, snow and clouds, snow and clouds... No end in the forecast.

Stuck in Detroit Lakes
County Highway 4

Paid a visit to Cormorant Lutheran Cemetery to see a great-great-grandfather.
Detroit Lakes Airport

12 mi

Our stop for the day.
Cormorant Lutheran Cemetery

31.1 mi

Leg to Cormorant.

Day 33C -- Cormorant Lutheran Cemetery
Shoreline and Alexandria Moraine

64.6 mi

This leg had us flying over the shoreline of Glacial Lake Agassiz and the Alexandria Moraine of the Des Moines glacial lobe. Noteworthy changes in the geography and foliage were evident from this point onwards.

+5

Day 33B -- An Oxbow, the Moon, a Shoreline, and a Moraine
Pulkrabek Landing Field

10.3 mi

A short leg over to a place Dad used to work back in the 1980s.

Day 33A -- A Farm
Warren Municipal Airport

Good flying weather, so it's back to the airport.
Warren ‐ Feb 28, 2023

A stay in Warren to chat up some family and old friends.
Warren Municipal Airport

2.8 mi

The airspeed gauge just froze! Time to land. BIRDS! BIRDS! BIRDS! A flock of birds nearly collides with us while we're landing!
Warren

9.7 mi

Quick overflight of Warren. Dad rented a house in town for a few years and I spent a handful of summers with him here. It's yet another beautiful place in Minnesota. I also have an aunt and uncle who live here.

+5

Day 32G -- Warren, a Frozen Airspeed Gauge, and BIRDS!
Argyle

21.7 mi

Quick overflight of the home of an aunt and uncle. I got to spend a little time here while growing up. it was beautiful and fun. I'll remember it forever.

+3

Day 32F -- Argyle
Kennedy

12.8 mi

Dad went to school in Kennedy. From here, we'll fly south, down the highway, to Argyle and Warren.

Day 32E -- Kennedy
Vagle Cemetery

7.7 mi

Lots of relatives and great-great-grandparents are buried here.

Day 32D -- Vagle Cemetery
Jupiter Cemetery

10.7 mi

A pair of my grandparents and great-grandparents are buried here.

Day 32C -- Jupiter Cemetery
Deerwood Cemetery

3.8 mi

Quick overflight.

Day 32B -- Deerwood Cemetery
Karlstad Cemetery

1.4 mi

Some of my great-great-grandparents and other relatives are buried here.

Day 32A -- Karlstad Cemetery
Karlstad Municipal Airport

Returned to the airstrip to overfly the several cemeteries in the region, then head to Argyle and Warren.
Karlstad ‐ Feb 26, 2023

Returned to Karlstad to spend a little more time here.
Vagle Cemetery

Drove to Vagle Cemetery to visit several more ancestors.
Jupiter Cemetery

Drove to Jupiter Cemetery to visit several ancestors.
Deerwood

Drove to Deerwood Cemetery to visit ancestors.
Karlstad Cemetery ‐ Feb 25, 2023

Walked to the cemetery to visit several ancestors.
Karlstad

Drove into Karlstad.
Karlstad Municipal Airport

25.3 mi

Back in the ultralight and onward to Karlstad. We have very close ties to this town and this entire corner of Minnesota.

+13

Day 31B -- A Motorist, Three Balloons, and Power Lines
Oiland Cemetery

21.1 mi

Flew to Oiland Cemetery where some of our ancestors are. Tried to land on 210th, but trees made the road too narrow, so I had to go around and land on County Road 10, then taxi to the cemetery.

+9

Day 31A -- Oiland Cemetery
Roseau Municipal Airport

The weather seems good enough to fly... cold and a little breezy, but very few clouds.
Roseau ‐ Feb 24, 2023

We'll stay a bit to visit old friends.
Roseau Municipal Airport

5 mi

Back in the "Drifter" for the short flight to Roseau.

Day 30C -- Leaving Malung Cemetery and Meeting the Cops
Malung Cemetery

5.7 mi

Landed just outside Malung Cemetery to stop in and visit Dad's grave site... His ashes are here. It's peaceful. (Even in MS Flight Simulator, with the ultralight engine switched off, I can hear birds singing and a light breeze rustling the leaves.)

+9

Day 30B -- Visiting Dad at Malung Cemetery
Roseau

22.4 mi

Followed Hwy-11 for the short hop to Roseau, another town where Dad used to live. We're now on the eastern edge of the region our Scandinavian ancestors homesteaded around 1881.

+3

Day 30A -- Down Hwy-11 to Roseau
Warroad International Airport

Spent several days here. Time to get back into the air and over to Roseau.
Warroad ‐ Feb 18, 2023

Into the ol' homestead to visit old haunts.
Warroad International Airport

119.1 mi

Took advantage of light weather to fly to Warroad, Minnesota. "Top o' the nation to ya!" Had the floats on.

+10

Day 29 -- Proglacial Lakes and the "War Road"
Lake Itasca ‐ Feb 15, 2023

Return to the lake to mount the floats.
Vern ‐ Feb 14, 2023

Kinda had to pay a visit... for obvious reasons.
Itasca State Park ‐ Feb 13, 2023

80.3 mi

Flew over what looked like Saturn's Moon, Iapetus, to get to Lake Itasca State Park, the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Fought a headwind the whole way. Took nearly two hours and a bunch of gas, but we're here. We'll enjoy a little camping.

+11

Day 28 -- Flying over Saturn's Moon, Iapetus
Grand Rapids – Itasca County Airport

Spent a few days here exploring central Minnesota.
Grand Rapids ‐ Feb 8, 2023

Decided we were done for the day.
Grand Rapids - Itasca County Airport

30.9 mi

Set down here for fuel and lunch. I'll tell ya, the Drifter is a GAS HOG!!!

Day 27C -- Another Drifter at Grand Rapids
Mahoning-Hull-Rust Mine

16.5 mi

Lots of interesting geology and history here, and fascinating to see from the air.

+4

Day 27B -- The Iron Giant (Part 2)
Mountain Iron

9.4 mi

Overflight of the open pit iron mines along the Mesabi Range starting at Mountain Iron. Warm today... 40°F.

+6

Day 27A -- The Iron Giant (Part 1)
Eveleth-Virginia Municipal Airport

Back to the airport to get airborne.
United States Hockey Hall of Fame

Well, while we're here... might as well take a look.
Eveleth ‐ Feb 7, 2023

Eveleth for the overnight.
Eveleth Municipal Airport

52.1 mi

Wanted to get to the region of the Mesabi Range today. Good flight.

+2

Day 26E -- Into Darkness
Silver Bay Municipal Airport

4.3 mi

Stopped for fuel and a bathroom break.

+3

Day 26D -- Other Ultralights at Silver Bay Municipal
Split Rock Lighthouse

45.5 mi

Had to hit another lighthouse -- Split Rock Lighthouse. Also, had a great deal of helicopter traffic on this leg... Looks like they may each have been a Bell 412 (a four-bladed member of the Huey family).

+4

Day 26C -- To Split Rock Lighthouse
Duluth

7.5 mi

Into the ultralight and back at it for a flight up the coast of Lake Superior along the Duluth escarpment.

Day 26B -- Heading to Duluth
Richard I. Bong Airport

Return P-38 to Bong Memorial.
Superior

Second flight in a P-38 Lighting -- this one in full flight gear that is correct for the period. Sweet.

+12

Day 26A -- Lightning Strikes Twice
Richard I. Bong Airport

We've been in the Duluth/Superior region for five days, so we're going back to Bong Memorial for a second flight in that P-38.
Duluth ‐ Feb 2, 2023

We drive over to Duluth to stay the night. The weather looks to be closing in, so we may be here for a few days. That's fine. there's a lot of geology and maritime history to explore.
Superior

First flight in a P-38 Lightning painted like "Marge," the one flown by WW-II ace, Dick Bong.

+9

Day 25 -- P-38 Flight over Superior, WI.
Richard I. Bong Airport

Back to Bong Memorial for a little training and familiarization in a P-38 Lightning.
Superior ‐ Jan 31, 2023

Into Superior to stay the night.
Richard I. Bong Airport

119.7 mi

Pleasant flight to Superior, Wisconsin. The sky was filled with "cotton ball clouds" that we avoided (except for the edge of one).

+13

24C -- Cotton Balls, A HELICOPTER, Birds, and Bong Memorial Airport
Anoka County-Blaine Airport

12.4 mi

Stopped here to take on fuel. Will now head north to Superior, Wisconsin, where Richard Bong was born. There, we'll get to fly a P-38 Lightning painted to resemble the one Bong flew against the Japanese in WW-II.
Minneapolis

8.2 mi

Will make an aerial tour of the region, stop for fuel, then head north.

+7

24B -- Minneapolis
Fort Snelling

7.4 mi

+3

Day 24A -- More Bridges, a Confluence, and Fort Snelling
St. Paul Downtown Airport

Returned to Saint Paul Downtown Airport.
Saint Paul ‐ Jan 29, 2023

Drove back to Saint Paul (city).
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport

Flew return leg in C-130E back to MSP Intl.

+6

Day 23B -- Returning to MSP International
45×90 Geographical Marker

Flew a C-130E to the "45×90 Geographical Marker" at 45.0 deg North, 90.0 deg west. A Puerto Rico ANG crew brought their plane up for cold weather training and let us fly. Great trip, but we had a few problems learning some new camera settings. Pics delayed in processing.

+5

Day 23A -- Flying a C-130E Over to the 45×90 Marker
Minneapolis-Saint Paul Air Reserve Station

We've been invited to fly a C-130 to the "45×90 Geographical Marker" in Wisconsin. Up early and driving to MSP Intl for this unexpected treat.
Saint Paul ‐ Jan 28, 2023

We'll spend the night in St. Paul.
Minnesota State Capitol

Invited by the Govenor to the State Capitol.
Minnesota History Center

Paid a visit to the Minnesota History Center. Excellent exhibits here.
St. Paul Downtown Airport

2.5 mi

Touchdown at St. Paul Downtown Airport.
Minnesota State Capitol

18.8 mi

Onward to Saint Paul.

Day 22B. -- Minnesota State Capitol and a Swing Bridge
Kinnickinnic River Gorge and Delta State Natural Area ‐ Feb 2, 2023

5.5 mi
Saint Croix River ‐ Jan 28, 2023

22.2 mi

Flew to confluence of Saint Croix and Mississippi Rivers.

+10

Day 22A. -- TRAFFIC, Lift Bridges, the Saint Croix, and a Delta
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport

Back to the airport for a tour of the Twin Cities aloft.
Embassy Suites ‐ Jan 27, 2023

We turn in early near the airport.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport

69.2 mi

Experienced a frozen airspeed gauge enroute to Minneapolis-Saint Paul Intl. Also saw a paraglider on this leg. Pretty cool... figuratively and literally.

+8

Day 21 -- Frozen Airspeed Gauge Enroute to MSP Intl
Mankato Regional Airport

Mostly clear. Back to the airport for the hop to Minneapolis.
Mankato

Visiting Mankato.
Mankato Regional Airport ‐ Jan 26, 2023

5.6 mi

+5

Day 20B -- Landing at Mankato Regional Airport
Minnesota River at Mankato

76.8 mi

Flew a leg to the Minnesota River where it makes a sharp turn in excess of 90° to the left. Observed several hot air balloons along the way. Also got buzzed by a light sport plane.

+16

Day 20A -- Minnesota River at Mankato
Rochester International Airport

Spent nine days in Rochester waiting for the weather to clear enough for flying. Looks like we've got a chance this afternoon.
Rochester ‐ Jan 17, 2023

Icing conditions and snow are in the forecast. We may be here a few days.

Snowbound
Rochester International Airport

61.9 mi

The Driftless Area fades into a vast flat plain of farmland. Dendritic erosional patterns formed by channels make for interesting photo subjects. Rochester has thin fog as we approach and land. Temperatures are near freezing and the possibility of icing presents a significant danger. We're glad to have a ballistic parachute in case we need it.

+10

Day 19 -- Below Us... the Mandelbrot Set
La Crosse Regional Airport

Return to airport.
La Crosse ‐ Jan 14, 2023

Stayed overnight in La Crosse
La Crosse Regional Airport

59.8 mi

Up the Misissippi in a Poet's Sky. Evening jaunt up the Mississippi River through The Driftless Area to La Crosse. Got some excellent photos of the region thanks to the low Sun and unusually clear air.

+9

Day 18 -- Up the Mississippi in a Poet's Sky
Prairie Du Chien Municipal Airport

Return to airport.
Prairie du Chien ‐ Jan 13, 2023

Into town to explore the region.
PCD

54.3 mi

Continued along Wisconsin River to Prarie du Chine airport (PCD). The Wisconsin River looks to be an underfit stream in a moderately broad channel. The topographic relief increases slightly with each mile we move west. After landing, I have to confess (rather sheepishly) that I mistakenly set down on runway 29 when I announced 32. Ugh. So embarassed. The FAA will hear about this. On the bright side, during this leg I hit the 50-hr mark for time in the ultralight.

+5

Day 17D -- Confluence of Wisconsin & Mississippi Rivers
Spring Green

41.9 mi

Having made a thorough exploration of the region, we follow the Wisconsin River to Spring Green. The Driftless Area is starting to show it's topography.

Day 17C -- Down the Wisconsin River and Deeper Into the Driftless Area.
Tip of Baraboo Hills

25.3 mi

Sunrise flight eastward to the tip of the Baraboo Range. Finally, we get a good view of the syncline.

+3

Day 17B -- Island in the Sky
Thiessen Field

Up early. Invited to Thiessen Field (34WI) -- a private grass airstrip next to Ski-Hi Fruit Farm (we used to pick apples here in the Fall). Removed pontoons. Landing gear back on. Pre-dawn takeoff (DOWNHILL!) to photograph the Baraboo Range in low sun angles.

Day 17A -- Thiessen Field
Devil’s Lake State Park Campgrounds ‐ Jan 12, 2023

Drove to Devil's Lake to camp for the evening. We didn't land on Spirit Lake because it's pristine due to the fact that no streams flow into it -- it's fed only by precipitation and springs.
Diedrich Seaplane Base

12.7 mi

Returned after Baraboo Hills flight.
Town of Caledonia

15.8 mi

Overflight of Baraboo Hills. Took lots of pics, but the Sun was still too high in the sky to reveal much topography.
Town of Delton

10.9 mi

Overflight of Baraboo Hills. Took lots of pics, but the Sun was still too high in the sky to reveal much topography.
Devil’s Lake State Park

8.1 mi

Overflight of Baraboo Hills. Took lots of pics, but the Sun was still too high in the sky to reveal much topography.
Diedrich Seaplane Base (11WN)

21.5 mi

Set down here to wait a few hours for the Sun to get a little lower in the sky before trying to photograph the Baraboo Hills.

+4

Day 16B -- Madison to Diedrich Seaplane Base (11WN)
Madison

40.8 mi

Flew to Madison -- a fantastic city. Lived here for nine years; did my undergrad work here in geology and geophysics. Landed on Lake Mendota & stopped in at the Union Terrace for lunch.

+8

Day 16A -- Whitewater to Madison
Town of Whitewater ‐ Jan 11, 2023

Spent some time exploring the esker.
Whitewater Lake

15.2 mi

Short hop to Whitewater Lake to see a fantastic example of an esker that is bisecting the lake.

+11

Day 15 -- Esker at Whitewater Lake, WI
Lakefront Cottage

Stayed the night at Lakefront Cottage.
Yerkes Observatory ‐ Jan 10, 2023

37.6 mi

Flew to Yerkes with pontoons on. Ultralight handled like a pig. Set down on Geneva Lake for a tour of the observatory.

+4

Day 14 -- Observing the Observatory
U.S. Coast Guard – Station Kenosha

Trailered ultralight to Coast Guard station. Attached pontoons... fluing lake-to-lake in Wisconsin today.
Kenosha

Into Kenosha.
Kenosha Regional Airport ‐ Jan 9, 2023

91 mi

Crossed Lake Michigan at 9,000 feet. Feel like a sparrow come ashore on an island. Considerable headwind departing Holland, but it calmed with every mile we progressed. Severe air pocket half-way across lake. At first, I thought the wing or tail section collapsed, but then everything smoothed out. Sunset landing at Kenosha, WI.

+12

Day 13 -- Two Fools Cross Lake Michigan
Park Township Office

Returned to airstrip for routine maintenance on aircraft. 30 deg this morning.
Holland ‐ Jan 7, 2023

Drove into Holland.
Holland

195.7 mi

Given permission to land at the now closed Park Township Airport (HLM). Holland, MI is a gorgons town with copious bicycle-friendly infrastructure. Side note: stopped in at Grand Rapids (GRR) for restroom & fuel.

+10

Day 12 -- Traversing the Big Mitten
Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport, Canada

Up early and back to the airport.
Sarnia ‐ Jan 6, 2023

Into town for a place to stay.

+5

Day 11 -- IFR from Detroit to Lake Huron at Sarnia, Canada
Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport

76.1 mi

IFR flight to southern tip of Lake Huron. Thick clouds, but relatively warm. No precipitation. Region is more developed than expected. The airport is named after astronaut Chris Hadfield of "Ground Control to Major Tom" fame.
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, United States

Trailered ultralight to airport. Pontoons removed. Wheels installed.
Wyandotte ‐ Jan 4, 2023

66.3 mi

Our day's destination was Wyandotte, Michigan (where my wife, Megan was born). Without intending to do so, we water-taxied directly into the marina at the very hospital of her birth. Perfect.

+4

Day 10B -- Inverted Rainbow (Just Like Dad Predicted)
Erieau Ridge, Canada

93.3 mi

Took to the air around 10AM. Some light rain in area. Dad got to see firsthand that a rainbow can make a complete circle when viewed from the air. Had a tailwind (finally)! Temperature: 39 deg F. Overflew Erieau Ridge a glacial moraine that extends into Lake Erie.

+10

Day 10A -- Long Point to Erieau Ridge, Canada
Long Point Light

Returned to camp to pack up and get back into the air.
Long Point Light

Woke up and hiked to Long Point Light, a lighthouse at the tip of land here.
Long Point ‐ Jan 3, 2023

52.7 mi

Pushed onward into darkness (with special permission from aviation authorities) and set down at our planned destination on Long Point. We'll camp here. Had a very pleasant flight. Were "escorted" by a waxing gibbous Moon, The Pleiades, Orion, and The Big Dipper. Air temp: 37 deg F.

+5

Day 9E -- Night Flight to Long Point, Canada
Point Abino Light Tower

10.9 mi

Historic lighthouse from 1917 on Lake Erie, Ontario, Canada.

+4

Day 9D -- The Historic Point Abino Light Tower
Peace Bridge, United States

14.6 mi

Getting dark now.

+2

Day 9C -- "A 'Peace' of the Action"
Niagara Falls State Park

6.1 mi

Sunset flight to Niagara Falls.

+3

Day 9B -- "Slowly I Turned... Inch by Inch... Step by Step..."
Niagara River

0.5 mi

Rain all morning & into afternoon. Pontoons installed. Weather began to break in late afternoon. "Water-taxied" out to Niagara River, and we're off. Air temp: 40 deg F.

+3

Day 9A -- White-knuckle Takeoff!
Griffon Park ‐ Jan 2, 2023

Trailered ultralight to Griffon Park for attachment of pontoons.
Niagara Falls International Airport

13.6 mi

IFR to Niagra Falls Intl. Fog wasn't bad, but it's difficult to take in the sights of geologic interest (a major facet of the entire trip). Might wait for weather to clear... might not. Our plan is to attach the pontoon kit to the ultralight and fly the long axis of Lake Erie starting at Niagara Falls. But first, we must trailer the ultralight to a suitable water location for waterborne ops. We have permission to cross into Canadian airspace.

+2

Day 8 -- IFR From Pine Hill, to Lockport, to Niagara Falls Intl
Flight of Five Locks

21.3 mi

Flew over the "Flight of Five Locks" on the Erie Canal at Lockport, NY. The locks are world famous as an engineering marvel of the early 1800's.
Pine Hill Airport
Esker at Albion ‐ Dec 31, 2022

Took a hike along the esker.
Pine Hill Airport

33 mi

Light to moderate rain closed in, then we hit heavy clouds and instrument flight rules (IFR). Decided to set down at Pine Hill airport. GPS was fantastic for getting us down safely. Megan has a great grandmother who was born near here in the early 1800's. Also, to our great fortune, there's an ESKER here (about 0.5 mi southeast of runway)!

+8

Day 7C -- "Into Each Life, a Little Rain"
Rochester

38 mi

+4

Day 7B -- Onward to Rochester
Clyde

14.5 mi

Took off just before dawn to get photos of drumlin field at low sun angles. Weather is threatening, but temp is 50°F.

+5

Day 7A -- Drumming Up Some Drumlins
Fingerlakes Regional Airport

Returning to the airport to get a rather early start. We're going to hunt drumlins this morning.
The Gould Hotel ‐ Dec 30, 2022

Drove into Seneca Falls. Booked room at the Gould Hotel. The town is known for being the starting place of the Women's Rights Movement and for being the likely inspiration of the town depicted in the holiday classic movie, "It's a Wonderful Life."
Fingerlakes Regional Airport

2.2 mi

+2

Day 6F -- It's a Wonderful Life
Seneca Falls Hydroelectric Project

19.1 mi

The old lock (still functioning) on the Seneca River. It's part of the regional canalway system.
Skaneateles Lake

16.4 mi

+5

Day 6E -- Approaching Skaneateles Lake
Syracuse, NY

21.7 mi

As we churned past Syracuse, NY, we flew above the John A. Lally Athletics Complex (formerly the Manley Field House) at Syracuse University.

Day 6D -- Fingers of Water
Oneida Lake

12.4 mi

Flew past Oneida Lake, and remnant of Glacial Lake Iroquois.

Day 6C -- "15 Miles on the Erie Canal"
Pools Brook on the Erie Canal, Rome, NY

2.2 mi

Flew over a portion of the world-famous Erie Canal called Pools Brook.

Day 6B -- Pools Brook Canal, Rome, NY
Fort Stanwix

2.7 mi

Made overflight of Fort Stanwix, a "star fort" (based on its planform shape) built before the American Revolutionary War.

Day 6A -- Stargazing
Griffiss International Airport

Drove back to airport.
Joshua Hathaway House ‐ Dec 29, 2022

Staying at the Joshua Hathaway House -- a bed & breakfast -- in Rome, NY. It's also the oldest house in Rome.
Griffiss International Airport ‐ Dec 27, 2022

56 mi

Day 005 -- Hart Airstrip to Rome NY.

2022/12/27 We're Airworthy Again. Stayed a handful of days at Hart airstrip for repairs and Christmas celebration.
Speculator Mountain

31.1 mi

Departed Hart Airstrip. Spent 5 wonderful days there. Had a nice Christmas indoors as MAJOR storm blew through region. All repairs made to landing gear. Ultralight fully functional again. Thanks, everyone!

Day 5 -- Flight of the Phoenix
Hart Airport ‐ Dec 22, 2022

Trailered the damaged ultralight and drove it to Hart Airstrip for repairs to landing gear after that hard landing in a clearing. Will likely stay for Christmas.

Day 004 -- Albany, NY to Clearing near Broadalbin, NY to Hart Airstrip

2022/12/22 Rough Day! Rough Landing! Passing the control tower as we depart Albany. It's about to be a rough day...
Broadalbin

24.7 mi

FORCED LANDING in Broadalbin, NY. Heavy winds/turbulence at low alt! Experienced >60° bank at 1000 ft. Aircraft wasn't climbing well (carb icing?). Had to make emergency landing in clearing in woods. Good landing, but undercarriage damaged during runout. Will have to make repairs.

Day 4 -- FORCED LANDING in a Clearing
Albany International Airport

Return to Albany Intl.
Albany ‐ Dec 21, 2022

Driven into Albany by limo for meeting with Govenor and Mayor. Presented with Key to City.

Day 3C -- Downtown Albany, NY
Albany International Airport

59.7 mi

Flew to Albany Intl.

Day 3B -- Approaching Albany, NY

Day 003 -- Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome to Albany, NY

2022 / 12 / 21 Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome to Albany, NY. Cold and frosty today. We depart Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome and head west to fly over the Catskill Mountains before turning north-by-northeast for th...
Slide Mountain

26.8 mi

Flew past Slide Mtn. >4000 ft.

+3

Day 3A -- Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome to Catskill Mountains
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

Up early. Drove back to the Aerodrome.
Rhinebeck ‐ Dec 20, 2022

Drove into Rhinebeck to stay the night.
Circling Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

The Time Machine -- My solo flight of the Bleriot XI at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. I've been wanting to fly one of these since I first saw one many years ago.

+8

Day 2B -- The Time Machine
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

62.8 mi

Flew from White Plains, NY to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. Welcomed there like family. Later that day, got to fly their Bleriot XI - Anzani. It was a real handful!

+11

Day 2A -- White Plains to Old Planes

Day 002 -- White Plains, NY to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, and Getting to Fly a Bleriot XI

2022/12/20 Fly from White Plains, NY to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. About to start engine in White Plains. A ramp marshaller has k
Westchester County Airport

Up bright and early for breakfast and a drive back to Westchester Co Airport.
White Plains ‐ Dec 19, 2022

Drove into White Plains to get nice hotel for night.
Westchester County Airport

9.7 mi

Made a white-knuckle landing here under quickly darkening sky. We're not equipped to fly after dark. No photos. Too busy handling ultralight in crosswind landing with commercial traffic.
Tarrytown Bridge

15.5 mi
George Washington Bridge

7.3 mi

Day 1G -- Northward, Above the Hudson River
Empire State Building

2.8 mi

Day 1F -- King Kong's Scratching Post
One World Trade Center

1.7 mi

Day 1E -- One World Trade Center
Ellis Island

0.7 mi

Day 1D -- Coming to America
Liberty Island

2.9 mi

+2

Day 1C -- Lady Liberty
Brooklyn Bridge

11.9 mi

Day 1B -- Brooklyn Bridge
John F. Kennedy International Airport, United States ‐ Dec 19, 2022

START OF JOURNEY. Departing from JFK. Will head to the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island before heading north up the Hudson River.

+7

Day 1A -- "My Boat is So Small"

Day 001 -- START OF JOURNEY -- JFK to White Plains, NY

2022 / 12 / 19 Fly from JFK Intl to White Plains, NY. The voyage finally begins after more than 40 years of planning. We'll depart JFK Intl, fly to New York City, pass by the Statue of Liberty and Ell...