Rocky Mtns / Alaska / Bahama's

[AR Dave]

Well it looks like we're really going to attempt this!
Had the other five exhaust valve guides reamed.
Heading over to the plane to see how the luggage packs.
Will leave tomorrow or early tues morning, heading west above I-40.

[GAHorn]

File IFR flight plans (or VFR and get flight following), so we can track you LIVE on line at http://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N4387B

[1SeventyZ]

Or, if you have a SPOT Messenger, post the link for your tracking page.

[AR Dave]

Zigged and Zagged through storms and wind.
Finally made it to Tucumcari - too much storm around Amarillo.
After landing here, the wind shot up to 45 knots.
GPS isn't picking up Sattelites lately and there is a message saying battery needs servicing.
Going to the Quality Inn!

Nite!

[flyguy]

Too bad you didn't make it on to Santa Rosa. If you stop there in the morning get the courtesy car and take the kids way down to the south end of town to the city park. A beautiful spring fed lake for swimming and Mama Rosa's taqueria is nearby with some of the best mexican food you will ever eat. Hope you have a wonderful time. Be safe.

BTW if you do decide to go through Alamosa and going on over to Pagosa and on to Durango, there aint no sweat. It is worth it to climb just a little faster than the terrain is rising - then hit the edge of the world where your agl goes from 500' to 2500'! It gives you as sensation of either falling or being on a huge roller coaster even though your plane is steady in the air!

[AR Dave]

0800 - Leaving Tucumari - heading to Durango.
Have to stop and find a map somewhere!

[SteveF]

Where's Dave ??????

Does he have a map?

Is the GPS OK now?

How's the weather?

The suspense is killing me.

[GAHorn]

He didn't have a map.... Maybe he flew off the page?

[SteveF]

George,

I bet he flew of the edge of the sectional. He says he is looking for a map but I bet he really is looking for a battery for his GPS and if that doesn't get more satellites then he will be looking for a new GPS - Once you have seen Parre (GPS) your not going back to the farm (map).

[flyguy]

Dave called me yesterday morning. They were in Durango and had met some nice people who were avid aviators with a place nearby. They offered to let them lodge there then do a couple of fly-outs. His plans are to fly with them out towards Green River and Canyon Lands area then on up to Yellowstone, curve back toward the Black Hills before heading home. He said they were having a great time. He is having some learning curves dealing with high density altitude and rough cross-winds to boot.

I'll post again with updates if he calls.............. I WARNT SPOSE TU TELL ONIM BUT HE DID RUN OFFN THU CHART

[AR Dave]

Everytime I turn around I'm running off them charts! The GPS came back on, so I'm liking that! However we took Traci's little Garmin to use in the rental car and it works in the plane also. Now we can find the nearest Food, Walmarts, & Shopping while flying cross country.

We landed at Animas Airpark, Durango. And met some nice folks right off. So we're staying in Hermosa just north of Durango. We've traveled to Silverton, Telluride, down the other side to Cortez. Took the ski lift over the mountain at Telluride to Mtn Village. That was a beautiful trip - lots of Elk, Deer, and Nature!

Ole Pokey, it's just Teryn, Dakota, & I. We couldn't get off the ground with another person.

Yesterday we took the Silverton - Durango Train almost to Silverton, but got off at Tall Timber Resort. We zipped lined for 4 hrs (that was something - kids loved that). Then returned to Durango on the train.

Today, we went to Mesa Verde and toured the Pueblo Indian Dwellings.
Tomorrow, we were going to move on up to Glennwood Springs, but my host (who will become Petit Jean family after their move to Kansas) have just about talked us into flying in his plane to Monument Valley Utah. He has a nice 182 with a 550 Conversion (300hp). So it will be monday before we get to Glennwood Springs and Tues before I get to Leadville.

Leadville is right there and it's just got my interest! 9927 ft elevation I believe. Thinking I'll get up early while the kids are asleep and while the plane is at minimum weight fly around the mtn and land at N Americas highest runway. Get a certificate and be back before they wake up.

We've had some funnies - catch ya'll up later on that. Took me a few times to land at 6700 ft 20 Kt crosswind, Animas Park.

Sittin here, while writting this, with one eye looking out a view window (this is a log lodge type house). I can see across the Animas River to Missionary Ridge (the whole valley). Gorgeous! This is a good trip - kids will remember this forever!

Dave

[AR Dave]

OH MY - I flew the plane at 155 kts @ 9500 elevation today. My kids want one! Fuel injected 300 hp 182.
All the stuff was there Garmin GPS 530 (terrain & WASS), Garmin Map 496, Storm Scope, & HSI, Century 2000 Auto Pilot w / GPSS, elec trim, oxygen system, Speed Kit, & etc, etc, etc.....
All kinds of engine analyzers - neat stuff!

OK I'm in his office and looking at his Plane Equip List!

We flew to Monument National Park today.
Heading to (GWS) Glennwood Springs in am, in our SLOOOOOOOOOW 145 hp not fuel injected plane.

Dave

[GAHorn]

How does your 8 gallons per hour versus his 13-14 gph sound? (Not to mention those $1500+ inspection-only annuals.)

If you seriously want that kind of performance, then go for the fuel injected Cessna 206 (normally aspirated if possible.) My 1964 fuel injected 285 hp 206 ran 144 kts and burned 13 gph, but carried it's own weight as Usefull Load! Cost me the same as a comparable 182 to purchase but carried lots more with dual-opening utility doors.

Jamie, our 3 adult kids, myself, and three weeks of clothes and ski gear left Telluride and were 50' airborne in 1800', climbed to 12,500' and went to Santa Fe for lunch, and then rest of the way home to Central TX. (6 hours actual flying time.)

[Robert Eilers]

I am a avid proponent of the Cessna 206. In my opinion, the best airplane Cessna ever manufactured. Many law enforcement agencies are going to the Cessna 206 for a L.E. aircraft. The 206 can carry all the observation equipment, FLIR, moving map systems, micro wave downlink systems, etc., and enough fuel to loiter for hours. We average 40 hours a month at an average cost of $130-$150 depending on the price of fuel. Great airplane!

[1SeventyZ]

Very jealous, Dave. Make sure you let us know how that Leadville takeoff went.

A 206 is like an elephant...they sure are fun to look at but you wouldn't want to own one. Er...wait maybe that is a scooter/heavy girl: They sure are fun to ride until your buddies catch you...