Day 1 was Arkansas to Nokai Dome in southern Utah. I got there about 45 minutes prior to sunset which was fine except that the sun was exactly in my eyes when I landed to the southwest in 10 knots of wind. After a couple of barley pops and cans of beans, I got some good sleep under the wing. The next morning, the moon was still up when the sun rose.
We went into Page to get gas and then flew northwest along the edge of the Kaiparowits Plateau. Then we flew over Escalante, Boulder, and Dirty Devil before landing at Happy Canyon for the night. Two more 180s stopped for lunch and we had a great chat with the two Vietnam vets and retired airline pilots who were flying them. I like to think I can spin a good yarn but my stories couldn't compare to theirs so I kept my mouth shut and soaked it in. Happy Canyon is a magical place and I brought a piece of petrified wood back for my son. Maybe someday he'll join me there.
On Day 3 we blasted out of Happy Canyon before the sun hit the strip. We overflew Mineral Canyon, Arches NP, and Moab. Then we flew into Colorado and landed at Telluride just to say we'd been there. Truth is, we'd both been there before, when we were flying C-130s in the Air Force and flew into the high country of Colorado to prepare our crews for Afghanistan. But that's in our past, and it was cool to be back on friendlier terms.
We crossed the Rockies at 13,000 feet near Silverton and headed east. That's the highest I've ever been in my 180. It was a perfect day for it, with light winds and only a slight visibility reduction due to smoke. We continued on down the headwaters of the Rio Grande into the San Luis Valley, where we landed at Lee Carpenter's Morning Shadows ranch (CD69). Man, this place was cool and I recommend it highly. Great location, courtesy car, a comfortable cabin, and lots of firewood. We had a great night there! You can find all the data on airfield.guide.
Of course, the next day the magic had to end. I said goodbye to my buddy and, after a quick gas stop at RCV (thanks to the RAF for the convenient pilot building there!), I squirted through North La Veta pass and into the flat lands. I dodged a few T-6s around Enid, Oklahoma and was back in Arkansas for dinner. But what a great trip! It will keep me going through the winter, until I can get out west again.
Every once in a while, I think about selling the 180 and buying something simpler, something more like the Super Cub I used to fly. Then I fly a trip like this and I remember why this variety of Cessna is such a winner! I'm thankful for it and the experiences it provides.
