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With morning flying at Monument valley complete, Mo and I headed for
Phoenix via Sedona. A prospective PPG pilot, Scott Richie, had offered
that we could launch on the golf course where his Dad lived. We met at
Richie's gorgeous house in Sedona where he showed us another prospective
launch site nearby. Strong winds prevented it from working then so we
elected, a little late, to go golfing.
Folks, if you've never launched from the putting green of a golf
course, you're missing out! That was sweet. I started up and strapped in
off the course to avoid putting dents in the grass, walking carefully
over the manicured grass. It was that fine.
Impending sunset shortened our flying time but it was cool just to
fly a new place and even cooler that it was my first-ever launch from
1/2" tall grass.
Tamara, Scott's wife, treated us to steak dinners and I took Scott up
on his offer to let me stay there and fly from that site near his house
the next morning. Boy am I glad I did.
Morning dawned mostly clear with the least bit of oozing 1/2 mph
wind. Unfortunately, in the time it took me to set up the wind shifted
180 degrees. When it came time to launch, what little there was came at
a 45 but at least it was headwind. The run was slightly uphill but not
as much probably as Monument Valley. And the flying was incredible. Only
a few bumps were felt and I just cruised around the awesome formations
of red rock and limestone that made this place famous. It really is
special.
About 15 miles northwest of here is where a shot I took of Tim Kaiser
got on the front cover of Powered Sport Flying.
That's what was missing--someone to share it with. Mo couldnt' stay
because he had business to attend to but I did get some pictures. Scott
was taking video of my launch and some foot drags down the cul-de-sacs
but, unfortunately, nothing got recorded. Bummer. That would have been
cool to see.
Thanks to Scott and Tamara for putting up with us and putting me up.
It was a great time. Hopefully we'll see him in the air sometime soon.
   
   
   
 
Row One: This rest area, just south of
Flagstaff, was one of my early fond memories where I discovered a
launchable area and went for it. Mo Sheldon shows off the gorgeous view
it offered. Row Two: "Golfing" with Scott kneeling on right, his Dad
standing and a friend of theirs on left. They were all very
accommodating. I launched, flew around a short bit and landed then Mo
launched. Row three and four: This is Sedona. Wow.
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