The gang is all here and the weather cooperated to give us a GREAT showing on the final day of Balloon Fiesta 2016. I could post a hundred pictures of this morning's event, but will leave it to just a few. There is nothing better to put a smile on your face that standing amidst 100 or so hot air balloons taking off in the wee hours of an October morning. Chester thinks he broke a new record in terms of number of photos taken in a 2-hour time span. He always gets such great shots, so we'll look forward to seeing some of them. Off to a great start!
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It's been explained before but probably bears repeating. Several years ago, some astute customers of ours noted that my job as a flying guide is akin to herding cats. In other words, a task that ranges from challenging to impossible on many tour days! Hence, my stories on this blog became Cat Tales. As we prepare to launch for Albuquerque to start the Desert Safari tour, I am reminded of this video that's been sent to me a time or two. I've already had to do some cat juggling this summer in advance of the trip; hopefully the herding will go better. Looking forward to seeing this year's 19 kitties later today! The "Desert Safari" is just one week away and Cat Herder is looking forward to seeing everybody in Albuquerque and kicking off what is sure to be a GREAT tour! At 11 planes and 23 people, this will be one of our biggest groups ever, so the "herding" may be more difficult than usual.
Traveling farthest for the adventure is Dirk, coming all the way from Germany. He will rent his favorite Cessna Skyhawk in Grand Junction, as he's done numerous times before. First "out of the gate" to start making their way to Albuquerque were Mike and Ginny, who have a circuitous route across the country (Easton, MD to Albuquerque, NM via southern Florida!) plus a few bonus days in Santa Fe before the tour starts. Actually, it should be clarified that they are the first paying customers out of the gate, as Ranger Kathie left Connecticut well before them, arriving in Denver to stand in once again for her parents Mark and Kathie. She couldn't miss seeing more National Parks with us during this Centennial year of the NPS. For those of you who travelled with her before, you know she can be handful. Cat Herder just snapped this photo of her; looks like she's definitely ready to party! All predictions are for a great trip. The fall weather is gorgeous and there is still plenty of color left in the aspen trees. Cat Herder looks forward to traversing the West with everyone via airplane, Jeep, horseback, jet boat, tour bus, scenic train, and our own two feet! Oh, and we'll be celebrating, count 'em, THREE birthdays during this tour. Stay tuned for future posts and photos. We are leaving Alaska. There, I said it. Collin's Pilatus gig with AeroFlite is taking us to Spokane, and I am packing up and reversing course almost exactly 2 years to the day after Luna and I arrived.
We reluctantly put the house on the market, half-hoping it wouldn't sell. It went under contract in two days. We sorta hoped it wouldn't appraise. It did. I hoped the buyers wouldn't get their financing. They did. We sorta hoped the engineer's report or the well inspection would reveal something catastrophic that would have blown the deal. Didn't happen. Sad to leave Fairbanks and sadder to have to do all THIS again so soon. Below is a shot of Parkwest headquarters this morning. We hope to be packed up and heading down the Al-Can two days from now. Hard to believe it, but there ARE a few things left on Mike and Ginny's bucket list. One fewer after this week's flight in Fredericksburg on MetLife's Snoopy 1! A giddy Mike sent me the photos below. Crater Lake National Park has proven itself to be a Parkwest favorite over the years. You might even call it a hot spot, which today would take on both a literal and figurative meaning, as the Bybee Creek fire inches closer. The Park remains officially open but NPS has visitors alerted for a potential evacuation should one become necessary. Collin is doing his part by flying parts and crew to Medford where the tankers and scoopers are based for this effort. He's been bouncing between Spokane, Reno/Tahoe, Medford, Cody, and various California locales these past few days. Getting lots of Pilatus time under his belt!
You can read yesterday's official update here. Get up early, at the airport by 8:00 a.m. for a morning of flying and touring a great destination. Sounds like a typical Parkwest day, right? This time it was Carl and Barbara setting the schedule, planning the route and organizing our day to Mackinac Island. I was lucky enough to have a free day during a week back in Michigan to go flying with these two, and I loved that they were awaiting me at the Grosse Ile airport clad in matching Parkwest logo wear! It was a fun day with my long-time Parkwest pals. They first showed up on our radar in 2001 and we've been making tons of memories together ever since. Thank you!! Says the wife of the guy who shot this great video "Vorticity." Not exactly flying weather but very cool to watch anyway. Thanks to Paul Hollowell for the tip!
Watch Vorticity here. I so enjoy being in touch with all of you outside of tour time, as it helps bridge the gap until we see you again live. I am able to keep tabs on many of the Parkwest family via by personal email, Facebook and Flight Aware. I thought you might want to read what some of your pals are up to.
While Robin and Shane are enduring the first-hand aftermath of the Brexit vote in England, Piet and Nelly are getting used to retired life and a new home in Holland. Paul and Marilyn continue to astound us with their cross-country flying stamina. I mean, come on, Seattle to Venice in two days?! Bob and Leslie are enduring a summer of aircraft maintenance, while Mark and Kathie compete in an epic sandcastle-building competition. (Their "kid" Ranger Kathie, by the way, is saving her pennies for another Parkwest tour this fall.) Richard and Kay are winging off to the California wine country--with appropriate, lowest-cost fuel stops--and Kris and Ernie are riding the rails on the Skunk Train. Mike and Ginny are the social butterflies, getting together with Charles and Diane for a hospice fundraiser one evening, then later spending time with Ed and Laura for a weekend of fun and flowers. The biggest newsmakers must be those folks at Alpine Airpark. Stan and Sharon along with Jack and Marion have appeared in various posts about Alpine. You can read up on them in AOPA's article here or Aviat's blog story. Collin continues to build Pilatus time "Outside" while I work out the tour details for 2016 and beyond. In a couple weeks I'll go to Michigan for a weeklong visit where, among other things, I'll have some time to see Carl and Barbara. So let's hear from the rest of you. Feel free to post your news in the Comments section of this blog post! (Below are photos from the Borners. Glad to see Charles looking so good! Laura served as one of the judges for this flower show they attended.) Just back from a road trip to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the country's largest. Even with a Fairbanks start, it's still a 9-hour haul to get to that crazy-beautiful spot on the planet. For another take on visiting National Parks by road, read the recent New York Times article Ten Months, 45 National Parks, 11 Rules by Jeremy Cronon. |
AuthorCat Herder (aka Marisa) has been guiding pilot tours in the American West for over twenty years. Keep tabs on your Parkwest pilot friends, National Park news and other tidbits here! Archives
November 2018
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