Back to the USA

And how better to sum it up than with Sharon's poem?!

Fiesta Mexicana –2014

Deep in polar vortex,
yearning for the sun,
Six planes and pilots, passengers,
head south for mucho fun.

Flying in from east and west,
south and northern states,
mechanical and weather woes,
we worried we'd be late.

Old and new friends gathered,
Sierra Vista views,
Ramsey Canyon, Bisbee,
and that scary spy balloon!

Yellow briefing sheets in hand,
flying weather's fine.
Ten gringos crossed the border;
Ed and Laura left behind.

PFD's intact,
dodging MOA's,
Sea of Cortez sparkles,
we are dazzled and amazed.

Landing in Loreto,
met by smiling guard,
Three hours later, fees, green lights,
Ed's entry's not THAT hard.

Hotel La Mision,
with ocean views and pools,
explore the Mission, toast our flight,
this Parkwest deal's so cool!

Tuesday, off to see the whales,
huge grays with babes and spray,
we beamed and cheered and pet them,
Marisa's kisses made her day!

Next seafood lunch and on the bus,
Loreto soon to shop,
Till photographer Sharon, asks the driver,
“Please sir, can we stop?”

Bulldozers and boulders,
dust and traffic jam'a,
An unplanned stop of Parkwest,
the next round is on Anna!!

Hours later, back in town,
cerveza, shopping, rugs,
It's briefing time at 7 a.m.
On to Tepic...and bugs!! (Paul kills huge spider in shower!)

Set to leave Loreto,
Marisa's seeing red.
All her Spanish charms no match,
guard searches her instead.

Lunch with missionary friends,
buffet and serenade (“don't encourage them, Sharon” said Stan)
Laguna Santa Maria,
we enjoy her sun and shade.

Biking, boating, kayaking
drinks on the lanai,
dinner with our flying friends,
iguana's acting shy!

More paper work, and then
hello “ooh-roo-a-pahn”
Hotel Mansion de Cupatitzio
The Park, the trout, volcan'!

Collin leads a nine-block hike
to find an ATM.
Tattoos, Corona, clown cars,
can we do that again?

Avocado soup, macadamia trout,
stories, laughter, fun.
It's what Parkwest is all about,
adventure's just begun.

4-wheel drivers pick us up
In Marisa, now, we trust!
Buried temple, village folks,
then Sharon bites the dust!

Paul, Marisa, Collin, Ed,
a brave and burly bunch,
they scale, descend the volcan',
while the rest of us have lunch!

Laura raids the apples,
glad horses chomp away.
The Mexican dogs will miss her,
another memorable day!!

A short hop to Morelia,
the tower, guards were ready.
Terrain, terrain, TERRAIN ahead!
Someone please disable Betty!!

Casa Grande our final stop,
Deborah Lopez our guide
We see the city, cathedral sights,
our eyes, our hearts, grow wide!

Dinner with cathedral views,
service extraordinaire,
then up at dawn, Michoaca'n,
monarchs await us there!

Another scenic bus ride,
then hop up on a horse.
Another bumpy transport,
we appreciate, of course.

10,000 feet elevation,
we only see a few.
But climbing more and quieter,
we're rewarded with a view....

Of thousands...millions monarchs,
Ginny's bucket wish comes true!
Butterflies on Barbara's hat,
Stan's, Mike's, and Marilyn's, too!

A stop for lunch in mining town,
tortillas, mole, rice.
Cerveza, Coke, and flying friends,
This Parkwest stuff is nice!

Long bus ride back, Morelia,
tell sweet Deborah adios.
One last quick shop with artisans,
Then sleep in ancient house!

Ah Casa Grande, lovely,
with cathedral, plaza views!
Nespresso, tall adobe walls,
We will revisit you!

Feb 25, how time has flown,
in each our time machines!
From ancient ruins to bustling towns,
we'll revisit in our dreams.

So gracias, Marisa,
and Collin, Parkwest Air,
you empower and enable us,
to go and fly and DARE!

Now IFR to Brownsville,
with what we can't declare…
whales, lava, churches, monarchs,
these memories we share.

Until the next itinerary,
when old and new devise,
to reminisce, experience,
and fly those Parkwest skies!!!

Sharon Dardis
Feb 25, 2014