The Gathering at Monument Valley

Sunday MV

The air was a little sketchy but that didn't keep the "Young Bucks" from jumping into the sky.  I hung at the apron and enjoyed the show.  It was my ninth Gathering at Monument Valley and my last as the organizer.   Slowly the skies cleared.  Mo Sheldon set up for some tandem rides and pilots were launching for one last flight.
Dawn and I said our good byes, cleaned out the Casita and went to the Lodge for lunch.  Scott Laws, the Operations Manager joined us and we had a pleasant hour debriefing and planning for future gatherings.  Barbara, the Restaurant Manger also stopped by and I thanked her for last nights Banquet.

At 2:00 we were gassed and ready to go.   We stopped at the Forest Gump turn off and took the obligatory photo.  On the way to Moab I thought about Gatherings past and wondered if I would ever see my personal Holy Grail again.  I thought back to the first time I'd come to Monument Valley more than a decade ago.    It was May and the reservation was teeming with life,  the wild flowers were blooming, and the arroyos were scoured clean.  I remembered going down to the airstrip and setting up to launch west across the runway.  My first cross country around Mitchell Butte and to the entrance of the part.  The next morning when I flew deep into the park, circling the three sisters and spiraling down on The Hub that is the center of this sacred place.  I thought of the solo flights that could have ended badly if I'd gone down without someone to retrieve me and the guys who had been injured and even died.  Most of all I remembered the magic evening flights with the rocks a brilliant orange from the setting sun and the wings of my friends looking like butterflies playing in a rock garden.   I'd been lucky, many dozens of flights without a hitch.  Time to move on.

MV Saturday 934 & 935

Morning Flight 90 minutes.   Low and slow  in the desert North and approaching Eagle Mesa.

Dawn flew the Delta with Larry.  Nice long flight.
The most notable event of the day was late in the morning when Icarus Racers Byron Leisek and Miroslav came in on their 1000 mile journey from Montana to Las Vegas.  Byron radioed from about 20 minutes out and was hoping for some pilots to be airborne to accompany him in.  Unfortunately, most had left the field and those who were there weren't inclined to launch.  Never the less Byron came in and gave us a short macro show before landing. Myroslav arrived about 10 minutes later.

I cannot speak highly enough about the guys who are taking this challenge.  Flying over terrain that would make recovery very difficult.  Flying around weather that would ground most of us.  Carrying the extra weight of camping gear and two stroke oil.  Id love to do some long cross country flights but I don't think I would attempt anything quite this adventurous.

After lunch we toured the park

Afternoon flight 50 minutes

Banquet came off well with Celebration of John Fetz Life and viewing of Ryan Southwell's film

The Toll Road.

MV 932 & 933

FRIDAY

First flight was one and a half hours mildly bumpy.  I repeated yesterday's flight and climbed to 9800 ft MSL to take in the whole scene.  There was a lot of activity at the field.  I could see Russ Bateman and his son ripping it up and groups of two and three launching and heading off to the East.  It was shaping up to be a typical MV morning, light winds from the south east building as the sun rose.

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https://goo.gl/photos/KRQaGchxgb2D1w346

                    Photo credit Shawn Osen

                                  Photo Credit. Shawn Osen

       Photo Credit Shawn Osen

      Photo credit Jason Lehal

    Photo Credit Jason Lehal

Pilots were arriving in mass by the time I landed. Chad Bastian and Leanne were on the field and there was a Delta WST being assembled.  By the time we left for lunch I had counted 40 pilots.

After lunch at the restaurant with Mike and Jennifer I went back to the house to take a nap.

The afternoon flight was Epic.  I circumnavigated Eagle Mesa and got some great video of a couple of guys playing in the rocks.  The air was smooth and winds were light.  It's a great day to be alive.  

Dinner was Spagetti a la Dawn and Jennifer.  Later we went up to the campground and hung at the campfire.

Monument Valley 931

I picked up Dawn at the Albuquerque Airport at 10:00.  It was a beautiful day and drive to Monument Valley.  This was the first time I'd driven in from the South.  We spotted Ship Rock from miles away, it took 20 minutes to get there and as we passed it I began to see the Monuments.

After checking in I headed down to the field and launched my first flight of the new Gathering.  It wasn't an  especially long flight and I didn't go for altitude.  It was enough to to fly out over the desert and circle back behind the campground, probably 40 minutes.  That night we ate at the restaurant then chilled at the casita.  Our accommodations this year are super.  It's called the hill house and it sits on the Southern wall of the canyon overlooking the entire area.   It's not one of the brand new casitas but it's prime real estate.