May 23, 2021 - Day Four, Flight Three
Red River, Palo Duro Canyon, Amarillo
Soon after taking off from Quanah I was back on the Red River heading west.
   
By now, the river was just a thread in the riverbed.
   
Fifty shades of red.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
Civilization!  A couple of single-wides on the Oklahoma side.
   
The river bed was huge at this point.
   
 
   
 
   
The first red rock sighting.
   
 
   
Beyond the river, not much...
   
 
   
 
   
Entering hill-country.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
Palo Duro Canyon up ahead.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
The Red River is pretty much gone at this point; only the river bed remains.
   
Entering Palo Duro Canyon.
   
I have flown Palo Duro Canyon once before; on the Green River trip back in 2014.  Link   Back then, even though I did it first thing in the morning and the winds were light, the turbulence was so bad I could hardly hold the camera.  But this time, even though it was in the afternoon, the air was calm.
   
The Palo Duro Canyon basically opens up into two main branches as you come from the west.  I took the northwest branch.
   
Pretty.
   
I enter the main cul-de-sac of the northwest branch.
   
I flew around here for a little while.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
Continuing northwest I pop out of the canyon onto an absolutely flat, pool table-like green carpet.  Amazing.
   
It's hard to believe that just seconds ago I was in a beautiful red-rock canyon and now it's flat as a board as far as the eye can see!
   
Looking back into the canyon.
   
I passed by River Falls Airport (H81) which is a privately-owned, public use airport that is an airport commuity.  In addition to the 6,000 foot asphalt runway, they also have a grass runway in the middle-left of the picture.
   
I would be landing at Tradewind Airport, just to the south of Amarillo International Airport, a towered airport.  To avoid the Class D airspace, I had to approach Tradewind Airport from the south.
   
Passing over the Palo Duro grass-strip, another privately-owned, public use airport.
   
Downtown Amarillo.
   
Turning base for runway 17 at Tradewinds Airport in Amarillo.
   

The plane gets an extra special treat tonight.  I splurged 25 bucks to let it stay in a hangar.

Unfortunately the courtesy car was broken -- which I knew going in -- so I Ubered to and from the motel.  $10 each way.  However, the famous Big Texas Steak Ranch was no longer offering limo service to "motel row" where I was staying.  I should have picked a motel within walking distance of the Big Texan or at the Big Texan itself -- they have a motel.  The limo lady was nice about it, saying they got too much business for the restaurant to handle from that part of town!  So, rather than spending another $20 bucks just to get to and from the Steakhouse, I had dinner at the Wendys next door to the Red Carpet Inn.  Too bad, I love the Big Texan in Amarillo.  I think I could have won the 72oz Steak Challenge back in my prime.
   
 
   
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