May 25, 2021 - Day Six, Flight One, Part One
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As always on this trip, I got up early. I tried to Uber back to the airport but no one was available. So I had to hoof it. Unfortunately for me, the FBO building and my airplane is at the north end of the airport, and the HoJos was a quarter mile beyond the south end. The runway is 7,316 feet -- over a mile -- so it took me 40 minutes or so to walk to my plane. But the price was right. And t he exercise certainly didn't hurt. The front of the Terminal/FBO Building. |
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I took off heading northwest on a perfect day. Little did I know that today would probably one of the most memorable, scenic flying days of my life!
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As opposed to the barren, rocky desert east of Gallup, the northwest area was mostly green scrub-covered flatness. | ||||||
By pure luck, I happened across this interesting spot just northeast of Red Lake called Split Mesa. Sightseeing is the main point of this trip, so I descended to take a closer look.
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I just flew around at 500 feet enjoying the view. | ||||||
The air was absolutely calm this early in the morning. | ||||||
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Then I continued northwest across the flat, pine-covered land. | ||||||
Until a gigantic fissure opened up in the ground. It was the east end of Canyon de Chelly.
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Looking west down Canyon de Chelly. | ||||||
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Approaching Spider Rock at left. | ||||||
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The sun was in perfect position behind me for the morning run.
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Canyon de Chelly was and is the stronghold and sanctuary of the Navajo.
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The canyon floor climbs as I approach the west end.
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Lynnette and I toured Canyon de Chelly with a Navajo Guide back in 2011. Link. I remember the canyon floor being very sandy in the beginning. Luckly we were in a four-wheel drive jeep. I think on that trip we took the northern canyon -- Canyon del Muerto -- not the southern Canyon de Chelly I just flew. | ||||||
Looking back at Canyon de Chelly. All I can say is Wow!
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I continued heading north-northwest. Passing by the suburbs of Chinle. |
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