May 8, 2021 - Day Eight, Flight One, Part Two
Goblin Valley State Park, Huntington Airport
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| I come around the bend, and suddenly things look familiar. |
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It's Goblin Valley State Park, which Lynnette and I toured in 2018.
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The Hoodoos, or Goblins, are too small to really appreciate from the air.
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| Except when they are tall hoodoos, of course. |
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| But it's beautiful from the air in its own different way. |
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| This is the area Lynnette and I walked around in. Unfortunately it was very hot that day so we didn't stay long. Link |
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Leaving Goblin Valley State Park, I headed north again, this time on the east side of the Reef. Looking east, it was nothing but desert.
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| But to the west, it was a different story. |
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| A good look at the San Rafael Reef looking northeast. |
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Passing over Interstate 70 again as it heads east to the town of Green River.
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| Looking at I-70 to the west; it runs right by San Rafael Knob, elevation 7,921. |
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| Speaking of which, there it is: San Rafael Knob, elevation 7,921 feet. |
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| Looks like there might be a little bush airstrip in that river bend below. But not for me. The RV is a great all-purpose plane but it is not a bush plane. |
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| The San Rafael River? |
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| The San Rafael River again. |
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| Following a canyon northwest. |
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Running the canyon.
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| It's starting to peter out. |
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Soon I will be over high desert. |
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Looking southwest.
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| And there is my destination for a fuel stop and lunch break: Huntington Municipal Airport (69V). I had picked this airport as a possible alternative to Escalante since it had a courtesy car and on-field camping area. Notice the 4,048 ft asphalt runway and two dirt runways. I'm ashamed to say I landed on the asphalt runway. |
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| A better look at the dirt runways. The camping area is that little green patch to the left of the ramp area. |
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The all-important courtesy car. I drove into town and had a nice lunch at the Ponderosa Grill.
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| Parked by the Self Service fuel pump. It looks hot and it was hot. Not stupid hot but hot enough. |
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| The camping area was nice although a little exposed. A shower was available in that bathroom building to the left. |
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| This Kitfox landed after I returned from lunch and I enjoyed talking with with the pilot. I told him he must have a blast flying the Kitfox around here. He does, but he did say it takes him awhile to get anywhere. He told me about a trip he and a friend had done; a two-week paddleboard adventure down the Escalante River. There are only a few weeks in the entire year this is possible. But how awesome must that have been? He also said desert thermals were not fun in the little Kitfox. I told him I had been lucky so far and hadn't really experienced them. I should have known better than to say that because I would soon be experiencing them. |
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While I was putting gas into the courtesy car, this camper with trailer pulled up beside me. Now this is the way to do it! A mobile home towing a trailer with all the toys. Ready to enjoy some of the best outdoors action in the USA.
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