Maule Across America

Flyhound · Post by **Flyhound** » Wed Oct 22, 2014 5:50 pm

We just moved from Virginia to Washington State. After driving our cars across the country, getting our household goods moved into the house we rented for a year and getting the dog comfortable with her new surroundings, I went back to get our Maule MX7-180C. It took 4 days to fly our plane cross the country with stops in Arkansas, New Mexico, and Idaho before arriving on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. Here are a couple of pictures of that trip:

My route of flight

Fall colors in Virginia were at their peak

NEXRAD weather on my tablet was a godsend!

Over Arkansas and Tennessee I caught a LOT of bugs! The desert was much kinder to the plane!

I did manage a stop at Gaston's for breakfast, but their cabins were full, so I couldn't stay there. Too bad because it is a special place!

The Bull SHoals Reservoir above Gaston's

Cabezon peak in New Mexico

Mesa Verde in Colorado

Mountains outside of Cortez, CO

Dove Creek canyon in CO

Canyonlands in Utah. I wanted to land at Caveman, but there were big white X marks across the runway. I figured that meant to stay away. Hopefully, this is just temporary!

Great Salt Lake in Utah

Approaching Boise for the night

Provo Utah

Clouds choking off the Columbia River Gorge

Mount Ranier poking above the clouds as I neared my destination

The final portion of my flight had to be above the clouds because the Cascades were in the soup, and the clouds closed off the Columbia gorge. I was worried that no hole would open up to get back down, but I found one. Then vicious cross winds bedeviled me as I approached my destination in Port Twonsend, WA. I managed to get the plane on the ground safely due to some great instruction I've received from pilots that are a lot better than me. I'll always be learning with the Maule, but I'm enjoying the journey! A video will follow once I get around to editing all of the raw material I collected on this flight. This is a BIG and beautiful country!

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Wed Oct 22, 2014 7:25 pm

Thank you so much for the pictures. It appears you flew right over my house in the desert of Eastern Washington. It also appears you flew into Washington during a large storm front, the first one that we have had here since last April or May, at least out in the desert. With that said, Port Townsend is a beautiful place. I am positive that you will like your new home. Whereas the Northwest weather sometimes leaves something to be desired, on the many sunny days (the San Juan Islands are in a rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains) you will be treated to some of the most spectacular flying in the country. Welcome to Washington!

flyusn99 · Post by **flyusn99** » Thu Oct 23, 2014 1:06 am

Flyhound,
Great pictures. Welcome to the PACNW! I'm right across the water from you in Oak Harbor. Let me know if I can be of any assistance what so ever. I've got a 1976 M-5-235 currently on Aqua 2400's that will be going back to wheels here next week and at Tim's shortly thereafter for some upgrades. Jeff Co is a great little airport, the Spruce Goose especially. Take care and welcome to the neighborhood.

James

captnkirk · Post by **captnkirk** » Thu Oct 23, 2014 8:19 am

Looks like a great trip. The route was picked for the sites along the way I assume . When I came from Seattle with the m4 the route was mostly due to weather and meeting up with my brothers. I wish I had taken more pictures myself and the videos where useless (battery issues with that gopro). Looking forward to the rest.

Flyhound · Post by **Flyhound** » Thu Oct 23, 2014 8:28 am

Mountain Doctor & flyusn99: Thanks for the welcome. I'm looking forward to becoming an active part of the flying community up here. I lived in the area (Port Orchard) 20 years ago, and I was partners in a couple of planes back then, so I am familiar with an older version of flying in this neck of the woods. I have an instrument rating, but I'm WAY out of currency. Do you have any suggestions for an instructor that could help me prepare for an instrument proficiency check?

I've started fussing with the video clips I made during the flight. A composite movie will be ready in a week or so. In the meantime, here are some still from the video footage:

This is the approach to Gaston's on the White River in Arkansas

Here is the cockpit view of the thunderstorms blocking my way into Albuquerque:

Here is the desert sky over the Manzano Mountains just east of Albuquerque International once I got past the storms:

and the mountain pass just before Provo, UT.

Reliving the trip as I edit my own pictures is almost as much fun as the flying. There were some REALLY boring stretches out there, and my rear end got plenty tired crossing over them. Still, the highlights are what make the trip worthwhile, and there were plenty of those!

TimB · Post by **TimB** » Thu Oct 23, 2014 9:06 am

Welcome back to the North West looks like you had a great flight back looking forward to your videos.

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Thu Oct 23, 2014 9:20 am

Great pics.

I flew the Maule home from Moultrie to Columbia, CA in 2002 when I bought my plane new. There is no adventure like a cross country adventure.

Glad you are familiar with the PNW. I bitch and moan about the weather, and missing Kalifornia, but in reality this is a wonderful place to live, work, hunt, shoot, fish, fly ride etc.

Kirk · Post by **Kirk** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 3:30 am

Beautiful shots. I've been pondering whether to do another long cross country again.

So much to see in the USA.

Kirk

Flyhound · Post by **Flyhound** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 9:25 am

Kirk: This is a GREAT BIG and BEAUTIFUL country. My only regret was that I couldn't stop and enjoy each of the magical places I flew over. There are people that live in each of these fantastic areas and each of them has a story to tell. I'd like to go back to many of these incredible spots and hear some of those stories while creating some more detailed personal memories of each place based on some time on the ground as well as in the air.

While at the Canyonlands airport in Moab, I met a fellow from Austria that had rented a light sport aircraft in Arizona (a CTLS) and he was stopping at several places in the Southwest for a couple of days to hike the area as well as flying over it. Now that's the way to build some real memories that other folks will discount as lies when you tell your stories on the porch of the old folk's home...

Gary - aka Flyhound

Flyhound · Post by **Flyhound** » Sat Dec 27, 2014 9:05 pm

I finally finished the video of my XC flight in October. Here's the final product. Many of the images are the same as the still shots I've already posted, but there is some video too. 30.1 on the Hobbs for that trip. I miss the reliably good flying weather.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoKFN9RvBK4

chris erasmus · Post by **chris erasmus** » Sun Dec 28, 2014 12:00 am

That looked like a great adventure

FARMAULE · Post by **FARMAULE** » Sun Dec 28, 2014 5:19 am

Great video Gary. Thanks for sharing.

BamaMaule · Post by **BamaMaule** » Sun Dec 28, 2014 5:24 am

Thanks for sharing the great video, Gary. One of these days I'm going to make my oft dreamed of "Fly About" to see parts of this big beautiful country I've not seen before. I'm re-reading Rinker Buck's Flight of Passage now and along with your video, the spark intensifies!
BTW, Gastons is definitely on my list.

Texas Farmer · Post by **Texas Farmer** » Sun Dec 28, 2014 7:41 am

Nice video! Thanks for sharing.

crbnunit · Post by **crbnunit** » Sun Dec 28, 2014 11:00 am

Wow! Epic adventure!

Maule Across America

Maule Across America

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