I've been to the High Sierra Fly-in twice. First in 2015 and then a return in 2019. The change in the event over that time was huge, and in a negative direction for me. In 2015 there were more planes than motorhomes, and the total airplane count was only around 80. There were morning briefings for all the pilots and lots of groups flying to various other spots in the desert for fun, breakfast or hot spring bathing. In 2019 it was just a big, loud party. Over 400 planes and almost as many motorhomes running generators everywhere. With the generators, group camps felt the need to light their area like a city square and loud music was playing most of the night. "Art Trucks" from Burning Man prowled the playa at night shooting flames from elephant trunks and again, playing loud music. All of that partying is great for those that need to bring the city into the desert when they go airplane camping, but it wasn't for me. I prefer the solitude the desert offers to contrast with my normal life in town. I also like it to be dark enough to see the host of stars that are visible in the night sky when there is no light pollution. I'm not knocking the High Sierra, it has generated a lot of enthusiasm around STOL flying and Kevin Quin should be lauded for all he's accomplished. I'm just old enough that it isn't my cup of tea.

So, last week I decided to fly to the Alvord Desert in SE Oregon. 7 other planes considered joining me, but the weather changed and they all bagged the trip. I had clear skies for my flight down, but it turned nasty (weather-wise) both nights I camped on the playa. There is a hot spring that is walking distance from where I tied my plane down, so I had some comforts of home, but it wasn't the sky gazing trip I was gunning for. Still, in the daytime when the wind stopped, the silence was impressive. There are no birds, no commercial jet routes overhead, no more than 2-3 cars drove by per day. It is just QUIET! Then the wind would pick up again and upset the tone. Still, a great adventure. https://youtu.be/03Bmr0ccyAY

Now that I am of a certain age, I understand and agree with your sentiment regarding camping quitely and remotely away from most others. A mile of seperation is about my minimum comfort zone. I have always lived in the desert and have experanced masses of city folks flocking from the coast in 100 mile long lines of RV's down I-10, invading the area on weekends and holidays during the winter months. They will tell you that they come to enjoy the clean air, the openness of the natural suroundings and lack of oppressive rules, then they camp close together in temporary citys, sometimes numbering a quarter million people. They make more dust than feedlot cattle at sundown. They set up lots of super bright and flashing lights, I assume that they are afraid of the dark and things that howl in the night. They start drinking when they leave the coast and don't stop until they return. They drive like natural laws don't apply, you know, like centrifugal force and gravity. They need oppressive rules to keep from killing each other and them selves, and boy do they get them, courtesy of the Bureau of Land Mismanagment (I'm told that in some states BLM Rangers are pretty good people, not so in Southern California, here they are compleat jerks). Climbing off my sope box now, what I meant to say before I got all wound up is that I really enjoyed your beautiful video!

Nice video! Swarms of loud, obnoxious people aren't my thing, either. My daughter calls them "sheeple".

Great video Gary, thanks for sharing it.
Those rain showers are great for getting the bugs off the windscreen though!
Cheers.