Day 13 -- Tuesday, June 29 -- "Rest and Catch Up"

 Day 13 --Our plan was to fly to KTCC - Tucumcari, NM, 17K Boise, OK, and KEHA Elkhart-Morton County, KS.  However, weather in NM made us sit out the day in Lake Havasu.  We spent the day washing laundry and catching up on the blog.

                           Myra working hard on the blog.  She is finally caught up.  Yeah!!!!

Then suddenly, we received a text from Terry and Ellen.  They need to divert to Lake Havasu for weather.  Shortly, we will be on our way to the airport to pick them up.

We had dinner at the Blue Chair near the London Bridge.  Did you know there is a London Bridge in Lake Havasu USA?

                                                            99s in the BIG Blue Chair

Day 12 -- Monday, June 28 -- "Don't Want to do that Again"

 Monday, June 28 -- My anniversary.  Oh my!!  Not celebrating with my sweetie.  Hopefully, we can make up for it when I get home.

Our plan is to fly through the maze of the Grand Canyon and then on to the hottest places we've landed, KBVU (NV), KEED (CA), and KHII (Lake Havasu, AZ).

Here is the flight plan.

Our plan was quickly aborted after take off.  It is a good thing to always have plan B and C available.  The take off was more difficult than expected and the winds were whipping us around.  I didn't want to be over the Grand Canyon on a day like that.  The view was still beautiful.

                                        Our views near the Grand Canyon as we left KPGA.

                                                            Flying over Hoover Dam

                                                        KBVU - Boulder City, NV

 Have you ever heard of Needles, CA?  Here it is -- hot, windy, and not much there.  There is an electrical sub station near the end of the runway.

After take off, which was difficult because of the heat and high density altitude, we followed the river for a 20 minute flight to Lake Havasu, AZ (KHII).  It was only 103 degrees LOL when we landed before 10:00 am.

Brent was there to greet us and get MOJO in the hangar.  He has a really nice smile.  THANK YOU, Desert Skies for taking care of us.

                                                    Look at these cool Desert Skies trucks.

When you need to cool down in Lake Havasu, Desert Skies FBO has a nice chess set.

Here is "trucker Claudette" again.  THANK YOU Pam Rudolph for loaning us your car. 

Look who showed up in Lake Havasu the same night as we did -- our Virginie Rollin and her friend, Laurie.  Virginie is moving to California and is transitioning her plane from Florida  to California.

We are the last of the Classic Air Tour to arrive in Lake Havasu.  The Havasu 99s, Pam, Shannon, and Frances met us for dinner.  What a great group of ladies AND they are all pilots!

Day 11 -- Sunday, June 27 -- "Land of Dinosaurs and Other Scenic Landscapes"

 Day 11 -- Leaving Jackson Hole, WY to Vernal, UT (KVEL), Cortez, CO (KCEZ) and overnighting in Page, AZ (KPGA).   

Can you believe that we only have 8 states to complete our goal of landing in 48 contiguous states?

Today's plan is to fly VFR over Star Valley, Canyon Lands, Natural Bridges, and Monument Valley.

                                                            MOJO on the ramp at KJAC.  

I've never seen her so dirty.  It rained while we were there and there were many large jets that blew dust on her.

                                We caught sight of this hot air balloon as we left Jackson Hole.

                                                        Snake River leaving Jackson Hole.

 A chain of lakes just before KVEL.  Some are surrounded by green and other not.

                                                                    Here is Utah!!

Shane fueled us at KVEL -- Vernal Regional, UT.  We learned that KVEL is known for its dinosaurs.  Shane, retired from the military, told us that while he was in the military, he landed in all 48 states except Ohio 

                                                                FBO decor at KVEL.

                                                Snake River is long and continues after KVEL

                Evaporating pools between KVEL and KCEZ.  The color was vibrant.

                                                            Perfect natural square.

                                                Highway cut through natural wall of nature.

We challenged ourselves to find  alphabet letters and interesting pictures made of trees or other ground structures.  Here is a whale.

KCEZ -- Cortez, CO was our only touch 'n' go.  We didn't get any pictures but here is the taxiway diagram.

                                                        Monument Valley and clouds

                                                            Stunning Monument Valley

Troy met us right away at KPGA -- Page, AZ.  Mike took care of fueling MOJO

                                    Page, AZ Airport is the Gateway airport to the Grand Canyon.

    Here is "truck drivin' Claudette.  By the time we get home, she may start an Uber business.

American Aviation is a wonderful FBO.  The guys were very helpful and loaned us the courtesy car for our overnight stay.  Thank you all.

                                                                Bridge by Lake Powell

                                                    More dinosaur prints from long past

                                                                Chilin' in the tree

                                                                Claudette taking a walk

                                                                Cliffs by Lake Powell

Day 10 -- Saturday, June 26 -- Enjoying another Day at Jackson Hole.

 We spent most of the day walking around Jackson Hole and visiting the National Museum of Wildlife Art.

Although we both enjoy cooking, we borh laughed at the saying on this apron.

                                            Just a girl staring at dinner wishing it would cook itself.

In 1872, the US Congress opened Yellowstone, the world's first National Park as a "pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people."  Along with the efforts to save wildlife, National Parks became havens for bison, bears, and elk.  Various painters celebrated what was once a flourishing ecosystem in their paintings. 

The National Museum of Wildlife Art was founded in Jackson Hole in 1987.  Its mission is to impart knowledge and inspire appreciation of humanity's relationship with wildlife and nature through art and education.  The museum showcases a plethora of beautiful wildlife in paintings, sculptures, and tapestries.  The National Museum of Wildlife Art also rotates artists' works.  Today we saw an exhibit by Andy Warhol and and Ai Weiwei.  Andy Warhol's Endangered Species and Ai Weiwei's Chinese Zodiac series were magical to view.  

                                                                            Eagle

                                                                                Elk

                                                        This is a beautiful tapestry of a wolf.

                                                                        Buffalo

                                                            Funny Rhinoceros Family

                                                    Chinese Zodiac Horse by Ai Weiwei

                                                            Very creative bike racks.  

We were impressed with the way in which tiny details are attended to in this museum.  The children's area was also well thought out and encouraged children to explore and learn.  (Here is the teacher coming out in me.)

                               This is the first time either of us ate elk.  Here is a picture of Elk Pops.