Pueblo to Palo Alto , Over the rockies and thru the burning hell

We started Tuesday 21st waking up early morning and got ourself to airport around 8am morning.It is best time to cross mountains in morning when air is not yet hot and most of cumulonimbuses appear in afternoon. It was once again Karoliina's turn to fly, we decided to go as VFR via pass thru mountains. In IFR minimum enroute altitude
should be highest point enroute rounded upper thousand feet plus 2000 feet. In VFR is enough not touching terrain. We were uncertain how well Diamond would climb in worm air with three full size adults inside and we decided not to take any rists. We still needed to climb to 12500 ft but Diamond did it without any problems.



First leg and mountain crossing went without any problems in excellent weather. Our first stop was in Farmington, New Mexico (KFMN), elevation 5500ft. This airport had nice FBO with air-conditioned restrooms facilities for flight planning we took tanks full of fuel and planned to go Grand Canyon, KGCN .






The route to Gran canyon was really great scenic route, sceneries familiar to most of us from western movies . First we flew over monument Valley and then over grand canyon. When we arrived Gran Canyon, there was thunderstorm just over airport and we decided to go on.



We landed Kingman, KIGM, elevation 3360ft . That place was like burning hell, temperature around 40 degrees of celsius. We got there in place where was no cover from sun, airport staff advised us that restrooms are in passenger terminal and there was no other
way back to apron expect left someone open to gate and we did not find any flight planning facilities. The place was also graveyard of DHL american fleet.


From Kingman we continued to Lancaster, KWJF, hot but not so hot than Kingman and there was even some wind to make it to feel more comfortable. There was also good facilities air conditioned building to do flight planning. We decided to file IFR plan to Palo Alto via route PMD V197 EHF AVE V137 ROM V485 LICKE and it was Kate's turn to fly IFR . When we took off, it was evening twilight and soon it was completely dark night but weather was good. I must say that I don't feel comfortable to fly in night in mountaineus terrain. If engine quits, there is no way to chose good
place for forced landing. In plains, there is good possibility that terrain under is not so bad.



We landed Palo alto 22.56, we had some probems to get taxi and finally got to our motel Standford Motor inn around 1am.I must say that i felt really exhausted, long and hot flight day.

If ypu would like see more pictures, please look our N756DS Picasa callery