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Another $100 lunch - Reno to Death Valley

Greg Arehart

Greg Arehart

Well Known Member
So, here we are, the day after Thanksgiving, stuck in Reno with cold and hazy weather. We're thankful for our RV, and ever more so after today's trip. What could be nicer than to get out of the cold and basin inversion - how about lunch in Death Valley? Sure - its less than two hours by RV, and we can walk into town in shirtsleeves and have lunch. Plus the scenery enroute should be spectacular on a CAVU day like today. So, off we go.

Here's the APRS track for our flight. Note that we didn't get signals out when we were descending into the valley toward Furnace Creek, so our flight path is chopped off on the S end:



And here is one of the images we got with the in-wing camera:



Full slide album is found here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/gregarehart/DeathValleyDayTrip02#5544077618219343634

To those of you who are still pounding rivets - keep working at it - this kind of trip is one of the things that the RV is perfect for! I hope it provides some inspiration. I know I'm thankful to have the RV and the ability to fly basically wherever I want!

Cheers,
greg
 
CA/NV desert

SWEET! Thanks for the aerial tour! I've been on the ground at the "Race Track", it's a nasty drive (an adventure) to get there. Have lots of pics of those rocks and traced their paths across the playa. It's absolutely NUTS!
 
awesome tour

Thanks for the tour Greg! One question: I kept looking for the fault line you pointed out in the bottom right of one of the photos and couldn't find it. Do I need more caffeine? Is it a geologist's version of "where's Waldo?":D

Thanks again

Jeremy Constant
RV7A first annual
 
Jeremy,

The fault line runs about N25E (true) and is where the texture changes abruptly. I've modified the caption so that maybe this is clearer.

Cheers,
greg
 
Jeremy i think he is referring to where the hills stop, and it looks like flat land. it is almost an exact straight line, from about 3/4 of the way up the righ side of the photo down to about 1/4 from the right
 
Nice Photo tour Greg. Looks like you may have overflown that well preserved ghost town a little north of Mono lake called "Bodie". Any chance you got a shot of it? A great stop for anyone wanting to explore the remains of the real old west.
 
I have been making myself insane trying to find the mystery airstrip in photo 11. As for the one in photo 3, that's easy: Dayton Valley Airpark :D
 
mystery airstrip

Sooo... found it using Google Maps. Not that it does much good. I dug out my Nevada atlases (I have several, due to my obsessive non-stop exploring of Nevada in a parallel life) but found no useful info. Couple of springs nearby, but that's about it. Probably a private ranch airstrip.
 
Tom,

We flew by Bodie (~10 miles W) but didn't take any photos as the light wasn't very good there yesterday afternoon. I have some photos from other flights where we actually circled around the old town and mining camp. When the light is right, it can make for some nice photos.

Lars,

I'm amazed that you actually found this (did having the APRS track help a lot?). We were just playing with the wing camera and happened to capture that shot. You are certainly correct that it is somebody's dirt ranch strip, basically not much more than a widened road. Now, back to the shop for you and get that airplane into the sky!

cheers,
greg
 
Greg Arehart said:
Tom,

We flew by Bodie (~10 miles W) but didn't take any photos as the light wasn't very good there yesterday afternoon. I have some photos from other flights where we actually circled around the old town and mining camp. When the light is right, it can make for some nice photos.

Lars,

I'm amazed that you actually found this (did having the APRS track help a lot?). We were just playing with the wing camera and happened to capture that shot. You are certainly correct that it is somebody's dirt ranch strip, basically not much more than a widened road. Now, back to the shop for you and get that airplane into the sky!

cheers,
greg
Click to expand...

Greg, I am nothing if not OCD with Google Maps. I've been organizing a group trip or two through remote parts of Nevada for several years now with friends. Lots of route planning, try to stay on dirt as much as possible. Love your state! Partly as a result of those travels I have all sorts of potential landing locations noted :) I drove near that strip last Fall, though I had no idea it was there.

To use the cliche, I am actually starting to see light way out there at the end of the tunnel. When I saw your post I visualized being able to reply "sure, I'll join you!". Thanks for the encouragement.

Soon!
 
Nice Pics!

Really nice pictures Greg - makes me wish we'd been out for a visit to join you! We are hoping to get out to Mammoth for some skiing in January, and might at least get to visit the Airpark.

Speaking of which, if anyone is looking for a nice Airpark home out in the beautiful country Greg shows, we recently heard that Dayton Valley is getting new management and (more importantly) a new Real Estate guy who is really eat to work with. Lots at Dayton are going for bargain prices right now due to the economy. You know what they say, buy low....;)

Paul
 
Looks like I missed a fun trip!

Looks like I need to get my phase 1 hours flown off, so I can join you on some more of these cool trips:D
 
Missed you

I've just read this thread after returning from a couple of days flying and hiking in Death Valley. I flew there on Friday after a quick stop on the 'Chicken Strip' in Saline Valley:
DSC_0081-Copy.jpg

With hindsight, best done without wheel fairings, but quite manageable for an RV.
Arrived at Furnace Creek just before 12.00 so must have only just missed you.
If you want a great easy hike, Mosaic Canyon is walking distance from the Stovepipe Wells strip.
 
Nice, nice, nice

I sure look forward to getting out there in that beautiful country! Super photographs. Thanks for sharing.
 
Mark,

Saw your airplane at Furnace Creek and wondered who was there, but we left before you got back. I figured the owner was probably camping for the weekend.

Yes, I've hiked Mosaic before and its a nice hike. However this trip didn't allow for much hiking since I just had a minor knee operation and am still limited in walking (but supposed to be good for skiing by the holidays).

Considering how easy it is to get there from Reno (especially compared to driving), we'll surely be flying back.

Cheers,
greg
 
Nice write-up Greg...you're my geo-hero! Hope to get in on the next trip there! Looks like mucho fun! Hopefully I'll be home more than half a day a week soon (busy month!) Hope to see ya out at RTS next week!

Ironflight said:
Speaking of which, if anyone is looking for a nice Airpark home out in the beautiful country Greg shows, we recently heard that Dayton Valley is getting new management and (more importantly) a new Real Estate guy who is really eat to work with. Lots at Dayton are going for bargain prices right now due to the economy. You know what they say, buy low....;)

Paul
Click to expand...

Dayton...hmmmm...with you and Louise there, the values are headed up, I'm sure! Still some deals, eh? I was checking Dayton out as I commuted home to RNO today. I forget Paul, are you buying or building a house?

Hmmmm...:cool:

Cheers,
Bob
 
rvmills said:
Dayton...hmmmm...with you and Louise there, the values are headed up, I'm sure! Still some deals, eh? I was checking Dayton out as I commuted home to RNO today. I forget Paul, are you buying or building a house?

Hmmmm...:cool:

Cheers,
Bob
Click to expand...

We bought a lot on the runway, and will build in a couple years - plenty of room to join us Bob!

Paul
 
Beware of the Chicken Strip in Saline Valley

I don't think I'm off topic too much, because Saline Valley is within the death Valley National Monument

The strip is very doable in an RV, however the pilot has to be up to the capabilities of the plane. It's a one way strip, about 1400 feet long into rising terrain. Very rocky but solid runway. It will chip you prop and nick your horizontal stab. You must be comfortable hitting your target on the runway within 100' or less. It's common to have one or more Burro's on or about the runway. This is only a strip for experienced and practiced RV pilots only. And best to leave your wheel pants at home.

Before the Chicken Strip, there was the the Town Strip (closer to the hot springs) There were so many damage causing mishaps that they closed it down.


I've landed at the strip numerous times and throughly enjoyed it. In fact one time on short final in my 4 there was the loudest noise that I ever heard in all my years of flying. I thought my plane was coming apart. Out of the corner of my eye I caught the glimpse of an f16 that had just strafed me with full after burners. He must have snuck in awful close because it sure was loud.



Steve Barnes "The Builders Coach"
 
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