AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2022 - 41

to our favorite music on the Mooney's fantastic
SiriusXM radio (shameless plug) as
well as the enhanced weather reporting
services, and spent some extra time SightSeein'
(hence the name of my M20J). The
next day we took the airplane up to view the
Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore sculptures
from the sky.
The day after that, we launched for the
trickiest part of the flight. We had to climb
to 10,500 feet msl and enter Yellowstone
from Montana (the north side) so we could
follow the valleys. This was my first time
using oxygen, and I really appreciated having
it. While oxygen is not required below
12,500 feet, it really makes a difference
above 9,000 feet msl because I feel groggy
without it. I carry a SkyOx 22 cubic-foot
portable system set up for two mustachetype
cannulas. They look ridiculous but do
the job, and filling the tank is easy at most
larger FBOs, but particularly in the West
because of higher terrain. Having Carbonell
as a coach gave us more confidence, and
better prepared Robinson and me for the
challenges of carving canyons. No matter
how much you plan, it takes a great deal of
trust when you enter Yellowstone National
Park through a valley with mountains towering
to the left, to the right, and even in
front of you. We kept to one side of the
valley just in case we needed a safety out.
Yellowstone is fascinating from the air.
We stayed overnight in Jackson Hole,
Wyoming. The next day we overflew a castle
to the south and toured the sights in
the Arches National Park and Bear Lake.
We stopped in Page, Arizona, to prepare
for the Grand Canyon crossing the next
morning. We were warned about the
fickle weather and park crossing rules, so
we were mentally prepared for the worst,
but were delighted to be lucky. We ventured
out early in the morning to improve
the odds of avoiding the winds and were
greeted with a glorious show of a light
beam on a distant butte. We climbed to the
proper altitude and, with the morning sun
dancing off the Grand Canyon walls, we
were treated to a technicolor explosion of
beauty. It is an amazing sensation to have
the ground fall away from you as you fly
out over the canyon. Glorious!
What a wonderful trip to break away
from the COVID blues. I hope we can all
continue to enjoy our freedoms to fly and
explore this great nation. Any aircraft of
any age or performance can offer amazing
opportunities for adventure at your
fingertips. Flying one of these machines
cross-country is a dream and a challenge
that all pilots should experience at some
point. You don't have to fly across oceans,
mountain ranges, or over dozens of states
to fulfill the mission that your machine
was made to do. Close your eyes, point
your finger on a map, grab a friend, and
go. Trust me, you'll never regret a true
airplane adventure. Teresa Camp is an
instrument-rated private pilot with a seaplane
rating obtained in Alaska, and has
flown in four intercontinental Air Race
Classics. She and Denise Robinson have
flown themselves on adventures around
the world.
41
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2022

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