Took off this morning with great aspirations of a flight with my wife up over the GC, then a fillup at PGA, and onto Monument Valley. Mother nature speaks.....
After taking a look at the weather we were starting to get into up near Sedona, I decided to sit down and figure out a new gameplan. There was no way with the low ceiling that we were going to be able to make it VFR across the 11500 corridor over the GC.
Plotted a new course direct to Monument Valley, and after a quick stop at Flagstaff we were off. Mother nature again!
We made it about 20 miles SW of Monument Valley, and landed at a small field called Kayenta (0V7). We both needed a quick pitsop, and I could tell the weather wasn't going to cooperate. Plus, the deviation calls over Center Radio were nutz. When all I hear on the radio where I'm heading are deviations, I take that as a hint + 1/2 for my butt.
The takeoff from Kayenta was actually scary. We got about 50 feet up and WHACK, insane gusts hit us from behind! I had full rudder in, and we were still flying very uncoordinated, and I mean scary uncoordinated. I said screw the golden 500ft clime rule and turned directly with the wind. We crossed over the highway at about 150 feet (close to the airport). BTW - what would you, dear reader, have done in my shoes? I'm sure there's another technique.
Later I asked my wife if she noticed, and she just said she thought we were pretty sideways, but it didn't seem strange to her. So, she can fly with me again!
Flew around some wicked stuff on the way home, here's a pretty cool video from about 60 miles WNW of PHX. Thanks for reading!