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Where Old Buildings Go To Die
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 Photo Info
Posted By: Nickens, Dan
Date Posted: Jan 24, 2019
Description: Wandering across the country in a SeaRey is a daily adventure. Anticipation of the coming attractions is reason enough for an early start. Although I had only a modest travel goal for the day, the country awaiting was an easy motivator to get up and get going.

I'd gotten confirmation that the earlier spontaneous decision of the owner remained unchanged. I'd be taking the airplane back to Phoenix. The sunshine in my texted photos had spelled doom for my planned continuation to rain-soaked Seattle.
Date Taken: November 1, 2018
Place Taken: Boulder City, NV
Owner: Nickens, Dan
File Name:    - Photo HTML
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Category: Flexible Flight Plans
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Viewers 

  

Read what others had to say:

Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Getting back to Phoenix was an easy day's flight plan. There was no point in going back the way I'd come. I traced out a different path on chart, turning east instead of south down the river.
Boulder City, NV 		     Attachments:  

6-2 Leaving Las Vegas 0259
6-2 Leaving Las Vegas 0259

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Sure I'd seen Lake Mead the day before, and on other occasions, but I never get tired of the spectacular water lying in a desert land.
North side of Fortification Hill, Arizona 		     Attachments:  

6-3a Re-trace 0262
6-3a Re-trace 0262

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Following the channel out through Boulder Canyon.
Beacon Rock, Clark County, Lake Mead, NV 		     Attachments:  

6-3b Channel Marker 0263
6-3b Channel Marker 0263

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Stop and explore? Not this day. I was looking for new places, and had all day to find them.
Auxiliary Point, Lake Mead, NV 		     Attachments:  

6-4 Little Italy 0271
6-4 Little Italy 0271

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Heading into a tight spot. Again.
Boulder Canyon, NV and AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-5 Turning Down Canyon 0274
6-5 Turning Down Canyon 0274

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    It's been a long time since the water was high enough to bleach up high on the exposed cliffs. The white is starting to get smudged up.
Boulder Canyon, NV 		     Attachments:  

6-6 Smudging 0275
6-6 Smudging 0275

    
  
Carr, Frank  - Dec 29,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan, by a "long time" are you talking millions or decades?     
  
Nickens, Dan - Jan 04,2019   Viewers  | Reply
    Decades.... repeated times however many times the question appears! 🤔     
  
Carr, Frank  - Dec 29,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan, by a "long time" are you talking millions or decades?     
  
Carr, Frank  - Dec 29,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan, by a "long time" are you talking millions or decades?     
  
Carr, Frank  - Dec 29,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan, by a "long time" are you talking millions or decades?     
  
Carr, Frank  - Dec 29,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan, by a "long time" are you talking millions or decades?     
  
Carr, Frank  - Dec 29,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan, by a "long time" are you talking millions or decades?     
  
Carr, Frank  - Dec 29,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan, by a "long time" are you talking millions or decades?     
  
Carr, Frank  - Dec 29,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan, by a "long time" are you talking millions or decades?     
  
Wayne Nagy - Dec 29,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Wow, Frank! You REALLY want an answer to this.... :-)     
  
Carr, Frank  - Dec 30,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    How do I even do that????     
  
Don Maxwell - Dec 30,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Frank, it can happen if you post something and immediately hit the Back button and then do anything except Cancel or Back. But I think you've just set an all-time world record for it.     
  
Carr, Frank  - Dec 31,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Further more, I've been "DELETING" for several minutes with no progress.     
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    There's red, then there's bright red. There was a breakout of bright red in just enough places to keep it special.
Boulder Canyon, NV 		     Attachments:  

6-7 Red Patches 0277
6-7 Red Patches 0277

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Beyond the hard walls of the canyon some softer hills provided more room to wander.
Black Mountains, Virgin Basin, Lake Mead, NV 		     Attachments:  

6-8 Softer Side 0285
6-8 Softer Side 0285

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Turn north? Not today. It would clearly be out of any reasonable looking path back to Phoenix, and there were plenty of other attractive options to investigate that wouldn't unduly disturb the airplane's rightful owner.
Overton Arm, Virgin Basin, Lake Mead, NV 		     Attachments:  

6-9 North Option 0291
6-9 North Option 0291

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jan 24,2019   Viewers  | Reply
    The northern arm is where a B-29 rests. There is a National Park Service video showing the airplane in its final resting place.      Attachments:  

Lake Mead B-29
Lake Mead B-29

    
  
Philip Mendelson - Jan 27,2019   Viewers  | Reply
    Awesome post!     
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The shoreline of Lake Mead has some pretty intricate corners that would be worthy of exploration by SeaRey (but there were newer places to see just beyond the horizon).
The Jawbone (top), Lake Mead, NV 		     Attachments:  

6-10 Ragged Shores 0297
6-10 Ragged Shores 0297

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Most of the former lake bottom is still pretty rough, but there is an occasional soft patch of sand.
Temple Basin, Lake Mead, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-11 Formerly Lake Bottom 0299
6-11 Formerly Lake Bottom 0299

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The most impressive thing about the lake is its stark wetness in contrast with the surrounding desert.
White Hills, Inshore Lake Mead, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-13 Dry Side 0300
6-13 Dry Side 0300

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    There were a few flat spots in surrounding hills; mesas that resisted erosion. Like a rocky aircraft carrier, it could be a fine place for a land plane in distress. For a seaplane, it wasn't much of a temptation.
Delmar Butte, Lake Mead, NV 		     Attachments:  

6-14 Flat Spot 0305
6-14 Flat Spot 0305

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Instead of looking longingly at something flat, it was the steep sandy beach that got my attention. It looked absolutely fetching! How could I pass it up? Well, the day was just starting and I'd spent a fair amount of time on the lake. But, really, it was the prospect of places I hadn't been before that let me pass on with no sand on my feet.
Near Plane Crash Island, Lake Mead, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-14 Steep Beaches 0306
6-14 Steep Beaches 0306

    
  
Don Maxwell - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    That beach does look inviting, Dan. But Plane Crash Island! Let's go there!     
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Let's NOT!     
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    This temple might have been a stronger attraction except worshippers were already gathered below its majesty.
The Temple, Lake Mead, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-15 Big Butte 0308
6-15 Big Butte 0308

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    There was no interest in exploring this giant flat spot for potential landing opportunities. It was so expansive the challenge would be just be too minimal.
(Excuses, just lame excuses!)
Temple Mesa, Lake Mead, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-16 Temple Mesa 0309
6-16 Temple Mesa 0309

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Burro Bay would have been unmissable except for the obvious lack of burros. Yes, the critters are difficult to spot, and blend in well with the rocks. Still, why risk disappointment on such a fine day!
Burro Bay, Lake Mead, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-17 Steep Shore 0310
6-17 Steep Shore 0310

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    There was one last opportunity for an adrenaline rush on Lake Mead: Virgin Canyon. But, no! I had convinced myself there was something new and different and delightful waiting out there somewhere ahead. Instead I turned south up a dry wash.
Virgin Canyon, Lake Mead, NV & AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-18 Manmade Canal 0314
6-18 Manmade Canal 0314

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    It was a big wash. Looking back, the view showed me abandoning one of the world's best SeaRey playgrounds, all for the prospect of something new and different. What was wrong with tried and true blue? Nothing. I was just getting greedy.
Hualapai Wash, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-19 Wash to Lake 0317
6-19 Wash to Lake 0317

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The immediate cost of greedily looking for new water was an intense dryness stretching to the far horizon.
South into Hualapai Wash, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-20 Trending Dry 0318
6-20 Trending Dry 0318

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    From the rare abode out on the vast wash it was clear that life was hard. The chart showed lots of mines nearby. Perhaps the residents had traded good opportunities elsewhere for the allure of hidden gems? A lesson for the greedy?
Near the old Bluebird Mine, Hualapai Wash, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-21 Hard Scrabble 0321
6-21 Hard Scrabble 0321

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    There was a boat sitting forlornly outside the little shack. Abandoned? Left to rot? Maybe it was there in case of flash flooding. Whatever. It would have taken the owner an hour to get to the aquatic Elysium of Lake Mead. For me, it was just minutes behind.
Hualapai Wash, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-22 Dry Camp 0323
6-22 Dry Camp 0323

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Someone had hopes of finding their real estate fortune out on the dry plain. Maybe next year.
Near Burnt Mill, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-24 Future Subdivision 0326
6-24 Future Subdivision 0326

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Proof that relic examples of some folks' failures to find what they were looking for will not discourage others from seeking their fortunes in the same place?
Near Burnt Mill, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-25 RV Park 0327
6-25 RV Park 0327

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Did I really trade a day over a brilliant blue lake for a splash-less flight over the waterless wasteland of a bone dry lake?
Red Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-26 Red Lake 0331
6-26 Red Lake 0331

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    It may have been dry, but it certainly red.
Red Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-27 Red Bottom 0336
6-27 Red Bottom 0336

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    After climbing out of the wash with its big dry lake, the edges of the Grand Canyon were visible on the horizon. Too bad, so sad, that canyon and its river are off-limits to wandering SeaReys.
Meriwhitica Canyon, North of Truxton, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-28 South Rim 0357
6-28 South Rim 0357

    
  
Dave Edward - Dec 23,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    When we did the heli tour of the canyon a year ago, the pilot told me that whole Grand Canyon area was second only to Washington
and the White House area etc. for regulations regarding extra curricular flight. I twigged to something when we hovered for a minute
or so just off the rim. Asked him if we had a " slot time ". We did. 		    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    A cinder cone stuck up like a sore thumb out of the plains. It looked out of place and tiny compared to the massive volcanoes further north.
Plain Tank Flat, Hualapai Indian Reservation 		     Attachments:  

6-29 Lone Cone 0368
6-29 Lone Cone 0368

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The lone corral was a crossroads for cows in more ways than one.
Big Chino Wash NW of Picacho Butte, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-30 Lone Corral 0388
6-30 Lone Corral 0388

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    There wasn't much evidence of fall out on the big butte, but it was there in the stream beds.
Big Chino Wash near Picacho Butte, Az 		     Attachments:  

6-31 Wash Colors 0391
6-31 Wash Colors 0391

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    One of the big volcanoes of the San Francisco Peaks could be seen on the horizon: Humphreys Peak. General Humphreys was a Union officer who went on to ignominy as Chief of the Corpse of Engineers. Figures they'd name a blown out volcano after him.
Humphreys Peak, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-32 Distant Snow 0395
6-32 Distant Snow 0395

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Red dirt and red water. Figures.
Big Chino Wash near Paulden, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-33 Red Spots 0397
6-33 Red Spots 0397

    
  
Don Maxwell - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Wow! That looks like Carolina red clay or West African laterite--but I've never seen those soils coloring water so red.     
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    It's probably the distinct process of cows stirring up hematite rich dust?     
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The Hell Canyon bridge was part of US 89, a road that was abandoned after Interstate highways came through.
The nearby mine produces Arizona Flagstone, a red sandstone used in construction.
Near Drake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-34 Busy Crossings 0402
6-34 Busy Crossings 0402

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    A pretty serious s-turn provided a good challenge to following the water's course from overhead (but with no risk of running into the rock wall if I didn't navigate the turn).
Near Perkinsville, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-35 Caution in Turns 0413
6-35 Caution in Turns 0413

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The Verde River and Hell Canyon intersect near Perkinsville, AZ      Attachments:  

6-36 Intersections 0418
6-36 Intersections 0418

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The little puddle offered pretty meager prospects for SeaReying, particularly after leaving the vast water of Lake Mead behind. Sigh.
Verde River near Perkinsville, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-37 Puddle in River 0421
6-37 Puddle in River 0421

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    It's foolish to complain about lack of water in a desert, particularly when the skies are blue, the winds are fair, and the scenery is spectacular.
Near Perkinsville, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-38 Fair Skies 0422
6-38 Fair Skies 0422

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    It would be a heck of a scenic ride on the railway running through the Verde River valley. That'd be a poor second to flying over it in a SeaRey though.
Near Perkinsville, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-39 Scenic Rails 0431
6-39 Scenic Rails 0431

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The edges of the river valley were definitively lined by rocky ledges.
Packard Mesa, Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Area, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-40 Rock Lines 0439
6-40 Rock Lines 0439

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The river ran into a seriously scenic canyon.
Sycamore Canyon, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-41 Sycamore Canyon 0461
6-41 Sycamore Canyon 0461

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Red, white, and blue: it was all there in classic western Americana.
Sycamore Canyon, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-42 Western Americana 0445
6-42 Western Americana 0445

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The radical turn was a bit to sharp for leisurely SeaRey IFR ("I Follow Rivers".
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Area, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-43 Sharp Turn 0469
6-43 Sharp Turn 0469

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The red rock columns of Schnebly Hill Sandstone were formed when seas came and went through the area, leaving layers of limestone mixed with quartz beach sand, all colored by iron oxide (hematite). The cliffs are so steep because the softer sediments are overlain by a layer of basalt and hard limestone, exposed around the edges of Colorado Plateau (the Mogollon Rim). The southern edge of the plateau runs through central Arizona and marks the transition to the Basin and Range province to the south.
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Area, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-44 Canyon Columns 0485
6-44 Canyon Columns 0485

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The canyon floors would be spectacular enough, but the yellows and rusty reds of the vegetation added nice accents to all the rocky splendor.
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Area, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-45 Canyon Floor 0488
6-45 Canyon Floor 0488

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Classic "Layer Cake" geology.
Coconino National Forest, near Casner Mountain, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-46 Band of Rocks 0507
6-46 Band of Rocks 0507

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Big red rock fins sticking out from the plateau like the tail end of a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado.
Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-47 Rock Fins 0520
6-47 Rock Fins 0520

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Lots of parallel joints and fractures make for thinly sliced rocks.
Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-48 Finely Sliced 0529
6-48 Finely Sliced 0529

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Some fractures were much bigger and more prominent.
Hart Well Canyon, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-49 Big Slice 0537
6-49 Big Slice 0537

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Just off the edge of the plateau topography gets a interestingly complicated.
Bear Mountain, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-50 Intricately Carved 0543
6-50 Intricately Carved 0543

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    After cruising through the rock wilderness I figured that I would land in the fabled town of Sedona for lunch and gas. Tuning in to the radio frequency, however, I found it was very busy. There was an undercurrent of stress in the transmissions. Who needs that? I turned to my alternate, the Cottonwood Airport (P52). Arriving there the clock showed 3.1 flight hours from Boulder City, all without a single splash. Though the scenery had been spectacular I was beginning to regret not spending more of my time playing at Lake Mead.
P52 Cottonwood Airport, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-51 Fuel Break 0551
6-51 Fuel Break 0551

    
  
Ken Leonard - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Dan - my son just settled in Cottonwood! My wife and I visited him in Sedona, where he works, a couple of weeks ago and did some
hiking in those lovely hills. It's tough , and wonderful, country! 		    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 21,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    It looks amazing from the air, Ken. And you have a great reaon to visit. There is so much to explore, and with local support, too!
Very cool. 		    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The Verde River was a bit bigger and wetter after Cottonwood, but there still wasn't enough water to play in.
Verde River Near Cornville, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-52 Tri-Colors 0558
6-52 Tri-Colors 0558

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    It was still fun to follow the water through all the dry rock.
Cedar Bench Wilderness Area, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-53 Winding Through 0585
6-53 Winding Through 0585

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    As with any time flying down wilderness canyons it pays to keep eyes outside. Not only is it pretty out there, but spotting the wire traps early is important to celebrating future birthdates. (What the heck are wires doing out in a wilderness?)
Near Pine Mountain, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-54 Low Hazard 0595
6-54 Low Hazard 0595

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Who named this "Pine Mountain"? "Cactus Mountain", sure. Or "Dry Rock" Mountain. Maybe there was a pine or two, but I didn't see any.
Pine Mountain, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-55 Pine Mountain 0608
6-55 Pine Mountain 0608

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Blue skies, white clouds, fair winds. The only way it could get better is to find some lightly rippled SeaRey water.
Over Pine Mountain Wilderness Area, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-56 Fair Skies 0613
6-56 Fair Skies 0613

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The green water looked like it might be deep enough for SeaReying, but it all ended in a rocky white watery tears (or froth).
South of Pine Mountain, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-57 Green and White Water 0625
6-57 Green and White Water 0625

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Where the river widened, it got shallower. A touch too shallow for splashing.
Verde River, South of Pine Mountain, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-58 Thin Green Line 0626
6-58 Thin Green Line 0626

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The deep green ponds were still too small to splash.
Verde River, South of Pine Mountain, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-59 Green Pool 0637
6-59 Green Pool 0637

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The map showed a hot springs near the trail crossing at Sheep Bridge. It wasn't cold enough to be excited by the prospect, particularly when the amount water was inadequate for a casual visit by SeaRey.
Verde River north of Horseshoe Reservoir, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-60 Sheep Bridge 0645
6-60 Sheep Bridge 0645

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    A rumpled skirt is a good look for mountains.
New River Mountains from Verde River, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-61 Groved Sides 0652
6-61 Groved Sides 0652

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The opening of the canyon into a broader river valley offered hope that there might be some splashable water.
Tonto National Forest at Horseshoe Reservoir, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-62 Opening Up 0654
6-62 Opening Up 0654

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    And then there was a suitable reservoir. Too bad I'd been spoiled by the earlier visit to Lake Mead. The water just didn't measure quite up to its bigger relative.
Horseshoe Reservoir, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-63 Flat Water 0688
6-63 Flat Water 0688

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    A lower cost project of the Corpse of Engineers, or rock beavers? Either way, I was just too picky to be enticed into a splash.
Verde River south of Horseshoe Reservoir, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-64 Rock Beavers 0694
6-64 Rock Beavers 0694

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    At the next reservoir the water looked more enticing.
Bartlett Reservoir, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-65 Better Water 0717
6-65 Better Water 0717

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    There was a boat or two out on the lake. Too busy for me. SPA says it's closed to seaplanes anyway. Did I really pass up Lake Mead today for this? Yup. It wasn't looking like one of my better seaplaning decisions.
Bartlett Reservoir, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-66 Busy Water 0726
6-66 Busy Water 0726

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Now I was on the outskirts of Phoenix. I could easily be at the appointed airport within 30 minutes. But, that would put me ahead of schedule. I could get to the hotel early. Or, I could explore some more. The airplane was perfect: all gauges in the green, all the radios standing ready, every system working as intended. Even the pilot was feeling no pain. After six days and forty something hours in the air, that was too good to end. Besides, I had yet to wet the hull and the day was getting on.

I turned away from the destination towards more distant lakes.
Bartlett Dam, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-68 Scalloped Wall 0736
6-68 Scalloped Wall 0736

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Before getting to the water shown on the chart there was some dry, divided land to cross.
Fort McDowell Yavapai Indian Reservation, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-69 Divided Land 0755
6-69 Divided Land 0755

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The first lake on the Salt River looked really promising. Too bad it was listed as closed to seaplanes by the SPA. Heavy sigh.
Saguaro Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-70 Saguaro Lake 0764
6-70 Saguaro Lake 0764

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Yup. Closed. Open for boats, but no admittance to flying boats. Oh the injustice!
Canyon Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-71 Canyon Lake 0782
6-71 Canyon Lake 0782

    
  
Don Maxwell - Jan 24,2019   Viewers  | Reply
    So you could fly over the lake at, say, 1 inch ABOVE the water. And you could motor along on the step IN the water. But you couldn't land or take off--those almost instantaneous contacts and dis-contacts. Something isn't quite right about that.

Now, the question is: If no one sees those instant-events on a deserted lake, do they actually happen?

(I know, never argue with an official with a pad of tickets.) 		    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Flying up the river towards Skull Cave, the site of a battle between the U.S. Army and Yavapai natives, who thought they wouldn't be found and were surprised by the attack. I could see how they could have thought they wouldn't be found up in the canyon. Their sad tale was cautionary for transitioning SeaRey pilots. I'd imagine it's a easier to be found these days.
Salt River, Tonto National Forest, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-72 Up the Salt 0801
6-72 Up the Salt 0801

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Another spectacular lake that was listed as off limits for seaplanes (but okay for boats). Ridiculous!
Apache Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-73 Apache Lake 0829
6-73 Apache Lake 0829

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The shoreline was a bit too rugged for SeaRey beaching anyway. Bah humbug!
Painted Cliffs, Apache Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-74 Rock Break 0831
6-74 Rock Break 0831

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The "Painted Cliffs" are supposed to light up in the early or late day sun. The paint strokes look a bit demented in the brighter light of mid afternoon.
Apache Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-75 Painted Cliffs 0832
6-75 Painted Cliffs 0832

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Perfect for SeaReys! And no one in sight to offend!
Apache Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-76 Not for Seaplanes 0845
6-76 Not for Seaplanes 0845

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Settling in for a little splash.
Salt River, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-77 On the River 0850
6-77 On the River 0850

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Now, somewhere along the shore there should be a beach....
Salt River, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-78 Where da Beach 0853
6-78 Where da Beach 0853

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    A closer look found the beach to be a bit granular for easy parking.
Salt River, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-79 Too Rocky 0866
6-79 Too Rocky 0866

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The shoreline was too rocky, and too sticky.
Salt River, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-80 Too Sticky 0871
6-80 Too Sticky 0871

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Not perfect parking, but pretty darn close!
Salt River, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-81 About Right 0879
6-81 About Right 0879

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The colors of the painted cliffs were getting more obvious. That meant the sun must be getting lower. Not good. I wasn't ready to quit.
Painted Cliffs, Salt River, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-82 Painted Lines 0898
6-82 Painted Lines 0898

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Oooh! Now that looked like a perfect SeaRey beach! But, there was a bigger lake ahead, so I flew on.
Salt River, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-83 Inviting Beach 0901
6-83 Inviting Beach 0901

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The prospect of a bigger lake only came after the river I was on got a lot narrower.
Salt River, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-84 Narrowing Lake 0908
6-84 Narrowing Lake 0908

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Oh yeah! This could be it: SeaReytopia!
Crossing the dam, adrenaline levels began to subside
the hard constraints and hazards of the canyon fell away
opening onto majestic aqua blue lake waters
that stretched from one distant horizon to the next
bounded by gently undulating shores
rising to mountains of red, tan, white and green
all under the most brilliant azure skies
The wind was quiet, almost calm, only gently rippling the water
Though the subtle warmth of a late fall day was slowly slipping away
there was no inclination to close up the canopies
instead the sweet, crisp air gently swirled around me
Dreamlike the plane sailed into the middle of the enchanted space
without any conscious direction we turned, in a wide, graceful circle
allowing the spectacle to flow around us like infinity
The circle lazily continued as altitude fell away
slowly, slowly descending toward the liquid azurite
When the water was sparkling brightly below the windscreen
we glided into the cushion of air above its surface
settling low upon a path that continued towards the surrounding mountains
The ripples slipping by underneath offered the only suggestion of motion
otherwise we simply hung weightless between the deep blue below and above
If we moved at all, it was by unconscious response
the sound of engine melting into a steady white background
the only tenuous evidence of connection to a more mundane reality
that other place consigned solely to autonomic systems
Time itself seemed suspended in blissful contentment
The approach of a gently sloping shore focused the blurred vision
calm water along the shore reflected the multi-hued hills
in the crystalline air, every boulder, stone and tumbleweed appeared in sharp relief
The vision was too enchanting to resist
to remain aloof seemed a luxury to be graciously relinquished
A slight change in background noise signaled acceptance
there was a gentle tug from the water as the hull touched
the only indication we had left the air
now skating over an icy flat mirror
perfectly balanced between water and sky
With no chance of falling, all remaining distant concerns melted away
One eye could see the land passing by in subtle varieties
the other eye held only the unchanging water-sky
Just as continuing the way forever seemed possible
a sparkling beach of sand beckoned
a spectacular landmark on the indefinite shoreline
If anything could break the spell the possibility of a quiet seat in paradise could
The engine moved towards silence as splashes of silver flew by the canopy
settling gently into the bosom of the lake to coast slowly towards the idyllic beach
Gently touching the bottom and coming to rest
the engine still now with only the tinkling of cooling metal remaining
Stepping into the water bare feet were smoothly buoyed by silky gelatin
the smile of a child splashing into mud puddles returned
skipping ashore was tempting but so was slick shuffling
the child's reckless abandon barely replaced with adult prudence
The child re-emerged at the shore, finding small pebbles
to skip across the mirrored water
More mature reflection found a soft spot on the warm sand
staring in wonder at the miracle of circumstances
In consolation for the not so long gone child
was a deep abiding appreciation for the privilege of being
having arrived at such a wonderland on the 64th anniversary of my birth
If there was ever a better birthday present it was too distant to recall.
Roosevelt Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-85 SeaReyTopia 0915
6-85 SeaReyTopia 0915

    
  
Dave Edward - Dec 23,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Happy 64th Dan. Like you , can't think of a better present.     
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    A pile of rocks, marking a perfect SeaRey parking place. What improbable circumstances led to this place and time?
Born at the right time and place,
To parents that nurtured what I needed,
In a country that offered all of the possibilities,
With an education that gave me critical tools,
To mentors that got me in the air,
With a wife that encouraged and enabled flight,
In a career that provided the needed resources,
To finding just the right seaplane,
With the time to devote to frivolous flight,
To commercial work that sharpened skills,
With connections to the Searey community,
That led me to this airplane and its new owner,
And his decision to let me fly it.....
Haystack Island, Roosevelt Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-86 Stacked Island 0919
6-86 Stacked Island 0919

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 23,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    As if it wasn't enough just to gaze upon the layered hills, their reflections doubled the pleasure.
Pleasure that evolved in an unplanned way,
From a new owner's decision not to attempt the long trip,
To delays that relented at just the right time,
With weather that forced me into just the right path,
To a reversal of course resulting from a shared picture,
With decisions to try different routing
And to resist the allure of first encountered water,
To a long dry day pushing me further,
Until an unplanned deviation led to the spectacular diversion.
Roosevelt Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-87 Shore Reflections 0922
6-87 Shore Reflections 0922

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Floating on the calm water would have been enough, but the shore was just too enthralling to pass by.
Roosevelt Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-88 All Ashore 0924
6-88 All Ashore 0924

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The smooth lake bottom convinced me it wasn't necessary or prudent to run ashore with wheels.
Roosevelt Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-89 Smooth Parking 0937
6-89 Smooth Parking 0937

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    There was so much shore and water to explore.
It's best to leave with a reason to return,
and I had an appointment to meet,
the cost of being permitted to wander around in someone else's SeaRey. 		     Attachments:  

6-91 Reluctant to Go 0946
6-91 Reluctant to Go 0946

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    The cost of parking in paradise was a mud pack for the tires.
They surely looked younger after the treatment.
Roosevelt Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-90 Price of Parking 0951
6-90 Price of Parking 0951

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    A day like this can warp your perspective: it makes lesser days seem so mundane!
Roosevelt Lake, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-92 Warped Perspective 0957
6-92 Warped Perspective 0957

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 23,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Big wires were no worry from high overhead, but they induced twinges of guilt. Maybe I had used up a huge percentage of the new owner's SeaRey's bliss quotient? While I was supposed to be flying professionally? Working even?

And what about those flyers, friends some, that had the bad fortune to wander into wires, crashing to death or mayhem? How was it that I had all the good fortune to avoid the evil webs while they fell prey? Better piloting? Ha. I'd seen enough wires to know that was laughable. You use all the skill you have but sometimes it just comes down to chance. Could just be I was suffering from a case of survivor's guilt?

But, worse even than those who came to grief flying about, are those who never took themselves into the air! Could be they never had a chance because of finances or governments or whatever. Could be they couldn't even conceive of the possibilities of flight. How is it that I was so fortunate?

Theodore Roosevelt Dam, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-93 Wicked Webs 0965
6-93 Wicked Webs 0965

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    A sign pointing skyward? Towards an answer to my questions?
Goldfield Mountains, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-94 Singular Point 0981
6-94 Singular Point 0981

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Majestic columns suitable for a grand temple rose above me.
Perhaps there is a special religion for the fortunate few who get days like this one.
A perspective that is at once humbling and uplifting.
An enlightened recognition of our elevated opportunities.
If we can't scientifically explain why we are so fortunate, then perhaps we have to acknowledge there are higher forces at work.
Superstition Mountains, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-95 Grand Columns 0985
6-95 Grand Columns 0985

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Image if one of those poor miners back in vast dryness of desert stumbled upon a golden nugget lying gleaming there in the dry wash. Would he just walk away from it? Or would he gleefully grab it, ecstatic with his found fortune? Would he feel guilty that the others before him had missed it?
I suppose he would remember that he had been looking for it. That he had chosen to put himself where he thought there might be.
And maybe that he would share his good fortune with others that were looking.
Whatever. Heading back to base was bittersweet: the last mountains before the flatlands and home to the bumps masquerading as hills (Howey in the Hills, Florida).
Superstition Mountains, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-96 Tall Tales 0989
6-96 Tall Tales 0989

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    It's the kinda of sight you might expect in some third world bombed out airport, but, no, it's just outside of Phoenix.
Gila River Memorial, Chandler, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-98 Departure Delays 1035
6-98 Departure Delays 1035

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Not a good place for such classic old birds to be gathered.
Gila River Memorial, Chandler, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-97 Poor Parking 1028
6-97 Poor Parking 1028

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    After such a lovely day there was a tinge of sadness seeing once magnificent flying machines holed and covered with ghetto graffiti.
Gila River Memorial, Chandler, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-99 Twin Endings 1054
6-99 Twin Endings 1054

    
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Fortunately there was a happy ending in sight for the little SeaRey that took me on such a marvelous journey. She won't be slogging it out through a cold, rainy winter in the far northwest. Instead she'll have all season to explore wild and splendid and warm western waters.
P-19, Chandler, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-100 Ready New Life 3671
6-100 Ready New Life 3671

    
  
Bill West - Dec 31,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Thanks as always for sharing your adventures with us Dan. How does that prop compare with a warp drive? And is that a chain
and a lock on the tailwheel? 		    
  
Nickens, Dan - Jan 04,2019   Viewers  | Reply
    The prop is light and smooth, Bill, but with no performance advantages. And there is a chain, but no lock on the tailwheel.     
  
Nickens, Dan - Dec 22,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    It was a happy ending for me too, with the delivery of a now-proven adventure machine to a deserving owner. Oh the wondrous explorations that await those two! Now that's a start at sharing the gold.

Irrelevant statistics? 2.9 hours from P62 to P19, Stellar Airpark, Chandler, AZ, and 6.0 hours for the day. 42.8 for the wandering journey from here to there.
Phoenix, AZ 		     Attachments:  

6-102 Happy Ending 3672
6-102 Happy Ending 3672

       Attachments:  

6-101 Flight Path Day 6
6-101 Flight Path Day 6

    
  
John Dunlop - Jan 21,2019   Viewers  | Reply
    Whew! How many cameras?!     
  
Carr, Frank  - Dec 29,2018   Viewers  | Reply
    Thanks Dan for taking us on another spectacular journey.     


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