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The idea was to team up with at least one other pilot and meet in Tennessee. Then, journey up the Mississippi River, over to Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Jackson Hole, Arches National Park, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and finish our 2,100-mile trek in Lake Havasu. The tour’s mission was inspired to cheer up a 92-year-old friend who had lost her husband this year: Our adventuresome crew thought it would help her find joy after a tough loss. I recruited my former Ninety-Nines and Air Race Classic pilot-buddy, Denise Robinson, but this time, instead of burning dinosaurs flying her Piper Archer II around the country, we saddled up in my 1978 Mooney M20J for the fun. There were about five airplanes including a Cirrus and at least two Cessnas, and 11 pilots ready to have a blast.

The gang met up as planned in Jackson, Tennessee, and while we all had a singular tour outline in mind, we all had different goals. Consequently, each team charted their own detailed course, each according to her sleep and daily range needs, weather tolerance, or flying objectives. Some opted to take large detours to pick up a few extra states. A few of us started bright and early, while others took a more leisurely pace. We opted to avoid the storms and found an airport near Topeka, Kansas (TOP), with a nice buffet lunch on the field. We bebopped over to Rapid City, South Dakota, listening 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 Sight-Seein’ (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 mustache-type 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.