Kanab 2002
Text and photos by Eric Cobb

I could hardly wait for the fog to lift on Saturday morning as I had prepared
for the flight the day before. I rose early and checked my e-mail to see if
anyone had a last minute report flying to Kanab and I also checked the
weather. Off to the airport and I was airborne at ten in the morning. The
fog had lifted earlier then it had been all week long.

I could see Camarillo was clear and looking south it looked like all of the Los Angeles area was clear. I tuned in the high end and could hear a group of planes talking. I monitored the frequency for a while until I determined who they were. A group from the Chino airport was about two hundred miles ahead of me. I called out and was talking to the group. I knew I would be faster then they were and thought I might catch them before they reached Kanab, my ground speed was averaging 198 knots on the GPS, but they landed fifteen minutes before I did.

Just as I cleared the Las
Vegas class B airspace I tuned in the high end again just in time to hear
‘Beagle’ calling out. He was over Big Bear and I gave him my position. The
flight was smooth all but the last part between Las Vegas and Kanab. Rock and
Roll in the desert. A quick look at the flight line to see who arrived. A
shuttle to the motel and the evening get together at poolside.
Just seeing the familiar faces and catching up on
what everyone was doing.
I knew I wasn’t going to race but I always like
talking with this group to see what they have been up to and what, it any,
modifications were new. I only had one night free so I had to make the most
of it and I wished I could have stayed for the whole race, but not this
year.

The next morning I shuttled back to airport where the
locals had prepared their usual morning breakfast. I counted twenty Longs and
Varis on the ramp along with one Glassair and a twin Navion. David Orr did
the lead out, starting the race, and it looked like all went well. After
watching all the planes take off for their race, I departed homebound and
didn’t get the race results.
I had a good flight
home and flew over the Zion National Park. If you ever get a chance to do
that, do it.
Eric Cobb