Last night we downloaded the GPS tracks from the antique (5 year old) portable aviation unit we had on the Islander Adventure. Unlike in prior Adventures, this time I always remembered to turn it on before takeoff and to occasionally start new tracks so it didn’t fill up and stop recording. Here’s what the whole trip looks like.
Islander Adventure Track
If you click to see the largest version, there are some interesting details. For example the short detours in PA when we flew over my ancestral town, and over Punxsutawney. The biggest detour was from the GA coast to TN and then back to the SC coast for our fun visit with Nashville relatives. Another detour was when we flew back to NY from Quebec via Maine to avoid weather. In case you’re wondering about the different colors, they’re not related to anything in particular – just the days when I started a new track.
Big Bend Track
As you can see from the Big Bend track, after landing (several circles) we flew pretty much direct to the border (Rio Grande River) and mostly followed that on the way to San Antonio. That beautiful shot of the light on the river looking into Mexico is where we first joined the river as it cuts through the ridge (dark diagonal line). Even looking at this terrain map, the memories of magnificent views come flooding back!
Bahamas / Keys Track
Our flight over Abaco and back to Freeport in the Bahamas similarly represents a flood of views with a simple line on a map. As does the part of this track that shows us going down to Key West and back. So glad we finally did that real islander part of the Islander Adventure we’ve wanted so long to do! Of course, looking at each of these tracks also brings back memories of all we did on the ground (and in the water) along the way.
Grand Canyon Track
As you’ll see if you look at a map of the Grand Canyon, we didn’t really fly over it. As I described in that post (and illustrated with more pix in the post after), we instead flew over the Little Colorado Gorge and then near the Canyon’s South Rim on our way West toward Home.
Another thing that’s happening as I look at these tracks, is a niggle that’s growing into an urge. I’d love to go again some day! Hopefully at least to some of the nearer places like the Grand Canyon. So many delightful places to fly, so little money. 🙂
John & Anne Wiley 
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