All Trips

COOPERS BBQ – LLANO, TX (Sept. 5, 2017)

September 5, 2017 — September 14, 2017
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SUMMARY – AFTER THE TRIP

What a great way to start September – good weather, good food, and good folks. Four gyros made the trip to Cooper’s BBQ in Llano today. Ray Hancock, Ed LeBlanc, Dayton Dabbs, John Craparo and KathyD and I  landed in Llano around 11:30 and took the airport van to town for a fun get-together at Coopers. Kathy took a quick pic of us before we saddled up and headed home. Dayton lead the way with an Indy-Style flight through the Canyons south of Llano that included 90 turns with the canyon walls about 100 feet above our rotors.  As George Strait says “Texas is the place I’d dearly love to be”. ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

 

 

BEFORE THE TRIP

FALL is almost here and that’s time for a trip to COOPERS in LLANO. Some say it’s the best BBQ in Texas. We’ll leave T74 – TAYLOR at 9:30 Tuesday morning for the one hour flight to Llano. Let us know if you want to join us. Looking forward to it. ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

 

Lake Hamilton – Hot Springs, AR (Aug 9, 2017)

August 9, 2017 — August 18, 2017
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AFTER THE TRIP

This trip was a good blend of flying, boating, and seeing the sites. We landed at Hot Springs Municipal Airport  about 7:30 Wednesday evening after dodging storms all day. Lookout Point Lodge was an exceptional place to stay, right on Lake Hamilton. We took to the lake on Thursday morning for Kathy to recapture her youth on the skis – lots of fun. We had to skip breakfast at the lodge Friday morning in order to outrun the storms that were moving in from the west.  We took off with about a 30 minute window before the storms hit Hot Springs. The weather improved as we flew southwest toward Texas. After a quick fuel stop in Winnsboro TX, we flew non-stop to T74 – Taylor where we touched down at 3:15 PM. Saltgrass Steakhouse in Round Rock was a welcome sight as our final stop on this fantastic trip.

Thanks for following!

ENJOY THE JOURNEY

BEFORE THE TRIP

It’s about 700 miles round-trip from TAYLOR, TX (T74) to HOT SPRINGS, AR (KHOT).  We’ll fly up on Wednesday and stay at Lookout Point B&B, located on Lake Hamilton. On Thursday, we’ll  rent a pontoon and cruise the lake, then fly home on Friday. Click the ITINERARY graphic to see departure times and fuel stops.

Thanks for following!    ENJOY THE JOURNEY

Taylor, TX to New Orleans (Oct 13, 2017)

October 13, 2017 — October 27, 2017
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AFTER THE TRIP

From the beginning, GyroTrips was created to bring people together who share a common interest in flying gyros and having fun. The ten people who took part in the New Orleans trip brought that dream to life. We enjoyed good weather, fantastic food and the sights and sounds of the Crescent City.  I think everyone returned  home with good memories that will last a long time. 

 

BEFORE THE TRIP

Great!  A total of FIVE GYROS are confirmed for the New Orleans trip on FRI – OCT. 13 through SUN. – OCT. 15. Should be good flying, good food, and good company. Click on the ITINERARY SUITCASE graphic for details.

Thanks for following! ENJOY THE JOURNEY

Taylor, TX to Taste of Texas – Houston Exec (June 25, 2017)

June 25, 2017 — June 29, 2017
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SUMMARY – AFTER THE TRIP

For a while, it looked like we would have to cancel the trip due to weather. At our original departure time of 1:00 PM, showers and thunderstorms still hovered over Taylor and along our route.  But, we got a break about 2:30 and were able to fly around the storms for a pleasant two hour flight down to Houston.  The folks at KTME were very accommodating in parking our gyros under their covered canopy and providing transportation to the restaurant. Taste of Texas is a comfortable place for friends to gather, and the food and service are top notch. It was great to see Chandler and Kelly.  When we departed KTME at 7:00 PM, the weather had started to brew again. We had to divert to the north toward College Station to avoid two significant storms, but, with the help of a tailwind, our ground speed was about 100 mph and we slipped through and found clear skies all the way back to Taylor T74. Thanks to KathyD, Mike and Cyndi, Bobo and Jeanette, and Chandler and Kelly for making this a fantastic GyroTrip. Thanks for following – ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

BEFORE THE TRIP

Hopefully, the weather will cooperate better than it did last time we tried this trip.. Plan to take-off from T74 Taylor at 1:00 Sunday afternoon for the flight down to KTME (Houston Exec) and an early dinner at 4:00 at Taste of Texas. We should get back to Taylor close to sundown at 8:00. Thanks for following. ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

Taylor, TX to Apache Pass, TX (June 17, 2017)

June 17, 2017 — June 21, 2017
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About a twenty minute gyro flight to the east of Taylor, there’s a stretch of land known as APACHE PASS, officially located in DOWNTOWN, TX. It’s one of the more unique venues in Central Texas and includes a private landing strip, a steakhouse, where you choose to have your steak grilled over pecan, mesquite, or oak.  And, there’s the San Gabriel River that runs across the back side of the property, complete with a swinging bridge and all kinds of sights you won’t see anywhere else.  Mike Baker put this trip together – several gyros should be flying. Looking forward to take-off at 5:00 Saturday. Thanks for following. ENJOY THE JOURNEY

Taylor, TX to Natchez and New Orleans (June 09, 2017)

June 7, 2017 — June 14, 2017
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Recapping this trip:  That’s lots of flying in two days – about 900 miles. Weather was perfect, company was, too. Flew over the middle of Lake Pontchartrain in route to Lakefront Airport in New Orleans. Messina’s Runway Cafe was closed for the weekend due to a big Hollywood movie being filmed on site.  Had one of the best breakfasts in town at Russell’s Marina Grill on Shoreline Drive, next to the lake.  Landed back at T74 just before sundown.  The trip was fun. Spending time with Chandler – Priceless! Thanks for following. ENJOY THE JOURNEY

Taylor, TX to College Station, TX (Jan 2017)

January 1, 2017 — January 20, 2017
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On Saturday, John asked if we’d like to take a Sunday GyroTrip to kick off the New Year. Dayton suggested a little restaurant that he remembered from his college days in College Station called Cafe Eccell.  It was a fun one-hour flight across the farms and fields of Central Texas to Aggieland.  Thanks, John, for the invite.

Taylor, TX to Ft Worth Zoo (Mar. 03, 2018)

March 3, 2018 — March 8, 2018
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AFTER THE TRIP

Clouds gave way to clear skies at about 9:00 AM Saturday. The flight to Ft. Worth was perfect, about 50 degrees with a tailwind from the southeast. Car was waiting when we landed at Ft. Worth Spinks and we were at the Zoo by 11:30. We wrapped up the zoo visit about 1:30 and were at Uncle Julios for lunch by 2:00. They serve a plate-full of food with chips, salsa, lobster, beef and chicken fajitas leaving plenty to take home. We departed Spinks around 4:00 PM with clear skies and about a 10kt southeast headwind. Once we passed Waco, the weather began to deteriorate and, by the time we were 20 miles from Taylor, it was pretty challenging.  The runway lights at T74 were a welcome sight. Like any GyroTrip, you deal with the doom, the gloom and the glory. At the end of the day, the gyro is in the hangar, we’re safe, and look forward to the next wheels-up. Thanks for following. ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

BEFORE THE TRIP

Ft Worth Zoo is rated number 5 in the country. This should be a fun day-trip with a little flying, the zoo , and Tex-Mex at Uncle Julios.  Kathy and I will be the only gyro on this trip –  flying N747KW. Thanks for following! ENJOY THE JOURNEY

Taylor, TX to Lajitas, TX (Dec. 2016)

December 27, 2016 — January 25, 2017
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Who flew:

Mike and Cyndi Baker – Gyro N848CG

Robert and Dayton Dabbs – Gyro N747KW

Texas is one of the most diverse, beautiful landscapes to see from a gyroplane. We took off from the flatland of Taylor (T74)  about 9:45 Tuesday morning and flew west and watched the terrain slowly rise as we approached the Texas Hill Country. After a fuel and lunch stop in Junction (KJCT) and a friendly ride to town by Mr. Bill, a wonderful 91 year old  WWII veteran, we continued west another 130 miles to a remote West Texas fuel stop in Terrell County (K6R6). There,  airport manager, CD Curry explained that the the huge runways, which looked like an abandoned scene from a Stephen King movie, were built in the 1930’s as a fuel and crew stop for giant Pan American Clippers that flew passengers from San Antonio to Los Angeles.  On our final leg, we climbed to about six thousand feet to clear the mountain range leading in to Lajitas (89TE) where airport manager Robert Farrell was waiting with an overnight hangar for our gyros and transportation to the Resort.   From the patio at the resort restaurant, we watched day fade away into night behind the mountains.  It had been a long, tiring, fun trip. We turned in for the night.

After breakfast Wednesday morning, the resort provided transportation back to the airport. After pre-flighting the gyros and loading our gear, we were in the air again for what would be the most spectacular part of our trip. Pilot, Mike Beavers, who knows the area well, volunteered to fly escort in his red Grumman to see the sites along the border. After takeoff, we flew southeast through canyons and cliffs of the Rio Grande, which separates the US and Mexico. The scenery cannot be described with words. It’s literally overwhelming.  

With another fuel stop 156 miles to the northeast in OZONA (KOZA), we then flew 131 miles east to Llano (KAQO) where airport manager (Runway Roy) provided transportation to our lunch stop at COOPERS BBQ – delicious as always. Our final leg from Llano to our home airport of Taylor (T74) was pleasant and smooth as we touched down about half an hour before sundown. As we rolled the gyros back into the hangars, it was unanimous – this was one of the best GyroTrips ever, where EVERYTHING came together as planned. Thanks for following! ENJOY THE JOURNEY. 

 

 

 

Babe’s Chicken Dinner House- Roanoke, TX (Feb. 2017)

February 4, 2017 — February 10, 2017
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The weather was cold and visibility was poor, but the trip was a lot of fun. Mike and Cyndi flew the club gyro. Dayton flew solo in 317KD and Kathy and I flew 747KW. Babe’s Chicken Dinner House in Roanoke was good (maybe not 300+ miles good), but the trip was worth it for the company. It was good to see Rob and Kristi who drove over from Denton to join us for lunch.  Thanks for following. ENJOY THE JOURNEY!