The Breakfast Club
An Affiliate of the
The Knife & Fork
Breakfast Club Visits Valle, Grand
Canyon Inn
8 Mar 2008
by Warren McIlvoy
The only explanation that I can logically come-up with that
would decipher the reason why we have had to juggle the first three event
locations is, we must have had a full moon on the day that the Event Committee
met to assemble this year's event schedule. January was supposed to be Valle
but the restaurant at the Grand Canyon Inn was closed for the season. Se
we switched the Kingman event from February to January and moved Valle
to February. As you well know, come February and the restaurant was still AWOL thus
causing a cancellation again and going to Benson instead. March was
looking better all the time. Fate was not finished playing with our schedule
just yet. It turns out that the restaurant at
The only fly in the Breakfast Club ointment was that the Cactus Fly-in at Casa
Grande was on the say day as the Breakfast
Club fly-in to Valle. The weather
gods were smiling on us and it was just a perfect day to head north and savor
the mountain views and an area where winter was still in vogue. After passing
over the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Area, we were immediately viewing the Mogollon Rim as it
continued its northwesterly course. Snow was quite evident on the forest floor
as well as
A little further ahead where state route 64 and US-180 meet, is our target for
the morning, Valle, Arizona. I cross over the airport at mid field to
enter a left downwind for runway 1. After a smooth landing, I
turn-off on the taxiway and taxi to the ramp. Valle had gained some
popularity with the aviation community due to the presents of a branch of the Planes
of Fame aircraft museum that is located on the field. The main terminal
building also houses a pristine collection of antique cars. Right next to the
airport is the World famous Bedrock City Theme Park that is popular with
the much younger set. The snack bar there also attracts the road warriors as
they head north to the
Since there were only eleven of us, we were all able to sit at a long, single
table. The relatively small size of our group did not put too much of a strain
on the wait or kitchen staff so we all received our entrees in good time. After
taking a few photos of the Breakfast Club group at the table, we paid our tab and started the hike
back to the airport. Once back in the terminal building, the antique car
collection quickly got my attention for more pictures. The required "pit
stop" was the last chore before our departure from Valle.
The wind had now shifted more our of the west and thus
was a crosswind take-off on runway 1. It was not until we reached the Verde
Valley did our ride return to the nice smooth conditions that we so dearly
love.
The Valle Group
What's Next?
The April Breakfast Club event will take us to an old favorite of
. Click on the Valle
link to view some photos of this event.