

Fall Bonanza Journey: Gillette, WY to Sheridan, WY
Hopped over to Sheridan, WY on the front ranges of the Bighorn Mountains. This will put me in good position to hop over to Cody, WY next — the stepping stone to Yellowstone National Park. I am super excited to fly over the mountains. Flight was smooth, smooth takeoff and landing.
Western Bonanza Journey: Flight #4 — Custer, SD to Gillette, WY
I continued west and flew from Custer, SD to Gillette, WY. I flew past the Crazy Horse Monument which is still being worked on. Otherwise a pretty clear and uneventful flight to Gillette. Originally I had planned to stop at New Castle, WY but I thought I could continue on and make it all the way to Gillette.
Next stop after Gillette is Sheridan, WY which will put me at the foothills of the Big Horn mountains and just a couple legs away from Yellowstone National Park.
MSFS 2024 Landing in VR
Landing in MSFS 2024 is so much more manageable in VR. Really enjoying this experience. I’m not sure I can ever go back.
Bonanza Journey Flight #3: Rapid City, SD to Custer, SD
Flew past Mt Rushmore on the way to Custer. Was a really fun flight low and winding through the Black Hills. Clear VFR all the way to Custer.
Full Flight Here: Flight #3: Rapid City, SD (KRAP) to Custer, SD (KCUT)
Western Bonanza Tour 2026
I traveled from Philip, SD to Rapid City, SD overnight. There was a pretty strong crosswinds, but they subsided while I was in the air. Next flight is from Rapid City, SD to Custer, SD where I’ll do a fly-by at Mount Rushmore.
Flight #5 — Pierre, SD to Phillip, SD
A lot of folks have been following along, that’s fun to see. I have been posting my takeoffs and landings on each leg as comments on the initial post. A bit of a northern wind the entire leg during this hop. Made for an interesting landing in Phillip.
Full Video Here: Pierre, SD (KPIR) to Phillip, SD (KPHP)
Next leg is Flight #6 — Phillip to Rapid City, SD
Great Bonanza Expedition of 2026
I have a series of flights I have planned out — 48 legs in all. From the Upper Great Plains of the United States, westward to Yellowstone, down through Wyoming to Denver. Then from Erie Airpark to Grand Junction, CO (Just finished reading the Dog Stars), From Grand Junction down to Telluride, back east through the Colorado plains, to Kansas, through Nebraska and then back where I started.
All flights will be done in a Beechcraft Bonanza. I am planning do just a couple flights per week, each flight is anywhere between 20 and 50 minutes long. So, this could take me until December to travel the entire length.