Route Map with Weather. Note the strong low pressure area with the sharply bowed cold front. And winds aloft as high as 130 knots

 

 

On Runway 18L at Memphis waiting for takeoff clearance.

 

 

Climbing out of Memphis and crossing the mighty and muddy Mississippi River.

 

 

At cruise flight level over northern Arkansas, Bull Shoals Lake below.

 

 

Crossing the Arkansas – Oklahoma border with the sun at midday. The difference in the two states is evident here with MSE2 scenery developed on different dates.  Wish they would spend time evening out these differences first instead of introducing a new level of scenery.  Chose not to show it in this topic, but the difference in tone between Oklahoma and Kansas is embarrassing.

 

 

Later, with an increasing cloud cover, a peek at Wichita, Kansas. You can pick out two airports under the nose of the HondaJet. McConnell AFB and Beech field, home of Beechcraft.

 

 

Not too much scenic about central Kansas from FL310. But these round patterns are created by farm crops watered from center-pivot irrigation systems that span up to a mile in diameter.

 

 

Nearing the Kansas – Colorado border. Most of Kansas was obscured by a solid overcast.  Time to start the descent into Denver. Obviously the weather has not moved away from Denver. Better pull up ATIS as soon as able.

 

 

Ahhh! ATIS does not look good. Clouds at 1,000, ceiling at 2,000, visibility 1 mile in snow!

 

 

After listening to ATIS this overcast does not look inviting.

 

 

Though there are some occasional breaks in the overcast I had to scratch my plans to buzz downtown and Mile High Stadium, home of the Broncos, as it was unsafe to venture below the ceiling

 

 

There were no additional breaks in the clouds as the approach course turned me back toward KDEN and ILS 34R. 

 

 

This weather foiled my plans.  I had selected 34R as its threshold is mid-field (and mid-terminal) so would offer the greatest visibility of my arrival.  I wanted my landing in this Carolina Panthers livery HondaJet to draw some attention from the Denver fans.

 

 

But that is not likely to happen as conditions are still marginal IFR as I follow what is likely a PMDG 737-700 on final.

 

 

Then the snow……. And not light snow either!

 

 

Nearing minimums and still no runway in sight.  Where did the 737-700 I was following go?

 

 

Barely met minimums when the runway appeared (yea, right!) and made the landing.  So much for my worry yesterday that I would not see winter textures when arriving in Denver.

 

 

D#$%@%$#$@ !!! They are not getting any quality looks at my plane….

 

 

So I decided to go out of my way to taxi all around the terminals! Had plenty of fuel left to do so.  But this was as close as Ground Control would allow me because of conditions (they say!) Perhaps conditions will be much improved by tomorrow morning and I can get some exposure.  Perhaps I can still buzz downtown Denver and Mile High Stadium on the way out to Santa Clara.

 

The scenery should be better tomorrow on the final leg out. Weather should clear out after this strong front moves eastward.

Just be glad you didn't come in earlier.  Still shoveling the foot of snow out of my driveway this evening here 40 miles N of KDEN.

 

Scott

Scott,

I snowblew approx 20 inches from our blizzard a week ago. Then  another 6 inches the following day. Tons of fun (no joking). Meanwhile our home HCAC quit and we kept warm burning firewood in an efficient fireplace insert. But it could not keep the entire house warm. Back to normal.

It's been a fun winter for a lot of us, hasn't it?

 

Scott