Anchorage to Denver in SR-71

For the last leg of my SR-71 Blackbird flying adventure, I'm departing Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska, for Buckley AFB in Denver, Colorado - heading back home! It looks like this adventure will have covered flights to Seattle, Denver, Honolulu, Okinawa, Anchorage, and back to Denver. Here are some things to do in the Denver area. 

The Anchorage weather is reported as winds calm, visibility 10, with a broken layer at 4,700 feet, a temperature of 12C and dewpoint of 7C. Should be an easy departure.

The Denver weather is reported as wind from 320 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10, a few clouds at 9,000 feet, a temperature of 21C and a dewpoint of 1C. Looks to be a straightforward arrival.

The Denver winds are favoring Buckley's runway 32, which is nice, since it also has an ILS instrument approach to guide me in.

Lined up for departure on Elmendorf's runway 24, engines spooled up, and ready to release the brakes.

Climbing away from Elmendorf, on a 240 degree heading. It's hard to make out the Elmendorf runway straight behind me in the Anchorage mist, but it's there if you look hard. The small private airport "Sleepers Strip" off my right wing, is easier to see here.

Turning toward my initial on-course heading of 090 degrees. That heading will change significantly toward to the right, as I get farther south.

Heading eastward along the coast, maybe just offshore from Yakutat, with Glacier Bay ahead on the left.

Passing over a big lake... maybe Flathead Lake in Wyoming? Funny how it's a little tricky keeping track of geography, when cruising so fast, as things on the ground go by quickly.

Crossing the Rocky Mountains and the Continental Divide, near Nederland, a little northwest of the Denver area, while descending toward Buckley AFB. Trying not to descend too low, too soon, I've slowed my descent rate, planning to level off at 16,000 if I'm not past the Rockies by then. I should really be flying an instrument route, or at least an arrival procedure, which would protect my altitude, but with VFR conditions, I'm OK with maintaining my own clearance from the terrain.

On a wide downwind for Buckley's ILS to runway 32, with Chatfield Lake between me and the airport.

On the ramp at Buckley AFB. A B-747 was just starting up and taxiing out, as I arrived. I find it entertaining, to see the automated aircraft in X-Plane every once in awhile.