Why I started flying in the first place.

[A Squared]

Got out of town last weekend, loaded up the 180 and the girlfriend and I took off for a couple of days. Landed on a small lake on a large island in Prince William Sound. Wandered up and down the deserted beach, looking at deer tracks and brown bear tracks, bothering the seals. Built a monster driftwood bonfire on the beach, then cooked dinner over the coals. As I sat there eating, sipping a glass of excellent wine, listening to the surf and looking at the snow streaked mountains which form the backbone of the island, it struck me; This was why I started flying initially; for evenings like this, in places like this; not for the realm of airways, localizers, altitude assignments, and frequency changes. Anyone else have moments like that, when you realize how far removed your job is from what got you into flying in the first place?

Incidentally, mar, the Valipolicella you gave us goes quite nicely with chicken and vegetables steamed in aluminum foil on a remote beach.

 

[TonyC]

Awesome....




Did she approve of your cooking methods, I mean, was the foil clean enough?

 

[A Squared]

Did she approve of your cooking methods, I mean, was the foil clean enough?

Hehe, good memory, yes, the aluminum foil underwent a rigorous inspection, For those of you scratching your heads, Tony is alluding to the fact that my girlfriend is a sanitarian (water quality, health inspections etc.)

 

[Ted Striker]

You guys are killing me. I was born and raised in Valdez and PWS is one of the most serene places I have been priviledged to see and live in. Everyday I spend in Class B, under ATC, arguing with moron schedulers makes me wish I was closer to my roots-back in God's country! I would love to come back up there and fly....someday. Enjoy it guys!

 

[Twotter76]

Always do what makes you happy

True there are absolutely times where I miss flying my Twotter around the Motherland seeing bears and sheep and moose and snow capped peaks all around me. Or seeing the Aurora glowing from horizon to horizon. But all is not lost - for while I dont have my mountains I still have the Aurora, Saint Elmos fire, and sunsets (and sunrises) from FL350. Just the other day I was cruising into a beautiful sunset and watching the contrails of other airplanes crisscross below us - the radios were quiet and the captain was asleep (kidding) and the moment was almost serene. No one was complaining about their paycheck, their schedule, or the recent displacement. We were simply there. Going 80% of the speed of sound while at the same time hardly moving at all. It brings me a sense of peace that I find hard to replicate on the ground and I would not trade it for anything.

So to answer your question while the flying that I do now is certainly far different from flying around Alaska - I have simply traded one type of beauty for another. And I figure if I want to go play I can always head over to Take Flight and rent a 172 and take a little scenic mountain tour of my own the next time I am up there. On that note is there anywhere left that you can rent a tailwheel in ANC? Isn't Hubbard air gone?

 

[mar]

Perfetto!

Incidentally, mar, the Valipolicella you gave us goes quite nicely with chicken and vegetables steamed in aluminum foil on a remote beach.

I'm glad to hear that bottle met it's end in a region as lovely (but so different) as the one in which it originated.

Saluti!

 

[$$$4nothin]

Tangier Island

For anyone who lives on the east coast i suggest that you buy a washington sectional and find an Island by the name of Tangier Island located out in the chesapeke bay. 4000ft paved(kinda) strip with a jar next to an unmand hut that says please deposit $2 landing fee. 1 pickup a resteraunt acouple of fishing boats and a isolated beach which was put on gods great earth for the sole reason to make love to your girl on under a beutifull VA sky.. Sure beats shooting an ILS into KBOS when its 200 and a half.

 

[JRSLim]

Very nice.

I get to have that feeling a little more often, being lower on the ladder than you. Usually when I go solo or take someone on a mountain check out ride, I just sit back and take a look around and say 'yep'.
Sometimes during routine lessons I just have to stop myself and say 'Hey...... I'm FLYING...I'm a PILOT'