Yup. I’m in Fairbanks, Alaska. In the past couple weeks I drove back to AZ with Ramses and Liberty, left them there, and flew back to WA in Path.
Leaving Path behind at Shady Acres, I flew commercial to Alaska. My thinking was that a pilot without an Instrument Rating has no business flying into this state of rapidly changing weather conditions. The difficult part was departing SeaTac airport. The two commercial flights I’ve taken since Nine-Eleven were from small Mesa Airport in AZ where the check in and security process is simple. Not so at SeaTac (Seattle/Tacoma).
I arrived with two suitcases, computer bag, purse, one excited Australian Cattle Dog puppy and the crate in which he would travel. I’ve only got two hands, so forked over $4 to rent one of those luggage carts. The semi-useless things are not designed to carry much so I spent a lot of time stopping to reload strewn possessions, all while Thorn helped as only he can. I stood in one long line to check the two bags, another to do dog travel paperwork. Nearly 2 hours remained before flight time so I delayed putting Thorn in the crate and turning him over to baggage. Forty minutes prior to scheduled departure I abandoned my dog and rounded the corner to…a line that would make Disneyland’s worst look short. Who knew? That 2 hours early thing the airlines mention, is for standing in line, shoes in hand, to be inspected. I quickly realized my chances of making it to the gate in time were slim…and I was correct. Arriving panting and frazzled I found the boarding door closed. Wait! My dog is on that plane! Panic! A lovely young woman at the counter assured me that Thorn had not been loaded (no one mentioned he had to be checked in a full hour prior to departure). She then got busy and rescheduled me for the next flight, departing in one hour. Expecting to pony up a huge fee for changing flights, I was pleasantly surprised – no charge. Please allow a short commercial – Alaska Airlines has efficient, thoughtful personnel and customer friendly policies – they earn your business, and have mine! The baggage handler who loaded Thorn actually came into the cabin to hand me the confirmation ticket and assure me my dog was on board.
Since arriving in this state of adventure, imagination and romance, the weather has been wet and grey but certainly not frozen. I’m in a state that has held my fascination since reading the first Jack London novel over 50 years ago. The land of the Midnight Sun is as named – no darkness. The sun dips down to what in the lower 48 is 5:00 pm and then starts back up again. Sleeping is strange – with light streaming in the windows, you just don’t get tired.
The evergreen trees here are short, narrow and remind me of something from Dr Suez.
Roads are frequently as bumpy as flying through turbulence, due to frost heaving.
Yup. I’m in Fairbanks, Alaska. In the past couple weeks I drove back to AZ with Ramses and Liberty, left them there, and flew back to WA in Path.
Leaving Path behind at Shady Acres, I flew commercial to Alaska. My thinking was that a pilot without an Instrument Rating has no business flying into this state of rapidly changing weather conditions. The difficult part was departing SeaTac airport. The two commercial flights I’ve taken since Nine-Eleven were from small Mesa Airport in AZ where the check in and security process is simple. Not so at SeaTac.
I arrived with two suitcases, computer bag, purse, one excited Australian Cattle Dog puppy and the crate in which he would travel. I’ve only got two hands, so forked over $4 to rent one of those luggage carts. The semi-useless things are not designed to carry much so I spent a lot of time stopping to reload strewn possessions, all while Thorn helped as only he can. I stood in one long line to check the two bags, another to do dog travel paperwork. Nearly 2 hours remained before flight time so I delayed putting Thorn in the crate and turning him over to baggage. Forty minutes prior to scheduled departure I abandoned my dog and rounded the corner to…a line that would make Disneyland’s worst look short. Who knew? That 2 hours early thing the airlines mention, is for standing in line, shoes in hand, to be inspected. I quickly realized my chances of making it to the gate in time were slim…and I was correct. Arriving panting and frazzled I found the boarding door closed. Wait! My dog is on that plane! Panic! A lovely young woman at the counter assured me that Thorn had not been loaded (no one mentioned he had to be checked in a full hour prior to departure). She then got busy and rescheduled me for the next flight, departing in one hour. Expecting to pony up a huge fee for changing flights, I was pleasantly surprised – no charge. Please allow a short commercial – Alaska Airlines has efficient, thoughtful personnel and customer friendly policies – they earn your business, and have mine! The baggage handler who loaded Thorn actually into the cabin to hand me the confirmation ticket and assure me my dog was on board.
Since arriving in this state of adventure, imagination and romance, the weather has been wet and grey but certainly not frozen. I’m in a state that has held my fascination since reading the first Jack London novel over 50 years ago. The land of the Midnight Sun is as named – no darkness. The sun dips down to what in the lower 48 is 5:00 pm and then starts back up again. Sleeping is strange – with light streaming in the windows, you just don’t get tired.
The evergreen trees here are short, narrow and remind me of something from Dr Suez. 
Roads are frequently as bumpy as flying through turbulence, due to frost heaving.
The pipeline is a presence here, appearing, climbing and vanishing, only to reappear later as it snakes its way over still another mountain.
