Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Two by Two Together

Do you prefer to fly alone, or with someone? I've looked at ultralights before, but ultimately came to the conclusion that it's just not as fun without a friend along. Sure, sometimes I hop in the car, or rent an airplane, and head out of town by myself - but it's always that much more fun when I have someone along to chat with, to swap driving or flying so one of us can spend more time looking out the window or puzzling out the directions, or looking for moose and bear on the ground below.

Other folks I know fly to get away from people, and are never so contented as when their campfire is the only evidence of humanity in the mountain-hemmed horizon. They enjoy solitude, whether fishing on a creek or working on a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Me, I prefer to be in a group of folks, some friends, some acquaintances, rambling along and enjoying whatever comes.

Last night, talking to a friend who I haven't seen since he moved down to the western lower 48, I learned he has free time this summer, in enough quantity that a 3-day trip down the Alcan in an old airplane will be perfectly fine if it turns into a week waiting out weather - so I'll have company at least part of the way from Anchorage to my new home. This fills me with happiness like sunshine breaking out under the low cloud deck and painting the land gold at the end of a dreary gray day. A second person brings increased safety so I won't be a lone female in strange towns, help pushing back and pulling the airplane out of tiedowns, and another person to take the controls for a spell or help with maps and GPS. Better than all of those, though, is the company of a friend.

This may mean, though, I'll have to ship more stuff down, as I won't be able to fill the second seat with assorted junk, like a college kid's car. Hmm. In the meantime, it's a fine beautiful sunny day. I think I need to drag my husband out for a road trip!