Ronald Paden, it’s been several years since your beautiful soul took flight to Heaven. However, like Kenny Chesney’s song says, you still linger in the lives of us that love you. Ron, I unequivocally know where you are tonight. You are in my heart and soul. Just like you have always been….and will always be.
“Wherever You Are Tonight”—-Kenny Chesney
The Rerouted Skytress has returned to her office in the sky. It has taken me six months and two surgeries to get here..but, I’m back! I’ll admit. Knowing I had two long Anchorage layovers on my first trips back, really made the transition much easier for me. My first layover I hung out with my Skytress friend, Kellie. She picked up an Anchorage layover out of Minneapolis. My second trip I hung out with my crew. No one on my crew had ever been to Anchorage. So, I got to play tour guide. This month I may have been a better tour guide than Skytress. Yessiree. I still have to get my rhythm back on the airplane. Thankfully with each flight leg I’m feeling more like my Skytress self. I should be in peak form by September. Just in time to go out on vacation!
I confess I made a major rookie mistake heading out on my first trip. I over- packed my suitcase. I had six months to clean out my flight bags. Yet, I didn’t. Of course, I could have vowed not to buy anything on my layover. But, let’s be real. I’m a Skytress. We all vow we won’t buy anything on our layovers. Rarely do we keep this vow. Heck. Somewhere early in my Skytress career I switched my layover motto to …. “Buy it when you see it. So you don’t regret it later”. Who wants regrets in life? Not me. It does help that crews don’t have to adhere to the passenger one bag-one personal item policy. I did clean out my bags after my first Anchorage layover. Now, that’s a veteran Skytress move. Yessiree. Move out the old to make room for the new. What can I say? With each trip I’m feeling more like my Skytress self.
The scheduling gods were kind to me on my first trip back. Not only was I heading back to Anchorage, I was, also, flying with my Skyter friend, Paul. Paul and I had completely different Anchorage adventures. I spent the day hanging out with my Skytress friend, Kellie. We had coffee at Snow City Cafe. We shopped and walked all around Anchorage. We had a late lunch at the 49th State Brewery. Skyter Paul climbed Flattop Mountain. Then he slid down the mountain on the icy snow to make sure he reached the bottom in time to catch the shuttle back to town. Ouch!
My initial plan on my second Anchorage layover was to take it easy. I started my trip with a swollen knee. I wish I had a great story to go along with my swollen knee. I could have told my crew I slid down Flattop Mountain the week prior with Skyter Paul and hurt my knee. Sadly, I most definitely look like a shopper and not a hiker. I’m sure my crew would have been highly suspicious of my story. Thankfully, the swelling went down in my knee overnight and I was ready to resume my roll of Anchorage tour guide. Everyone knows the first stop on the tour starts at Snow City Cafe. The week before Skytress Kellie and I skipped breakfast. Kellie had to fly the all-nighter back to Minneapolis. We decided we would have a big lunch and forgo breakfast. We, also, wanted to forgo the long wait for a table inside. Instead, we ordered Snow City Cafe coffees to-go and sat outside and caught up on each other’s lives. I think Skytress Kellie and I regretted our hasty decision. Especially after Kellie’s crew went inside and ordered the famous Eggs Benedict. The following week I was a much better Anchorage tour guide. I knew Skytress Jessica had never been to Anchorage. She definitely needed to experience the Snow City Cafe. I’m proud to report we did have breakfast. We didn’t regret our decision, either. No siree! We both ordered the other famous Snow City Cafe breakfast entree….a crab-filled omelette. It was delicious!
A trip to Anchorage wouldn’t be complete without purchasing some souvenirs. Skytress Kellie and I went shopping. The following week Skytress Jessica and I went shopping. We ran into our other two Skyters on our trip in The Kobuk tea shop. They had been out shopping, too. Are you shocked? I didn’t think so! We all decided to pause our shopping to go on the trolly tour of Anchorage. I’ve been on the trolly tour a few times. I love going on the trolly tour. Mainly because I am usually with crew members that have never been on the tour. I love watching them experience Anchorage from the little red trolly. Especially, when we get to watch float planes take off and land on the water. I’m not going to lie….airline people usually geek out a little more watching this than the rest of the people on the trolly tour. My crew was no exception. Yessiree. It made this tour guide very proud, indeed.
Both trips we went to watch the fishermen. The first week there was barely anyone fishing. The water was too shallow. The second week there were more fishermen. There was actually a fishing competition going on. I didn’t see anyone catching fish while we were watching. They were mostly just casting their lines in and out of the water. That’s my kind of fishing. I call it faux fishing. It looks like you’re having a great time fishing….but, you don’t have to actually touch a yucky fish.
Not surprisingly, there are great seafood restaurants in Anchorage. A couple restaurants consistently make the highly recommended list. Truthfully, the weather is going to have to be terrible for me to try these restaurants. The outdoor dining and mountain views at the 49th State Brewery are too spectacular to pass up. This tour guide happily takes everyone to 49th State to experience the amazing outdoor ambiance. Heck. It’s the perfect way to wind down one’s layover. Skytress Kellie and I had lunch here before she headed back to her hotel get ready for her all-nighter to Minneapolis. Skytress Jessica and I had dinner here to wind down after a long day of exploring Anchorage. Yessiree. My salmon bowl tasted like I had just fished the salmon out of the fresh Alaskan water. Well, if I actually fished and not faux fished that is.
I will be flying to Anchorage four more times in July. As you can guess, I’m very excited about this fact. It’s intoxicating seeing the snow-capped mountains as you fly into and out of Alaska….or simply walk around Anchorage. I, also, love the feeling I get jumping up out of bed in the middle of the night and seeing daylight. It brings out the kid in me and makes me all giddy inside. Hopefully, I’ll fly a few more Anchorage trips in August, September and October. I love experiencing the daylight dwindling with each passing day after the summer solstice. Seeing the tourist dwindle with each passing day is also fascinating. Both are sure signs winter is coming. Luckily, I’ll be flying with friends on several of my Anchorage trips. I’m extremely excited about this fact. Heck. It doesn’t feel like work when you are flying with friends. It’s like being on vacation when you are airborne. And everyone knows how much I adore vacation!
