The Secret to a Perfect Flight

Apparently the best way to ensure an absolutely uneventful and as-scheduled flight is to be looking for a good story.

Create a humble Internet presence and promise wacky tales of aviation. Make sure you get the link out to as many people as you can then watch in awe as your passengers are generally polite, the weather good and your crews pleasant to work with.

Seriously, we did Chicago, Newark and Boston for the past two days without a single delay.
It's just eerie.

We ended up today in Scottsdale, AZ where I basically napped (we left Boston on time, but it was still 5am), worked out and caught up on back episodes of my favorite podcast, "catholicunderground" www.catholicunderground.com.

Old Town Scottsdale is cute in the southwestern touristy way, very similar to Old Town Albuquerque. Which of course reminded me of the adventure my mom and I took back in February to New Mexico and Arizona. It was her first time flying on my pass and her first time that far west. We took the world's longest tram to the highest peak in the Sandia Mountains and hiked to the bottom of Canyon de Chelly.

The scenery was breathtaking, but even more amazing was that we were together in the same car and hotel rooms for 6 days without a single argument.

Anyway, back here in Scottsdale I ventured out, basically just in search of a postcard to for my favorite former charge back in Annapolis. I guess they didn't get the memo out here in the dessert about it being October, because I broke a sweat.

Most of the charming little stores were closed, but inside Walgreeen's I found a postcard rack. Somehow I resisted the urge to bring home the 3 inch tarantula embedded in acrylic that was also for sale.

So now I shall complete my correspondence mission and hit the hay (that's my western reference in honor of AZ). I need my sleep because we are headed out to Orange County tomorrow. California people are always special, so I might have a better tale next time.