Shoup Airlines

Requiem

It was with a tear in my eye that I removed your key from the ring and left it on the dashboard this morning, never to see you again. I still remember the first time we met in 1999 through an underhanded introduction from my parents. I was quite dubious at first, simply because it wasn’t I who espied you, but nevertheless like any good relationship ours stood the test of time and distance.

As much as you would never admit it, I know you hated it when I transplanted you to North Dakota, but you were still there always willing to start even in -80 degree weather. When we moved to Virginia I know it was bittersweet for you, the weather being much improved but me not needing you more than once a week. Your age began to show as things started creaking, yet you immediately perked up as I pointed your nose west once more. Sadly, more and more of you began to need special attention. You didn’t like the heat anymore, your skin began to crack. More than once I was advised to part ways with you and I even considered it but I’m glad I didn’t follow through.

After three times across the country and again having to depart your home you still dutifully began trip number four back into the heat of the desert and the humidity of Alabama. I’m still not sure what happened and afraid I never will, but in your death throes you continued to protect me from harm until I turned the ignition off for the last time.

Thank you and goodbye my friend.

Surf City 5K

The photos are in.  Can I look any dumber?

Catalina again? Geez!

Yes, that’s right folks, I have a love affair with this airport. It is the perfect little airport that isn’t that far away, looks cool to the uninitiated and has a great little cafe that serves awesome hamburgers and sandwiches. And if you plan it right, you get to dance in the clouds a bit on the way out! Wanna go?

One of the more interesting tidbits about the island is that it has indigenous buffalo bison. No one knows for sure how they got there, just that they were there when we got there. How they went from roaming the Plains to a little island only 22 miles at its longest is beyond me. Yesterday was the first time I had actually seen them not wedged between a hamburger bun halfway between the plate and my mouth. Kind of cool.

Another tidbit, I got schooled on the difference between a buffalo and a bison. And it just had to be my dad that did the schooling. Apparently, the buffalo name is reserved for the African and Water buffalo where the American creature is a bison and the two are only distantly related. Go figure. The picture of the raven is only in here because he kept strutting his stuff and I thought it was pretty funny.