Wild Blue Yonder

The airfest is in town and this year--for the very first time--we are going. This may not seem like a very exciting thing to report (or, perhaps to many of you, a very exciting thing to attend), but as someone who grew up in the landing pattern of O'Hare, whose father worked at O'Hare, whose parents lived in the flight pattern of the Goodyear Blimp (seriously!) and who has enjoyed air travel more than a time or two (well, besides that horrific flight to Tampa--did NOT enjoy that), this is indeed an exciting adventure.

Three Hawk and Argo Warrior Princess inquired if we would like to go to the airfest. Argo knows of my love of planes because we sat directly under the planes as they landed at O'Hare while in attendance at the Xena Convention. That's a true friend--someone who is willing to eat her sub sandwich while planes are only a few hundred feet over head, rattling ear drums and sputtering airplane soot on our heads. Anyways, they thought I might enjoy attending the show; I agreed that I would indeed like to check out the birds and so we have big plans today.

The Addiverse's location is not exactly teeming with airplanes. Oh sure, there is a big enough airport (who found it necessary to put the word "Chicago" in its title, even though we don't live in Chicago, are not exactly near Chicago and have nothing to do with Chicago), but the majority of planes that go in and out of there are "Big Brown" planes that fly in the middle of the night or unidentified armed forces planes with practicing pilots making giant circles. There are a few other planes (which stop me in my tracks when they fly over--that's how weird it is to see planes in the area), such as a daily 737 ish commercial flight going to Vegas or Florida, but that's about it for the big boys. We have the run of the mill private planes zipping around but they are more like mosquitoes instead of real planes. (I always say, "be careful for what you ask" when people in town lament that there is not enough air traffic in town....those people obviously didn't live anywhere near a runway in their lives. Those who have--including the people who live by the runway in the Addiverse-understand why I say this. A busy airport comes with a price.)

Yesterday, while driving & eating some form of grease product from Taco Hell (no offense to Taco Juan), I heard the rumble. (No, not my belly from the food.) Most people wouldn't have thought twice about it, but it wasn't lost on me. It was the sound of a jet taking off. Not a commercial jet--an armed forces, serious business jet. Note that I was nowhere near the airport. It's just that the plane is that loud and that I am that attuned to hearing planes. I watched the sky (while eating and drinking, which should be illegal as it is more distracting than texting & driving in my world) and sure enough, there it was. ZOOOOOM! Overhead it went. I practically dropped my entire chalupa into my lap it was so exciting. It was some form of military jet. (I apologize to those who serve in the armed forces for not knowing what branch of the military. I'll get back to you on that after I attend the airfest and learn more.)

While seated at my desk yesterday, I heard many a plane practicing for today's event. I couldn't exactly run outside every time I heard one, so I was left to imagine what was flying overhead. I missed the entrance of the blimp to our community, but one of our friends dog did not miss it--I guess the Snoopy blimp scared the piddle right out of him. (If you haven't ever heard a blimp fly overhead, I suggest you try and do that some day. It has it's own very specific sound. I could hear it coming when visiting my parents in California. Hard to describe, but very distinct.)

This morning, it is raining....but I am confident the weather will clear up before it's time for the planes to take to the sky. The good thing is that there are plenty of planes and exhibits on the ground to enjoy while the skies remain cloudy, lots of grease-soaked food to eat (I imagine a funnel cake is in my future, most likely fried in some non-vegetarian beef fat) and the blimp will most assuredly be parked on the ground (close up viewing!). We can talk about air flight horror stories (only if Cool Mama and Lady Di were there to join in the discussion about the Tampa flight), air flight cool stories (flying on a 747 is cool), can't-believe-I-flew-on-it stories (did I really get in that four seater plane and fly to Vieques with Dos Marias...with a pilot who looked like he was 12 years old and was wearing a shirt that wasn't buttoned?), lost luggage stories, favorite airplane movies. (Airplane? Airport? Airport 77? Top Gun? Con Air? Flight Plan?). I'll try to take lots of photos (don't you just love the age of the digital camera--take a billion photos, keep three or four of them), try to stand in some form of jet wash, try not to get a strained neck from looking up--in other words, it will be an awesome time. I'll reminisce while standing in the landing pattern and I will admit never wanting to parachute while stunt people throw themselves out of planes. Most importantly, I'll be with my nerdy peeps who love airplanes. Off we go--kinda sorta--into the wild blue yonder....