Negative, Ghost Rider. The Pattern Is Full

Mostly-Naked and I went up to Duluth, MN for the air show on Saturday. We've just recently watched "Top Gun" (both of us for the bajillionth time) and are throwing quotes back and forth when the situation warrants. It's no surprise, then, that we were both amped up about the air show and willingly drove the few hours north to view the spectacle (it's not dread, Momma; it's airplanes).

It's been warm and muggy here in EC for the last week or so, but when we stepped out of my mighty sedan at a Duluth mall to await shuttle pick-up, I observed, "Ooo! It's cool up here!" The temperature was decidedly lower that close to the Arctic Circle. Maybe upper 60's around 10am. Mostly-Naked Roommate, was, as you could probably guess, mostly naked. So when the skies grew overcast, the wind picked up and dropped the temperature to 55 degrees. My sweatshirt went on and Mostly-Naked's appendages retreated.

Mostlyus nakedus, spotted in the wild in rarely seen upper torso covering

....and then it rained. For hours. The whole Blue Angels segment at the end was in the pouring rain, but we refused to leave early, on account of the BA being the highlight. Turned out, we couldn't leave anyway. The traffic was backed up for at least two hours trying to get out of the airport, so we hung out in a hanger where NASA had a booth set up.

This was the first air show that I can recall going to...and the prospect of getting to watch military aircraft up close was totally goose-bumpy for me. Ever since that first viewing of "Top Gun" at the theater with my dad, I wanted to be a fighter pilot. However, I personally would have to skip the whole military part...I wasn't built for physical labor, I don't enjoy it, and having to look and do like everyone around me causes a near-psychotic episode (yeah, I was in Marching Band in high school...Shaddap. Different...downtime w as a junk-food-fueled screw-off good time, and I only had to carry a flute. Besides, the uniform made me look cool. Mandarin collars? Absolutely the way to go.).

We sort of got shafted some on the air show's content...I was hoping to get to see the as-advertised in-flight refueling demo, but that was omitted for some reason. And we waited as much as a half-hour at one point in-between flights. But we got to see F-16's, an A-10, and the Blue Angels and their transport plane. The Blue Angels are always worth seeing. Photos are posted, and a video so you can hear what these incredible machines sound like.

Duluth was pretty cool. It's got that former boom-town, post-industrial look with steep hills and the Freakin' Huge Lake Superior at its door-step.



The Chippewa Valley Air Show, right here at our hometown airport, will be in September and looks like it will have a better variety. Most importantly? A P-51 Mustang in flight. Can't wait!