The Hobo Kid: June 2018

A good travel companion is a rare find. Someone who compliments your sense of adventure as well as your taste in locale, while being open to new experiences is an unique individual. I count myself quite fortunate to have such a companion. One willing to leave the pleasant summer temps and go to Alaska, where it was fifty degrees and raining every day! So this post will have a number of pictures of that said human. So forgive me, I'm about to gush about this wonderful woman.

Brooke and I have been together for a little while now, but since we are both pilots spending consecutive days together has never been possible for us. So we decided to stress this relationship with 9 days straight, starting with a flight to Ketchikan, Alaska. My old home, salmon capital of the world, nestled into the Tongass National Forest, a place that rains almost every day of the year. We were lucky enough to spend our time with the King family and were essentially given free reign over the entirety of the island. We hiked, we ziplined, saw some lumberjacks and even did some touristy things. I tried my best to remember all my worst jokes, and they came one at a time much to Brooke's chagrin. We saw eagles, orcas, a bear, totem poles, waterfalls and lots and lots of green trees. While the trip was a huge success, it's always hard leaving Ketchikan, but such is life.

Our next adventure was a bit more challenging. Brooke and I were lucky enough to work together for three days, continuing our streak of "longest time spent together." Fortunately for me, she is a graceful and knowledgable captain, so I can see why so many people enjoy flying as her copilot. We spent three days dodging thunderstorms and flying into sunsets, three of the best days of my aviation career. So, if any of you are as fortunate as me, to find a travel companion that you can work AND play with, I would highly recommend holding on to them.