Monday, October 23, 2017

A High-Flying Birthday

I'm so blessed to have a mid-October birthday that comes just when the autumn colour is burning brightest. To wake up on my birthday morning, look out the window, and see towering leafy miracles of red and gold and bronze backed by a bright October sky, is a present beyond price.

This year I got to see that autumn colour from above as well as from below....

~

It started with breakfast at the Jet Room, a favourite haunt of my plane-obsessed aviation-minded family. If you like planes and live within driving (or flying) distance of Madison, do check it out. The food is good and the view is great: straight out onto the runways, with plenty of air traffic, large and small, on constant view. On a really good day, the F16s of the 115th Fighter Wing (our local Air National Guard unit) will be doing touch-and-go landings.

We didn't see the F16s that morning, but we did see a pair of mystery jets come in. And such was our luck that they taxied over to park on our side of the airfield, just a few hundred yards away. Here's one of them:


None of my plane-geek family members could identify the blue beauty, but a gentleman at the next table took pity on our ignorance. He told us it was a T38, a trainer jet - a model he'd flown many times during his military service. (Thank you, kind stranger, for your service and for the information.)

When breakfast was over, we adjourned to the Wisconsin Aviation waiting room, where soon a friendly young man approached and introduced himself as Chris, our pilot. (Magic words!) He took us out to the tarmac, where we had a date with a rather different kind of plane:


Enjoying the view while waiting my turn to board:


We squeezed into the cockpit, and I announced delightedly, "Look! I've got my own steering wheel!" (Whereupon my sister promptly told me not to touch it. We may be 60-some and 50-some years old, respectively, but that older-sister-laying-down-the-law thing is timeless.)


Photo of a family member taking a photo of me:


After much flicking of switches and pushing of buttons, some quiet conversation between the pilot and the voice that lived in his earpiece, and various throttlings-up and throttlings-back of the motor, we taxied out to the runway and took off for an aerial tour of Madison, Wisconsin's lovely lake-bordered capital city.

Looking towards Lake Mendota, with plenty of fall colour sparkling beneath us:



We sailed over Camp Randall, home of the Wisconsin Badger football team, the tiny figures of which could be glimpsed practicing on the field below as we passed:


The isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona, where our Capitol stands:


A view of the downtown area as we approached the lovely Capitol:


A closer view of the Capitol itself:


After circling several times over the University, the downtown, and the Capitol, we headed back to the airport, and soon the runways were in sight:


And before we knew it we were back on the ground.


A beautiful day and a beautiful way to spend a birthday morning. :)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

32 comments:

  1. *H*A*P*P*Y* * *B*I*R*T*H*D*A*Y*!*!*!* and what a great way to spend it! I hope you snap some closer images of your colorful trees and leaves and share it with us. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes - some glorious tree photos are coming up soon. Thanks Teresa! :)

      Delete
  2. Girl, you never fail to delight your followers❣️Happy Belated Birthday🎉❤️Linda@Wetcreek Blog

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Linda! (Any fall colour where you are?) :)

      Delete
  3. Happy Birthday! What a wonderful birthday treat you had up in the sky! Lovely shots of your experience!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Sandra! It was a lot of fun. I'd never flown in a small plane before, and this one was VERY small. :)

      Delete
  4. I'm a little late, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Looks like it was a beautiful flight. Oh those TREE COLORS!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The colors are even better now, though between rain and wind they're disappearing fast. Thanks Dee! :)

      Delete
  5. It WAS fun! Too bad a certain someone decided not to participate. Glad you enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a wonderful birthday treat!!! Happy birthday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Janet! Not as exciting as a trip to Toledo but pretty fun nevertheless. ;)

      Delete
  7. As you know, I have Birthday present envy since I adore flying. x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was not aware of that. Trains AND planes ... are you sure we're not related? I was raised to love both. Thanks TA! :)

      Delete
  8. I am also late but hope your birthday was very happy!
    You and your family love planes? Oh my dear, I hope you know about this book, "The Wright Brothers" by David McCullough! It is WONDERFUL! You simply MUST read it!
    I have attempted several posts about it but can't seem to get it finished...
    Anyway, lucky you to have such pretty autumnal color for your birthday, our colors are late this year, looks like November will be the change in leaves for us.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks Kay!
    Our fall colour was definitely slow and spotty until the last few days when it really took off. We haven't yet had a frost (very unusual for this time of year) which I think accounts for the inconsistency and late start.
    I'll be willing to be that my brother-in-law has read that book. He loves reading about the Wright brothers. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Belated Happy Birthday! what a great way to spend it, the views are amazing. :) xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. What an amazing birthday adventure. Happy Birthday Sue.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy B-Lated Birthday sweet friend. Gosh, what a wonderful time you had, and thank you for sharing it all with us. I loved every photo. I had to giggle about the "timeless" sister thing. So glad you had a wonderful day. ((hugs))

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wow! What a way to spend your birthday! I'm glad it was such a glorious day. My hubby would love a birthday like that including breakfast in the that restaurant.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Amy! That restaurant is just across the tarmac from the terminal you landed at in Madison. :)

      Delete
  14. Great trip. SO enjoyed the photos of an area I KNOW and appreciate! ! Wow. Happy Birthday late

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Kathy! It was great fun to see so many familiar things from the air. :)

      Delete
  15. Belatedly...Happy Birthday, Sue! Your posts are always a gift to me, and you have helped me feel like I have celebrated your birthday with you :) Thank you for another beautiful post! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even more belatedly ... thank you Gracie! And you're welcome. :)

      Hope November is treating you well.

      Delete
  16. My goodness, you do know how to celebrate! I may have to do such a celebration for The Lizard now. Thanks for the inspiration, and happy belated birthday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A very belated thank you, Deb! It was definitely a fun way to celebrate. :)

      Delete

I love comments! Speak on....