I'm Leeeee-vin On A Jet Plane. . .

"Don't know when I'll be back again.
Oh babe, I hate to go-oh-oh-ohohhhhh!"



Oh, wait, that's not a jet plane!
That would be a FLOAT plane. . .

 John Denver's famous "Leavin' On A Jet Plane" was the hit song in our house before we left for Phoenix.  I taught Patrick ALL the words to the song.  You see, I still had it memorized from the mid-seventies, when I was John Denver's #1 fan. 
My all time fave had to be "Country roads, take me ho-o-o-me, to the place, I be-lawwwwng. . . " I do believe Patrick thought I was crazy. 

Back to the jet plane, and leavin...The float plane pictured above was the only plane Patrick had been in, prior to the trip to Phoenix.  When we boarded the plane in Rapid City, Patrick let the pilot know he had only taken off and landed on water.  The pilot gave him a look like, "Let's hope there will be no landing on water on this trip!" 

Here are some classic photos of that first float flight. 

Swan Lake ~ Summer of '09. 

Grandma and Papa and Patrick take flight over the range.

Well, the other range, not our range.

It's their range.  The Iron Range.

The Photos:



The Crew. 
That's the friendly pilot in the background.

Ready for Takeoff

Papa

Gramma 

The Ground Water Crew.  The Senator and Bobby.

And they're off!

In Flight

The Fan Club

A safe return.  The Ground Water Crew awaits.



So, there you have it.  The Float Plane Flight. 

Now, on to the Phoenix flight.



First Jet Flight.  Rapid City to Phoenix.  Ready for Take-off.



He even got a certificate!



And a beverage of choice. . .








Phoenix, we have arrived.
Now off to see the soo-are-ohs!





 - Sing it with me now - one more time, for old time's sake -

"Country roooooads, take me hooooome, to the plaaaaace,

I be-laaaawwwwng. . . "

more to come. . .

from the range, peace,

kathleen

the handy girl