This weekend, the NorthtoAK clan returned to the far North to prepare for the next part of our summer extravaganza -- the visit/AK cruise with my folks.
The weekend was great -- Calla and I did a run in Fairborn on Saturday (a whole 5k)! She did awesome.
Mom reports that the weekend was moving day for Grandma's house, which was bittersweet -- check out the picture of Mom's big tree!
On Sunday, most of the day was preoccupied with travel. After going to Bob Evans, Frank's parents, Frank, Galileo, and I travelled to Cincinnati to get on a plane. Because of the super-great folks at Delta in ANC, the puppy was allowed on the plane with no issues.
"You're special"
After the dog was all set, we were issued tickets. Mine had big S's all over it, which were highlighted in yellow marker by the friendly guy who checks your ID at the security gate. Apparently, I am "special"
-- i.e. security threat -- for some reasons unexplained to me. So when I got into security, they separated me and Frank (Frank was not considered special) and I got to go in a separate line. My line took a long time to go through, and at the end of it was a wanding, pat-down, bomb-chemical detection and a complete rifling through all of my stuff. I'm hoping that my specialness wears off soon, because if I'm always going to be marked as a security threat, I'm going to have to learn to get to the airport even earlier!
Inflight
So we had a flight to SLC which was about 3 hours, and another to ANC which was 4 hours and change. I get confused on these flights and still believe every time I fly west I am somehow getting slightly younger due to the time changes. No matter how many flights I do like this, they are still terrible.
Ironically, the inflight entertainment to SLC was "Miss Congeniality 2", which was a film that I had dodged in Dayton. Believing it was some sort of sign, I watched the entire movie. My favorite part was that it took place mainly in Las Vegas, and I could point out all the casinos and places that we had been. The plot? Apparently Miss America's kidnapped and Sandra Bullock has to save her with a merry gang of misfits.
The next movie, though was a bit more difficult to figure out, perhaps because only one of my headphone sides was working. Matthew McConaughey follows the terrible movie Reign of Fire with Sahara, which is just as horrible but without dragons. Basically, way back there was an American revolutionary war submarine that somehow got lost in Africa (?). At the same time, Penelope Cruz uses a horrible accent and wooden acting to play a WHO doctor looking at plagues in Africa. Somehow (gosh I would not want to give all of the plot of this wonderful story away!), the plague and the ship are related to pollution and plague, which will cause worldwide nastiness. So, Matt and his merry gang of misfits has to go fix the problem. The only redeeming part of the movie to me was that William H. Macy was in it.
Home
Yes, somehow we made it through the flight with the bad inflight movies and found ourselves at ANC at 10pm ADT. To us, it felt like we were stepping off the plane at 2am EST. If there is anything more miserable than sitting on a plane for hours on end, it's getting into the airport and attempting to think way past one's bedtime.
The good thing is, we all made it home in one piece, and are slowly recovering from jet lag :).
Galileo, as usual, was especially enthusiastic and got as muddy as possible by the end.
(Another shot of Galileo enjoying the lake)
Frank and Dad enjoyed the sunshine while looking around at the lake. 
Fireweed on the Pass
I assume this is Queen Anne's lace, but not quite sure.
Galileo in the back of the Tracker, waiting to be let out.
Another Hatcher Pass shot
