The New Guy

by Gretchen

As I was sitting in the lobby at Wright Air Service today I sat down next to a wide-eyed guy, quietly taking everything in.  It was obviously his first time here.  You could tell by the look on his face.  The regulars at "Wrights" walk in, chat with the ladies at the desk, joke with the pilots, drink bad coffee and stand outside for smoke breaks.  It is really more like a bus station than an airport terminal.  If Wright Air had a Frequent Flyer program I would have Super Elite Premium Platnum Status by now.  I always see people I know here.  Today I was busy watching someone's baby while they went out to pack boxes and check in cargo when the new guy started asking me questions. "Where are you flying?" "You mean you live all the way up there?" "What do you do there?"  I am a talker by nature and always glad to chat about the beautiful and unique place we get to live.  So I told him a bit about the area, then asked what brought him to Alaska.

He is from Chattanooga, Tennessee (where my Dad grew up!) He just graduated from UT with an engineering degree and decided to take a 45 day trip to experience Alaska before getting a job.  (Gotta love that!)  This was his first time ever flying. Not just his first time flying on small planes, but ever flying at all!  What a trip to take for someone who has never flown!  He flew from TN to Minneapolis, to Anchorage, to Fairbanks, then was heading out to Tanana to meet a musher and take an 11 day dog sled trip across the interior.  He hopes to see the Northern Lights while out dog sledding.

It reminded me how much I love to hear stories of people who venture out to see Alaska!  It is such an amazing place to explore.  I wonder if he'll be one of the ones that starts out on vacation and ends up staying.  It seems to happen up here!  Have a great trip!