Kitty and Holt drove me to the Denver airport to send me off. It was hard to say goodbye! I know Holt will look older when I return. From his rear-facing car seat, Holt always looks into the cargo space of our Subaru when I'm getting gear from the back. He is such a happy baby he will almost always smile when you say hello to him. I hope he doesn't start teething while Kitty is alone with him. We read in the baby books that can be a really hard time. If you're in Denver over the next few weeks maybe you can check in on Kitty to see if she needs any help.
On the flight I sat next to an older gentleman who was a forester for 30 years before retiring and a young project engineer for the oil industry on the North Slope (the northern coast of Alaska). They were both nice. We were three tall guys stuck in the row that doesn't recline. It was a five-hour opportunity to exercise patience. I can't wait to get out to the open tundra and stretch my legs!
As it turns out, when I arrived in Fairbanks my bags had not! I later learned they were stranded in Anchorage. Maybe the baggage handlers thought they were too heavy! Hopefully they'll catch up to me in the morning. Tomorrow we start our three days of special training. Tomorrow's topic: aviation (flying in helicopters and other aircraft).