Flying is a big part of who I am. So what makes more sense than to go flying on my first REAL day of retirement? I mean, it’s Monday. I should be at work at my desk answering email, ignoring email, checking on the hospital computer network. But I wasn’t there, I was tying the airplane down at Los Banos Airport.
It suddenly hit me that I truly was retired. Last Monday, I was outstanding in the field of network engineering. This Monday, today, I was out standing in a field between the Los Banos Airport tie-down area, and Highway 152 as it runs through town. I wasn’t walking to the hospital coffee shop, I was walking to Jack-in-the-Box. On a Monday! The only way I can describe the feeling was weird. It was good. But it was weird.
I jaywalked across the highway, it’s a right of passage for pilots flying into Los Banos. One I long since partook in many years ago. But it was fun to relive that first flight to this airport to get my $100 hamburger. The McDonalds I remember being there was now replaced by Weinerschintzel. Nah, they don’t do breakfast. Walked a little farther past a Black Bear Diner. Nah, not looking to sit down. I just want something to go. Jack-In-The-Box was next. Got a breakfast burrito and a coffee to go. That’s more like it. I walked back up the highway with my coffee cup and to-go bag trying to time the traffic just right. Finally did and made it back to the airport.
Had to stop and pause and just take it all in. Monday. I’m at an airport. Yeah. I could get used to this. Found a picnic table just outside the airport and had breakfast. Nothing was going on at the airport. It’s Monday morning. No students, no weekenders coming out for their $100 hamburger. Just me and the cool humid wind that was being blown by whatever storm system is currently passing by.
I didn’t linger too long after breakfast. This picnic table wasn’t the point of this morning’s flight. The flight was the point of the flight. Literally, it was all about the journey. It’s only 40 minutes from Oakdale to Los Banos but I was up. Above the Monday traffic, above the emails, above the projects, above the budgets. They say you have to stay busy in retirement. Yeah, I think I can do that. Cruising along under a warm stable weather system at 1500 feet MSL at 80-ish MPH. Yeah, I definitely think I can do that.
It’s not all fun a games though. Next job is repacking my travel trailer’s wheel bearings. No wait, when there is no time table, that is fun! I like this job!
See you next time when I’m elbow deep (hope not) in bearing grease.
Air Prayer 
That’s the first of many. It is surreal when you used to leave for work at 4am and come home at 5pm.