I'd never flown. after my ghost hunting friend Tracy moved to Arizona, she said she'd get me plane tickets for Xmas and I'd fly out there and we'd ghost hunt.

the time came, I drove to Des Moines airport. alone. took me 3 tries to get into the parking lot. I can't follow GPS directions. I just can't. Navigated through the airport. did the self check in kiosk although I had tickets downloaded to my phone, so I wouldn't hold up the line trying to find the tickets. bought a Pepsi from a vending machine right inside door, chugged half, and threw it away during security check. after all my worry about the 3-1-1 bag, they didn't even look at it. convinced myself after take off that I was on the wrong plane. (I knew when they scanned the ticket, they'd tell you if you were boarding the wrong plane, but I also knew that somehow, someway, their system wasn't working and I'd be stranded in Bozemen, Montana. ) Middle seat. inside the plane sounded like powerwashing by a constantly running B Barn heater. Whoosy and rumbly.had a free water and a free snack mix. (did this all 4 flights.) got off plane, found a Pepsi-which is harder than you think. All the airports were 99.0% Coke. you had to really look. paid between $2.50-$4.75 for a Pepsi. worth every bloody nickel. found 2nd gate. and I got a window seat! it was less scary looking out windows at the clouds. I'm a cloud watcher, and they're just as cool from up in the air. I found Rip Running, alligators, dragons, all kinds of stuff. the clouds looked like snow and the sky like water.

Tracy was waiting for me at Baggage Claim and away we went! ate lunch at Famous Daves. saw wild horses.. sagauro cactus.