Call me a thief, but I'm going to steal what you've written below. In fact,
I've already emailed it to my wife.

I think you have perfectly described why flying is NOT expensive. What
other recreational endeavor rewards it's participants with such freedom and
abilities? What other hobby requires it's members to obtain such extensive
knowledge of the world around them and then demands that they use that
knowledge in life-preserving manner but for their efforts rewards them with
experiences and views beyond description? (ok, maybe mountain climbing)
Where could you possibly buy anything so wonderful? What idiot would sell
it if he owned it? How could he even put a price on it? It is truly
priceless and yet pilots are more than willing to GIVE this wonderful
experience to any interested person, just for the asking.

Flying is CHEAP and pilots are RICH! Rich with experiences that can be
obtained no other way. Rich with memories that will last their lifetime.
Rich with the friendship of other pilots and families that have experienced
the joy of flying.

Thanks Jay.

It's been in an incredible journey.

To have the ability to simply hop in a plane, and *go* -- literally
anywhere
in the Western Hemisphere -- at a moment's notice, is truly amazing.
Sometimes I think we pilots get jaded to that fact, but it's something
that
bears repeating.

Because of G.A., Mary and I have been everywhere, from Wisconsin to
Florida,
from Nevada to New York. When I first got my ticket, I was able to fly
my
Mom back to her little home town, where she arrived like a queen in her
own
personal son-flown airplane, to the amazement of friends and relatives
alike. We were both proud as peacocks, and I truly believe that was the
best day of her retirement years.

A few years later, when she lay dying, aviation was the gift that allowed
me
to fly home to be with her every few days. Without G.A. I would not have
been able to say goodbye...

My kids have seen Cape Canaveral, Lakeland, Oshkosh, the Grand Canyon, the
Great Lakes, Mackinac Island, Devil's Tower, Mt. Rushmore, Carlsbad
Caverns,
the Gulf of Mexico, the Ozarks, and a hundred other places that they could
NEVER have seen if we were flightless birds. Even before the hotel, our
small business life meant that days off were few and far between, so the
speed and spontaneity of flying has allowed us to provide our children
with
a nearly normal life, in a very strange sense of the word.

Finally, and most importantly, flying has made me a better person.
Because
of aviation, I'm more highly motivated, more organized, and mentally
sharper
than I would be otherwise. Best of all, by surrounding myself with
pilots -- both here in cyberspace, and in "real life" at the hotel -- I
have
learned so many things from some of the best and smartest people on the
planet.

Face it -- the world is full of crap, and crappy people. Pilots are far
and
away the best of the lot -- and I'm honored to be one of them.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"