The machine races forward, groaning and humming as it accelerates along the runway, then the rattling gives way to a soft hum, a heart sinking sensation, its force and momentum prying me up away from the pull of Earth’s gravity.
My mind races too. What are the crash statistics? What happens if a hole appears on my window? That wing looks awfully loose, wobbling up and down that way. Are planes supposed to rattle like that? Was the UFO video about the missing plane true? Whatever happened to the Bermuda triangle? Did I remember to turn off the iron?
My excitement is palpable. My heart beating fast. Vestibular system going haywire. Ears pop. The thrill of flight as I look at the approaching sky. I wonder, what would it feel like to keep going beyond the atmosphere until I reached high orbit? I smile when the clouds recede below me, and I find myself on the other side of heaven.
I know it's a far cry from the cosmic reaches of outer space, but I relish in humanity's defiance of gravity at cruising altitude. We are a flying species!
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things
High Flight by John Gillespie Magee Jr.
The little rituals of flying begin. Getting comfortable on the seat with something to pass the time. Meals, snacks, and drinks. Stretching and lavatory breaks. In the old days before the wide availability of the internet, I used to sit there quietly reading a book or tech magazine. With the advent of onboard WiFi, I now sit there quietly wrestling my demons, so I don’t post some ridiculous nonsense online.
Hours later, the St. Lawrence river appears in all its mind-boggling glory. It snakes around the earth with its undulating aqueous body, fed by an intricate network of tributaries all the way from the Atlantic to the Great Lakes, its waters bathed in late summer sunlight.
There used to be a sea down there, now called the Champlain Sea. When it retreated, approximately 6000 years ago, the Saint Lawrence River was formed.
It was an essential artery for the indigenous people that inhabited the area prior to European arrival. The first European to navigate it was explorer Jacques Cartier, who claimed the territory (including the river) for the French Crown in 1534. He mapped parts of the extensive body of water, which became essential to the fur trade, and the settlements that sprouted along the waterway, including a small fort called Ville-Marie, the communal heart of what is now known as the city of Montreal.
The plane suddenly veers and turns on its side. The sky comes into view.
Descent has begun. The flying beast's belly groans as its landing gear is deployed.
The sounds in the cabin change.
Ears pop again.
Gliding fast down the gravity well.
Details are magnified as the ground quickly approaches.
The top-down view turns isometric. High resolution and zoomed in. Flawless areal grace.
Thank you for visiting. I hope you enjoyed the flight.
Resources
St. Lawrence Seaway
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Saint-Lawrence-Seaway
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