Logbook: Wasilla to Nuiqsut, entry 9: They just spotted a dog at the edge of the runway

I can't see it from where I sit. We should start rolling on to the runway any moment.

Logbook: Wasilla to Nuiqsut, entry 8: wait, wait. wait!

An hour and 45 minutes has now passed since they announced a 45 minute delay. Who knows when we will go, plane did just come in, and these are the bags from it, and that plane must be taken off going somewhere, but they have made no announcement regarding it. I'm hoping it's our plane, but I don't know.

Logbook: Wasilla to Nuiqsut, entry 7: northern crossroads

My flight to Nuiqsut is scheduled to leave in 12 minutes. Commuter plane, but I don't know what kind yet. People are gathering in this small terminal from various point north: Aklavik, Yukon Territory; Kaktovik on Barter Island, the only community in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Barrow - The Top of the World - farthest north community in the US, Anchorage, Fairbanks, at least one more from Wasilla and a number from Nuiqsut itself. Several are going on to Nuiqsut for the big celebration, some home to Kaltovik and off to other places, too.

Logbook: Wasilla to Nuiqsut, entry 6: four-hour layover in Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay

Truth is, I am dragging - so tired all I want to do is lay down somewhere and sleep for 20 years, but wake up 20 years younger. I walked from Era Aviation to the Prudhoe Bay Hotel and bought a bit of breakfast. I also tried to put up my last post from there, but it failed on 4g. I switched to the hotel wireless and it failed there, too - twice. So I walked back here to Era, where the 4g signal is stronger and succeeded. I am quite certain I will not be able to post from 4g in Nuiqsut. I was last there in February and the hotel wireless did all I needed it to do - but I didn't need Instagram then. I am optimistic, but, if by chance no one sees another Instagram post from me for the next ten days or so, you will know why. PS: I just now became aware that entries 3 & 5 do not show on my blog, but do on Instagram. Hopefully, I will be able to fix this soon.

Logbook: Wasilla to Nuiqsut, entry 4: soaked in sweat I barely make it into the plane

Knowing the weather would likely be cool in Nuiqsut, almost certainly even fairly cold at some point, I had put on a fairly substantial jacket and was pretty hot by the time I got to security, sweating even. I showed my ID, Then headed to the conveyor belt, pulled up a couple of trays, put my laptop in one and started putting other things in the other when I heard a TSA man shout my name. "Bill Hess!" Oh boy! What had I done? "Right here," I said as I lifted my hand. "You forgot your your drivers license!" He handed it to me. After a fair amount of bumbling, I finally had all my camera gear, iPhone, keys, coins, and other stuff in the trays. i took my shoes off and removed my belt. My pants became so loose they wanted to fall off, so I gripped them at the top. Then I stepped into the rotating scanner, and the TSA man there told me to raise my hands above my head! Thankfully, he also made me spread my legs apart, which made It a little harder for my pants to slip off. Finally, I was through security. It was still a long way to go to the gate and I rushed as fast I could, growing hotter and sweatier with each step. Finally my gate came into sight, but I could see no one there. Then I spotted the boarding pass lady, sitting down in such a way that she could hardly be seen behind her little counter. Carrying not only my computer, a camera around my shoulder, but my camera backpack in my hands, I walked through the long empty tunnel into the plane and down the aisle toward my seat, 27A. Before I could reach it, I was jerked to a stop by my camera bag. One strap had slipped around the armrest to an aisle seat and had got stuck. I apologized to the rugged looking oil worker sitting in that seat, removed the strap, then headed to my seat. I put my camera bag in the overhead bin, removed my jacket and went to put it up there too, but it had a draw string that hooked around the arm rest below and got stuck. It took a good full minute to extract it. Then I rolled up my jacket, put it in the overhead bin and took my seat. I was hot and sweaty, but I was on the plane.