@amybaker
Atlanta
8 years ago
@amybaker
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1
1704 Kensington Pl Ln, Louisville, KY 40205, USA
Apr 29 2017
Brooks and I start a super quick mother son adventure later this morning. We will be flying to Atlanta with a trip to the Delta Museum as our main goal. Brooks has been wanting to visit for quite some time and we were finally able to find a weekend to make it happen. We had hoped to have Brooks' trusty sidekick Bob along for the ride but unfortunately that isn't going to happen. Bob had to bail because he wasn't feeling well. (Get well soon Bob!) I'm also trying a new app for my travel blogs. I'm hopeful that it will be exactly what I need moving forward. For now this is a test run. Brooks will be so excited that I'm blogging (or not!) Updates later!
@amybaker
2
Louisville International Airport
Apr 29 2017
At the gate ready to board! Brooks has asked twice if I'm blogging and so far I've successfully avoided the question. \ud83d\ude44 We will be headed off in the MD-88! Ready to get this party started!

Of note, there is what sounds like a viscous 5 pound yappy dog in our gate that I assume will be on our flight. This could prove interesting. Brooks mentioned that would be us in a few months. That is when we fly to pick up our new Golden Retriever puppy. He's so wrong though, our puppy will be perfect. :)

More to come from ATL!

Update: I've already been busted for blogging....that didn't take long.

MD-88

@amybaker
3
Louisville International Airport
Apr 29 2017
How many pics can I take of me and Brooks that all look the same but are slightly different? Probably a lot. It can be like one of those games where you try to find all the things that are different. We are finally onboard and are near the back of the plane. This is something Brooks is actually excited about "because we always get upgraded on United." Lord I hope he knows how lucky he is. Speaking of lucky I hope I get lucky with some Biscoff cookies on this flight. Momma needs some breakfast! \ud83d\ude02

Sitting behind the wing! Brooks' choice of course.

Here we go!!

@amybaker
4
Louisville International Airport
Apr 29 2017
Documentation: Everyone documents things differently. On trips I blog to help capture memories that we can reflect back on later. Brooks is capturing our take off in a time lapse video. I love that I get to sit here next to him and watch how excited he is about even the smallest details. As we are taxiing to the runway he looks to me and says "I've never taken off on 2-9 before." I'm amazed that he immediately knows which runway we are heading too (or maybe he just read the signs....something that I wouldn't be able to interpret) and also has the knowledge of the flights he's taken on which runways.

I love this kid.......

Brooks' time lapse video

@amybaker
5
Chattanooga
Apr 29 2017
Traveling with Brooks does have a downside. As we are each sitting here minding our own business...me reading a book while he peruses an airplane magazines he says "Woah did you see that?" Ummm no. I saw nothing. To which he replies, "An ERJ 170 just passed above us at about 1000 feet." Yeah I could have done without that knowledge. In other news, I've obtained breakfast. Coffee and cookies never tasted better!

Yes please!!

Brooks' cookie had a perfect break!

@amybaker
6
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Apr 29 2017
And we are here! Landed without incident early except that there is a plane in our gate with maintenance issues so we are sitting. The captain has said a few times we are close to being able to pull in but so far nothing. Meanwhile Brooks is researching this plane. Apparently it's 24 years old. Not sure I want to know how old my plane is?? What's the lifespan of a plane anyway?? Next stop ground transportation to catch a shuttle to the hotel!

Me capturing him capturing photo ops. :)

@amybaker
7
Atlanta
Apr 29 2017
We shared a shuttle to our hotel with another Delta pilot. He's super jealous that we are going to the museum. He asked Brooks if he had seen the 747 exhibit that is there now.....of course he knows all about it. Of course our driver thinks he's a comedian and keeps talking about how awesome Delta is and is somewhat bashing the United incident. Little does he know he may have a future United pilot on board. Thankfully Brooks is just smiling quietly.
@amybaker
8
Renaissance Concourse Atlanta Airport Hotel
Apr 29 2017
This is the best hotel ever! According to Brooks. And quite honestly it's going to be hard to get him to ever leave it ever top this. Once entering our room the entire view is of the Hartsfield Airport. This room comes complete with a balcony overlooking the runway. Brooks' dream come true.....

Brooks catching his first view at the view.

Our balcony

There's one problem with this hotel (for Brooks). Somehow this child of mine is afraid of heights but still wants to be a pilot. Greg arranged for a high floor to give us a better view of the runway. Brooks was very thankful he didn't have to walk far near this...

Happy boy....

Brooks is staying far away from the edge....

@amybaker
9
Delta Flight Museum, 1060 Delta Blvd, Atlanta, GA 30354, USA
Apr 29 2017
The walk to the museum was an interesting one. The hotel said it was an easy walk....they failed to mention there were no sidewalks and it was way farther than it looks due to a giant fence surrounding the property.

No sidewalk....

It looks so close....but isn't.

We walked so far we passed two different Atlanta city limit signs. And yes I'm positive it wasn't the same one.

@amybaker
10
Delta Flight Museum
Apr 29 2017
We have arrived!!!! Oh and so far we are up to a count of 3 "I wish Bob was here..." and the day is just beginning.

Museum hanger

Brooks' first car??

DC-9 tail

767-200

Happy boy....

Brooks wishes he had this 737-200 layout!

Brooks thinks this looks like something that would be at Disney.

DC3

Brooks spotted the wings in this picture. Just like a pair he got from Bob.

Convair 880 deck

On to the 747.....

Brooks was not satisfied with the quality of this flight sim.

Flight sim from 1941

Inside the sim

Engine

Checking out economy seats

Priority one seating

Heading to the upper deck

Entrance to the flight sim

On the wing of the 747 (with the sun in his eyes.)

While we were in the flight deck of the 747 we started talking to one of the workers Paul. He quickly learned that Brooks hung with a retired Delta captain, was a member of EAA, had career aspirations involving flight and was scheduled for the sim soon. He is one of three flight sim instructors and he made quick work of making sure that Mike, our instructor hooked Brooks up. We headed back to the museum about 30 minutes ahead of our scheduled time in the sim. (We were scheduled for 60 mins) Right as we were getting started Mike's phone rang. It was Paul just making sure Brooks got extra time.

Well, it worked! Two hours later and we had flown to Atlanta, DC, NY and Hawaii.

Brooks at work

I survived!

Flight deck of the 737

Back on stable ground.

Up to 4 I wish Bob was here...

Highlights of his flights.....

Crazy flight path through Atlanta

Passing the Statue of Liberty.

Brooks flying over Central Park

We flew under this bridge at 130 feet

Brooks navigates flying between these hills in Hawaii.

Flying in between buildings in downtown Atlanta.

And finally a barrel roll. Because why not?

@amybaker
11
World of Coca-Cola
Apr 29 2017
World of Coca Cola Next stop.....a tour of the World of Coca-Cola. Since we haven't eaten basically all day the free coke is a welcome gift.

This bottle was a gift from the country of Africa for the Olympics. It has intricate beadwork.

Beadwork

I learned that Coke cost 5 cents for 70 years when the price was finally raised to 6 cents. Each ice cube was one penny.

Free cokes!!

Coke topiary

Lots of artifacts!

For Logan....wish he was here to see it!

Next up was the tasting room. They had as much free drinks as you wanted from all over the world.

This 1.2M vault contains the only written recipe for Coke. Only 5 people have access in the world. Alas we are not one of them.

The bottling plant shows each stage of the bottling process. I imagine this was slowed way down.

No Sprite here which is odd since that's all the kids were served in Europe when ordering lemonade.

Brooks liked the Bibo which was kiwi mango flavored.

These were just ok...

Logan's favorites here....lemonade vitamin water and Pibb. And Maddie's favorite (sometimes) Fanta.

Fountains of coke for the taking.

The tasting room....

After tasting various Cokes it was time to try to find a place for dinner. We decided to walk to a place called Taco Mac which had wings, quesadillas and of course tacos. After a long detour due to Olympic Centennial Park being closed we found ourselves in the middle of the NRA convention. Which resulted in a 45 minute wait for a table. Or not, back to the hotel for room service with a view.

Entrance to the park

Park Avenue

Here we are at the intersection of Baker and...

NRA convention....

All disgusting especially thumbs up which Brooks gave a thumbs down.

@amybaker
12
Renaissance Concourse Atlanta Airport Hotel
Apr 29 2017
Back to the hotel for dinner and plane spotting. We decided to just order room service rather than spending the time eating in the hotel restaurant. Greg was super excited we decided on this as I'm sure it wasn't the most economical option. But, we haven't had lunch, we are starving, and we have an amazing view. So dinner on the terrace with a view it is. And I have to say, I actually am enjoying this view. I wish Bob was here count currently at 5.

Dinner for two!

Wings for Brooks. Don't worry Greg the water was free.

Pizza for me

Delta anyone?

@amybaker
13
Renaissance Concourse Atlanta Airport Hotel
Apr 30 2017
Our very short adventure is close to coming to an end. We will spend a couple hours this morning at the hotel enjoying the view before we head to the airport for our flights home. To say this has been a great weekend is an understatement. I have been able to spend 24+ hours spending time with Brooks immersed in a world that he loves. I'm so impressed with his knowledge and passion at such a young age. I have no doubt he will go far at whatever he puts his mind to.

Heading to breakfast!

Oops! We had room for 8 more pics! Can't let those go unused!

Brooks contemplating what shot to take next. As Baker luck would have it, we ran out of room on our memory card so he has to resort to using his phone camera.

@amybaker
14
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Apr 30 2017
We have made our way to the airport via hotel shuttle filled with Delta employees and Delta fliers. We were embarrassed to say we were on American because this entire city (well around the airport) is everything Delta. We would have been totally judged for sure if we said American. So off we got at the Delta terminal and headed to the security line. Small snafu that I won't go into details about....but we finally made it through security. My trusty sidekick found me a Starbucks in another terminal and agreed to the trip over there as we had some extra time.

I totally needed this!

Back to terminal D with a couple minutes to spare before boarding. We are headed to Charlotte for a short layover then home.

Cue selfies!

Another opportunity for a time lapse video of take-off.

I'm so grateful to have had this time with Brooks! So thankful to Greg for managing things at home and sharing his points with us. :)

Oh and, Happy Birthday Greg! We will be home soon!

@amybaker
15
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Apr 30 2017
We have boarded our final leg home and Brooks has already asked to come back to Atlanta. Guess that means this quick weekend didn't disappoint. I'm sure he will have to bring Bob back the next time. That's a good excuse at least. :)

Brooks' first attempt at a sad face....

Getting better....

Another trip in the books!! Will end with a quote I saw near the Delta Museum....

"No one has ever changed the world by staying put."

We don't intend to stay put....until our next adventure! ✈️❤

@amybaker