Duluth day 2 (or will we ever leave the parking lot?)

Saturday morning we left the cabin to go to the Duluth Air Show. We went to the air show 2 years ago when it was in Duluth the last time and have been looking forward to it for quite awhile--especially the kids. We stopped by the grocery store on the way to the airport to pick up some more snacks so we wouldn't have to buy any outrageously priced food at the air show.

When we got to the airport there was quite a line to get in, but they had people directing the vehicles where to park and it didn't take to long to get parked, the stroller unloaded and into the air show. They had several exhibits of planes, military equipment, etc. We walked around for awhile and the kids looked for the free stuff that they were handing out. We stopped at the NASA display and the kids got their pictures taken as an astronaut. They also toured a FedEx plane.

The planes started flying at 11 and flew till 3:30 when it was called off due to rain. There were several types of planes that did all sorts of tricks and the Navy's Blue Angels were present.

Here is an F-16 flying sideways. It was really cool to see the clouds of condensation over the plane.
A P-38 Lightening.

They day started off cool and sunny, warmed up, then got cloudy. Then it started to sprinkle. Then the sprinkling got a bit heavier and eventually it was really raining. At that point they called off the flying and there was a mass exodus to the parking lot (which was just a grassy, now muddy, field).

By the time we got back to the van, we were all completely soaked and cold. We climbed into the van and anticipated that it would be awhile till we were actually out of the parking lot but figured it shouldn't take more than 45 minutes or so. After all, when we were there 2 years ago leaving the parking lot wasn't too bad and was pretty organized. Not so this year. It took us 2 hours (!!!!) to get out of the parking lot. There was no traffic control. That's right. No police to direct the traffic. No airport security to direct traffic. No air show personnel to direct traffic. It was a complete mess. And it didn't help that it was muddy. People were trying to drive up the embankment to get on the road and would slide all over the place. Plus people were getting angry. Finally 4 guys volunteered to direct traffic and things started to move along. These were just guys who saw a need and filled it. I'm very thankful that they were directing traffic as were the many, many other drivers who just wanted to get home. Several people tipped them on the way out.