Don't Be Hatin', Dayton

My flight into Dayton was the closest I've come to having to execute a missed approach (abort a landing to non-pilots). Throughout the flight, the weather continued to deteriorate to 300 ft overcast and fog started consuming the airport. As we started our approach, the tower called and said, "Skywest 4691, I cannot see the runway. Please advise when you're rolling out after landing." The fact that the tower cab was consumed by fog did not bode well for our landing prospects, but with just two seconds before we reached minimums, the approach lights came into view and guided us in the rest of the way to a smooth landing.

I woke up the following morning to sun coming into my window. The temperature was already 55 degrees. It sure beats North Dakota when it was just . . . 5. Because we arrived after 11pm last night, I did not have to report until early in the afternoon, so I set out to explore the city. Unlike Wichita, there were many people walking around the street of downtown Dayton. That being said, the people that were milling about seemed to be of questionable character. You know when you hear someone yelling as if they're in an intense argument, but then realize nobody else is involved in the conversation? That's Dayton. I didn't feel unsafe per se, just at a heightened state of alertness.

I was headed to the Wright Brothers bicycle shop on Dayton's west side. As soon as I crossed the
bridge to the west side, the scenery changed once again. The buildings were gutted, storefronts boarded up, and it was generally just run down looking. Fortunately it was just a couple blocks to the Wright Brothers shop. I felt while I was in town, I should pay it a visit because without them, my entire existence and obsession with all things aviation might have been channeled into something else like botany. The visitor's center supposedly opened up at 9am, well before my arrival, but like everything else in Dayton, it was shuttered, locked, and all but abandoned.

I suppose it's just as well. I can at least say I saw the outside. I can't imagine there being much to look at on the inside, anyway. I simply turned around and walked back to the hotel. Dayton appears to be trying to fix itself up and do the typical revitalization projects that are often seen in other big cities. They created a recreation trail along the river, but it looked poorly maintained and unused. They had bike rental kiosks that are trendy in places like New York, Chicago, or DC, but I can't imagine anyone ever using one. All in all, Dayton has potential, but I don't think people are all that invested in fixing it up. It's as if they've gone halfway and just quit. As a result, it looks like Brooklyn mid-gentrification, but able to retain all of its crappy characteristics, and no Trader Joe's or Whole Foods.

Today I fly to Lexington and will finish my day in Marquette, Michigan. I have a suspicion it's not going to be 55º up there.