GoGo Gets Me Going Online at 35,000 Feet

I am flying to Detroit on my Spring Break to do some family history research I can't do anywhere else . . . yet. I have been successful over the years in piecing together some interesting information by researching my ancestors through a variety of online resources.

I've located immigrant registration documents:

And, I recently found a list of people who received marriage certificatesin Detroit in 1923:

It truly is amazing what you can find online these days. But there are still so much data not available.

One thing I hope to find on this trip is a listing of a border crossing from Canada to the United States for my grandfather Max. I was able to locate the fact that this document exists by searching the FamilySearch.org website.

In fact, I know the name of the publication, the publication number, and the roll number of the microfiche where the document is recorded from FamilySearch.org. I am hoping I can find the actual film at the reference desk of main public library in Windsor, Ontario Canada.

What is really cracking me up at the moment, though, is the fact that I can write this blog (assuming my battery lasts) while actually flying to Detroit at 35,000 feet. As I am sure most of you jet-setters already know you can get online while flying now. Who knew?!

Flying Delta Airlines this time I decided to pay the $13/flight fee for the right to be online using the GoGo Inflight wireless service. I've tweeted, updated my Facebook, checked and replied to a few of my E-mails, and now I'm blogging.

I'm down to about 30% of my battery right now (somewhere over Iowa). I don't think I'll quite make it to Detroit which is a shame considering the little guy behind me is kicking the heck out of the back of my chair and his little brother is crying pretty loudly. Right now the Wallflowers, Bonnie Raitt, and this blog is getting me through the in-cabin turbulence.

I suppose this is a great way to make it through the 5 hour flight in the future. Of course next time I will probably be flying with all of the family and we'll need to get some sort of package deal or it's going to break the bank.

Or, maybe I won't have to fly there next time to get this information. I'll just call it up in my browser and download it straight away.

Wouldn't that be nice? Seems a bit more sustainable to me. I've got to remember to pay off some of my carbon footprint for this little journey.

For now I'm just grateful for this innovation.