SIDE QUESTS · SAUK CENTRE, MN

Sauk Centre Inaugural Fly-In and Car Show in Sauk Centre, MN

Sasha Nicole, Minnesota pinup model, smiling in a navy polka-dot dress with a bow handbag beside a Beechcraft Bonanza at the Sauk Centre Fly-In

The day I almost turned around, and ended up in the sky.

JULY 19, 2026 · SAUK CENTRE INAUGURAL FLY-IN & CAR SHOW

I'd been planning a photoshoot and thought a car show would make a great setting. This one also said "fly-in," which I had never been to, so it felt like something nice and new. Honestly, I didn't think too much of it.

Did we miss it?

I arrived early (as always) to meet my photographer. The first thing I saw was a few cars leaving, and then some planes taking off. My heart sank. I had read that the event ran from 7 to 2, but I started wondering if that was only for certain things and the cars and planes had already gone. I really did start to panic. I thought the whole day was going to be for nothing.

When my photographer arrived, we went anyway and started walking from the parking lot toward the event. To my delight, as we got closer, there they were: rows of cars lined up and planes waiting on the runway.

Up close with the planes

We started over by the planes. I had never been that close to a small plane before, and I loved them right away. While I was posing, a pilot offered to let me sit in his plane. I could not believe it. So I climbed in, and we got pictures.

Then he asked if we were going to get a ride. We looked at each other: hold on… a ride? He said some of the pilots were giving rides that day. I was in disbelief. This was something I had only ever imagined.

We got talking, and one of the pilots said he'd love to take us up. We just had to wait until he got back from flying some other people. So off we went for more pictures next to planes and inside some of them.

The car show

Then we headed over to the car show side. We talked with people and chatted with the local newspaper about what we were up to. A few people asked for a picture, and some lovely older ladies stopped to talk with me about my vintage pinup fashion. It was hot and sunny, so we finally sat down for a little break.

Flying with Mike

That's when the gentleman organizing the rides came over. The pilot who first told us about the rides had said we had to go with one pilot in particular, a total chatterbox and all-around great guy, so we were set on flying with him. But things didn't quite go that way. His plane had more room, so he took a family up, and we were paired with Mike instead.

It didn't matter to me one bit. I never would have imagined I'd be flying in a plane at all. Little did I know that riding with Mike would be the best thing that ever happened.

Sasha Nicole smiling through the window of Mike's Cessna at the Sauk Centre Airport

Being in the air was surreal. We got to wear headsets and everything. I had never considered that flying could be something I wanted in life, and once I experienced it, I never wanted to let it go.

Going to shows, dressing up, talking with people, sitting in the cars, and flying: that's how I want to spend my time.

When we touched back down on the runway and said goodbye to Mike, I felt so happy, and right where I wanted to be.

So, naturally, I started brainstorming the next event…