Physicalities the Journey
Cut for space and interest.
My departure Saturday morning went of smoothly. I flew in to Denver without a hitch and made sure I was checked in for the next legs of my flight. As my three-hour layover dwindled, though, I started to wonder. The Denver-Charlotte flight was reassigned to a different gate. And it still wasn't there half an hour from the departure time. They can turn those things around fast, but not that fast.
The plane got to the gate about half an hour later than it was scheduled to leave. Over the hard-to-understand PA system, they said it was having some mechanical issues and it would be at least half an hour again before it was ready to leave. When I only had an hour in Charlotte to begin with, I knew about this time I'd miss my connection there. They announced those of us missing flighting there would be rebooked on the next available ones, but you never know how that's going to turn out.
The plane left almost two hours later than originally planned, but what can you do? The flight itself was fine, and ended with the smoothest wheels-to-ground touchdown I've ever felt (the deceleration's always a little rough, but still). There was a boarding pass for the next flight out to West Palm Beach waiting for me when I got there - easy as pie. I called my aunt and uncle to fill them in, and everything worked out fine from there on out. I got in a little less than two hours later than planned.
We stopped on the way to their place to pick up the car, chatted some, I had a sandwich for dinner (wasn't really hungry anyway) and crashed early.
-
Sunday, they took me out to breakfast, we chatted, signed papers, and I headed off. The Florida highways are probably the nicest overall I've seen between here and there, with lots of rest stops and such.
I got to Pensacola later than I would have liked, and resolved to set out earlier in the morning the next day. I stayed at a Fairfield Inn, which rates as the nicest of my lodging choices for the trip (and most expensive).
-
After a light breakfast, I was off Monday, hoping to avoid the tropical storm/hurricane in the Gulf. Thankfully, my dad warned me about the turns in Mobile, so I'd looked up a map online and got through that without any difficulty. The non-interstate highway I was on cutting up through Mississippi was nice and relaxing. Two lanes either way, widely divided, lots of foliage around - maybe it was the time of day, too, but I slipping into my own zone free of traffic for a while and just enjoyed the ride.
I considered stopping at Shreveport, but wanted to make better headway, so ventured on to Dallas. By the time I got into the city area, though, it was rapidly getting dark (blasted winter!) and I wanted to get out of the increasing metro area post-work traffic. I ended up taking a turn I wouldn't have in daylight, but found a Comfort Inn a short distance along. The rooms had seen better days, and my laptop couldn't get a solid network connection, but the staff was nice and it was cheaper than the previous night. There was also a BBQ place nearby that I had dinner at. The sauce was good, though not the best I've had. The brisket meat was particularly nice and tender, though, so I liked that.
-
Tuesday, I had another light breakfast and jetted off, hoping to beat some of the morning rush hour traffic. That probably helped, through there was some serious vehicle density and slowdown around some exits in the Fort Worth area. Thankfully, it really did focus around the exits and cleared up (some) after. It felt good to get off the interstate and leaving the area of the cities, cutting up across Texas.
The radio, though, was bleak through this area. I didn't feel much like wearing headphones, so I'd been using the car radio, and for a couple hours my choices there were a hard, hard rock station and Radio Disney (which was okay for a song or two). FM stations came and went through the day, though AM was almost exclusively the domain of Christians and Conservatives, it seemed.
Based on the previous days, I was pretty sure I could make Albuquerque before dark. And I did. I found my way around into a Red Roof Inn just before 5 pm, and the traffic that would come with it. The room was okay, not great. They appear to be pet-friendly, which is nice (not that I have pets). Their internet was usable, at least (and an ethernet port in addition to wireless). The one strangeness was the bathroom fixtures seemed like they were all connected to hot water. A hot-only shower was better than cold-only, I suppose, but it was odd to have hot water in the toilet.
After about an hour, I made my way up to the Texas Land & Cattle I like to eat at there, and had a very nice steak for dinner, taking a pecan pie slice back to the room for breakfast in the morning (I was stuffed after dinner, but didn't want to pass it by when I had the opportunity). I probably could have caught a movie there if something I wanted to see were on, but instead came back and popped online for a while before succumbing to weariness.
-
Pie for breakfast, then back on the road just after 8 am (hoping most work traffic would be done by then). I'm surprised to see they're finally starting work to expand the interstate north of Albuquerque. I've seen so much traffic there for years, and often thought they could us additional lanes.
More and more radio stations showed up, and the terrain became much more familiar. I didn't need a map anymore, and made it back home right around noon, with a stop at the grocery store to pick up just a few things.
The car has functioned marvelously. I need to get it all registered and license plates and such. It looks somewhat alien sitting next to my truck outside, but feels comfortable save a couple minor points: the rear view mirror in most cars like this is inconveniently in my normal line of sight, and I can't see the back of the car from inside. The angles of the mirrors and back window are such that I can't see where the car ends. I'm constantly afraid I may back into something. >.> Heh.
Overall, I must say it's nice to have mountains again. Texas is bleak. The eastern states are lush, but humid (I ran with AC on to keep vent air from fogging windows). It's easier to get up and leave at sunrise if you're going to bed shortly after sunset. And, oh my god 2130 miles is a long way.
My departure Saturday morning went of smoothly. I flew in to Denver without a hitch and made sure I was checked in for the next legs of my flight. As my three-hour layover dwindled, though, I started to wonder. The Denver-Charlotte flight was reassigned to a different gate. And it still wasn't there half an hour from the departure time. They can turn those things around fast, but not that fast.
The plane got to the gate about half an hour later than it was scheduled to leave. Over the hard-to-understand PA system, they said it was having some mechanical issues and it would be at least half an hour again before it was ready to leave. When I only had an hour in Charlotte to begin with, I knew about this time I'd miss my connection there. They announced those of us missing flighting there would be rebooked on the next available ones, but you never know how that's going to turn out.
The plane left almost two hours later than originally planned, but what can you do? The flight itself was fine, and ended with the smoothest wheels-to-ground touchdown I've ever felt (the deceleration's always a little rough, but still). There was a boarding pass for the next flight out to West Palm Beach waiting for me when I got there - easy as pie. I called my aunt and uncle to fill them in, and everything worked out fine from there on out. I got in a little less than two hours later than planned.
We stopped on the way to their place to pick up the car, chatted some, I had a sandwich for dinner (wasn't really hungry anyway) and crashed early.
-
Sunday, they took me out to breakfast, we chatted, signed papers, and I headed off. The Florida highways are probably the nicest overall I've seen between here and there, with lots of rest stops and such.
I got to Pensacola later than I would have liked, and resolved to set out earlier in the morning the next day. I stayed at a Fairfield Inn, which rates as the nicest of my lodging choices for the trip (and most expensive).
-
After a light breakfast, I was off Monday, hoping to avoid the tropical storm/hurricane in the Gulf. Thankfully, my dad warned me about the turns in Mobile, so I'd looked up a map online and got through that without any difficulty. The non-interstate highway I was on cutting up through Mississippi was nice and relaxing. Two lanes either way, widely divided, lots of foliage around - maybe it was the time of day, too, but I slipping into my own zone free of traffic for a while and just enjoyed the ride.
I considered stopping at Shreveport, but wanted to make better headway, so ventured on to Dallas. By the time I got into the city area, though, it was rapidly getting dark (blasted winter!) and I wanted to get out of the increasing metro area post-work traffic. I ended up taking a turn I wouldn't have in daylight, but found a Comfort Inn a short distance along. The rooms had seen better days, and my laptop couldn't get a solid network connection, but the staff was nice and it was cheaper than the previous night. There was also a BBQ place nearby that I had dinner at. The sauce was good, though not the best I've had. The brisket meat was particularly nice and tender, though, so I liked that.
-
Tuesday, I had another light breakfast and jetted off, hoping to beat some of the morning rush hour traffic. That probably helped, through there was some serious vehicle density and slowdown around some exits in the Fort Worth area. Thankfully, it really did focus around the exits and cleared up (some) after. It felt good to get off the interstate and leaving the area of the cities, cutting up across Texas.
The radio, though, was bleak through this area. I didn't feel much like wearing headphones, so I'd been using the car radio, and for a couple hours my choices there were a hard, hard rock station and Radio Disney (which was okay for a song or two). FM stations came and went through the day, though AM was almost exclusively the domain of Christians and Conservatives, it seemed.
Based on the previous days, I was pretty sure I could make Albuquerque before dark. And I did. I found my way around into a Red Roof Inn just before 5 pm, and the traffic that would come with it. The room was okay, not great. They appear to be pet-friendly, which is nice (not that I have pets). Their internet was usable, at least (and an ethernet port in addition to wireless). The one strangeness was the bathroom fixtures seemed like they were all connected to hot water. A hot-only shower was better than cold-only, I suppose, but it was odd to have hot water in the toilet.
After about an hour, I made my way up to the Texas Land & Cattle I like to eat at there, and had a very nice steak for dinner, taking a pecan pie slice back to the room for breakfast in the morning (I was stuffed after dinner, but didn't want to pass it by when I had the opportunity). I probably could have caught a movie there if something I wanted to see were on, but instead came back and popped online for a while before succumbing to weariness.
-
Pie for breakfast, then back on the road just after 8 am (hoping most work traffic would be done by then). I'm surprised to see they're finally starting work to expand the interstate north of Albuquerque. I've seen so much traffic there for years, and often thought they could us additional lanes.
More and more radio stations showed up, and the terrain became much more familiar. I didn't need a map anymore, and made it back home right around noon, with a stop at the grocery store to pick up just a few things.
The car has functioned marvelously. I need to get it all registered and license plates and such. It looks somewhat alien sitting next to my truck outside, but feels comfortable save a couple minor points: the rear view mirror in most cars like this is inconveniently in my normal line of sight, and I can't see the back of the car from inside. The angles of the mirrors and back window are such that I can't see where the car ends. I'm constantly afraid I may back into something. >.> Heh.
Overall, I must say it's nice to have mountains again. Texas is bleak. The eastern states are lush, but humid (I ran with AC on to keep vent air from fogging windows). It's easier to get up and leave at sunrise if you're going to bed shortly after sunset. And, oh my god 2130 miles is a long way.
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