Happy Birthday

What a great weekend!

Friday night we had a wonderful time at Triple Espresso. If you haven't seen this yet, its worth it. www.tripleespresso.com I am not one who normally roars out with laughter much, but this show had me doing so on many occasions.

Saturday, we went snowboarding at Afton Alps. The birthday girl and I are quite the beginners and therefore we spent most of the afternoon on the bunny slopes until the couple final runs. First she got knocked out with a decent fall injuring the ever important Sacrum and had to sit the next few runs out. I kept trying and made a wrong turn down an intermediate slope where a showy spill sent me tumbling narrowly missing my own Sacrum but clearly damaging my left ... cheek, yes thats what we'll call it. More padding might have prevented the bone blow I took.

After a challenging day on the slopes, we set out for a late dinner party at The Melting Pot (www.themeltingpot.com). We had a blast. It was a big night out for us all with great food, good conversations and and huge dent in the wallet. All worth it though.

Happy 26th!

Early Day of Flights!

Todays flight's went smoothly. Early departures, early into the connecting hub, early departure on the 2nd leg and finally an early arrival into Gainesville by 25 minutes!!! This is great.

Just one problem.. All this was supposed to happen yesterday, not today. DOH!

Flight Gremlins 7, Me - 0

You just wont believe this one

Ok this one... well this one is good.

Last night in Memphis we are all buttoned up in our plane to head to Minneapolis. Leaving on time, appear to have a good group of passengers, this will be a nice flight. Our door is buttoned up, the ramp pulled away, engines are coming to life (its a great sound on a final flight heading home). Im seated in row 5, when the guy in row 6, who has been a talker this whole time, says "hey that van might hit us" I say, not outloud, no no they get close, don't worry about it.

Guy 6 "That van is REALLY gonna hit us!"

BAM! right in row 5

We just got hit, by a vehicle as we are 1 minute away from leaving.

It's just unfathomable, that of all these issues I have been having this year. I am halted by a vehicular crash into my plane, into my row on the plane. So get this, The van is the Priority Pet van. Bringing someone's damn cat (I hate cats mind you) special delivery to the plane. The lady driving the van (see what happens with all this women's lib), gets out of the van with the cat carrier in 1 hand, talking to the cat (obviously this cat needs some baby talk to get on the plane...'c'mon your Morris you're gonna be a good car aren't you...yes your such a good cat'). She fails to put the van in park. To busy worrying about a Cat, she fails to put the van in park!~

This is when row 6 guy, initially said "that van is going to hit us". At the point he say the van leisurely rolling toward us. The cat lady, cat still in hand panics and jumps into the driver seat and tromps on the brake to stop the van. 1 problem she missed the brake and tromped on the accelerator, flooring the van towards us and my row 5. This is now were Row 6 guy said "its REALLY gonna hit!" BAM!

The van is shot in the front. Busted front end, busted windshield, broken lady. The plane load of people are in disbelief. The rest of the people on the plane are in harmony with the thought of, damn cat! This is over a CAT. I was comforted to know I am not the lone member of the cat hater club.

To draw this very bizarre situation to an end. Our plane was deemed un-flyable and we were shuttled to a new plane 90 mins later. Fortunately we all made it safe just 90 mins late, but unfortunately so did the cat.

No Surprises Here

Another on time 'gate departure' last night from Minneapolis to Memphis... or so we thought. We sat on the tarmac whilst the pilots ran through their final checks of the plane. One of the last checks was the electrical system between the cockpit and the flight attendants. Running through the diagnostics of this system made the plane go haywire. Our overhead lights flashed in and out, buzzers rang, intercoms screeched loudly. This proceeded for 45 minutes before we went back to the gate for maintenance to attend to our plane. Knowing now this would take another 30 mins and my connection would be long gone, I jumped off the plane and took the next morning were... TA DA! I made in on time. Of course as past experiences show in this wonderful year of travel blogs, the next morning is the one were I have get up at 3:30 in the morning. I hate that flight.

World Travels

I found this cool site that allows you to map out your domestic or foreign travels. Still a lot of white area left to cover! . Make your own 'mark' on the world here http://www.world66.com/myworld66

Stop the insanity

When will the flight issues end. Normally I try to ensure that I am at a client site by 10 am Monday morning else my personal convictions require me to travel Sunday night. This week however, I violated my rule in order to catch the Superbowl. I booked a flight at the "oh my gosh who flies this early" time of 5:15 am. My routing was MSP-ATL, connection ATL-GNV. First off, I should have known better to fly via ATL but, hey its once a year SuperSunday right? Get up at 0-dark:30 (3:50) to shower and catch my cab coming for me at 4:15 am. All is well with the world, a bit tired but shoot, the starbucks at the airport was even open at 4:30 am. mmmm latte. I get this straight arrow dude sitting next to me blocking me into my window seat, bummer, when the door closes and I start giving him head nods to move to that wide open row up in front of us. Psst, yo-mister, see that whole row to yourself, scram. C'mon, don't you read head nods. I cant move, you've pinned me in. grrrr damnit man. Well we go from bad to worse. "Folks we have some minor mechanical issues, this is very minor, it doesn't impede any of our flight controls only the backup to the auto brakes for landing, we will check with maintenance and get you a status........... ok we have to return to the gate for repairs." damnit again. He said it's not essential, fly this bird. Well, not like my vote counted or anything, but I lost that argument. 60 mins later we are fixed, 1 hour late so far, I can still make my connection. 'Course that would be to easy. Only now after we are all done does the gas truck come over and the pilot announces he is going to put some fuel on board. Fuel? We haven't gone anywhere what do we need more fuel for. THIS takes another 15 mins. Thats it im screwed now on the connection. What irks me is if you wanted fuel, why didn't you order the dang truck to pump simultaneously as we were being repaired? Does common sense not exist in the airline industry?

So I have a pleasant flight next to mr "I gotta keep my assigned seat please", and we make it to ATL where I miss my connection by 2 minutes. 2 mins!!! Stupid refuel. The gate agent, however, so ever nicely and bubbly says, Dont worry we have auto-booked you on the next flight. Ma'am I wasn't worried to begin with, just irked at the issues. Next flight...... 3 hours later. So, recap. I get up at dark dark, run to the airport at dark dark still, catch a flight that goes no where until sun-up to spend 3 hours in ATL and arrive at work at 2:15 pm. Delta, you rock.

On a happy note. I am easy-come easy -go, this stuff doesn't really bother me, just fun to vent a little bit. I did however call NorthWest to offer a small complaint about the attendant who lost her badge and was awarded 7,500 free miles this morning.

El Nino Effect?

In 8 years of week-in, week-out travel, I have had a pretty flawless record when it comes to delays. However, in the past month, I have had at least an hour delay on everyflight. The reasons are not weather or mechanical issues either.

Flight from Memphis to Gainesville, ready to button up the door when our flight attendant ralphs. Time to let her off and wait for a replacement.

Flight from Memphis to Gainesville again, 1 week later. Flight is delayed 80 minutes because the flight attendant lost her ID badge somewhere between the lounge and the gate and they won't let her fly withouth it.

Flight from Atlanta to Minneapolis, 1 week later again. Flight is delayed 45 mins whilst we wait for the first class cabin (of which I wasnt in mind you), to get catered for their SNACK! This is crazy seeing as this is the last flight to MN for the night (leaving at 8pm) and people on the plane have connections in MN. When we get to MN they have all missed their connections and now Delta has to put them up for the night, but good thing first class had their fruit plates.

Hopefully thats the end of it. These flight stories will be fun to relive someday when I am not traveling anymore.