Back home in the cold...20 degrees this morning (dropped a degree after I arose) and high going up to a balmy 36 later today. Screw that, I'm about ready to hop the bird back west.
Flight home was a bit more exciting than trip out, mainly because of the weather. Coming into Cincinnati, the pilot had the nose of the 737 about 30 degrees left in a big crab because of the wind just prior to flaring out. Freaking cold rain blowing, but he kicked right rudder and set that rumbling son of a bitch down perfectly, though we did some bouncing around in the wind. And the landing at Nashville was equally bothersome, bad weather there too and the Bombardier was a hell of a lot lighter and hinkier, but as pilots say, any landing you walk away from is a good one. I've made a few landings in a light plane in good weather that were a hell of a lot closer to disasters than these pros did in big planes in foul weather.
In fact, we were about an hour late getting into Nashville. There was some problem with weight and balance issues on the flight before we left Cincy. The flight attendant announced that and asked for two volunteers to leave the plane, noting they would be put up in a hotel, given meals, provided with a free flight the next day and $200 cash. Nobody volunteered and about 20 minutes later she announced that she was going to call two names and those people would have to leave the plane. I kept a tight ass hoping Jazzbo wouldn't be one of the names, since I had a ride en route to Nashville in a blowing storm and sure enough I lucked out. The two guys selected left the plane without much complaint, seeing as how nowadays raising a fuss aboard a plane can result in federal charges of interfering with a flight crew and mucho time behind fed bars.
The security check in San Diego returning was a bit busier than was Nashville on the flight out. There were four long lines going through, but I was lined up probably 15 or 20 minutes before making my way into the airport. I'd frankly been put off air travel since 9-11 because of what I thought was a much bigger security hassle. I must say, my experience didn't come close to some of the horror stories I've read about TSA personnel giving travelers a ration of shit or being rude. All the ones I observed were very polite and professional, and I suspect the people who have had problems brought those problems on themselves via a bad attitude. Same with flight attendants, all were very nice and accommodating.
Another great thing I discovered is online check-in. Did that on the trip back, got my boarding passes printed and paid for luggage before I ever left the house. (Delta seems to be one of the few airlines that charges even for your first bag -- $25 if you check it at the airport and $15 if checked online. I'll likely use another airline if I travel again because of that.) Once at Dago, it was just a matter of dropping my luggage off at the kiosk outside the terminal and smoking a couple of weeds before going in and queuing up for security.
I didn't do a lot of drinking while I was gone. I had a couple of $7.50 glasses of beer at Cincinnati, as the tavern was adjacent to my gate. They were tall glasses, not your typical small beer glass. Going out, I had one Black Jack and water on the Airbus out of Minneapolis. At $7, it was cheaper than the beer. And while in CA, I had 25 beers over the three weeks -- which is quitting in Jazzbo terms. I know exactly how many I had because I bought two 12-packs and had one with a meal at "Burgers & Beer," where one can get a burger, fries and beer for about $20. It's a hell of a lot better burger than the modern In-N-Out, which proved to be something of a disappointment, if vastly cheaper.
Hell, the Big Mac I had at a Mickey D's just west of Nashville on the way home beat the hell out of the In-Out. Their burgers have changed since the sixties and not for the better.
Next order of business is to unpack my suitcase. Nah, I haven't even done that yet. All I managed yesterday was a trip out for some cold cuts and bread and a 12-pack. Gotta get my ass in gear, having company staying the weekend.
Yeah, it may get wild on the Jazzbo homestead. She's bringing Beam, among other things.
(Christ, just heard pounding on front door. It was UPS with an express envelope containing my replacement credit card. Now that's what I call service! Guess they like the way I charge shit. heh)
Tue, Nov 17, 2009 Nashville, (BNA) to San Diego International, (SAN)
Depart: 01:30 PM Nashville, TN (BNA) Delta Air Lines
Arrive: 03:54 PM Minneapolis, MN (MSP) Flight 2983 operated by
COMPASS AIRLINES (on Embraer EMB 175 Jet)
1 Stop - change planes Minneapolis, MN (MSP) Connection Time: 1 hr 16 mins
Depart: 05:10 PM Minneapolis, MN (MSP) Delta Air Lines
Arrive: 07:12 PM San Diego, CA (SAN) Flight 2440 operated by
NORTHWEST AIRLINES (on Airbus A320-100/200)
Total Travel Time: 7 hrs 42 mins
Tue, Dec 8, 2009 San Diego International, (SAN) to Nashville, (BNA)
Depart: 11:35 AM San Diego, CA (SAN) Delta Air Lines
Arrive: 06:41 PM Cincinnati, OH (CVG) Flight 1551
(on Boeing 737 800)
Requested Seats: 20C 1 Stop - change planes Cincinnati, OH (CVG) Connection Time: 1 hr 24 mins
Depart: 08:05 PM Cincinnati, OH (CVG) Delta Air Lines
Arrive: 08:15 PM Nashville, TN (BNA) Flight 4629 operated by
SKYWEST AIRLINES (on Canadair Regional Jet)
Requested Seats: 11C Total Travel Time: 6 hrs 40 mins
Flight home was a bit more exciting than trip out, mainly because of the weather. Coming into Cincinnati, the pilot had the nose of the 737 about 30 degrees left in a big crab because of the wind just prior to flaring out. Freaking cold rain blowing, but he kicked right rudder and set that rumbling son of a bitch down perfectly, though we did some bouncing around in the wind. And the landing at Nashville was equally bothersome, bad weather there too and the Bombardier was a hell of a lot lighter and hinkier, but as pilots say, any landing you walk away from is a good one. I've made a few landings in a light plane in good weather that were a hell of a lot closer to disasters than these pros did in big planes in foul weather.
In fact, we were about an hour late getting into Nashville. There was some problem with weight and balance issues on the flight before we left Cincy. The flight attendant announced that and asked for two volunteers to leave the plane, noting they would be put up in a hotel, given meals, provided with a free flight the next day and $200 cash. Nobody volunteered and about 20 minutes later she announced that she was going to call two names and those people would have to leave the plane. I kept a tight ass hoping Jazzbo wouldn't be one of the names, since I had a ride en route to Nashville in a blowing storm and sure enough I lucked out. The two guys selected left the plane without much complaint, seeing as how nowadays raising a fuss aboard a plane can result in federal charges of interfering with a flight crew and mucho time behind fed bars.
The security check in San Diego returning was a bit busier than was Nashville on the flight out. There were four long lines going through, but I was lined up probably 15 or 20 minutes before making my way into the airport. I'd frankly been put off air travel since 9-11 because of what I thought was a much bigger security hassle. I must say, my experience didn't come close to some of the horror stories I've read about TSA personnel giving travelers a ration of shit or being rude. All the ones I observed were very polite and professional, and I suspect the people who have had problems brought those problems on themselves via a bad attitude. Same with flight attendants, all were very nice and accommodating.
Another great thing I discovered is online check-in. Did that on the trip back, got my boarding passes printed and paid for luggage before I ever left the house. (Delta seems to be one of the few airlines that charges even for your first bag -- $25 if you check it at the airport and $15 if checked online. I'll likely use another airline if I travel again because of that.) Once at Dago, it was just a matter of dropping my luggage off at the kiosk outside the terminal and smoking a couple of weeds before going in and queuing up for security.
I didn't do a lot of drinking while I was gone. I had a couple of $7.50 glasses of beer at Cincinnati, as the tavern was adjacent to my gate. They were tall glasses, not your typical small beer glass. Going out, I had one Black Jack and water on the Airbus out of Minneapolis. At $7, it was cheaper than the beer. And while in CA, I had 25 beers over the three weeks -- which is quitting in Jazzbo terms. I know exactly how many I had because I bought two 12-packs and had one with a meal at "Burgers & Beer," where one can get a burger, fries and beer for about $20. It's a hell of a lot better burger than the modern In-N-Out, which proved to be something of a disappointment, if vastly cheaper.
Hell, the Big Mac I had at a Mickey D's just west of Nashville on the way home beat the hell out of the In-Out. Their burgers have changed since the sixties and not for the better.
Next order of business is to unpack my suitcase. Nah, I haven't even done that yet. All I managed yesterday was a trip out for some cold cuts and bread and a 12-pack. Gotta get my ass in gear, having company staying the weekend.
Yeah, it may get wild on the Jazzbo homestead. She's bringing Beam, among other things.
(Christ, just heard pounding on front door. It was UPS with an express envelope containing my replacement credit card. Now that's what I call service! Guess they like the way I charge shit. heh)
Tue, Nov 17, 2009 Nashville, (BNA) to San Diego International, (SAN)
Depart: 01:30 PM Nashville, TN (BNA) Delta Air Lines
Arrive: 03:54 PM Minneapolis, MN (MSP) Flight 2983 operated by
COMPASS AIRLINES (on Embraer EMB 175 Jet)
1 Stop - change planes Minneapolis, MN (MSP) Connection Time: 1 hr 16 mins
Depart: 05:10 PM Minneapolis, MN (MSP) Delta Air Lines
Arrive: 07:12 PM San Diego, CA (SAN) Flight 2440 operated by
NORTHWEST AIRLINES (on Airbus A320-100/200)
Total Travel Time: 7 hrs 42 mins
Tue, Dec 8, 2009 San Diego International, (SAN) to Nashville, (BNA)
Depart: 11:35 AM San Diego, CA (SAN) Delta Air Lines
Arrive: 06:41 PM Cincinnati, OH (CVG) Flight 1551
(on Boeing 737 800)
Requested Seats: 20C 1 Stop - change planes Cincinnati, OH (CVG) Connection Time: 1 hr 24 mins
Depart: 08:05 PM Cincinnati, OH (CVG) Delta Air Lines
Arrive: 08:15 PM Nashville, TN (BNA) Flight 4629 operated by
SKYWEST AIRLINES (on Canadair Regional Jet)
Requested Seats: 11C Total Travel Time: 6 hrs 40 mins
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