I woke up this morning at 2:45 AM to start my pot of coffee. 3:30 AM I am on my way out the door for the 60 mile drive north to the Wilmington, NC Airport (in heavy fog). I am using this airport because it will get me to my destination before noon and using Myrtle Beach will not get me in before 7PM.
5:30 AM we board the airplane and prepare for the 6AM departure. The flight from Wilmington to Atlanta takes just over an hour. Today the flight was 1:15. Our flight was direct and took us over Columbia, SC.
I have 45 minutes on the ground in Atlanta before boarding my flight at 8:00 AM heading to Portland. The flight to Portland takes 5:05 making total airtime this trip 6:20 and 2672 miles.
The flight today is on a Boeing 757-200. It was a full flight with 157 seats (26 First Class, 131 Coach and 5 crew members).
Lucky for me I cleared my upgrade to First Class last week, the list of people jockeying for the two open seats was 34 names long. I’ve been at the end of that list before knowing you’re doomed to a center seat.
I chuckle at the safety announcement when they get to the life vests. If you fly Delta you know the part I find so funny. They tell you where the life vests are in coach (right under your seat). Then they get to First Class and they say they can be found under your seat, or in your arm rest or between your seats. My mind always goes to why can’t you tell me where the darn thing is? You’re going to make me go on a scavenger hunt for the life vest when it’s time?
Our route has taken us north out of Atlanta over Nashville, TN; eastern Kentucky; southern Illinois; St. Louis, MO; Lincoln, NE, Cheyenne, Laramie and just south of Jackson WY, south of Idaho Falls and north of Bosie, ID, then over eastern Oregon then we line up and follow the Columbia River Gorge dividing Washington State and Oregon.
Key landmarks I look for on the flight are: The Mississippi River, the Grand Teton Mountains in Idaho and then the Cascades (Mount Hood).
Today was clear and on the approach to landing I was able to see Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens and Mt Adams.
Once we land I head directly to the rental car area and head out. I go in to work today since I am arriving before noon and I work half a day. My day ended at 5 PM Pacific (17 hours after my day started). I leave work and head on to my motel and check in, unpack, and go to dinner.
This routine will be repeated in reverse for my trek home on Friday. I will start at roughly 3 AM Pacific Time and get home at about 5 PM.
As rough as this commute sounds after a while you get adjusted. Over the 10+ years I’ve been doing this I have come to prefer coast to coast travel because it allows me down time I can use for myself. I watched a movie, listened to music, read some. And if I’m really lucky I might get to squeeze in a 30 minute nap.
Here are pictures from todays trip:
Mount Hood
Rocky Mountains at the Idaho/Wyoming Line:
Rocky Mountains somewhere in Western Wyoming:
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6 comments:
Pretty pictures, Bennie! I enjoy travel, but moreso when I know that there ISN'T work at the other end....and I hear that your "downtime" is about to end with Delta installing WiFi on their jets so you can work in the air! ARRRGGH!
Yeah I've heard about the WiFi on Delta too. Supposed to be done in less than a year. I have not been on a plane that has it yet. I would use it for my iTouch but doubt I'll be working. But I've learned to never say never... I said that about cell phones at one time, that I'd never carry one.
Yesterday during the life vest section, they actually took one out and showed how to put it on. I think this is in response to the 'landing' in the Hudson River. I was flying USAir.
And you know my flying time is all centered around being awake for the meal and nothing more. Nap time for a 5 hour flight would be 4.5 hours, plus the pre-flight time while waiting to take off. zzzzzzzzz
I just love flying in and out of Portland on a clear day and being able to see the mountains.My favorite view is when I am sitting on the left side of the plane returning to Portland and look out the window just in time to see Mt.Hood right smack in my face.
BTW... your photo of Portland is very similar to the one I have on my old Blogger site.http://www.jackieinpdx.blogspot.com/
I couldn't get that photo to fit correctly on my WordPress Blog so I used one of my own from Isla Mujeres.
Sue - I wish I could sleep on the planes as good as you. I just find it too uncomfortable (generally). This week I was so tired I could have slept upside down from the overhead bins. Now that I think about it, it might just be more spacious up there.
Jackie - I just linked over to your blog and you have a beautiful picture of Portland there. And what an Omlet you had for breakfast. Now I have one more blog to read, I may find some neat places to eat when I travel to your home.
Bennie,
Casa de Tamales is in Milwaukie which is SE of Portland. It is about 15 miles from Vancouver. Address is 10605 SE Main St, Milwaukie. Map it for directions. I somewhat disagree with the route that Google maps gives but it will get you there.
Here is another post of mine about a great restaurant http://jackieinpdx.com/2008/12/11/dinner-tonight-at-elenis-estiatorio-in-the-sellwood-neighborhood/
There are so many really good places to eat in Portland. At one time Portland was known to have the most restaurants per capita of any west coast city. Several neighborhoods that are up and coming have smaller locally owned establishments. There is a really wonderful Cuban place that I wrote about. http://jackieinpdx.com/2008/09/08/last-nights-birthday-dinner-at-pambiche/
Let me know what kind of food you like and I can hook you up.
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