REUNION Completion. Monday, October 1, 2007.

REUNION - Completion. Monday, October 1, 2007.
Well, the weekend flew by, and this is already get-away day. I am not looking forward to another 12 hour day! Of the less than 80 hours I was gone, 24 of them were spent going and coming! My Monday started out on the weird side. Saturday morning at breakfast, I asked the Hostess what time she would be open for breakfast the next morning. She said 6 o’clock. I told her that I had a 6 shuttle reservation. She then told me to come down about 5:30, and she would have a breakfast ready for me. Sunday night, I left a 5 A.M. “wake-up” call, and made a reservation for the 6A.M. shuttle to the airport. I also set my wind-up alarm for 5, figuring that between the two I would at least hear one of them. Well, I didn’t. When the phone rang, I jumped out of bed and looked at the clock, and it was 6 A .M.! What a shock! I can’t explain the weird feeling of hopelessness I had. I dressed hurriedly, brushed my teeth and finished packing, and was off. Fortunately, they put the statement under the door during the night, so didn’t have to check out.
When I got to the front of the hotel, I told the desk clerk That I left a call for 5. He said they called at 5, and there was no answer. He also said that he never saw anyone who slept so soundly. I didn’t tell him that I was still awake at 2;30! I didn’t sleep well any of the three nights I was there. I don’t know why. He could see that I was stressed, so he went in the back and came out with a Hampton Inn, “On the Run” sack breakfast. About then the breakfast hostess came up and said, “Where were you? I fixed breakfast for you!
About then, a shuttle driver came in and said she ate my breakfast, and would be driving me to the airport. She said she didn’t have any passengers at the Best Western, so she came over to take me to the airport. Apparently, the desk had called her. She did her best to relax me by assuring me that I had plenty of time to make my 0830 flight. She had been working all night, and was still friendly and up beat. Her shift ended at 7:00, and we arrived at the airport at 0630. No one ahead of me at Southwest ticketing, and Security went fast and smoothly, and had my shoes back on by 0700. On to Gate B-10 (at the end of the concourse, as per usual) to catch Flight 259 to Oakland - with one stop in Phoenix. The Cleveland airport is much quieter than Oakland’s. Of course, it is early in the morning.
I pre-boarded - what a nice benefit. I picked a window seat on the same side as when inbound - so I could see other scenery in the opposite direction going back. We pushed back from the Gate at 0828, and took off to the Southwest at 0835, after a 35 second run (there must not have been much wind.).
We passed through 10,000 feet at 0840. We are passing through a cold front, lying north-south through Toledo , at 0850. The seat-belt sign is still “On,” as it is a little bumpy, as we skim over the top of cumulus clouds just below us. We are through the front at 0910. It is 1110 (EDT), and the pilot reports that we are 570 miles from Phoenix. I can see many circles on the ground, and the pilot said that they do a lot of soy bean farming in the mid-west. We are leaving western Kansas and entering over Eastern Nebraska.
It is 1125, and flying over desert now. I can see a small plane flying about a 1,000 feet below us, heading in the opposite direction. They served a box of “Travel Snacks” shortly after take-off from /Cleveland. The flight attendants have come through the cabin twice since - serving water, soft drinks and coffee.
We are starting our letdown into Phoenix at 1155 EDT. I set my watch back two hours to Mountain Daylight Time - even though Arizona doesn’t observe Daylight Savings Time. It is overcast below, and our plane makes a great silhouette on the cloud tops. It is a smooth ride even though we are letting down through the overcast. We break out of the clouds, 100 miles out, at 12:20The pilot reports 85 degrees on the ground in Phoenix, and we will be on the ground in in 25 minutes. Also, that we will be on the ground for 20 minutes, and then on to Oakland. We are flying just above the mountains in the area. It is hard to believe the large area covered by the cities of Phoenix/Scottsdale. Between these two cities and Tucson, there’s not much desert left in Arizona. I’ve never thought of Phoenix as a big city. But, when I look down and see the vast and extensive freeway system, one would think that it is L.A. On our final approach we pass very close to the downtown high-rise buildings. We touched down at 1236.
While on the ground in Phoenix, I asked the flight attendant how many passengers the plane held. She said 137, with about 100 on board from Cleveland to Phoenix, and 11 of these remaining on board to continue on to Oakland.
One of the Phoenix passengers, picked the aisle seat in my row. To be friendly, I asked him what time it was in Phoenix? He replied, “The same time”! “They walk among us!”
We pushed back from the Gate at 1030 PDT, and were off the ground at 1036 - a 35 second takeoff- run to the west. There were a few middle seats vacant (a 3 by 3 configuration) on all legs of my flights - to and from!
I can see the Sierra Nevada mountains close by and visibility is so good that I can see the blue Pacific in the distance, off to the west. I can also see a wisp of smoke rising to the west. Don’t know if it is one of the old fires, or a new one. I would guess that we are flying at about 25 thousand feet. (the higher the altitude, the more efficient is the jet engine). We are flying over desolate desert area northwest of Phoenix. I can’t help but wonder where Fossett is when I look down at this large desolate area. I keep thinking what if I spot his crash site?
Flying across highways 395, 99, I-5 and the Central canal. It is noon, and we are experiencing a bumpy ride. The pilot is slowly descending to smoother airspace. It is noon. We are entering the top of the clouds - probably around 10,000 feet.
We touch down at Oakland at 1230. As we taxi in to the terminal, I notice a large boom pumping concrete on the ramp. More airport expansion I presume. Wouldn’t you know, we park at Gate 30 - at the end of the concourse.
I pick up my suitcase off the carousel and tow it over to Station 4E to await the 2:30 Evans. Back at the Courtyard hotel in Vallejo at 3:15, picked up my car, and walked in the door here at 3:30 - another 12 hour day .
To recap: It was a very interesting trip. I was very pleased at how well I weathered the trip. I was a little skeptical and hesitant to make the long trip, but I did just fine! I thank the Good Lord for a very nice and safe trip!