Security had to have been the longest line I've ever waited in, but it's all part of the traveling game anymore, so get in line, stand, move forward. No wands, pat downs or long gloves this time. YAY!!!
I got up to the gate, and waited. Biker Bill had said my chances were good, and I settled in to people watch. The plane arrived and folks deplaned, and then more, and more and more. They came in waves, and about the time you'd think no more people could come out of the jetway, there'd be more. And more people gathered to wait to get on the flight heading out of Anchorage, too.
Finally they started the boarding process. I phoned home and found out that some last minute non-revs had listed, management types, and they were ahead of me in the line up and it wasn't looking especially good for me to get on the flight. But get on I did. My name was called and the gate attendant said I'd gotten the last seat. And I was on.
My seat was the middle one, but I was grateful to get on the flight … had to wake some young guy up to let me in. Then I chatted for a couple of hours with the guy on the other side of me. He was a young man who works on the slope, three weeks on and three off. He was going to Minneapolis to his parents to pick up his two kids, a boy and a girl. He has a motorhome and plans to do some traveling with the kids. A nice guy, and really connected with his kids. He showed me photos of them, and the slope and some of the animals there, too … fox, musk ox, reindeer. I shared some of my trip photos with him. Was a nice diversion for a while, and then it was time for naps, although I never do those very well on a plane.
Had a little bite to eat at the airport and a cup of very, very strong French roast coffee. Couldn't connect to the wi-fi … it was available, which means you have too pay for it. Nope, can't do that.
Wandered around and found some artwork in the airport that was pretty cool, so took a couple of photos. They were bronzes by a Gareth Andrews, and were very exciting to see … even when I was dead dog tired, which I was.
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| This is one of the bronzes, and the next photo will be a close up ... it's dedicated to the men and women who have fought in former wars. |
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| Another bronze. They were so interesting to see, and it's so nice to see great art in the airports. Kept me busy for a little while. |
I kept running back and forth between gates, trying to get to either Bozeman or Salt Lake City and then a flight to Bozeman. All the flights were full, and I kept phoning home to Biker Bill (Hobbs) who kept looking at flights, telling me which one to try, and listing me on all of them.
Finally got a flight … it was the one the furthest distance away from where I'd last tried, from Gate C-20 to Gate F-13.
And I made it to Bozeman (about 1:15 p.m., Friday, July 30), called Rider Chic and she picked me up, and we started talking right where we left off two weeks ago. She took me home, went back to work and I crashed on her couch. It wasn't for too long, but enough to give me my second wind. Her daughter, Jamie, along with her husband Sam and two kids, arrived. The kids are cute little tykes … Conner the eldest and Bridger. I enjoyed meeting the kids, and Conner, who is four, is really grown up in some ways. He's very proficient in his language and sometimes seems so serious in the things he says. They're a kick, and I enjoyed sharing time and a meal with them. We'll all be together here tonight. It's a family event, and I'm family.
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| Here's Rider Chic demonstrating an Eskimo Yo-Yo I brought down. She wants to show Angel how to do it, and she showed Connor tonight. This was a photo op if I ever saw one. |
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| This is Bridger, Jamie, Connor and Sam ... a beautiful family. |
And so, I'm all in.
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