October and the Florida Keys, Part 1

Uncle Glen, Diana and I all left Anchorage at about the same time, on red eyes, October 13. However, we were on different flights. They flew Delta and I flew Alaska Airlines, using a mileage ticket. Uncle Glen said that won't happen again. Those that travel together, fly together.

We arrived less than an hour apart on Thursday afternoon, and they went to get the rental car. I texted when I arrived and said I was headed to baggage. I got a text back that they were in the parking garage getting the rental, Hertz area. Second level. Got it.

After wrestling with two bags, pushing and pulling me on the escalators, I arrived at the Hertz counter but UG and Diana were nowhere in sight. What did we do before cell phones? A quick call and we soon discovered that I was somehow in the wrong place, perhaps too far at one of end the Hertz garage. As it happened, there were four different Hertz counters, each located in a different area. I was in area A, they were in B. Off I went.

As I trudged first down the escalator, across the roadway, back into the terminal and across, looking for another escalator, UG called. Where are you? I'm here, heading your way. Okay. Off I went again, down a ways in the terminal heading for those damnable escalators that were trying to kill me. UG called. Where are you? At the escalators, heading down then across to B. Again I grabbed my luggage and continued on. Again my phone rang. Where are you? I'm heading your direction; however, every time you call me, I have to stop to answer the phone because I cannot handle two pieces of luggage and talk on the phone at the same time. Oh. Diana popped on and said I'll meet you. Soon after we had a visual. Diana decided UG and I were Aretha Franklin and Betty White, both needing a Snickers bar to pull us off the edge.

Finally, into the car and on our way to a Cracker Barrell for food, and then to Cyndie's house for the first leg of the journey, to pick up bikes and so on. UG and I did the bike thing and went to WalMart to pick up water and snacks. It's amazing what you can fit into saddlebags and on the back when you aren't packing the kitchen sink with you. I also picked up a bag of emergency Snickers bars for Diana to distribute in the event of a diva sighting or a meltdown.

Dinner later with Cyndie, her John, and other friends, a beautiful sunset and all was right again in my world. A good night's sleep would also not hurt.