So here we are, post Tahoe and even though I could not fully participate they way i had intended, this was a most tiring and hilarious adventure.
Picture if you will.... 42 people... Reagan Airport... arriving at 6:30 AM for an 8:30 AM flight
We check in, get our seats, get our coffees, say our good mornings and sit with snacks, ipods and reading materials a ready for a 4 hour flight to Las Vegas, a quick jaunt to Reno and a lovely bus ride to Stateline, Neveda at the south end of Lake Tahoe. Visions of lycra and mountains dancing in our heads.... sigh =) ....
7:30 AM Coffee and juice has pulsed it's way through our veins, our excitement begins to build as we will start boarding the plane and continue the adventure that began in February with cold training rides, hours in spin class and hundreds of fund raising letters. (BTW, our National Capital Chapter consisting fo 62 participants raised $300,000.00).... sigh... =)
7:45 AM hmmmm.... there is some hubbub at the ticket counter, interesting....
8:00 AM Hey, anyone notice we're not queuing up to board
8:15 AM yeeeeeeeeeeeeah still not boarding
8:30 AM "we're sorry but Flight Yadda Blah to Las Vegas has been delayed due to a mechanical problem" Mechanical Problem? "We should be boarding soon and leaving at 9:30 AM" .... famous last words
9:30 AM Eager faces are now semi annoyed but still eager faces, however, these faces are digging into one more coffee, books and magazines earmarked for the flight, and some have begun to wonder. I venture to the gift shop and buy some playing cards. There is nothing I will treasure more than my "Presidents of the United States" souvenier playings cards. PRICELESS I tell you
10:00 AM Turns out the captains chair is broken and America West is on the hunt for the part...hmmm... there are about, oh I don't know, 40 other aircraft just like it in around the airport, no? US Airways (soon to be a married to the red-headed step child that is America West) has a hub at Reagan Airport, no? Surely they must have a part. "We will be wheels up at 11:30 AM"... cool, not bad, did I see a Cinnabon around the corner?
10:30 AM Still waiting for the part.... I'm 1/4 through the book i brought to read on the plan, 1/2 through the sandwich i bought to eat on the plane, 1/3 through the patience I had at 6:30 AM (4 hours ago)... but thoughts of that beautiful lake and that super huge buffet on the 12 floor of Harrah's.... sigh.... =)
11:00 AM "Folks, we are still working the problem, not to worry but it looks like it will be a 12:00 PM take off" uh-huh
our TNT Staff member are now starting to worry a bit b/c the entire day has a specific time table with some wiggle room. Poodle, now there is as much wiggle room in our agenda as there is in my Aunt Celia's two-sizes-too-small girdle (Sorry, Tia but it's true, honey) Sitting in Stateline NV are our bicycles and they must be picked up at a certain time. Funny enough, NONE of us will be there in time to do so if we don't take off soon. Not to mention our connection from Don't Ask Don't Tell Vegas to Reno. uh oh
11:30 AM "Flight Blahdee Blah to Las Vegas has been canceled" I believe the words that might have escaped the lips of our fearless leaders were 'Oh Shit.' OK, so now, we need to find flights to accomdiate 42 people all leaving today all going to the same place
11: 45 AM there are 6 spaces on a flight leaving at 12:15 on the other side of the terminal. One of our TNT leaders and 7 others run, no not run, haul f***ing ass across the airport to make that flight. These will be the ONLY members of our group arriving before day light in Reno.
12:00 NOON Our Remaining TNT leader is in mid hustle with the Agent from America West, weeding through all the flights available not only at Reagan, but at Dulles (15 miles away) and BWI (47 miles away) as well. It's like a giant puzzle in time and space and there are no edges to help fit things together easily.
1:30 PM Some of us have been shuttle off to BWI, some found a 6:45 PM flight, some of us end up on a 4:45 flight. Note: we've been at Reagan for 7 hours and haven't gone anywhere. The 4:45 PM flight is on Delta, so we have to get all our gear, carry on and checked and stand in line again and get seats on this flight.
NOTE: when this happens, you are issued a ONE WAY ticket (this will be important as the day proceeds) The remaining 14 of us wonder the airport, some of us head for a beer and a snack. According to our TNT Leader, at that given point in time, members of the original 42 were now either at BWI, flying through the air or Landing at either Vegas, Chicago, Mineapolis or San Fran. The lovelly city of Salt Lake City, Utah will have the pleasure of a 2 hours visit from the remaining 14 of us. Refugees... we were a pile of bike gear toting refuges, but we had beer.
2:00 PM still drinking beer
3:00 PM finishing beer(s) and we start getting ready to head through security, again
3:15 PM Remember that note about the one way ticket? well, at Security, one-way tickets are flagged for "Secondary Security Search" Ma'm, would you step over here... oh shit... and I'm 33, not really a Ma'm,...Ok, i comply, it's their job and I'm sure they're sick of the butt heads, so I remain jovial and light hearted. the open everything, even my camera, they opened my lense cases and pulled the lense off my camera body. But before that, they start to check my body "where are you putting that wand?" You know, one day, I'm gonna put something in there and just make them laugh out loud (those of you who know me, know what I'm talking about, hee hee hee)
4:00 PM Currently, my body is running on Coffee, Guiness, potstickers and some bagel. sniff sniff ... there IS a Cinnabon around the corner....
4:30 PM 10 HOURS after arriving at Reagan our motley crew begins to board. I've never been to Salt Lake City.
Did you know that Jello is the State Dessert? No really, I mentioned this to group I'm with and they look at me with surprise at not only do i have this information but I know that Utah consumes more Jello per capita than any other state in the U.S. Lime is the favored flavor. Yeah, I'm a dork
The story continues... but it's late and I'm still recovering from not getting home until 2 AM this morning =)
Stay tuned!
