Oregon and Northern California Hybrid Road Trip; Day 16, The Dreaded Plane Ride Across Country!



My exciting view from the Sacramento Airport Terminal
Made with my iPad

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As we currently sit in the Sacramento California International Airport, I dread the upcoming 18 hours.  We decided to fly back to Virginia rather than take the train.  I thought it was a mistake, but that was what we decided.  I have flown hundreds of thousands of miles for work over the past 10 years.  If I never fly again, I won't be upset or feel as though I am missing something.

My way of dealing with flying is to just numb myself to the entire process.  I put myself in Zombie mode and go through the motions knowing the entire process is out of my control.  I have done that today.  We arrived at the airport in plenty of time, checked our luggage and braced for the TSA lines.

One line was open.  Just one.  While my wife somehow (randomly, I have been told) scored a "TSA Pre-Check" designation on her boarding pass, I stood in line for 20 or so minutes like a head of cattle waiting to partially disrobe, take everything out of my pockets, the belt, the shoes, the laptop....you know the routine.  On the other hand, she went to the front of the line and walked through without being accosted in any way!  The luck she has.  I finally got through and put myself back together, then we walked down to the gate and parked ourselves to wait for our flight.

Just a short word about our flight, or flights, as it is.  Originally, we were to fly out of Sacramento and not be "in the system" very long, but the airline decided to cancel my booked flight and reroute us through Los Angeles, with a four hour layover, then to Atlanta overnight on a "red eye" flight, with another layover.  That one is three hours.  Then we make the final leg back to Virginia.  I don't like the entire air travel experience and I have been forced to now spend 18 hours in their system in Zombie mode.  I guess they knew that and decided to "enhance" my travel experience by considerably lengthening my travel.  Such is life and travel in our modern day.

Zombie mode works and I just go through the motions without frustration or elation.  I just exist until I escape from them.

Since I will probably be awake overnight I will be recovering tomorrow and won't post a blog entry.  I will post again on Thursday and let you know how the rest of the air travel experience turns out.

Thanks for looking.  Enjoy!

Dennis Mook


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