Erk's 2014 Pacamerican Circle

[erkpod]

Flight report DL589 MSP - SEA

Onward connection SEA - ALW

Thursday 06 February

Am already in the secure area so check-in & security do not apply.

Plane: Tail number TBC, B757.

Captain/CSM: Did say their names but I missed them.

Lounge: Didn't see a Sky Club in between changing gates during sub 60 minute connection. General facilities on concourses/gates are excellent anyway (see previous post for pics).

If I had of turned left to go to concourse F instead of turning right to stay within concourse G for this flight, I would have found one according to the flight magazine.

Boarding: Best. Announcement. Ever during boarding just before the front door closed:

If you are on your cell phone, repeat after me: "I have to go. I love you & I'll talk to you from Seattle."

Boarding was slow - quelle surprise. There was an announcement for F pax to board but none for other priority boarders. Where my seat was located was in line with the PB line so when it became clear that all of the F pax had boarded, I stood up & boarded . After all, I'd been in that seat for 30 minutes & I counted that as 30 minutes in the PB queue.

Seat: There was a mention of a config change & pax were prewarned about possible changes to seat assignments. I was moved from 29C to 27C. But I have a shadow.

Delays: Probably pushed back late. Plane needed to be de-iced before departure. Should arrive close to time at SEA.

 

[erkpod]

Now plane spotting during Airport Appreciation Time at SEA. Was originally booked on the lunchtime flight but ages ago was put onto the dinner time flight instead. So now I'm plane spotting.

Luggage is booked through to my final destination & I can't check in just yet at the airport according to the kiosk.

So plane spotting it is! I can think of worse places!

 

[erkpod]

More plane spotting at SEA

 

[erkpod]

More from SEA

 

[erkpod]

Thursday 06 February
Day 37
SEA - ALW AS2086

Flight report for the AS flight SEA - ALW can be summed up as...

It was cold.

It was a Dash 8.

Erk slept most of the way.

The runway at ALW wasn't cleared & it was about -12°C & snowing when I arrived.

AS didn't put my bags on the flight or DL didn't give them to AS - they were not in ALW with me. Sent over on the lunchtime flight on Friday.

The DL app said that my bags were in SEA but that's as far as they could track according to their GCC. Called AS GCC who confirmed the bags were in SEA & would be sent to ALW on the next flight.

 

[erkpod]

Day 38
Friday 07 February
Walla Walla, WA.

No snow today after last night's flurries but not a lot of plowing action.

 

[erkpod]

More from Walla Walla WA

 

[erkpod]

More from Walla Walla WA



GET TO WORK, MR PLOW!

 

[erkpod]

My friends said I brought the sun with me after 3 weeks of no sun





The flights to/from SEA & ALW

 

[gwilli1]

Erk , whats in Walla Walla ? why did you go there ? I have been too Washington State a few times & never heard of it before .

 

[Atleastonce]

After reading your trip report it inspired me to catch a train from SYD domestic to the city this morning. Got of my flight and alas airport line track works all weekend. Taxi it was

 

[erkpod]

Erk , whats in Walla Walla ? why did you go there ? I have been too Washington State a few times & never heard of it before .

It's a city of around 30000 people in the surrounding area. I've got a couple of friends here (the only reason for my trip).

It's a similar distance away from either Seattle, Portland, Spokane & Boise.

 

[erkpod]

After reading your trip report it inspired me to catch a train from SYD domestic to the city this morning. Got of my flight and alas airport line track works all weekend. Taxi it was

D'oh! But the bus would have been free!

 

[cove]

I guess some of the snowed in places are hoping for global warming. You reminded me to make sure none of my family members run out of money due to holding deposits on rooms and other bookings during their trips.
I am getting to love the train pics and I do trains in Sydney.
The photo that gave us 4 of you was a beauty!

 

[erkpod]

I guess some of the snowed in places are hoping for global warming. You reminded me to make sure none of my family members run out of money due to holding deposits on rooms and other bookings during their trips.
I am getting to love the train pics and I do trains in Sydney.
The photo that gave us 4 of you was a beauty!

The various attitudes to snow depending on how prepared the city is or how often the snow falls is interesting.

Portland OR basically shut down over 1-2 inches. Walla Walla wasn't expecting the roads to be cleared. Places like Chicago would see 1-2 inches as no big deal.

As for holding amounts of money. the previous amounts on 23 & 31 January are now gone on 8 February. That's a fair amount of time when traveling.

 

[cove]

Yes I will mention that to my family members who don't travel with multiple cards as that could damage holiday plans if one or two cards go U/S for that length of time.
What did you really think of Hooters? Was that the very bust of times?
All going great so far but my cardiologist would not let me near the fried stuff although two tablets instead of one to handle it may work for some.
Keep the US economy going as we leave LAX tomorrow.

 

[erkpod]

Yes I will mention that to my family members who don't travel with multiple cards as that could damage holiday plans if one or two cards go U/S for that length of time.
What did you really think of Hooters? Was that the very bust of times?
All going great so far but my cardiologist would not let me near the fried stuff although two tablets instead of one to handle it may work for some.
Keep the US economy going as we leave LAX tomorrow.

I'm traveling with 3 cards just in case but it was still a PITA.

I don't go to Hooters for the food & in America, you can't generally get steak there. Some of the food looked ok. I was mainly there for the atmosphere & the girls were nice. They were really working hard.

 

[Atleastonce]

D'oh! But the bus would have been free!

And that's what I am doing this morning.

 

[TomVexille]

The various attitudes to snow depending on how prepared the city is or how often the snow falls is interesting.

Portland OR basically shut down over 1-2 inches. Walla Walla wasn't expecting the roads to be cleared. Places like Chicago would see 1-2 inches as no big deal.

As for holding amounts of money. the previous amounts on 23 & 31 January are now gone on 8 February. That's a fair amount of time when traveling.

Chicago doesn't blink for anything under at least a foot of snow.

I'm traveling with 3 cards just in case but it was still a PITA.

I don't go to Hooters for the food & in America, you can't generally get steak there. Some of the food looked ok. I was mainly there for the atmosphere & the girls were nice. They were really working hard.

You go to Hooters for the chicken wings.

 

[erkpod]

Day 39
Walla Walla WA & Pendleton OR
Saturday 09 February

After a slow start, my hosts & I headed out to Pendleton OR. Soon after passing the WA/OR border, the snow started & hasn't stopped all day.

Some roads were plowed but many weren't, especially within city limits.



No need to make a snowball with chunks like this. Important lesson learnt: Don't bring a knife to a gunfight & pick a snowball fight with someone shoveling snow.



I went for the first of several walks in the snow.



That's not a white oot...



That's closer to a white oot (on the way to Pendleton)



Typical residential street scene in Walla Walla.