Erk's 2014 Pacamerican Circle

[erkpod]

Mr Plow, it works better if you put the plow down...





We're not in Washington any more, Toto!

 

[erkpod]

Too far to drive to Portland & back in an afternoon.





On the way to Pendleton



The Pendleton Travelodge has low winter rates (so the sign says...)



River walk at Pendleton, the Umatilla River. We didn't do much walking there.

 

[erkpod]

Freezing my cough off but still having fun outside in the snow with my (now local to the area) friends.



River Walk, Pendleton







The centre of Pendleton

 

[erkpod]

Steak time in Pendleton



Both toilets have a range of tasteful nude artwork in the toilets



I've noticed a few signs (including this one) about daddy/daughter lunches & the like.





"Herro! Steak I can have, please?"

 

[erkpod]

On the street in Pendleton where it was 23°F & the streets were covered in snow.

 

[erkpod]

My first snow angel, Pendleton OR

 

[erkpod]

Sunday 09 February
Walla Walla - San Luis Obispo via Seattle & Salt Lake City

Day 40

The plan was simple. The plane was parked in Walla Walla overnight. So it was there waiting for me when I checked in.

But it didn't include a failure with the deicing truck. The initial plan was to fix the truck. Then the plan was to drive another deicing truck from Pasco. Then they were waiting for a part for the original truck & the plane was cancelled.

I was rebooked onto a shuttle to Pasco & then AS flights PSC - SEA - SFO with a major delay.

My original plan was ALW - SEA on AS, SEA - SLC - PHX on DL then US PHX - SBP.

AS & DL could not get me to PHX to meet my SBP connection, the closest they could get me was to SFO near midnight. The afternoon ALW - SEA flight was fully booked also so I'm not going to SBP today. That makes me sad.

Now I'm in the middle of an extended Airport Appreciation Time at PSC.

I've had my hand luggage & jacket thoroughly searched at both ALW & PSC to boot. Thankfully both airports have free wifi.

 

[erkpod]

Walla Walla this morning



Car park





Looking from the gate to the plane. Yes, I would like the plane to be deiced.



Looking from level 1 which has a lounge area (not as in airline lounge!) & offices.



Looking from level 1 to the car park.

 

[erkpod]

Some people still have to work.

 

[erkpod]

I haven't used my travel pillow as a prop very much on this trip but it seems relevant now.





In a shuttle van to Pasco.





At Pasco.

 

[erkpod]

Can I plead the 1st & 5th Amendments?



TSA inspected my bag at Walla Walla. I've left the VA priority tag on & no one has taken it off yet.





Pasco - good to see a plane that was moving. But just as I type this, another plane (DL) has gone tech & the pax are getting rebooked.

 

[erkpod]

Here's another 2 planes I won't be on. The AS plane is about to leave for SEA but I wasn't booked on it & the DL plane has gone US, originally bound for SLC.

 

[erkpod]

"The Tower."

"What is it?"

"It's the little room where the air traffic controllers sit but that's not important right now."



Finally time to board flight 1 of the day, almost 13 hours late.



There is a plane on the ramp, I promise.



Never been so happy to see a plane!



A deicing truck is how I got into this mess in the first place

 

[TomVexille]

Good to see you finally on your way.

 

[smithy]

Hi Erky. This is a brilliant TR.(the best i have read on this forum).

 

[erkpod]

The lights of Seattle look rather sweet.



Happy to be on the ground in SEA.



Hey look, QF! Priority boarding!



Finally on the ground at SFO.



After some mucking around (protip, don't use an Australian billing address on UA for a booking hours before departure from the US), I've got a booking with UA to SBP. So I'll get to SLO 11 hours later than planned & over 24 hrs after I should have departed from ALW. All this due to a broken deicing truck for a trip from WA to CA!

I'll put in an ORC for the DL flights I missed & a strongly worded email to AS.

 

[erkpod]

Monday 10 February
Day 41
San Francisco Airport Hilton

We on AFF joke about the VA Vlounge at DRW. Introducing the SFO Airport Hilton...





That's my room on the left. The bed's a bit hard, the mood lighting doesn't work & the lady on SFO FM doesn't shut the coughk up but I got a couple of hours of broken sleep.

 

[erkpod]

Boarding the UA plane at SFO bound for SBP.









Various planes on the ramp at SFO.

 

[erkpod]

Colourful Southwest plane at SFO





I was in the perfect spot on the plane for these shots between SFO & SBP.



Overcast day at SBP but I finally arrived albeit almost 12 hours later than planned.

 

[erkpod]

On the ramp at SBP







"Black & whites move in..."

Running gag between my SLO friends & I. Last year, a Sheriff's car was waiting at the airport when I arrived. This year, there was 2.