The biggest transportation challenge came in my very first week. It was the the inauguration of a new governor and most, if not all, of the elected Delegates were staying in Richmond for the weekend festivities. Seeing no other alternative, my parents called Piedmont, the regional airline that served Richmond International Airport, and quickly reserved a round trip ticket for me. Thinking back, the experience seems almost other worldly. I showed up at the airport without any photo identification or perhaps any identification of any kind. All I would have had at that age was my Social Security Card and I didn't carry it with me on a normal day. I paid $98 cash at the counter for my ticket, didn't check any baggage. and walked down to the boarding gate unassisted. If there was any sort of security, it was minimal. I don't even recall passing through a metal detector or having my bags scanned. There was no limit on how many items I could take on the plane or on the size of my individual pieces of luggage. I changed planes in Charlotte, NC and my parents were waiting for me when I arrived at Tri-Cities Airport in Johnson City, TN. I am not sure if they waited on the observation deck or at the gate. Either way, they watched my plane land and taxi to the gate.
Nowadays none of that is possible. Purchasing tickets for cash... Ticketing without ID... Boarding without security screening... Taking multiple pieces of over-sized luggage on the plane... A minor travelling unassisted... Meeting passengers at the gate when you don't have your own boarding pass... At fourteen years old, it was an almost magical experience. Given the captive audience in Richmond that weekend, both of my flights were nearly empty other than myself and the flight crew. Perhaps as close as I will ever come to a private plane ride. I got copious snacks of smoked almonds on both flights and all the soft drinks I wanted. They even let me have the can. Seems almost crazy to even suggest that now, doesn't it? In 31 years, flying has gone from a magical experience to being more akin to punishment for me. Planes have become so many Greyhound buses in the sky. No offense to Greyhound. I took a flight last month that lasted a combined 11 hours in the air and I received little more than a handful of pretzels, a sugar biscuit, and a couple of soft drinks. After paying over $1,300 for a an upgraded coach seat (which didn't seem any more comfortable) I was being asked to pay an additional $12 for better snack food. Even more for a decent meal. I JUST COULD NOT BRING MYSELF TO DO IT.
This is a big reason why I was happy to be sharing driving duties with my wife for our quintessential American road trip to Ortonville, MN / Milbank, SD. I have decided that 16 hours in the car each way is far preferable to a third as many hours in the air and perhaps another third dealing with all the hurdles to get in the air. Yes, it was a long drive, but not without a few perks. Here's my quick version of the legendary Top Ten List of reasons I now prefer to drive instead of fly:
1. Public restrooms aren't always the best, but they are way better than airplane lavatories.
Except for the occasional seedy looking gas station in the middle of nowhere. Use your best
judgement to avoid this pitfall.
2. You can stop, get out for a quick walk around, and stretch whenever you want.
Maybe not when driving through Chicago or other major urban traffic zones, but nearly all times
otherwise.
3. The food selections are decidedly better and can be purchased with cash or credit.
If you don't like what you see at Exit 49, just go another few miles and the options will certainly
be different.
4. Comfortable all-leather interior and fully adjustable seats.
Hertz Gold - membership has its privileges.
5. Road noise is considerably quieter than jet-engine noise.
6. Toll booth collectors seem happier and they are friendlier than TSA screeners.
Disclaimer: I have not met all TSA Screeners nor every toll booth attendant. This is based
merely on a small sample of relatively recent encounters. Some TSA Screeners may be quite
happy and exceedingly friendly and some toll booth collectors may be miserable and unfriendly.
7. No pre-flight safety briefing required before getting on the road each time.
Although my wife does make sure I go through a pre-flight checklist to minimize distractions
once I am on the road.
8. You can bring a big gulp in the car with you and a case or two of beer in the trunk if you want.
We did go to Chippewa Falls and they sell some beers there that ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN
OHIO. Review that. Beers unopened in the trunk. Soft drinks in the car. Enough said.
9. Everybody gets a window seat and the views are always amazing.
Who knew they had this much corn in Minnesota? Is that a truckload of sugar beets?
10. You never have to wait in line before boarding.
I look forward to a line of adoring fans huddled by the car waiting for my autograph someday.
In the meantime I will revel in the convenience of anonymity.
Looks like the pre-amble to this post turned out to be longer than usual... So I will share just a few quick teasers before rounding out the first stop of the travelogue in the next post (that I will publish tomorrow). We had a one-night stay in Chippewa Falls, WI on the first waypoint. Missed the last tour of the day for the Leinenkugel brewery, but still visited the Leinie Lodge tasting bar. Got a great tip for a dinner stop from the bartender. Good thing too, since the desk clerk at the hotel was of little value in this regard. The Sheeley House looked like just your average neighborhood watering hole, but the food was exceptional. Got a great night's sleep at the Hampton Inn & Suites and then back in the car to finish the second leg of the trip to Milbank, SD by way of Minneapolis-St. Paul. You will get all the details plus maybe a few from the second leg of the trip in the second half of this post. Stay tuned true believers. -big smile-
Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike
 |
| When booking the hotel, I thought Chippewa Falls sounded familiar. Indeed it was. Home to Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company and the Leinie Lodge. |
 |
| I can't believe I never visited this great state before! Johnsonville Brats for less than $4 at a gas station? WOO-HOO!!! WELCOME TO MY WISCONSIN STATE OF MIND. |
No comments:
Post a Comment