Loose Cannon
Nov 17, 04, 10:56 pm
My latest tour of duty lasted longer than I had hoped, from Wednesday 20th October to Monday 15th November.
Jet Blue #244 LGB-OAK A-320 Seat 24A Cruise at 31000' Estimated flying time: 0:55; actual time 1:05
It was a rainy morning in southern California when I arrived at LGB. I was selected for secondary screening, as usual. This was my first Jet Blue flight that was late. The plane was late arriving from FLL and we were about 15min late on pushback. We were at cruising altitude for about 6 minutes. Service was one drink run (I got the whole can of soda) and the usual snacks on Jet Blue (I chose the blue chips) which I think are at least a step above the snacks other airlines I've flown offer. Plane was almost full but there were a few empty seats. We approached OAK from the north and were late arriving. My checked bags were waiting for me at baggage claim in spite of the fact the ticket agent at LGB failed to give me baggage claim tags and I forgot to request same.
Trip: Oakland, CA-Streator, IL 2,082 miles Routes: Interstate 80 to Interstate 39 to Illinois 23
I picked up truck in Oakland. Diesel fuel cost $2.479 in Sacramento the highest I've paid to date. It looked like a winter wonderland going over Donner Pass due to previous snowfalls. I attended North Platte Baptist in North Platte, NE in the morning and Plains Baptist in Lincoln, NE in the evening. I saw some fall colours in Iowa though many leaves were already gone. I delivered this truck in Streator, IL.
Trip: Streator, IL-Dayton, OH 343 miles Routes: Illinois 17 to Illinois 18 to Illinois 47 to Illinois 116 to US24 to Interstate 70 to Interstate 75
I picked up another truck in Streator. It started raining in Dwight, IL and continued off and on through almost all of Indiana. The rain stopped by the time I delivered in Dayton.
Greyhound Bus Dayton, OH to Cincinnati, OH. The bus ride was a few minutes shy of an hour with no incident.
Trip: Cincinnati, OH-Baton Rouge, LA 865 miles Routes: Interstate 75 to Interstate 71 to Interstate 264 to Interstate 65 to Tennessee 155 (Briley Parkway) to Interstate 40 to Interstate 240 to Interstate 55 to Interstate 12
I picked up a truck and experienced patchy fog in LA and warm weather (temps in the mid 80s Farenheit) in MS and LA. Delivered truck in Baton Rouge switched out to another truck I was to take to Cincinnati
Trip: Baton Rouge, LA-Cincinnati, OH 865 miles Routes: Interstate 12 to Interstate 59 to Interstate 465 to Interstate 65 to Interstate 264 to Interstate 71 to Interstate 75
I varied my route slightly but the miles were about the same. I attended Bible Baptist in Tuscaloosa, AL Sunday morning and Trinity Baptist in Franklin, TN Sunday evening. It was raining in Cincinnati when I delivered truck on Election Day (2nd November) and I took a rather expensive cab ride to Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).
Delta #1042 CVG-MKE B-737-200 Seat 23F Cruising altitude not announced. Estimated flying time not given; actual 0:55.
I went thru secondary screening as usual. There was a short line ahead of me, something I rarely experience when SSSSelected. I was impressed with the Delta terminal at CVG. About 70 of the 100 seats on the plane were filled. Pushback was on time but most of the flight was bumpy due to a weather front. There was one hurried drink run (I did NOT get the whole can of soda) and a tiny bag of pretzels were served. That's a small step up from peanuts. Upon arrival it was cloudy in MKE. Passengers disembarked using stairs at MKE and the wing of the terminal was undergoing renovation. My bags arrived promptly at baggage claim.
Trip: Cudahy, WI-Freeport (Long Island), NY 952 miles Routes: Interstate 94 to Interstate 294 to Interstate 80 to Interstate 95 to Interstate 295 to Interstate 495 to New York 135
This was a frusturating trip because the type of truck I was transporting was overweight and needed special trip permits in all states I was running thru. I picked up the truck in Cudahy but had to get a room in Milwaukee because states were not issuing permits since it was election day. I watched the returns and though I'm not too thrilled about Bush I'm glad Kerry did not win.
Next day I had to wait almost all day for Wisconsin permit to be issued and I got past the Chicago area. The following day I had to hold up in Indiana as a permit from Ohio was not issued. By the time all permits were issued I was too far out to make it to New York on Friday so I had to wait until Monday since New York's permit said "No weekend travel." Friday night I stopped near Youngstown, OH and relatives from New Castle, PA took me to dinner and made this experience slightly more tolerable. I attended Sunday morning service at First Baptist in Clearfield, PA and evening service in Stroudsburg, PA. I had my best French Dip ever at the Howard Johnson's in Bartonsville, PA. Traffic was horrid in New York. I paid $18 to cross the George Washington Bridge (full-size semis cost $30) and $13 to cross the Throgs Neck Bridge. With the fall colours the view of New York was spectacular crossing the George Washington Bridge. I finally delivered on 8th of November on Long Island and one of the employees was good enough to give me a ride to LaGuardia airport (LGA). We took a couple of parkways and traffic was not bad. Parkways in New York (and New Jersey) are NOT designed for large trucks.
ATA #207 LGA-MDW B-737-800 Seat 13A (one of the worst rows in the house) Cruising altitude not given. Estimated flying time 1:53; actual time 2:15. I was selected for secondary screening but the screener did not really go thru my carry-on bags. Plane was late arriving from IND. Boarding was slightly chaotic (is this typical of New Yorkers?) Seats in row 13 did not recline due to being right in front of exit row which meant a less comfortable experience. Pushback was 11min late and taxi was 23min. I saw NYC on takeoff. There was one drink run (I did NOT get whole can of soda) plus small bag of pretzels for the snack. Passengers were offered a headset for $2 but I declined as I found none of the IFE options attractive. Flight was normal until just before touchdown and with the runway lights in sight at MDW we climbed, went around and landed normally on the second attempt. We were late arriving and when we pulled up at the gate the captain explained another aircraft was cleared to take off ahead of us and we were asked to go around.
ATA Chicago Connection #3953 MDW-MKE Saab 340B (prop job) Cruising altitude not announced. Estimated flying time: 0:21; actual 0:24.
There was a gate change that was not announced. Passengers were bussed out to the plane and we left the gate 5min early. The takeoff roll commenced and there was a vibration and the plane shuddered to a halt. We taxied off the runway and the pilot explained something that was supposed to damp out the vibrations did not work but we would try takeoff again and the second takeoff attempt was successful. We landed at MKE and I got my bags and got a room for the night.
All takeoffs and landings I've experienced were routine until the evening of 8th November 2004 then I experienced a missed approach and an aborted landing on the same evening.
Trip: New Berlin, WI-Truckee, CA 1,984 miles Routes: Interstate 43 to Interstate 90 to Interstate 39 to Interstate 88 to Interstate 80 with US95/US50 detour.
I picked truck up and got rolling and experienced rain west of Adair, IA into Omaha, NE. There was a wreck in Omaha with a diesel spill and only the breakdown lane was open on the left. The next morning the weather was clear but much colder at 28 degrees Farenheit and it got down to 23 degrees in Kimball, Nebraska. I experienced a few flakes of snow near Evanston, WY but fortunately the snow did not stick. After that I did not experience any more precipitation the rest of the trip. I attended morning church at Calvary Chapel in Battle Mountain, NV and evening church at Rock of Ages Baptist Church in Fallon, NV. Monday the 15th of November I delivered truck in Truckee, CA and was given a ride to the Reno/Tahoe International Airport. This was my first time at that airport.
Southwest #1577 RNO-LAX B-737-300 Seat 12F Cruising altitude not announced. Estimated flying time: 1:20; actual, 0:59.
I purchased a ticket at the ticket counter for $127.60 and was selected for secondary screening. Flight was maybe a third full and pushback was on time. Taxi was five minutes and I saw Lake Tahoe shortly after takeoff and then nothing but high clouds until descent when I saw Santa Barbara in the distance and Ventura/Oxnard and the Channel Islands closer up. I saw LAX then after a turn, downtown Los Angeles on final approach. There was light turbulence but seatbelt sign remained on the whole flight. There was one drink run (I did NOT get the whole can) and I declined the peanuts. We arrived on time, perhaps early and my checked bags were waiting for me when I arrived at baggage claim.
I took a shuttle bus to the Aviation Station where I caught the Green Line to Norwalk and took a cab home from there. I saved about $10 doing it that way as opposed to taking a shuttle van all the way. Thus ends a lengthy tour of duty.
Jet Blue #244 LGB-OAK A-320 Seat 24A Cruise at 31000' Estimated flying time: 0:55; actual time 1:05
It was a rainy morning in southern California when I arrived at LGB. I was selected for secondary screening, as usual. This was my first Jet Blue flight that was late. The plane was late arriving from FLL and we were about 15min late on pushback. We were at cruising altitude for about 6 minutes. Service was one drink run (I got the whole can of soda) and the usual snacks on Jet Blue (I chose the blue chips) which I think are at least a step above the snacks other airlines I've flown offer. Plane was almost full but there were a few empty seats. We approached OAK from the north and were late arriving. My checked bags were waiting for me at baggage claim in spite of the fact the ticket agent at LGB failed to give me baggage claim tags and I forgot to request same.
Trip: Oakland, CA-Streator, IL 2,082 miles Routes: Interstate 80 to Interstate 39 to Illinois 23
I picked up truck in Oakland. Diesel fuel cost $2.479 in Sacramento the highest I've paid to date. It looked like a winter wonderland going over Donner Pass due to previous snowfalls. I attended North Platte Baptist in North Platte, NE in the morning and Plains Baptist in Lincoln, NE in the evening. I saw some fall colours in Iowa though many leaves were already gone. I delivered this truck in Streator, IL.
Trip: Streator, IL-Dayton, OH 343 miles Routes: Illinois 17 to Illinois 18 to Illinois 47 to Illinois 116 to US24 to Interstate 70 to Interstate 75
I picked up another truck in Streator. It started raining in Dwight, IL and continued off and on through almost all of Indiana. The rain stopped by the time I delivered in Dayton.
Greyhound Bus Dayton, OH to Cincinnati, OH. The bus ride was a few minutes shy of an hour with no incident.
Trip: Cincinnati, OH-Baton Rouge, LA 865 miles Routes: Interstate 75 to Interstate 71 to Interstate 264 to Interstate 65 to Tennessee 155 (Briley Parkway) to Interstate 40 to Interstate 240 to Interstate 55 to Interstate 12
I picked up a truck and experienced patchy fog in LA and warm weather (temps in the mid 80s Farenheit) in MS and LA. Delivered truck in Baton Rouge switched out to another truck I was to take to Cincinnati
Trip: Baton Rouge, LA-Cincinnati, OH 865 miles Routes: Interstate 12 to Interstate 59 to Interstate 465 to Interstate 65 to Interstate 264 to Interstate 71 to Interstate 75
I varied my route slightly but the miles were about the same. I attended Bible Baptist in Tuscaloosa, AL Sunday morning and Trinity Baptist in Franklin, TN Sunday evening. It was raining in Cincinnati when I delivered truck on Election Day (2nd November) and I took a rather expensive cab ride to Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).
Delta #1042 CVG-MKE B-737-200 Seat 23F Cruising altitude not announced. Estimated flying time not given; actual 0:55.
I went thru secondary screening as usual. There was a short line ahead of me, something I rarely experience when SSSSelected. I was impressed with the Delta terminal at CVG. About 70 of the 100 seats on the plane were filled. Pushback was on time but most of the flight was bumpy due to a weather front. There was one hurried drink run (I did NOT get the whole can of soda) and a tiny bag of pretzels were served. That's a small step up from peanuts. Upon arrival it was cloudy in MKE. Passengers disembarked using stairs at MKE and the wing of the terminal was undergoing renovation. My bags arrived promptly at baggage claim.
Trip: Cudahy, WI-Freeport (Long Island), NY 952 miles Routes: Interstate 94 to Interstate 294 to Interstate 80 to Interstate 95 to Interstate 295 to Interstate 495 to New York 135
This was a frusturating trip because the type of truck I was transporting was overweight and needed special trip permits in all states I was running thru. I picked up the truck in Cudahy but had to get a room in Milwaukee because states were not issuing permits since it was election day. I watched the returns and though I'm not too thrilled about Bush I'm glad Kerry did not win.
Next day I had to wait almost all day for Wisconsin permit to be issued and I got past the Chicago area. The following day I had to hold up in Indiana as a permit from Ohio was not issued. By the time all permits were issued I was too far out to make it to New York on Friday so I had to wait until Monday since New York's permit said "No weekend travel." Friday night I stopped near Youngstown, OH and relatives from New Castle, PA took me to dinner and made this experience slightly more tolerable. I attended Sunday morning service at First Baptist in Clearfield, PA and evening service in Stroudsburg, PA. I had my best French Dip ever at the Howard Johnson's in Bartonsville, PA. Traffic was horrid in New York. I paid $18 to cross the George Washington Bridge (full-size semis cost $30) and $13 to cross the Throgs Neck Bridge. With the fall colours the view of New York was spectacular crossing the George Washington Bridge. I finally delivered on 8th of November on Long Island and one of the employees was good enough to give me a ride to LaGuardia airport (LGA). We took a couple of parkways and traffic was not bad. Parkways in New York (and New Jersey) are NOT designed for large trucks.
ATA #207 LGA-MDW B-737-800 Seat 13A (one of the worst rows in the house) Cruising altitude not given. Estimated flying time 1:53; actual time 2:15. I was selected for secondary screening but the screener did not really go thru my carry-on bags. Plane was late arriving from IND. Boarding was slightly chaotic (is this typical of New Yorkers?) Seats in row 13 did not recline due to being right in front of exit row which meant a less comfortable experience. Pushback was 11min late and taxi was 23min. I saw NYC on takeoff. There was one drink run (I did NOT get whole can of soda) plus small bag of pretzels for the snack. Passengers were offered a headset for $2 but I declined as I found none of the IFE options attractive. Flight was normal until just before touchdown and with the runway lights in sight at MDW we climbed, went around and landed normally on the second attempt. We were late arriving and when we pulled up at the gate the captain explained another aircraft was cleared to take off ahead of us and we were asked to go around.
ATA Chicago Connection #3953 MDW-MKE Saab 340B (prop job) Cruising altitude not announced. Estimated flying time: 0:21; actual 0:24.
There was a gate change that was not announced. Passengers were bussed out to the plane and we left the gate 5min early. The takeoff roll commenced and there was a vibration and the plane shuddered to a halt. We taxied off the runway and the pilot explained something that was supposed to damp out the vibrations did not work but we would try takeoff again and the second takeoff attempt was successful. We landed at MKE and I got my bags and got a room for the night.
All takeoffs and landings I've experienced were routine until the evening of 8th November 2004 then I experienced a missed approach and an aborted landing on the same evening.
Trip: New Berlin, WI-Truckee, CA 1,984 miles Routes: Interstate 43 to Interstate 90 to Interstate 39 to Interstate 88 to Interstate 80 with US95/US50 detour.
I picked truck up and got rolling and experienced rain west of Adair, IA into Omaha, NE. There was a wreck in Omaha with a diesel spill and only the breakdown lane was open on the left. The next morning the weather was clear but much colder at 28 degrees Farenheit and it got down to 23 degrees in Kimball, Nebraska. I experienced a few flakes of snow near Evanston, WY but fortunately the snow did not stick. After that I did not experience any more precipitation the rest of the trip. I attended morning church at Calvary Chapel in Battle Mountain, NV and evening church at Rock of Ages Baptist Church in Fallon, NV. Monday the 15th of November I delivered truck in Truckee, CA and was given a ride to the Reno/Tahoe International Airport. This was my first time at that airport.
Southwest #1577 RNO-LAX B-737-300 Seat 12F Cruising altitude not announced. Estimated flying time: 1:20; actual, 0:59.
I purchased a ticket at the ticket counter for $127.60 and was selected for secondary screening. Flight was maybe a third full and pushback was on time. Taxi was five minutes and I saw Lake Tahoe shortly after takeoff and then nothing but high clouds until descent when I saw Santa Barbara in the distance and Ventura/Oxnard and the Channel Islands closer up. I saw LAX then after a turn, downtown Los Angeles on final approach. There was light turbulence but seatbelt sign remained on the whole flight. There was one drink run (I did NOT get the whole can) and I declined the peanuts. We arrived on time, perhaps early and my checked bags were waiting for me when I arrived at baggage claim.
I took a shuttle bus to the Aviation Station where I caught the Green Line to Norwalk and took a cab home from there. I saved about $10 doing it that way as opposed to taking a shuttle van all the way. Thus ends a lengthy tour of duty.