Thanks for the encouraging words.

To be perfectly candid, I've never done a true mileage run, I mean from personal expense taking long flights only to get mileage...oh wait! I did it one time just to use some coupons. Flew from SJC to Long Beach, cabbed to LAX, and flew same day return LAX to SFO. Don't ask me why, had some reason which seemed right at that time, maybe not now :-)

I'll try to construct a mileage run with more segments or mileage with the same journey that I take with my business travel, let's see what I end up with, but your post has given me hope, and sense of excitement hearing your stories, especially the liberating comment at the mercy of Gate Agents :-)