I left the office at 4:15 for the 5:20 in Dulles. The folks in the RCC in the C concourse efficiently issued BPs. No line to board because we were so late, so we just got onto the 777.
A nice 777 with the new seats, bulkhead in business class. The 777 is a lovely plane, so roomy and airy that I can see why it's so many people's favorite. Plenty of bin space.
The captain had channel 9 on and that is what I listened to a lot, all the way across the US, with the map on the video monitor. I read a Peter Hautman book, very entertaining (if you like Elmore Leonard you'll love Hautman.)
The service was superb the whole way. I hadn't eaten much all day and the choice was shortribs with "vegetables" (meaning mostly potatoes), a chicken thing, and tuna (but they were out of tuna by the time they came around to me.)
They refilled glasses numerous times, were solicitous, just great.
We arrived at 8:00 or so and went on the generic shuttle to Avis. Avis's preferred office is out in the parking lot. It's funny to see the couches and desks like a real office, but in the middle of the parking structure!
They gave me a virgin Mitsubishi Montego, with 14 miles on it, absolutely the first ever to rent this baby.
I would rate the seats as uncomfortable, the ride typical stiff Sport Ute, but the steering and performance above average for this type of vehicle. I enjoyed it actually.
We drove down the 101 to the Crowne Plaza Cabana. This hotel is a good quality CP with pleasant staff.
This is one of the few times I've stayed in Palo Alto. Most of the time all Silicon Valley hotels are booked. I found a Crowne Plaza reservation at 1800hotels on the web and booked it. Only $300 per night
Dinner was at the Fish Market on El Camino, which is a small place with a huge menu of impeccably fresh fish. I ordered a dungeoness crab cocktail and monkfish. The monkfish was fantastic.
Next day breakfast was at Crowne Plaza. Wonderful fruit bowl, eggs on avocado and ham with hollandaise and excellent sausages.
Dinner was Scot's Seafood Grill which is excellent. I ordered the seafood saute, their most popular dish, and had a keylime pie. The keylime pie was really plain lime pie, but was very good and homemade.
After concluding our business in Silicon Valley, and the dinner, we started back to SFO. It began to poor. We good completely drneched on the way from the bus to the terminal, about 50 feet. I was convinced they'd delay the flights but they didn't.
We boarded the 757 with the ugly, hard uncomfortable grey seats in F. I hate this plane
Service was very good, except
1. the captain refused to turn on channel 9.
2. the seats were extremely uncomfortable as you all know
3. what gives serving the Mrs. Field cookie early in the flight? They do this a lot on the redeyes, I've noticed. It seems to me they used to serve it before landing. That is the way they do it on AA. I'm not supposed to eat cookies anyway, but they're great!
The FA was very friendly and I have no complaints about the service, really it was very good for a redeye flight.