I recently returned from my trip to SAN (Comic-Con) from OKC.
I drove 3k miles to avoid the TSA. Last year I flew and went through one of the "puffer" machines.
My boyfriend flew from YYZ to SAN to join me. His flight to SAN was uneventful, but on his flight back to YYZ, he was scanned AND groped.
He's got lots of metal bits from being put back together from an accident 20 years ago, so he sets off metal detectors and ends up being groped anyway. Isn't one of the benefits of the scanners supposed to be easier screening for people with metal bits? EPIC SCANNER FAIL!!
A couple months ago, a co-worker of mine was scanned AND groped at DEN when coming back from visiting her son and grandchildren. She was visibly distraught and angry when she told us of her experience. She said that her TSA groper looked like a prison guard. :|
did you find yourself breathing harder? Flagstaff is a mile high city
Thanks to the FlyerTalk sticky post, I was able to advise another co-worker flying to MDW on how to avoid the scanners there.
Things I learned on my drive:
Windfarms! Yay for alternative energy!
Starbucks is awesome - I love the free wifi! I was able to plan the next leg of my drive while relaxing and sipping/nibbling on something yummy. (zucchini/walnut muffin is win)
Amarillo, TX is a lot smaller than I thought it would be. I was shocked when I stopped for lunch and fuel to realize that what I thought was the middle of the city was actually the western edge.
The rest areas in New Mexico are really nice. The Welcome Centers have free coffee and friendly people!
It rains in New Mexico and Arizona. For some reason I thought desert meant no rain, but there were showers on both passes through these states.
The contrast in temperature between Flagstaff, AZ and Phoenix, AZ is crazy!
Saguaro cactus are neat looking.
There is an agriculture checkpoint in Blythe, CA. I've never been through one of those before. I guess they only care what you bring to CA, because there was no checkpoint upon leaving.
Taking the state highway path from Indio, CA to Temecula, CA is not for the faint of heart. What looks like a fairly direct route on the map, is actually a 'Family Circus: Billy' route of twists and turns up and down the mountains.
Littering fine amounts seem to be inverse to the amount of litter. There was much less litter in states where the fine was $100/$300/$500 vs CA where the fine was $1000 with lots of trash on the roadsides.
The road-trip is alive and well in America. There were passenger vehicles and RVs from all over the US, Canada and Mexico.
My September trip to St. Louis will be cake at only 1k miles round trip.
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Thanks for listening.
