If you have that long, maybe you should try to book with QR. When I tried, they never said they wouldn't do it, they just kept finding one little nitpicking problem after another (like they got stuck on the flight number to and from Anchorage being the same, said I couldn't stop twice in Hong Kong, etc).

However, ta da!, I am writing this in the BA lounge in CPT--the journey begins!

Thanks to all who were so helpful. I hope someday to be able to return the favors.