Delta mileage run to PIT

We had an extra day available, so rather than spread the TED flights over three days, I squeezed them into two days and bought a ticket on Delta to PIT for around $150 roundtrip (in the U booking class, too, so I got the 150% Great Offer mileage bonus).

We flew LAX-ATL (red-eye) to PIT-ATL-SAN-LAX, with SAN-LAX once again on the American Eagle Saab 340.

http://www.pbase.com/image/30773167 ATL
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773169 eating at Popeye's
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773171 my Popeye's meal (mmmm, their apple pie is so good)
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773184 Delta 757 headed for SAN

Unfortunately, when we arrived at the gate, a woman removed her belongings from the overhead bin and brought down a computer case onto my son's head. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...eferrerid=3677

We left the hospital close to midnight and walked to a nearby hotel. It was a decent place, and it seems remarkably inexpensive for being in (near?) downtown San Diego. I think it was called GuestHouse Suites or something like that (not a chain hotel). A room with a separate living room and bedroom and kitchenette was $109/night.

http://www.pbase.com/image/30773189 bedroom
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773191 pool view from our room

The next day we needed to rent a car to drive to LAX since Delta couldn't get us a seat on an American Eagle flight. I rented a car from Hertz at their "neighborhood" location, which turned out to be a stone's throw from the airport location. Why did they bother? Well, it was a nice day and the walk wasn't too far (around 1.5 to 2 miles)

http://www.pbase.com/image/30773195 walking down the street
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773196 shortcut across a park
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773197 Old Town
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773198 approaching airplane
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773200 CAT 727 freighter (do they ship cats? )

We went to LegoLand and the beach that day and spent the night at the hotel again. We were so hungry, each of us ordered a pizza at California Pizza Kitchen and ate all but three pieces. That was pretty good, although a bit pricey compared to Waffle House.

http://www.pbase.com/image/30773202 Legoland driver's education
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773209 Legoland roller coaster
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773211 real, live Lego Man


West Coast beach run

We visited Solano Beach, Del Mar beach and Oceanside beach.

http://www.pbase.com/image/30773235 Solano Beach -- free parking but not much beach and lots of seaweed
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773236 Solano Beach
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773240 Del Mar Beach -- $1.50/hour parking but much nicer beach (still some seaweed)
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773243 Del Mar seaweed
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773248 Oceanview -- much, much better; plenty of parking for $1 a day and no seaweed
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773249 now that would be a nice neighborhood to retire in if it was in a different state
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773251 Oceanside beach
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773253 Oceanside beach
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773254 Oceanside beach
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773265 legendary Los Angeles traffic
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773268 Encounter restaurant as seen from top of T6 parking garage

I parked at LAX and checked in our luggage and got seat assignments with Song. We ate at In 'N Out Burger, returned the rental car and took the Hertz bus to T5. At In 'N Out, I found it much easier to park on the street than to find a parking space 30 feet closer and deal with the drive-through traffic. I must say, those employees work fast. There is no way that volume of customers could be served by the typical slowpoke McDonald's.

http://www.pbase.com/image/30773269 In 'N Out burger
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773270 LAX T5 gate seating area
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773273 Song in-seat TV (pretty neat, but I still prefer First Class)


East Coast beach run

We flew to MCO, got in the car, and drove to Daytona Beach, stopping at McDonald's for breakfast. Daytona Beach is nice, although the driving on the beach is bizarre if you ask me. I chose a hotel as close to the car-free zone as I could (on the road that marks the south end of the car-free zone).

http://www.pbase.com/image/30773275 Daytona Beach
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773276 Daytona Beach
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773285 hotel parking lot
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773286 zoom in of above photo; see my car blocked in?

I hate beach hotels. From now on, I will stay inland and pay to park at the beach. I have had it with high prices, ****ty rooms and careless employees. Check-in time was 3:00 PM but I didn't get a key until 5.

The next day we drove to St. Augustine Beach. This beach is beautiful, although it's not for you if you like a party atmosphere or high-rise hotels.

http://www.pbase.com/image/30773291 St. Augustine Beach

After a few hours there, we drove north a short distance to Vilano Beach. This location has a parking lot across the street from the beach. You walk up stairs, over the road (Florida A1A), and down stairs to the beach.

http://www.pbase.com/image/30773304
http://www.pbase.com/image/30773307

The waves at this beach are HUGE. I saw several surfers (surfing is not possible in the three inch waves at Daytona Beach). I got almost completely soaked! I left my wallet in my pocket, and now, every time I present my credit card, the merchant asks for ID. The seawater washed away my signature.

I couldn't get a good shot of the waves before I ran out of battery power.

http://www.pbase.com/image/30773310 Vilano Beach

In this one, it looks like I'm sitting on a lifeguard tower, but I really am on the beach. The difference in elevation is striking, hence the huge waves:

http://www.pbase.com/image/30773311


Just like on the way out, I did a "red-eye" drive on the way back. It's very tiring but, like a red-eye flight, it saves time. As long as I have my coffee and my CD's with Madonna, New Kids on the Block, Poison and Faith No More, I'm all set.