Tour of Duty 16th January 2019 to 28th January 2019
Part I: 16th January The Flights and First Night Out
Wintertime after the beginning of the new year is generally the slowest time of the year for me workwise. I did not have any trips at all in January 2018 due at least in part to my bout with the Shingles and having to take medication that made it unwise if not unsafe for me to drive. I looked into available trips and opted to "think outside the box" by booking an air ticket to AUS along with a hotel in Austin then an itinerary on Amtrak from Austin to Fort Worth as that was more economical than a flight to DAL or DFW.
It rained overnight the night before I was scheduled to leave so it was wet when I got up at a very early hour on Wednesday the 16th of January 2019. It was not raining when I got up nor was it raining when I got transport to LGB. I checked in and checked bags and I did not get actual weights for my checked bags as another passenger weighed his at the same time but the weights did not exceed the 50lb limit. I cleared security after a short queue and opted out and was patted down. Total time from beginning of check in to clear of security was 21 minutes.
Southwest #4233 LGB-LAS B-737-700 Boarding Pass B8
Seat 22F Cruising altitude not announced Estimated flying time 0:45, actual 0:45
Depart: Gate 2 Scheduled 08h10, actual 08h10 Taxi: 6 minutes
Arrive: Gate B12 Scheduled 09h15, actual 09h05 Taxi: 3 minutes
It was overcast and there was drizzle falling as I boarded the plane via the rear stairs. The plane was not full and was booked 66/143 and I had the whole row to myself. Pushback was on time and takeoff was to the northwest from a wet runway. We went into the clouds within 12 seconds. We were over the clouds at 2min3seconds. We circled around left to head toward LAS. Clouds blocked the view below. I got pretzels at 0:14 and at same time saw mountain peaks sticking above the clouds. There were some breaks in the clouds over the High Desert and I saw that we crossed Interstate 40 at 0:19. I thought I felt descent at 0:21 and descent was announced at 0:22 and it was 52F at LAS. I saw Interstate 15 at 0:23. I got cup of soda at 0:24. Seatbelt sign stayed on the entire flight. I felt some bumps during descent. We crossed Interstate 15 at 0:37 heading east and turned north at 0:40 and I saw Interstate 515/US93 and US95 and then I saw Lake Mead. We turned west and landed east to west on a dry runway and we arrived at gate 10 minutes early. It was partly cloudy at LAS. We deplaned via jetway. Because of the lousy weather on this segment I did not take any pictures of this flight.
Southwest #620 LAS-LBB B-737-700 Boarding Pass B46
Seat 23A Cruising altitude 41,000 feet Estimated flying time 1:29, actual 1:32
Depart: Gate B11 Scheduled 10h00, actual 09h58 Taxi: 15 minutes
Arrive: Gate 6 Scheduled 14h00, actual 13h49 Taxi: 3 minutes
We boarded via jetway. The plane was not totally full and was booked 105/143. However my row was full and a fellow "Benedict Arnold" from Snyder, TX sat in my row. Pushback was 3 minutes early and takeoff was to the west. I saw Interstate 15 and the 215 ring road. Then we turned south and east southeast. We went into the clouds at 2min46sec and over clouds at 4min25sec. At 0:06 I saw Lake Mead through breaks in the clouds. At 0:08 we crossed the Colorado River into Arizona airspace and I saw Hoover Dam and the bridge bypassing the dam. I got pretzels at 0:35. I got cup of soda but forgot exactly when. I saw snow through breaks in the clouds over northern Arizona at the same time. At 0:44 I saw a snowy Gallup, NM. At 0:51 I got can of soda and cup of ice. Seatbelt sign went off at 0:53 and the captain announced a possible early arrival into Lubbock. At 0:56 I saw Albuquerque, NM, the Rio Grande, Interstates 25 and 40 and there was no snow on the ground observed at Albuquerque. At 1:02 I saw Clines Corners, NM and there was some snow observed on the ground there. Then the snow diminished and disappeared as we headed over the eastern plains of New Mexico. At 1:08 I saw Santa Rosa, NM, the Pecos River and Santa Rosa Lake. I felt descent at 1:10 and descent was announced and seatbelt sign went on at 1:11 as we were still over the eastern plains of New Mexico. It was announced it was partly cloudy and 66F at LBB. At 1:12 I saw Tucumcari, NM to the distance. At 1:19 we crossed US60 and I saw Friona, TX then we turned more south and I felt some bumps during descent. We crossed Interstate 27 at 1:30 and we landed north to south. We arrived at gate 11 minutes early. Since I was a thru passenger I stayed on the plane but I observed that there were jetways at LBB. This was my first time at LBB. After the thru passenger count I changed seats.
Southwest #620 LBB-AUS B-737-700 Thru Passenger
Seat 3F Cruising altitude 29,000 feet Estimated flying time 0:47, actual 0:50
Depart: Gate 6 Scheduled 14h30, actual 14h23 Taxi: 10 minutes
Arrive: Gate 17 Scheduled 15h40, actual 15h27 Taxi: 4 minutes
Reclaim checked bags 13-14 minutes after arrival
The plane was mostly but not totally full but my row was full. It was announced it was 56F with light rain at AUS and may be bumpy on climb. Pushback was 7 minutes early and I saw cotton fields during taxi. Takeoff was to the west then turn south and a tight left turn to head southeast toward Austin. I saw the south part of the Lubbock area and the south end of Interstate 27 as well as part of the 289 ring road around Lubbock but I was on the wrong side of the plane to see downtown Lubbock. I saw US84. At 0:06 I saw Post, TX to the distance. At 0:17 I got cup of soda and at 0:18 we crossed Interstate 20 and I saw Sweetwater, TX to the west. At 0:22 I got pretzels. At 0:29 I saw a good size city but was not sure what city. I felt descent begin at 0:32 and we turned more east at 0:34 and I saw clouds to the south and east. I saw another city and the confluence of two rivers at 0:38. By 0:40 clouds blocked the view below and the seatbelt sign stayed on the entire flight. We went into the clouds at 0:46 and under the clouds at 0:49 and landed north to south on a wet runway as light rain or drizzle was falling. We arrived at gate 13 minutes early and deplaned via jetway. After I reclaimed my checked bags I got shuttle to hotel after a wait.
I considered public transportation options to downtown Austin but due to the lousy weather and feeling tired, I opted to just to walk to
Popeye's for evening rations then I turned in and spent the night in Austin, TX.