Denoument:
I got there and back(SJC->LAX->IAD R/T) in one piece.
I tried turning on the 'dillo charm(read look harried and pitiful) but they wouldn't let me
get by on my tale of woe and only 4 vouchers
@ LAX so I told them to use miles. I just checked my account and they had my flight registered, but they hadn't subtracted the
miles, so somebody might have given me a
X-mas present anyways.

4B in a 757 was just the trick to chill me out and get me there w/out feeling completely
like roadkill. They fed and juiced us pretty
much all night, so that was good.

'Twas a VERY packed flight, mostly I suspect
w/ refugees from earlier flights that had been delayed or cancelled. From looking at
the various monitors and working with various
reservations people to just GET there, I would have to say that 12/23 was just a BAD day to have a hub @ DIA.

One interesting thing was that they boarded
us not at the nose door, but at the door
right behind 1st. It's been a while since I've been on a 757 so I don't remember if
thats normal or not. Most of my travels in the past year or two has been on 7{4|6|7}7s or Airbuses.

Going back was just as interesting.
On the IAD->LAX leg, the plane was an older DC-10 in the white-orange-red-blue livery. I was back in coach and it was cramped. I've been spoiled by '67s and Airbuses, so I'd forgotten how cramped older coach seats were. This was also a very packed flight. Penne
pasta &breadsticks for lunch. Nothing to
write home about + or -.
Namedropping/Fameaux Spotting note:
Master P's(rapper,contemporary of the late
Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur) bodyguard was sitting not right next to me, but across the aisle. We ended up chatting about physical vs. electronic security in the forward galley area for most of the flight.

Coming in to SJC from LAX, we got to be the one to close down VFR operations to 30R after
bailing on our approach w/ about 500 ft to
go. It was REALLY thick and didn't show any
holes until I'd say below 1K feet.
After we waved off, I heard SJC Tower call to
the plane behind us "Southwest niner 47 turn right 240, climb and maintain 4000 to join the pattern while we fire up IFR on 12L. We've had another wave-off from a United '37 so we're going to close down visuals to active 30."

Kudos to the cockpit crew of UA 2630 who had
the skills and sense to make the right choice
and get us in safely,albeit late.
Thanks everybody!