El Paso to Chicago O'Hare (ELP-ORD) First Class on AA MD80
It felt good to be getting to sleep in a real bed before midnight for the first time in ages. Unfortunately that feeling was shattered with my wake up call in time for the early flight out.
There was a short wait at F check in so one of the quick-check agents called me over. He made a show of being careful with the coupons to attach to the 3 boarding passes. When I got the BP & ID check before security I realised he wasn't careful at all - with multiple coupons attached to more than 1 boarding pass. Security check was quick and so I headed to the gate to get the coupons sorted out and the ones for future flights restapled back into my ticket.
Boarding started 30 minutes prior to departure. With another light load it completed quickly but we didn't push back early.
Breakfast was a choice of pancakes or omelette, plus warm bagel or biscuit. The FA later came around offering seconds.
The soft early morning light cast wonderful shadows on the hills and gullies of the first part of the flight. Around the time the patchwork began I fell asleep however, briefly interrupted every 20 minutes or so by comments from the pilot - along the lines of "we're just passing Kansas City, with the Kansas River closest to us and behind is the Missouri".
Prior to landing we did a loop over Chicago, out as far as the Lake before heading back to O'Hare. Since I had plenty of time until my next flight I head across to the other pier to the flagship lounge.