wsucougarchick05

I'm just going to miss you! I'm flying through on the 20th and leaving on the 22nd. But I'm not flying back to PDX. I instead got my Mom an early Mother's Day present and we're going to watch the M's play the Orioles on the 22nd and then drive back home after the game.

jackal

You'll learn soon enough--FlyerTalk is a veritable alphabet soup. But I can now amaze my family and friends with strings like ANC-PDX-LAX-LHR-SIN-SYD-PER-MEL-WLG-HON-OGG-LIH-SEA-ANC or something! (Amsterdam's easy--AMS--but I don't know Geneva (GEN?) off the top of my head. Hint: try this link: http://www.flyertalk.com/acl/.)

I think AS will be fine because they've been conservative in their expansions--not taking undue risk on routes that may not prove profitable. Their network is limited compared to the other U.S. majors, but they've also been much more profitable and do serve their core markets well.

As far as CLT: Don't know if you'll ever see non-stop PDX-CLT service on AS, but I feel like I have a special affinity for CLT--not for NASCAR, but because DL kept having cheap (for Alaska) fares filed to there! I did three trips between August and January for $350 all-in (each) and earned 10,000 miles on each of them on routings like ANC-SEA-ATL-CLT or ANC-SLC-CVG-CLT)! The first trip, I went for a week, taking the train to Chicago and back and then renting a car and driving to Orlando and back via Charleston and Savannah. The second trip, I drove through Asheville and the Smokies and then up to Charlottesville, where I stayed with a friend for four days (visiting Colonial Williamsburg, too). The last trip in January was just for literally 22 hours, so I drove to Asheville where I had a web special reserved at the Biltmore ($149 for a normally $400 room!), and I toured the mansion itself the following morning.

The fare's gone up to $450, but I'm considering going back, because NC is so beautiful and there's so much more to see. Some of the big things I want to try:

-Cheerwine in Salisbury
-Real Lexington barbecue
-Drive down the Outer Banks (checking out Kitty Hawk in the process)

I may be able to knock the first one off sooner--I just emailed the Cheerwine folks about shipping to Alaska. The online store wanted $5,000 for five 12-packs, which is most likely a programming error. They only offer UPS shipping, and based on my rough estimations on what five 12-packs weighs and how big the box would be, UPS rates range from $160 to $200 (depending on speed). However, USPS Parcel Post--yes, via the slow boat to China (er, China Poot Bay, at least)--is an astounding deal at $42.73. If the Cheerwine folks are good enough to ship via USPS Parcel Post and save me a bundle, I'll test the waters. (The five 12-packs wouldn't all be for me--a friend who swears by Cheerwine is ordering four, and I'm taking the fifth as a tester...if I find it as good as he says it is, we'll probably do another order later with more for me.)

If anyone happens to be in the NC area (or near a place where Cheerwine is sold) and wants to pick up a can and send it to me, I won't object!

wsucougarchick05

Yeah, I'm a dreamer. But heck, as a NASCAR fan, I'd take USAirways making their seasonal PDX-CLT service year round (or even expanding it...they start their non-stop service a week after the longest weekend in racing --- Indy 500 and Coke 600 over Memorial Day --- and I think they stop like two or three weeks before the fall, night race in Charlotte this year). I was all excited when I saw that there was going to be non-stop PDX-CLT service last year (I've got friends in the CLT area) and then I was disappointed that it was only seasonal.

And the funny thing is that if I wanted to bank up my UA miles, I could have done PDX-CLT-BOS this summer, but I'm like, "I wanna be able to spend TIME in CLT, dang it! Not spend it in the airport!"

Oh well. I'm happy that AS has non-stop PDX-BOS service now (even though I'm not flying that route when I go back there this summer...$500+ a person was just too much for me and my Mom to afford). Maybe next year, it'll be on the Spring or Summer Fare sale and I won't jump the gun to buy my tickets (I'm doing PDX-EWR-BOS on CO this year...the fare was $360 a person). I'm looking at grad schools in and around MA/NH/CT, so the PDX-BOS would be nice, since that's the only non-stop between PDX and New England. Yes, I'm one of those kinds of travelers who prefers non-stops. The less I have to sit in airports, the better...even though when I do connect, I usually give myself a minimum of an hour and a half (or 4 hours like I did with my CO flights this summer...).

And re: Lexington, I have a friend who lives in that area (she's in Welcome, actually) and she says nothing beats Lexington BBQ. So that's definitely one of the things I want to do when I go back there, too.

As for Cheerwine, hmm...there's a soda shop down here in Vancouver that might have it. Let me drop by there and find out if they've got Cheerwine. If they do, I'll drop you a PM and let know what I find out.

jackal

Wirelessly posted (The Roaming Phone: Opera/9.50 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/4.0.9800/298; U; en))

See, I'm the opposite--I'll route through as many airports as I can, not only for the extra miles but also for the chance to explore a new airport (I try to walk/jog/run around as much of every airport as I can, both just to see the layout and also for some physical activity, which I admittedly get too little of...).

The Cheerwine website doesn't show a distributor in WA or OR, but there may be a chance the guy special orders it...

wsucougarchick05

I think he does special order it. I know that there are some that he goes to SEA for. I'll swing by the shop on Monday when I go to class that afternoon and see what he's got. It's a small little shop in the Uptown Village area of Vancouver called Moxie's on Main. I know that they've had it in the past, based on what has been said in different reviews.

beckoa

When I was in Florida I was looking for the stuff... but no luck

At a scouting event in LAN, a group from the "Southern Region" was sponsored by the guys for a party, and had a ton of cases, (maybe even a whole truckload). Needless to say, its an interesting flavor one can't get in AK, so if someone can create a shipment to AK, I might be interested in a few bottles.

And if I'm not mistaken, jackal has a PDX layover around the 12ish of May... where he could (or his friend) could pick up some for the Great ANC Cheerwine Do!

It's the closest thing I'll get to wine for the next 4.5 months...

beckoa

Dude- you are crazy!

But so am I! I like to cover ground in airports too... but enjoy using modern technology when avail (like DTW's train, MSP's endless conveyor belts, or the one at the end of SEA's "A" Terminal...

When in MHT last year on a MR, I tried leaving the terminal to mail some postcards... and they started paging me at the gate. I zoomed through the gate to sit next to my friend in 2C... as he was laughing his _ off. They were trying to push back early... a little too early for me though.

beckoa

PDX-BOS is really a great route and flight, especially in F! First AS transcon and I loved it - plus its one of a few AS routes where pax earn more then 2500 miles OW... so do 4 rt's and you have MVP, 8 and MVPG.

The BBQ sounds great too... wish WSU had a decent one... or I had a grill.

wsucougarchick05

Depending on how long the PDX layover is, he'd have to go across the 205 Bridge, down SR-14 to I-5, and then take the Mill Plain Exit. Go up to Main Street and Moxie's on Main is at 1919 Main St., Vancouver, WA 98660. Granted, this is if jackal had a car. Or, if I'm still in the PDX area at the time (I'm interviewing for a job up in Everett on 4/8 and could possibly be up there as soon as the 23rd to start -- I don't want to cancel my attendance at my conference, nor give up my opportunity to fly up to SEA -- lol), I could hand deliver said Cheerwine to jackal.

wsucougarchick05

Ooh, I'll have to remember that!

I'm wanting to get out of the NW, but at the same time, I still want a NW connection where ever (sp? I'm tired...sue me) I go. So the PDX-BOS flight would be great if I went to school back there, but I wouldn't have a chance to apply for my program until later this year, for a Fall '09 start. I think. There might be a few back there that would take a 2 year for a Spring Start, but that's hard to find in an MSW program.

But then again, I'm being a traitor and have applied to USC's MSW program for a Fall '08 start (with their late deadline being April Fool's Day...how ironic). Or so my Mom says I'm a traitor. LOL

beckoa

I guess you would be a traitor!

Good luck

beckoa

This sounds like a plan especially since jackal isn't online to discuss this currently... such fun! I'm sure once the sun starts to thaw the tundra a little, he might emerge, but oh well...

wsucougarchick05

Believe me, if WSU had an MSW program, I'd be all over it. But alas, we don't. And I'm REFUSING to be a Husky.

I'm seriously doubting the strength of my essay, though. If anything, that's what is going to be my weak point in my application. But I figured it was worth a shot, since I missed all the rest of the deadlines.

jackal

Layover is from 5:30am to 2:15pm May 13, and I have a friend I'll be hanging out with (he has a car)...so I might have to make a Cheerwine run if they do have it! And maybe we can arrange a get-together with wsucougerchick face to face!

All right...gotta head into work (got a solid 7.9 hours of sleep!)...

beckoa

I don't blame you either way... even if you became an infamous Husky...

My PDX layover is on the 14th of May ... but a bit shorter... spending most in DEN!

I can't even remember if I like the stuff I think its more of the novelty and difficulty attaining it...