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Visit A Nation's Capital Do - May 7-9 (2010) a DC-Do
May 11, 2010, 9:24 am
#496
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Join Date: Jan 2002
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I think that's the group that got to see everything - anyone else see the baggage handling area? I know my group didn't spend time there.
May 11, 2010, 9:31 am
#497
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Group 3 saw the baggage handling area, and we got to push the button to open/close the cargo doors & stand in the engine, but AFAIK none of our group went inside the cargo hold. I think that's about the only thing we missed. Our tour was pretty extensive, as evidenced by us getting back late to the conf room.
Cheers.
Cheers.
May 11, 2010, 9:58 am
#498
In memoriam
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: AA EXP "Life is good! Really good.""
Posts: 4,923
Going into the cargo hold was too geeky to be believed! It was wonderful, we were laughing at ourselves the whole time. We really wanted to lie down on the moving belt to be sent in like baggage, but they wisely didn't turn it on for us.
Our group didn't get to see the pre-flight area or whatever it's called where the employees store their stuff and hang out. I recognized pictures of that area from a similar tour at ORD during StarMegaDO. I think we were also the first group back, but we were a focused bunch who listened carefully, didn't ask annoying rhetorical questions, walked quickly from point to point and stepped neatly over a sleeping passenger (twice) going to and from the door to the tarmac.
What a great event!
Rushing to my flight after Udvar-Hazy was fortunately anticlimactic: 28 minutes from the floor of the museum to C14 including check-in, huge security lines, hike to the train and finding the gate (and Jan AZ) in a strange (to me) airport just as boarding began. Bless the FA serving pre-departure water!
Our group didn't get to see the pre-flight area or whatever it's called where the employees store their stuff and hang out. I recognized pictures of that area from a similar tour at ORD during StarMegaDO. I think we were also the first group back, but we were a focused bunch who listened carefully, didn't ask annoying rhetorical questions, walked quickly from point to point and stepped neatly over a sleeping passenger (twice) going to and from the door to the tarmac.
What a great event!
Rushing to my flight after Udvar-Hazy was fortunately anticlimactic: 28 minutes from the floor of the museum to C14 including check-in, huge security lines, hike to the train and finding the gate (and Jan AZ) in a strange (to me) airport just as boarding began. Bless the FA serving pre-departure water!
May 11, 2010, 11:26 am
#499
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: BWI (Annapolis) & PWM (Bailey Island)
Programs: AA LT Gold (MM), WN A-List, Fairmont L/T Plat, HH Diamond
Posts: 884
The baggage claim area I saw in ORD was amazingly complex, very cool to watch in action. Sorry I missed seeing how its handled at Dulles, although Bill pointed out the construction they're planning soon in that same space.
For anyone with pictures from the IAD Tour (and there were a lot of us), I'm trying to collect whatever you have. UA has asked for copies of the pictures showing us with them, but we are also (thanks to unhBuzzard) looking to put together a collage of pictures as part of a thank you note that will be sent to all the people who met with us throughout the day. So if you have anything, please email them to the [email protected] address or burn a CD to send over. Thanks!!
For anyone with pictures from the IAD Tour (and there were a lot of us), I'm trying to collect whatever you have. UA has asked for copies of the pictures showing us with them, but we are also (thanks to unhBuzzard) looking to put together a collage of pictures as part of a thank you note that will be sent to all the people who met with us throughout the day. So if you have anything, please email them to the [email protected] address or burn a CD to send over. Thanks!!
May 11, 2010, 11:39 am
#500
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Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Greater DC
Programs: UA plus
Posts: 12,943
I uploaded my images from the Hillwood/Dinner/Brunch/UH tour on the ft-dc.com site last night. There is a link for low res and I'll link in the high res this evening... I built it so there is a gallery you can peruse what images you want, then either pick low res for emailing a few out or high res for printing/graphic design. For those that did not do the walkathon on Sunday, we were all blessed to see the hit dance group, Bellies For Breasts.
May 11, 2010, 1:59 pm
#501
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: BWI (Annapolis) & PWM (Bailey Island)
Programs: AA LT Gold (MM), WN A-List, Fairmont L/T Plat, HH Diamond
Posts: 884
May 12, 2010, 1:24 pm
#502
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: check swarm
Programs: DL DM & 2MM, SPG/Bonvoid LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, $tarbucks Titanium
Posts: 14,404
It was really a great weekend from start to finish! My only regret was not enough time catching up with everyone I wanted to talk with.
May 12, 2010, 3:32 pm
#504
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Panama City Beach, FL
Programs: DL PM MM
Posts: 910
It is such hard work to put together a succesful Do like this one. The organizers are really "pros" at this, and it was great fun from start to finish. Getting my upgrades on departure and return didn't hurt any 
What a great variety of events....something for everyone.
What a great variety of events....something for everyone.
May 12, 2010, 8:36 pm
#505
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Mid-Atlantic
Programs: AA Plat, UA Silver, DL Silver, Marriott Titanium, etc.
Posts: 4,210
Today I received a couple of nice messages from folks involved in our Udvar-Hazy Museum tour (although I couldn't be there) - noting that they enjoyed arranging and leading our group's tour. One of your Docents tells me not only that he'd love to be a tour guide for any of you in the future but also offered the info that he normally volunteers for leading a scheduled tour on Sundays at 1 PM. He encouraged us to contact him if we have any questions in the future.
Regularly scheduled tours at Udvar-Hazy occur every day of the year except Christmas at 10:30 AM and 1 PM.
Regularly scheduled tours at Udvar-Hazy occur every day of the year except Christmas at 10:30 AM and 1 PM.
May 12, 2010, 9:04 pm
#506
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Southern California
Programs: DL: 3.8 MM, Marriott: Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 24,575
Thanks so very much for arranging it.
It was very special.
May 13, 2010, 10:43 am
#507
In memoriam
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: AA EXP "Life is good! Really good.""
Posts: 4,923
I was in a different group from Cholula, and want to say our leader was fantastic and very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. It is a wonderful museum.
May 13, 2010, 4:59 pm
#508
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,114
Trip Report: Sharon's Breast Cancer Walk w/ Photos...
This was part of an email sent to folk who donated to the breast cancer walk (still working on the emails sent, so if you donated & haven't gotten yours yet you will; has a bit more info than what's posted below). Thought some of the folk who couldn't make the walk would be interested...
"I had an event in Washington DC that I attended, hence picking that location for the walk, plus - as some of you know - I travel a lot & am part of a bulletin board called "Flyertalk". (www.flyertalk.com). Some of the DC-based FTers had also put together a great weekend of events in DC, including a behind the scenes tour of Washington Dulles Airport courtesy of United Airlines & the Metro Washington Airport Authority (I got to literally stand in the engine of a 767!!), as well as a tour of Hillwood (Marjorie Meriweather Post's estate) & the Udvar-Hazy Air & Space Museum (recommend both).
United Airlines is a corporate sponsor of Breast Cancer Network of Strength's Walk to Empower, and the Dulles location had come on board to raise $$ for this great cause. As many of you know, I've flown the 'friendly skies' for many years so I was proud to walk with "United Team Dulles". I was lucky to meet many of them at the Dulles tour on Friday, and then many more on the day of the walk. They are such a great group of people who really care both about their passengers & this great cause.
So - breast cancer walk morning - the alarm rang at 6:30am (yawn), and after getting dressed quickly in my United Team t-shirt & sweats I headed out the door from the Marriott Metro Center & on to the subway, which was literally next to the hotel. It was partly sunny/cloudy, but a bit chilly. I got off at the Smithsonian exit, and headed left down the mall towards the Washington Monument & the area where we were all meeting at 7:30am. The walk started at 9am.
I checked in at the United table, and then headed over to the 'village' where different companies had tents w/ various give-aways. After a bit of time there was an announcement that "Bellies for Breasts" were starting. They're a group of belly dancers who belly dance as entertainment at this event & raise $$ for the cause. They did a great job, and certainly got the attention of the joggers that were running by!
And speaking of attention - all of ours went to the skies when Marine One with the President of the US flew overhead. Obviously he wasn't flying by for us, but nonetheless it was pretty cool to see. Doesn't matter if you're Republican, Democrat, Independent, etc. It's still the President of the United States!
All of the local sponsors gave a brief thank you & you go gang & reaffirmed their support from the stage. Then some health club folk and Ronald McDonald went on stage & led everyone into warm-ups for the walk. Just before the walk, United Team Dulles got together for a group picture in front of the Washington Monument. And after that, Team Flyertalk did as well.
For those who received the early morning 'wake-up' calls because I was so excited to be there & be caught up in everything & just wanted to share that - sorry 'bout that
Then we headed to the start line. I'm guessing, but think there were about 2,000 walkers. The walk was to be around the monuments and was 3-miles long (thank goodness it wasn't a marathon - been there; done that!). At first it was a bit of slow-going as we were all on a sidewalk, but once we really got on the 'mall' it opened up. I had met the Chief Pilot for the NE region of United on Friday, and ended up at the start line near him & his wife, who were celebrating their 23rd anniversary that day. We started chatting, and ended up doing the walk together, stopping at times to take pictures of things like - oh yeah, the White House! They were great people in general, really reaffirmed to me how much United cares about its passengers, and took me under their 'wing'.
It took a bit longer than it normally would due to the congested start, and then photo opps of course, but overall it was just so cool on so many levels - to be in the Nation's Capitol, walking around the monuments, be part of United Team Dulles and Flyertalk Team, and be part of such a large group of folk who were devoted to this cause that is so dear to my heart, it truly will go down as something I will remember for the rest of my life. And thank you for your support towards me, my sister, and this cause.
http://public.fotki.com/SkiAdcock/fl...ast-cancer-wa/
Cheers.
"I had an event in Washington DC that I attended, hence picking that location for the walk, plus - as some of you know - I travel a lot & am part of a bulletin board called "Flyertalk". (www.flyertalk.com). Some of the DC-based FTers had also put together a great weekend of events in DC, including a behind the scenes tour of Washington Dulles Airport courtesy of United Airlines & the Metro Washington Airport Authority (I got to literally stand in the engine of a 767!!), as well as a tour of Hillwood (Marjorie Meriweather Post's estate) & the Udvar-Hazy Air & Space Museum (recommend both).
United Airlines is a corporate sponsor of Breast Cancer Network of Strength's Walk to Empower, and the Dulles location had come on board to raise $$ for this great cause. As many of you know, I've flown the 'friendly skies' for many years so I was proud to walk with "United Team Dulles". I was lucky to meet many of them at the Dulles tour on Friday, and then many more on the day of the walk. They are such a great group of people who really care both about their passengers & this great cause.
So - breast cancer walk morning - the alarm rang at 6:30am (yawn), and after getting dressed quickly in my United Team t-shirt & sweats I headed out the door from the Marriott Metro Center & on to the subway, which was literally next to the hotel. It was partly sunny/cloudy, but a bit chilly. I got off at the Smithsonian exit, and headed left down the mall towards the Washington Monument & the area where we were all meeting at 7:30am. The walk started at 9am.
I checked in at the United table, and then headed over to the 'village' where different companies had tents w/ various give-aways. After a bit of time there was an announcement that "Bellies for Breasts" were starting. They're a group of belly dancers who belly dance as entertainment at this event & raise $$ for the cause. They did a great job, and certainly got the attention of the joggers that were running by!
And speaking of attention - all of ours went to the skies when Marine One with the President of the US flew overhead. Obviously he wasn't flying by for us, but nonetheless it was pretty cool to see. Doesn't matter if you're Republican, Democrat, Independent, etc. It's still the President of the United States!
All of the local sponsors gave a brief thank you & you go gang & reaffirmed their support from the stage. Then some health club folk and Ronald McDonald went on stage & led everyone into warm-ups for the walk. Just before the walk, United Team Dulles got together for a group picture in front of the Washington Monument. And after that, Team Flyertalk did as well.
For those who received the early morning 'wake-up' calls because I was so excited to be there & be caught up in everything & just wanted to share that - sorry 'bout that
Then we headed to the start line. I'm guessing, but think there were about 2,000 walkers. The walk was to be around the monuments and was 3-miles long (thank goodness it wasn't a marathon - been there; done that!). At first it was a bit of slow-going as we were all on a sidewalk, but once we really got on the 'mall' it opened up. I had met the Chief Pilot for the NE region of United on Friday, and ended up at the start line near him & his wife, who were celebrating their 23rd anniversary that day. We started chatting, and ended up doing the walk together, stopping at times to take pictures of things like - oh yeah, the White House! They were great people in general, really reaffirmed to me how much United cares about its passengers, and took me under their 'wing'.
It took a bit longer than it normally would due to the congested start, and then photo opps of course, but overall it was just so cool on so many levels - to be in the Nation's Capitol, walking around the monuments, be part of United Team Dulles and Flyertalk Team, and be part of such a large group of folk who were devoted to this cause that is so dear to my heart, it truly will go down as something I will remember for the rest of my life. And thank you for your support towards me, my sister, and this cause.
http://public.fotki.com/SkiAdcock/fl...ast-cancer-wa/
Cheers.
May 17, 2010, 11:38 am
#509
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Alexandria VA, Washington, DC or Pick 5
Programs: UA 1P, Hertz 5*, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,064
I would like to thank gvdIAD, GoingAway, and ConditionOne for the hard work that went into making this DO go off without any hitches or unexpected surprises. I got caught up in vendor training for the rest of the week and weekend so apologies I couldn't inform everyone in time but it looks like everything was a blast^
Jun 7, 2010, 9:10 am
#510
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Greater DC
Programs: UA plus
Posts: 12,943
A last update for this thread ... the thank you cookies were delivered to the UA folks at IAD today for distribution to the individuals (line folks) that we interfaced with during the tour on May 7th. It's taken quite a while to get the names, coordinate distribution, etc but it is DONE (and I am so happy to be able to say that).
We do have a little bit of money left over after this and had an adjustment from the Hillwood visit, as well. Greg has already donated the latter to the Network of Strength (the Sunday walk a thon) via one of the FT'ers who participated. I will be doing similar later this week with the small balance I have.
Thanks again for visiting DC .... Enjoy your summer and safe travels!!
We do have a little bit of money left over after this and had an adjustment from the Hillwood visit, as well. Greg has already donated the latter to the Network of Strength (the Sunday walk a thon) via one of the FT'ers who participated. I will be doing similar later this week with the small balance I have.
Thanks again for visiting DC .... Enjoy your summer and safe travels!!