Tour of Duty 29th March 2008 to 3rd May 2008
Part III: 25th April to 3rd May

I awoke at unsocial hour and made ready to fly. I got shuttle to SEA and got to USAirways and checked in and checked bags. One bag was slightly overweight but the agent let it slide after I offered to take my jacket out. I cleared security after short line. There was no secondary screening but my briefcase was run through a second time.

USAirways #293 SEA-LAS B-737-300 Seat 11F Exit Row Cruising altitude 35,000 feet Estimated flying time 1:57, actual 1:51 Scheduled departure 08h00, actual 08h00 Scheduled arrival 10h27, actual 10h08

Plane was almost full; I saw one empty seat behind me. Pushback from gate
A4 was right on time followed by taxi/hold of 11 minutes and takeoff to the south. We were into the the clouds less than 30 seconds and out of the clouds just after one minute. I saw the Olympic mountains and the clouds broke up. Seatbelt sign went off at 0:11 and it was announced flight was to go across Oregon then the CA/NV line into LAS and temperature there was in the 50s on the way up to the 80s.

I saw Mt. St. Helens sticking up from the clouds. At 0:26 there was a drink run and I got whole can of ginger ale and a bag of pretzels. I thought I felt descent begin at 1:26 and felt it begin in earnest at 1:32 and seatbelt sign went on at 1:33. Announcement was made it was 61F at LAS. We overflew LAS to the east then looped around and landed east to west. Taxi was 5 minutes and we arrived 19 minutes early at gate B25.

USAirways #295 LAS-MSP A-320 Seat 23F Cruising altitude not given Estimated flying time 2:25, actual 2:35 Scheduled departure 11h31, actual
11h38 Scheduled arrival 16h46, actual 16h46 Ticket cost: unknown

Plane was nearly full with only a few middle seats open. Pushback from gate B1 was 7 minutes late followed by taxi/hold of 24 minutes and takeoff to the west. I saw the Strip and the metro area and Lake Mead. The sky was hazy. Seatbelt sign went off at 0:08. Later I saw what looked to be the Grand Canyon.

A movie was shown. There was drink run and I got whole can of soda. I ate sandwich and chips I got at LAS. Seatbelt sign went on again at 0:58 due to turbulence over the Rockies. and off again at 1:36. I saw a section of Interstate 70 east of Denver. Buy on Board was offered at 1:32 but declined. Seatbelt sign went on again at 1:56 and I felt descent begin at 2:05. Announcement was made it was 43F and overcast with light rain at MSP. There were some bumps during descent and more turbulence as we went into the overcast. We broke out of the clouds just before landing and landed east to west on a wet runway. Taxi was 8 minutes and we arrived right on time at gate E4. I got bags 33 minutes after arrival and got transport down to Dodge Center, MN where I made after hours pickup.

Trip: Dodge Center, MN to Calgary, AB 1,274 paid miles Routes: US14 to Interstate 35 to Interstate 35W to Interstate 494 to Interstate 94 to US83 to US52 to Saskatchewan 39 to Saskatchewan 1 to Alberta 1 (Trans Canada Highway) to Alberta 2 (Deerfoot Trail) Maximum elevation: exact elevation unknown but elevation of Calgary is 3,439 feet Permits needed: MN Trip Permit

This truck was a 2008 Sterling with an automatic transmission and was a cement mixer. During the course of the trip the truck did only about 4.5 miles per gallon for fuel economy which was not good.

I made after-hours pickup and during that time the light rain changed to snow. I got started and spent night in Faribault, MN. Next day it was lightly snowing for most of first part of the day. I fueled up at Petro in Clearwater, MN at $4.129/gallon. I received word there was a road closure on Interstate 94 from east of Alexandria 114 miles to the ND state line. I held up in Clearwater not too much later got word the road was reopened. I got as far as Valley City, ND where I spent the night.

Sunday morning I was taken to Southwest Bible Chapel in Valley City, ND where I heard a message on Daniel 9. I saw a few snowflakes in Valley City and a few more in Jamestown. Diesel was $4.249/gallon in Jamestown. I took US83 north from Bismarck and saw Washburn and Underwood and saw some large equipment off US83 near Underwood. There was a large power plant and coal mine in that area. I stopped in Garrison, ND for the night.

Monday I got word the title was being forwarded to the broker at the border. So I got out of "hurry up" mode and slowed down. I saw Garrison, ND and Wally the Walleye downtown. I had a good lunch at Ye Olde Malt Shoppe in Garrison. I had a cheeseburger, chips and a very good chocolate malt. I fueled at Conoco in Minot and diesel was
$4.21/gallon there. I had dinner at South of the Border Bar and Grill in Kenmare, ND before spending the night at motel just shy of the border in Portal, ND.

Next day I went to the broker at the US side to pick up the title and it was not there. I learned the title was being forwarded to the Canadian side and would not be available until the next day. So I was stuck all day. I fueled up at Gastrak where diesel was $4.199/gallon so that was out of the way. I'm glad I fueled up when I did because the next morning diesel was up to $4.299/gallon.

Wednesday I learned the title was at the Canadian side and a runner got the title and brought it to me. I ended up getting title cleared after some hassle and crossed the border and things with the broker and Customs went quicker than expected. It was quite windy. I stopped in Swift Current, SK and attended midweek service at Prairie Baptist Church. There was some light rain at times.

Next morning the 1st of May the rain changed to snow in Swift Current. Diesel at the Husky in Swift Current was $1.299/liter which computed to $4.917/gallon CAD. The snow changed to rain around Gull Lake, SK and the precipitation quit altogether as I was in the Cypress Hills near the Alberta line.

I stopped at the Visitor Centre in Medicine Hat and saw the world's largest tepee. There was some construction in the Medicine Hat area. I put a bit more fuel in at Petro Canada in Brooks, AB and diesel was $1.319/liter CAD which computed to $4.992/gallon CAD. Ouch! That is NOT the highest I've ever paid in Canada. I continued on into Calgary and after stopping for a late dinner at A & W in Strathmore, AB I went on into Calgary and stopped at the Road King Travel Centre and was going to check into a room when I was given a message that people were going to meet me at the delivery point and I would be put up for the night. I appreciate the honesty of the staff of Road King Travel Centre for giving me the message and saving me considerable cost for what would have been the lowest if not one of the lowest priced motel rooms in Calgary. I went over to the delivery point and after some manoeuvres I parked the truck and made a midnight delivery.

Two people from Grace Gospel Church met me and picked me up. I was taken to one of their houses near Calgary where I ended up spending two nights. I don't have enough words to describe how grateful I am for the people to pick me up at midnight and to put up with me for two nights. Many thanks to the people of Grace Gospel Church for their hospitality!

Friday the 2nd the company ended up booking me an air ticket home for the following day after a possible trip from Calgary fell through. As a result I spent a second night in the Calgary area. I was taken to another person's place of abode where the church had a Friday evening service.

Saturday the 3rd I was taken to Boston Pizza in Airdrie for lunch and met with another person from Grace Gospel Church. Then after lunch I was taken to the airport where I checked in, checked bags (no second bag fee yet) and precleared US Customs with almost no wait then cleared security with almost no wait. There was an inspection of my briefcase. There was a rather confined area for the US bound flights.

USAirways Express #2880 CRJ-900 Seat 20F Cruising altitide 33,000 feet Estimated flying time 2:46, actual 2:41 Scheduled departure 15h35, actual 15h30 Scheduled arrival 17h38, actual 17h28

Plane was nearly full with a few empty seats. Pushback was 5 minutes early from gate C27 Taxi/hold was 12 minutes and takeoff was to the east away from downtown. I saw where the new ring road was under construction and Highway 1 the Trans Canada Highway. I saw downtown in the distant haze. Seatbelt sign went off at 0:20. There was drink run and I got cup of soda plus 2 bags of pretzels. There were clouds much of the flight but later I saw what I thought was Interstate 15 and Nephi, UT. I thought I felt descent begin at 2:09 but really felt it at 2:20. Seatbelt sign went on at 2:21. There were some bumps and I saw Interstate 17 and the Cave Creek area. Gear went down at 2:38 and we landed east to west. Taxi was 5 minutes and we arrived at gate B5 10 minutes early.

USAirways #34 PHX-LAX A-319 Seat 5D changed to 5A Cruising altitude not given Estimated flying time 0:54, actual 0:57 Scheduled departure 18h45, actual 18h49 Scheduled arrival 20h12, actual 20h09 Ticket cost: unknown

Plane was not very full with load of 47 passengers out of 124 seats. First Class had only a couple empty seats. I asked for and got permission to change seats so I changed from 5D to 5A. The F/A thanked me for asking. Pushback was 4 minutes late followed by taxi/hold of 14 minutes. Takeoff was to the west. Seatbelt sign went off at 0:12. I got cup of soda at 0:15. We crossed the Colorado River at 0:21 and I saw Blythe, CA. I felt descent begin at 0:34 over the Coachella Valley. I saw Palm Springs, Mt. San Jacinto and later the city of San Jacinto and Lake Perris. Seatbelt sign went on at 0:41 and I saw Lake Mathews, the city of Corona, the Santa Ana Mountains, Canyon and River followed by the Los Angeles metro area. I saw Interstates 605, 5 and 105. We landed east to west and taxi was 8 minutes and we arrived 3 minutes early at gate 10.

I got to bag reclaim 12 minutes after arrival and my bags were waiting for me. I got shuttle home and this ends a long tour of duty where I was away for 36 days.

Nice report. I was wondering where you were.

LC, I don't recall if this has been asked before, but do you have any status with any of the airlines you fly?

dh

No I do not have any status. Normally it is not my call as to who I fly and the company usually books the air ticket. With the company I've been doing runs for lately they like to use Southwest here in the States and West Jet in Canada though there are exceptions like when I go to MSP or DSM. However the company will use other airlines if the fare is lower. I have had good success sneaking my FF# into the reservation either via a phone call the night before or at check in. There is enough variation in the airlines I fly it is highly unlikely I'll get status on any. The company books tickets based on lowest cost not on whether someone will get status. I guess I'm going to get hit with the second bag fee unless I am able to stick with Southwest or perhaps West Jet.

Good to hear from you again LC. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for giving the added detail about the church messages you're hearing along the way. I find it interesting to hear what various churches are preaching these days.