The trip went pretty well, just long. Air travel gets old after a while, especially when you are a wide-bodied passenger like myself.
So, let's do a list of minuses and pluses:
The Bad:
East St. Louis. Google Maps, you failed me. Bringing me through there... Ugh.
The weather. It rained and rained and raind while I was in St. Louis. Considering it rained here today, it might be me. If so, I apologize to those of you in St. Louis and southern Illinois.
The Good:
Holiday Inn Express in Sparta, IL. This hotel gleamed. Outstanding.
Red Board Hobbies, Belleville, IL. Worth the side trip.
Trains West, Albuquerque, NM. Also worth the side trip.
The Range Cafe, Bernalillo, NM. Great food, especially when you consider it's a little off the beaten path. Ate there twice.
The Outstanding:
The Safety Briefings given by the flight attendants on Southwest. They realize most of us have heard them a hundred times. So they do them in a funny way - and still get the information across. My first flight crew had the best spiel:
"If the oxygen masks drop down, pull the tube straight to start your complimentary flow of oxygen and place the mask over your face, after you stop screaming. Put you mask on first, then look around and decide if you want to help those around you."
"In the event of a water landing, your seat cushions can be used as a flotation device. And in the event they become necessary, they are complimentary."
Thanks guys. Your attitude makes the trip much more enjoyable.
Have a great weekend.
