Jun 14/15 - bloody hell

So ... easy and scenic drive from Batavia to Reading using the "inside" route, a combination of I390 / I99 / 15 / 61 / I180 etc.  It's a nice drive except for parts of 61 that are very slow.

We got go Reading before 3pm and left around 5.  I knew that it would take a while to get to the airport and it did.  Even though I know several ways, I decided to follow the Garmin, which took us I176, I76, 100, 202, Providence Road, 3, 476, I95 ... not necessarily in that order.  There were a few slow spots  but it took about the same time as any other route at that time of day.

The Aloft, a Starwood hotel, was interesting - modern and eclectic.  It shares the parking lot with two others -- the Sheraton Four Points and the Sheraton.  The Four Points has a restaurant, so that's where we ate.  I had the tastiest but ranked among the toughest steaks that I've ever had.  My jaw was sore from chewing.

Early to bed and early to rise -- up at 3:30, take Cassie out, have coffee and my two hard boiled eggs, get on the internet for a few minutes and then take the 4:40 shuttle to the gate.  I was the only one on the shuttle until we swung around to the Four Points at which time it completely filled up with travelers and mostly flight crew.  I'll bet that they pay less for their rooms ...

There were a few people checking in when I got to AA but it didn't take long.  Occupying one station before I got there and after I left were a group of what looked like South American travelers who were completely repacking several large suitcases with clothing all over the floor, using the scale over and over, trying to get each suitcase under the limit so that they didn't have to pay overweight.  I have no idea whether they were successful because I was off to my gate.

There were only a few people ahead of me at security.  It's tightened up now, not simply a person standing in the queue checking ID, rather sit-down TSA people at a station.  He noted the TSA PRE on my boarding pass and motioned me through the "do not enter" to the fast line ...  but there was no queue anywhere.

I was distracted, however.  When I'd been tinkering with Sandy's car two days ago I had to replace a small piece of vacuum hose that had broken because it  was brittle -- that happened when I replaced the valve cover gasket.  As a result of the broken hose, I was getting a "service engine soon" indicating that the secondary air pump might have crapped out.  I knew immediately what the issue was and had some hose of the correct diameter or close enough.

Cutting that hose in place, I'd naturally slipped with the blade and made a deep cut in my index finger, a large flap of skin.  That had been held in place securely with a band-aid until I had a shower and then it floated off.  I'd been planning on stopping at a CVS yesterday but hadn't gotten around to it because of course I had no band-aids with me. 

Well, just getting up to the TSA area, I'd caught that flap and blood was pouring out of my finger onto the floor, my other hand, dripping on my green bag ... I was kind of distracted.  I found a kleenex and held that as I picked up my stuff again and went through security.  Thankfully TSA PRE means that I didn't have to take out my laptop, take off my shoes or any of that stuff and immediately beyond security I could go into a concession and pay $1.79 for four band-aids in a little pack.  At that price they should have at least been Angry Birds or something, but they're plain.

So, how long did it take to get from the hotel through security to the cappuccino stand after security -- well, the shuttle was at 4:40 a.m. and I was buying my cap at 5:10.  My flight is at 7:35. 

Another adventure begins or continues, whatever.  I wish that Sandy was coming; she loves Seattle, but she'll have a great time with Marda in NYC, seeing Doris today, having lunch with Mariadela ...

After visiting Nico today, Cassie will be on vacation too, with Debbie and her pack of Goldens. 

The concourse is gradually getting busier.  Earlier on I was constantly being inspected visually by uniformed TSA people and probably also by plain clothes marshals, because this B concourse was mostly empty and they had nothing else to look at.  Hey ... is that guy with the beard suspicious looking ?  Naahh. 

Onward.  I"m supposed to land in Seattle at 10:30.something and take the Belair Shuttle to Mt. Vernon, the hotel, at noon.  Hopefully my bags make it and hopefully the bike arrives in the same number of pieces, none of them bent.  If there's a problem, I'll have tomorrow to deal with it.

Onward again !