We've been enjoying what we call "adventure travel" for quite a few years. It has been such a blessing to us, since it allows us to visit our grandchildren frequently who live approximately 1200 miles from our home. It's always unpredictable and we have learned to expect challenges.
This past week we flew to Denver for birthday and Father's Day celebrations (post to follow). Waterslides, baseball, good food and great family fun!
Our return trip to Michigan had some interesting twists and turns. We booked a direct flight from Denver to Michigan that quickly became oversold. Plan B was an early 0600 flight to Chicago. This flight and all the other direct from Denver to Chicago flights were also in the red zone (oversold). Plan C looked more promising, fly Denver to Sioux Falls,SD then into Chicago. Yea! Plan C worked!
Chicago is a great city and it seemed everyone was at O'Hare. Such a great place to visit that our esteemed Vice President, Joe Biden, flew in for fund raising at 4:30 PM. Did you know that when the nation's VP flies in, the airport has a "stop traffic" for an hour? Yes, at the busiest time of the day, when flights are leaving for Europe, no airplanes could take off or land while the airport accommodated our VP. Well for good or worse, we surprisingly received seat assignments on a flight to Michigan. Huge!!! since the 3 flights to Michigan were all oversold. Must be some of those passengers were up in the air, unable to land and couldn't make their connections while our VP flew in.
We were thrilled to be on our way when an hour earlier we were thinking we would stay overnight at a hotel and fly to Michigan the next day on a flight with open seats. When the plane left the gate, we sat in line with other planes, 66 to be exact. Seems the air was "saturated" with planes waiting to land and it would take 50 to 70 minutes for our flight to take off, since we were not the last plane in line.
Well that 70 minutes became more than 120 minutes and the flight attendant explained that the "passenger bill of rights" requires that we be offered water. Seems the east runway was shut down for take off (yes, we were going east) because of weather. The pilot requested that we be able to move up in line since we only had a 31 minute flight across Lake Michigan, apparently denied. When it was getting close to 3 hours, each passenger signed a waiver that because the plane did not have enough food on board for all passengers we would return to the gate(another "passenger bill of rights" requirement). That is, once an open gate could be assigned.
No one was happy about the turn of events but the man behind us whined, complained, belittled the flight attendant for the
entire time. His language was foul including the repeated F bomb and how he was not going to vote for Joe Biden again, sorry Joe. I was sooooo tempted to respond to his diatribe by telling him to zip it but was concerned I might escalate the situation.
We did return to the gate but were told not to leave the plane because of lightening and the ground crew was not able to assist the passengers. After a few minutes, the plane seemed to be moving about by the wind. The flight attendant with an urgent inflection in his voice told us to get off the plane NOW!!! We got up and helped a mom with two children to leave the plane. When we got to the door the wind was fierce and blowing dirt around, the sky was dark as we ran to the terminal. Yikes!
We were told to go up the escalator and stay away with from the windows. Lights were flickering in the terminal and the windows were shaking against the strong winds. A tornado warning was in affect.
Now hundreds, if not thousands were booking rental cars and hotel rooms. We decided to stay overnight in the terminal and try to get a train reservation for the morning. The next morning Michigan flight would certainly be full since two flights to Michigan were cancelled. In fact, no more flights left the airport that evening and 500 planes grounded.
Then our knights arrived!! Chris called and said he would pick us up to stay overnight at his home and Mike would meet us the next morning to give us a ride to Michigan. Mike has meetings in IL about twice a year, how is that for providence?
By 0800 the next morning we were on the Metra to the city. After asking for directions from several people we happend upon Chicago's orange line elevated train. I love the friendly and helpful people of the midwest. The attendant actually walked us through purchase of our tickets and helped us to the platform. For two "sophisticated" seniors it was humbling but appreciated.
Mike was a delightful sight, our connection to home, where we arrived at 4:30 PM
Tonight, I'm in northern Michigan, another birthday celebration. We were up at 5AM this morning so we could ride with Mike to work and pick-up our car at the airport.
An afternoon nap and a wonderful meal with my sister and brother gives me refreshment and energy for another time of great family fun.
