The press conference started on time. It ended before 3pm. We stayed for Claude to do the meet and greet with the visitors attending. We headed home. I got the pictures I had taken of the event off my camera and onto a CD for our City Clerk. We dropped them off at City Hall and headed to Cincinnati anticipating heavy traffic at the beginning of a holiday weekend. Amazingly, no traffic.
We got to extended parking and the shuttle bus pulled right in behind us. We loaded our luggage on and were off to the terminal. No waiting.
We got to the counter to check in our bags. No lines and no waiting.
We got to security. No one in line at all. No waiting.
This put us at our gate early so we opted for a nice dinner at Outback Steakhouse. Katelyn had never eaten there. She enjoyed her first Bloomin' Onion. Our server was a wonderful server. She was one tough looking little lady and her name tag supported the outward appearance. Her name was 'Grizz'. She was a no fuss kinda server and everything was promptly brought, just the right amount of contact and attention was paid to us and we had a delightful meal time as a result.
I was amused with the management. A party of 13 came in. The two managers came back to try and arrange seating for 13 people. Now, there were two round tables across from us that each sat 6 people. The managers were trying to move a 2-top table or two beside one of the rounds for 6. Grizz came up and suggested they just ask the hungry 13 if they would mind sitting 6 and 7 to the tables. She finally told the managers she would go ask. The hungry mass of people were happy to sit 6 and 7 at the tables. The managers moved the 2-top back into position. Grizz was truly a practical kind of gal.
After dinner we headed to gate B9 to await our flight. As soon as we sat down we were informed over the speaker there would be a gate change for our flight. I got the eMail on my cell phone and then we heard the announcement on the loud speaker to move to Gate B9.
B9 was a great gate. It was right next to a Borders bookstore. I love checking out books while waiting for a plane. I often find a book that looks right, feels good in my hands and the little overview on the back or inside strikes my fancy. Katelyn and I headed for Borders while Claude watched our stuff. I did find a great book that I finished on our week long trip. The title is "The Forgotten Garden".
We got our snacks and did our personal runs. The storms were coming closer as we looked out the window. The Gate attendant announced they were going to load us on the plane early to get us out ahead of a very bad storm coming directly towards the airport. Claude gave us each our boarding passes, we got on the plane and settled into our seats.
Just as everyone got settled, the pilot announced over the PA..."Folks, there is a tornado warning for the airport. Please leave your bags and disembark the plane immediately and head for the tunnel." Katelyn was NOT going to leave her laptop. We gathered it and headed with the crowds into the tunnels between the three terminals at Cincinnati's airport.
I have to note here that we took the escalator into the tunnels. In front of the escalators was a huge plate glass window that was a half circle with seating for the Outback Steakhouse
and Starbucks. The amazing thing was watching the storm come across. To the left of the escalator as we descended the entire glass was covered in rain and the gray clouds were so thick you couldn't see anything outside. To the right of the escalator along the glass it was light and you could see everything. This was not a little storm.
We got into the tunnels along with every other passenger and employee in Terminal 3. It was wall-to-wall people, standing room only. If you were claustrophobic in the least, this was not a great place for you to be. The power went out at one point for a brief bit. You could hear the thunder roaring over us.
It was not long before the Pilot announced there was a problem with the aircraft and maintenance had been called to verify it was an issue. He assured us he would keep us informed.
Later he told us that one of the fuel injectors in the plane was not working. It was probably a result of the power outage and having to reboot the computer stuff for the plane and gate. They would continue to work on it for a bit.
A little later the Pilot told us that the thing we feared was what was happening. This plane was not going to take us anywhere that night. We were asked to go to Gate B4 and a plane would be provided at that gate.
As we disembarked this plane and walked past the people at Gate B9 waiting for the next flight Claude looked at them and said, "This plane is broke and you aren't taking it anywhere." The color left their faces as we walked past.
We found Gate B4 and settled in. Snacks were replaced. Phones were charged. Katelyn used her computer. I called Bonnie in Utah and told her to go to bed we weren't sure what time we would arrive. And we waited until we could fly away.
Eventually the boarding started again. Claude pulled out our boarding passes for their third use of the evening. My advice...do not destroy your boarding pass until you reach your final destination.
My favorite part of this journey was after boarding that plane. The engines revved and the plane began to back up. Spontaneously applause and cheers were heard throughout the plane. We all seemed to be of the same mind, we didn't mind if that plane went backwards all the way to Salt Lake City, just keep it going.
We got to Salt Lake City four hours later than we were anticipated. We made our way to baggage claim. Here we waited, and waited, and waited for our luggage. We had a lease car to pick up. It was about 1:30am MST. Claude pulled out the paperwork while we waited for our luggage. The Thrifty counter closes at 2am. We would make that.
Finally the luggage arrived, we picked up our bags and headed for the rental car section of the airport.
Surprise...the Thrifty counter was closed up tight. It was now 1:30am and we needed to find out how to handle this situation. National Car Rental was open across the aisle. I got the paperwork for our car from Claude and called the local number first. They said on their voice message that they closed at 1pm now. I found the number for Thrifty reservations determined to call and be sure we were not charged for that car. Claude headed to National Car Rental and got another car for us. The silly thing was the national reservation number for Thrifty Car Rental also thought they closed at 2am. I assured them their paperwork said they did close at 2pm and they may think that but the local desk and their voice message said otherwise. I also assured them I didn't want to be charged for their rental car since weather was the cause of our delay and there was nothing I could do about this situation. He canceled my reservation. Claude got us another car. We headed out in the pouring rain to drive to Tremonton.
We arrived at Bonnie's at 3am MST. We were in bed at 3:30am. We were also extremely grateful Shannon's graduation was not until the afternoon. Sleep, blessed sleep.
Our return trip was much less eventful. We left on time, we arrived early to Cincinnati and got off the plane at Gate B4. How poetic!
One of our bags was the next to last bag at baggage claim, but it was there.
We had to wait for the second shuttle to get us to our car. The lady herding people onto the shuttles as they came apologized for making us wait a few minutes. I assured her that, compared to our departure during the tornado warnings a week ago, this was a piece of cake.
This was a wonderful trip and quite an adventure for three weary travelers.
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