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Day 1: Portland to Philadelphia via Phoenix
The first problem, as with all trips, is what to bring and what to wear. We’re doing theater so we need something reasonably nice. But we’re also going to be humping around cities in the heat so we need something comfortable and casual. It’s early June so is it going to be really hot or more spring-like? And we need 2 weeks’ worth without bringing so much stuff we couldn’t carry it. This activity always results in us wishing we spent more time on our wardrobes as we pulled out things we wore on the last big trip (or the one before that). We managed to figure it out. Although we did misjudge how hot it would be. I figured early June, high 70’s maybe low 80’s. As it turned out it was mid 80’s to 90+ most of the time. The bags were heavy but we didn’t have to haul them too far ourselves.
My friend Les gave us a ride to the airport. It was like hiring a town car since he drove us in one of his many (4) Lincoln Continentals. We got the red one.
We had used airline miles to book the trip and had booked first class. And Hyatt points for the hotel in Philadelphia and Hertz points for the car. One benefit of all my trips to California for work. That brought the cost down a lot. We settled into our first class seats which were quite nice and were immediately greeted with a drink and a warm bowl of mixed nuts. We decided that first class “does not suck”. The only drawback, no in-seat movies. In fact no movies at all! As I said to Marion, “What is this, Russia?” We were forced to (gasp) read.
They fed us on the plane but we had a long layover in Phoenix so we stopped in a place for more food. We were pretty stuffed after that. The guy next to us ordered smothered fries, which had bacon and melted cheese on them. They looked pretty tasty.
It was night time by the time we reached Philadelphia and we got a nice view of the city as we circled around to land. We were doing the nice slow normal glide in and about to land when suddenly the pilot punches it and we’re pointed up at 30+ degrees. As we were wondering what the hell that was, they announced very calmly that there was another plane on the runway so we’re going to go around again and we’ll be on the ground in a few minutes. Oh. Or, as I would have described it, “Oh my God we almost crashed into another plane on the runway and you’re all lucky to be alive! We’re going to try again and hopefully this time the runway will be clear, although we really thought it was last time so who knows…” I’m not sure who was asleep in the tower (or maybe a rogue pilot on the tarmac) but it was an inauspicious start.
We got a taxi into town and drove past the oil tank field by the airport that I remember as a kid. It was always how we knew we were just about to the airport. On the plus side, I remember it smelling pretty bad and it doesn’t now (or didn’t that night). So maybe some of those environmental laws are having an effect.
We stayed at the Hyatt at the Bellevue in center city which is quite nice. The woman at the front desk asked, “First time to Philadelphia”? No, I said. I was born here. That threw her for a minute but then she said “Well, welcome back”.
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