I never get tired of this view.

Sierra Nevada

Midnight at SFO

SFO is basically closed, except for those of us that missed connections. The 7 United employees left are still here working out details for us for later this morning. I was going to say tomorrow, but it really is later this morning.

Broken A319 in MSP

So, I am in MSP with a broken airplane. Should be heading home, but it's not going to happen tonight.
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Back to MSY

So I am back to MSY this week to work with bankers, should be interesting as this upcoming weekend is Jazz Fest.

Highlight of the trip thus far - I met Ryan Hall! Amazing marathon runner - 2:04:98! He has been to the Olympics and is going back this year - good luck Ryan!

The dumb question of the day (that I asked him) - do you pass bikes on your training runs? After all, the guy runs 13 mph. He of course said no, but laughed. I think he does.

Anyway, did score a couple of upgrades today in route to MSY. See you next time up in the air.

Mr. Smith
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That' my Blog!

Delays/Cancellations

Since United decided to take on Continental's system, I have had many delays/cancellations. Today I am supposed to make an easy one-connection flight to DEN, but SFO is not cooperating again, and once again there is NO BLOOD on the blood flight! So we are delayed.

I think I mentioned this on a previous post, the 9:45am flight out of RDD normally carries Blood, so it gets a waiver into SFO normally and is on-time. Not today. So far I am 2 hours delayed, we will have to see how this turns out when I get into SFO.

Mr. Smith's Wild Ride
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Welcome back

It has been a while since my last post. Last week I was in DSM, and had to be rerouted since SFO had some problems. I ended up driving to SMF and made it into DSM in time for my next morning meeting.

Flying out of DSM, we went over the storm system that later hit the Midwest with over 120 tornadoes.
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A320 with 18 passengers for 4 hours

I have to take my hats off to United on this one. My flight from SFO to MSY on an A320 - a plane ready to accept 155 passengers - only had 18 folks on board for the 4 hour flight. I am really happy it wasn't cancelled, but I have to say it was a little creepy in the back of the plane. 12 passengers, including yours truly, were in 1st Class accommodations. So that left only 6 passengers in the last 30 rows.

Thanks United!

Mr. Smith
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Best of Fleet

It's nice that we always end up with the best plane in the fleet for our flight to RDD ;-(

Southern Rockies

Look at the size of that playground. Wish I had a parachute and my cramp-ons.

Amazing

The fact that something that large and heavy can fly for 15-20 hours at 38,000 feet.

Off to MSY

Heading out to MSY for a few days - hoping for a successful trip in the South with customers. Taking the 2:20 out of RDD - hope it's not like the last time I took a Monday 2:20 flight from RDD.

Pretty empty up here, Half Full

Always fun when I get to fly through my Gate 87A

MSP Experience

Well, finished up some solid appointments over the last 3 days. I also trust my follow-up conversations with clients will earn some good wins.

Getting laid up in ORD the other night really threw me off on sleep - so I did my best to get in early the last two nights after finishing up my client visits for some sleep - worked well. By this morning I was feeling much better - just in time to head back tot he West Coast. I will be heading back out to the South in a weeks time - NOLA - I trust the Mardi Gras partying will be long over and folks will be back to business.

Here are some shots of my Minnesota trip.

St. Johns University Bell Tower - massive cement structure.

An old house in Northfield, MN - hundreds of these, this one stood out to me.

Carleton College - Northfield, MN Bell Tower.

At this school, I found out the Financial Aid Administrator I met with plays the French Horn (as does my Boy Wonder). She had a few photos of herself and her horn, so it was only natural to talk a bit about that. Good rapport building so she enjoyed talking to me a little more regarding business as well.

For those of you that have heard of Malt-O-Meal - Northfield, MN is their headquarters. In the old days, Malt-O-Meal competed with companies like Quaker Oats for the hot breakfast market. They also sell those bulk bags of cereal and my favorite is Honey Buzzers (which is very similar to Honey Comb).

Well, I need to get into SalesForce and start logging my client visits and plan a follow-up to get them to use our product at their schools. So until next time, I'll see you in the air.

Mr. Smith

In The Air Again

Well, it has been a few months since I have been in the air, so I am looking forward to this busy trip to Minnesota in the middle of Winter. It is supposed to be pretty mild - lows in the mid 20s and highs near 40. I hope I make my connections as my first flight out of RDD is a bit delayed. My next two connections are 1st Class, so I am forgoing lunch and hoping to get my complimentary meal - if I make the flights. I will try to do some Mobil posts while I'm on the road this week, something new for me.

My itinerary originally takes me from RDD to SFO, SFO to DEN, and DEN to MSP. getting me into MSP around midnight. Perfect for my morning appointments.

Looks like the RDD flight is delayed enough that I will have to switch it up a bit. I have an option from SFO to IAD then IAD to MSP, but it gets me into MSP a little too late to make my first appt. Another option is SFO to ORD, and ORD to MSP on a different carrier - but that would get me into MSP at 7:30am - in time to clean up a bit and make it to my first appt on time. I will have to wait until I get into SFO to see what options I still have.

The part I least like about travel - being late for an appointment.

Well - here we are, in SFO, looks like the best routing to get me into MSP tomorrow morning is a flight through ORD. So I will arrive in ORD just after midnight, then I have to find something to do in the airport until my flight out at 6am. Somewhere to sleep - maybe their United Club will have an overnight option - should I be so lucky. I don't think so. At least I brought my bags with me on this journey. I will need to find a place to clean-up, get dressed, so when I hit the ground in MSP I will be ready to head to my first appt.

Until my next post - I'll see you in the air.

Mr. Smith