Crosswinds

Monday, November 11, 2002. 2:21PM EST
Somewhere between Denver and San Jose

I need to find out what my travel website’s definition of “aisle seating” is, because it obviously isn’t the same as the rest of the world. Seat 17B on a Boeing 737 is not in the aisle, yet this is where I am seated. Silly travel supercomputer.

Bill and I are heading to San Jose for a week of rental cars, PowerPoint presentations and discount Internet hotel rates. Such are the joys of the modern business traveler. I can’t really complain about the travel arrangements too much, since we’re doing the trip for a combined $1,200 (airfare for two, hotel room and rental car). Clark Howard would be proud.

My major problems today have been weather related. The weather radio went off at 11:30 Sunday night, right as Suzan and I were heading for bed. A multi-state tornado watch had been issued, so my wife headed out to put the horses in their stalls. The rest of the evening was spend listening to driving winds, hard rain and the synthesized Indian man trapped inside of my weather radio.

I left for the airport about 6:30 this morning, driving south on a waterlogged Highway 20. I watched the sun attempt to ride above the storm clouds, eventually appearing on the horizon as the rain moved east. Despite the best efforts of Atlanta’s worst drivers, I arrived at the airport in plenty of time to make my flight.

The rest of my travel day has been filled with bumpy air and crosswinds. Landing at Denver is apparently an art form, due to random winds running perpendicular to the runway. Our approach felt more like tacking a sailboat. We are still encountering “pockets of air” in flight. Apparently these pockets are from a NBA center’s cargo pants, and they’re filled with rocks. It’s a bit like driving in Detroit (yes, the city responsible for the American auto industry has the worst roads of any city I’ve ever been to … go figure).

I’m at least an hour away from San Jose. Since I forgot to pack spare batteries for my MP3 player, I’ll attempt to entertain myself with the armrest audio system and in flight magazine. I’m sure that will last about ten minutes, at which point I’ll stare at the clouds and quietly plan my weekend. I intend for it to be spent at home, with as few crosswinds as possible.