On to Colorado

Up before dawn... and off to the airport... 

There was no line to check bags... I started to input information into the keosk but the lady behind the counter asked for my name and I was free from dealing with the machine... Security was slow and disorganized... I had forgotten a pocket knife in my backpack, which I surrendered to TSA...

Now at the South West gate... Alisha is telling us that "It is a completely full flight and cabin space in the overhead is extremely limited and they will be gate checking any large bag if you are in boarding group C" (which I am)....  but for only $40.00 they will upgrade you to an earlier boarding position (A 16 - 20)

Now boarding... "don't pass up a seat"... "we will be gate checking big bags"... "Don't delay the flight"... 

In the end the strategy works... We are loaded and good to go a few minutes early...  I end up in the first row in the aisle, with a hearing dog...  The flight attendant is thanking the gate crew, for they have done a good job of managing bags on board... I know this because I am only 9 feet away... seated in the first row with a very nice old yellow dog and can hear them talking about it...

Now in Phoenix... I found my gate but have more than an hour to wait... I find a mexican place... it is now lunch, so tacos and beer... they offer me a second (beer) I may have suggested "that would be unwise..."  Phoenix does not have fee internet, but I have a phone that can serve as a wifi hot spot... and I am posting the blog for last weekend... when I can get the phone and the computer to talk to each other...  Connectivity was better in Ft Churchill... in the desert with the coyotes...

The flight from Phoenix is full too, but in Phoenix the ground staff makes no announcements about bags or baggage space...

We still manage to board, find seats and places to stuff our carry ons.. The new FAA rules allow electronics without interruption, so I sit, turn on the I pad, listen to music and work on the blog and the project...

It's a short rushed flight...  The flight attendant takes a drink order, (Sprite) but neither drink nor precious peanuts come before they announce we are descending and tray tables must be raised for landing...

Outside there are broken clouds...  The weather reports suggest rain.   Soon we are turning, lining up for our landing... Crossing the Rio Grande...  It's a bit grey outside... To the north it's raining...  We are one the ground, taxing towards the pink and turquoise terminal building in the sun.

As expected, disembarkation is a slow process... I land in Albuquerque a few minutes late... my friend arrive a few minutes early from Portland... I go to the baggage claim as planned, and receive an email asking where I am... I answer as Kyle walks up... 

Bags claimed, we claim the rental, then head out and promptly stop for lunch at a small Mexican place by the university... for me it is the second mexican lunch of the day...   It begins to rain and we get back on the road... heading north towards Santa Fe... then on to Alamosa... Near sunset we see the ghost of a railroad water tower... abandon since 1940...  It is dark when we arrive... we check in... more or less unpack then eat at the hotel restaurant... 

It is now after 9:00 (8:00 Pacific) and we are checking emails... I suspect we will be in bed early... at least I will be...