Let the Adventure Begin

Monday started well.  Colorado was sunny and cool.  Michelle and I went to Denny’s with Jonathan for some breakfast.  Then a few last minute things at home before heading to the airport in Colorado Springs.  Mich and I shared some final minutes together over an AW rootbeer before we went our separate ways.

The flight to Dallas was uneventful  other than the clear views of the snowcapped front range as the plane flew south and  east.  To the west beyond the front range were the peaks of the Sangres, and in the distance the Uncomahgres.  A large cloud bank full of future snow approached the peaks like an impending blanket. 

As we decended into Dallas I noticed how clean and tidy our country is.  Housing developments were laid out in symmetry, roads were wide, freshly paved and well lighted.  The lakes and reservoirs were clean and full of recreation enthusiasts.  As the ground grew closer I noticed fresh landscaping in the business areas as well as in yards of individual houses.  Everything appeared orderly.

I disembarked in Dallas and wandered  over to a map laid out next to the wall of the concourse.  Dallas/Fort Worth is a rather large airport.  A ‘Sky shuttle’ runs high over all the terminal buildings on a loop.  An escalator leads upwards three or more stories to an entry port to gain access to the raised monorail like system.  It is electric, quiet, and has great visibility.  I located my departure terminal for Miami and rode the loop around.  It saved a lot of walking.  Back on the main level there were many eating places and an endless amount of gates to depart to various parts of the world.  I found a seat and soon heard a rather large commotion from down the aisle.  A group of employees from some un-named company had commandeered a long shuttle golf cart and had transformed it into a rolling ‘pirate ship’ of sorts.  Six or seven of them had dressed up in pirate garb, wooden sabers included, and jovially travelled the aisles shouting out ‘arghhh’ and ‘ahoy’ and all other sorts of seven seas lingo while tossing candy out of transuscent jack-o-lanterns at the little kids who couldn’t decide whether to run to or from the calvacade on wheels.  It was quite a sight and drew many laughs and photos from both domestic and international travelers.  I, too, smiled at the revelry and inwardly wished I could have been a part of something fun!  The comic relief stroked the inward questions I was asking about my lengthy trip.

On to Miami after a three hour layover.  It was dark when we left and dark when we landed.  Miami seems larger than Dallas and, late at night, it is empty and seems a little foreboding.  I walked quite a while trying to find someone to ask directions to the terminal hotel that I was staying at.  I finally found a TSA guard who pointed me to it, literally.  After walking for what seemed like hours I had inadventently stumbled within 100 feet of my goal.  After another half hour waiting in line I finally found my room and tried to settle for the night.  But it was like finishing up a marathon bus trip.  Sleep eluded me and a sinus headache pounded.  At midnight I found something that looked like a remedy, swallowed it and got a fitful two or three hours sleep.