Travelogue: (At Least) One Memorable Flight
Finding a story that I could recall vividly – especially one that was decades ago – have been a challenge.
Over the years, I talked about travel by air – ad nauseum.
What I have not written about was some of the details. Rather, my best and/or worst flights I’ve ever taken. Perhaps it is best to parse out my most memorable flights.
Finding a story that I could recall vividly – especially one that was decades ago – have been a challenge. My memory has not been one where I can remember instantly. Even completely.
This is going to be very difficult to parse out. It is not because I had a few exceptional flights and not so great ones. To be honest, air travel can be very uneventful. Or, I try to make it uneventful.
You see, I no longer get myself into mid-flight conversations. Just let me get through this time up in the air. Let me get my water or soda pop and a snack, attempt to work on my laptop or listen to music on. my iPhone. I want my time in the air to be drama-free.
In choosing my most memorable flight, I had to flip a multi-sided coin. I decided to go with a specific Washington, DC-to-Madison, Wisconsin trip back in the year 2000. There was some mileage points I wanted to cash in, and I had sone friends in the Madison area at the time. I figured I would give it a go.
TWA was one of my preferred airlines from the mid-1980s until its merger with American Airlines in 2001. Sadly, you could only go a few places from Washington National (excuse me, Reagan National) Airport. They operated out of old Terminal 1, which was quite outdated compared the newly opened Terminal 2. The routing had me fly out to St. Louis, then connect to Madison using their regional connection carrier TW Express. Inbound, I was on a McDonnell Douglas MD-80, transferring to a Fairchild Swearagen Metroliner. This was around February, which meant colder temperatures at these destinations.
The segment to St. Louis was uneventful and comfortable. A nice morning flight, if I recall. Upon landing, I walked to the regional connector gates at their hub (was it Concourse C or D? Who knows!) and found myself boarding the Metroliner. It was a thin, small aircraft that sat 19 passengers.
Again, the St. Louis-Madison flight was uneventful. I had some room, but I was hoping it would be a faster flight. It felt that it took longer than I imagined. Somehow, I landed at Madison’s Dane County Airport. It was 15 degrees Fahrenheit, as we deplaned outside. My bags were waiting by the plane. Oh, the tarmac was icy by the gate.
Upon my arrival, two friends of mine remarked that the Metroliner looked and sounded like a “mosquito.” They could not stop joking about it throughout my visit to Madison.
One thing about Madison, it was a lovely town to visit. Who knew I would eventually move there that October? Or, once I settled into Wisconsin's capital city, deal with even colder weather than back in DC?
Flying home, I was on a bigger TW Express plane – an ATR-42. That was interesting airliner, as we boarded from the rear. Never having flown one, I was amazed at the passenger space available to us. That took us back into St. Louis. Again, I felt like a longer flight for such a short distance. I was fine, but eager to get back home to Northern Virginia.
As I was connecting in St. Louis, I noticed the flight coming in from San Francisco. Considering the timing, my eyes caught a glimpse of a few “Bears” who were coming out of the jetway at the gate. Then, it dawned on me that they were coming home from an event called “Bear Pride,” an annual get-together of gay/bisexual men (and some transmen, too) who fit the Bear subculture – and those who admire them. Let’s just say I had to stop myself from saying “woof” at them…
Then, I caught my last leg back to DCA on another MD-80. I didn’t think any of those guys from that San Francisco flight were connecting onto mine. Ah, well…one could fantasize…
Over the years, I had a mixed bag of experiences in the air. Some to the point of wanting to implode if things did not go as smoothly as I hoped. These days, showing any form of frustration inside an airliner would lead to a landing en route to where you are supposed to go. Or, find yourself on a series of videos on TikTok and the local news showing your reaction to the universe.
Should opportunities arise for air travel in the future, I may have to weigh the benefits fr the effort it takes to accomplish it. Primarily because I have to be careful of my health. Being disabled, it has become a greater challenge to deal with airports and the airlines. It was doable until last year. Yet, I feel that risking my health – in particular, my left foot – could diminish my want of wanderlust. Or, to fulfill my work obligations. I have to take this consideration when opportunities do arise in the near term.
Of course, things have changed over time. Although I have access to programs through both the Transportation Security Administration here in the USA and the airlines, it does not make the current airport experience a more comfortable one to deal with.
Not to mention higher fares, fees, and other curve balls served by so-called "economic challenges" the airlines are facing these days. No, I get that Southwest has to start charging fee on baggage now.
Certainly, there are options. A few of them could be parsed out here. Then again, I am taking this year one day at a time. Considering what's happening in our world, we all should.
I will miss flying. It was always a joy to do so. Yet, I no longer see the excitement and comfort of it anymore. Not with a left foot that is on its last steps.
All photos by Randy Stern