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The Wind River Range Day 1~Flying Tourist Class
Anyone who has flown recently knows that flying tourist class in today's world is very much akin to traveling by bus...crowded, no food, crying babies, multi stops and "super recliners" who imprison the legs of the people behind them by lowering their seat backs to the most reclining position. Wednesday, August 27, 2003
The very Grand Tetons Four o'clock a.m. arrived too early on my alarm clock. The "government" mandate to arrive at the airport one hour in advance coupled with a 20-minute drive to get there AND some last minute suitcase stuffing meant I needed to allow myself plenty of time before our 6:30 am flight. As usual, I overestimated my time requirements and we were breezing through the airport before 5:30 am. Bleary-eyed security personnel opened our duffels, asked a few questions and threw security check papers inside. At this hour they didn't seem up to the task of pulling out our packs and unpacking them. I can assure you that we were not up to the task of repacking the mess. John arrived at the gate feeling pretty stealth. Although his duffel tipped the scales well over the allotted 50 pounds, he somehow escaped the $25 oversized baggage charge. Our big adventure had begun! Anyone who has flown recently knows that flying tourist class in today's world is very much akin to traveling by bus...crowded, no food, crying babies, multi stops and "super recliners" who imprison the legs of the people behind them by lowering their seat backs to the most reclining position. Crying babies are my nemesis. I am an unhappy magnet for the pitiful creatures and they absolutely rattle my cage while flying. I know that this is my personal issue but I can tell you that airlines have a sixth sense about people like me. It is almost an automatic that if a screaming baby (or child) is present in the gate area, the parents have a boarding pass for a seat in front, behind or beside hapless me. This trip was no exception. While I slipped under the baby radar from Knoxville to Chicago, I rocketed into the zone between Chicago and Denver. As John and I sat quietly on the Chicago to Denver plane waiting for the door to close, the devil herself entered the cabin disguised an a beautiful angelic, blonde 2-year old with parents in tow. I looked at the 3 empty seats in front of us and seriously wanted to switch flights. The airlines never sit good children near me. From the moment the angel was buckled into her seatbelt until the blessed moment the seatbelt light signaled her freedom, she sobbed. Then, for two solid hours, this devil child used her seat as a trampoline, rolled back and forth between the seats in front and behind (mine) her, screamed, cried, laughed and whined. She was brought to an agitated frenzy by her father who, instead of being a calming adult force, tickled, pinched and generally egged her on throughout the trip. Can anyone say "like father like daughter"? To say I was glad to see the Denver airport would be an understatement! Our third and final leg of the journey, Denver to Jackson Hole, went quickly. My most memorable moment of the day occurred on this flight during our turbulent descent through the clouds. While the plane collectively held its breath, the gleeful laughter of young children rang out. I can only imagine that while the adults clung to their arm rests, the young innocents believed they were on the biggest, best carnival ride in the sky. Did I say children?? I didn't even know they were on the plane until the peals of laughter reached me in the back. As I said, the airlines never sit the good ones next to me. As I walked off the plane and glanced over my left shoulder, I gasped with awe. Looming above the landscape was the Grand Teton Range. Such jagged magnificent mountains and so-o-o-o close to the runway! This was going to be a great trip full of new and exciting experiences! We couldn't wait to get started. Day 2~The Dusty, Dirty Trail to Three River Forks Wind Rivers Photo Gallery
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