trip's start

Daniel's IM

SFO to LAX

LAX to EWR

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Tuesday 24 May 2005 I stop off to pick up two bag It was Adam's mother, Doris, who mentioned that I'd be stuck in rush-hour if I left the house at 07:30 to get to JFK. It was 04:30, and I was tossing and turning, and so I decided to just get to the airport and nap there if I wanted. The bags were already in the trunk of the rental, so I just trod downstairs, closed the door behind me, and headed out. You can tell it's still dark out, and a bit of rain is falling. The first rain I've experienced this entire trip.

It gets light. I'm sharing the road with a lot of truckers, who figure it's worthwhile to travel just before the wage slaves take to the roads.

It's stop and go at the Verrazano Bridge (at left). Before I get to the span I have to squeez on over to the right to get to the lower span. All trucks are sent to the upper deck (for security reasons, I'm guessing) and one of them had a mobility issue. Gridlock. Thank goodness I didn't get stuck there!

Here I am at John F. Kennedy Airport. I ignore the terminal numbers and head to rental car return. This early in the morning it takes all of fifteen seconds. Then it's a short stroll to the AirTrain.

From the AirTrain I see the old "Pan Am mushroom" building, now partially blocked by an access tower for the AirTrain. Sad. Such wonderful architecture, lost in the mess that JFK has become.

Here's the old TWA terminal, now mostly used by JetBlue.

I'm very early. I've gotten to JFK in about an hour. It's 0645 and my plane takes off at 1135. I head to the counter to ask a question about restaurants and I'm asked whether I want to take an earlier flight: she can get me on a plane in ten minutes. Okay! I stop by the deli to pick up two toasted bagels with cream cheese (a good idea, because they don't serve much more than pretzels) and hit the gate. Seat 1D. Luxury!

We board. I can see into the cockpit as a staffer announces they've found a passenger's book in the lounge area.

Then come the regular announcements. We're going to Oakland. Life jackets under the seat. No electronic devices until after we've leveled off.

I fall asleep for most of the flight. We're almost down when I wake. And it's hot here, compared to New Jersey. My sweatshirt goes into my pack right away. I change into shorts in a BART bathroom; it's that warm. Here's the BART train I take back home. I'm five hours early; Dad is barely out of bed. Luckily I pack light.

And there you have it: the 'blog of my trip to help Mom in her last days, not turned out as I expected.

I'm missing her.

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