April 19, 2012 - Business Trip Part 3: The Long Ride Home

Thursday morning started later than usual with me getting up at 7AM, gathering up all my belongings and then trudging down to the lobby again to wait for my two fellow travelers.

Leaving it much as I had found it.

About thirty minutes later I realized that I was an hour early. Nothing to do but watch Netflix on my phone and eavesdrop in on conversation happening around me.

I ask you, what is this supposed to be above the fireplace in the lobby?

Lights in fake trees and rams-horned vases?

We stopped at a Bob Evans for breakfast on the way to the airport for one last to-be-reimbursed-later meal. After much coffee and quarter-roll sized turkey links we but a short hop to the small Erie International Airport. The only smaller one I've seen (aside from the one-plane shed down the road) is University Park Airport in State College.

While we waited at the gate for our flight a K-9 officer came through with his partner. The dog was extremely friendly and I don't think he was strictly "on duty" at the time. He was certainly not opposed to a back scratch and after taking interest in the bottom of my shoes he rolled around on the floor like any hound.

A few minutes of standing in line and we were back in the air...

...and then back at Detroit Metro for our three hour layover. Oh yeah, my aisle seat buddy was this guy that hadn't flown in fifteen years because of "an unpleasant trip to the Philippines". He had taken two Valium before takeoff and commented that he would probably take a third before he left Detroit. I never asked what happened fifteen years ago.

Yes, three hours to explore and get to know Detroit Metro. I had only ever been inside the one half of the total airport (Concourse B/C) and had no idea the full size of the place. Concourse B/C connects to Concourse A via the Light Tunnel, a choreographed audio/visual break from the otherwise static environment of the airport.

Over on the Concourse A side of things there is also a tram that shuttles folks to and from the far south and north ends of the building.

We managed to get in one more meal (a greasy burger with fatty bacon for me, yum) before boarding our final plane back to Huntsville. The wind must have been against us or something because the return trip was a quarter an episode of Doctor Who longer than the first leg on Tuesday.  

Here's the view from my seat. This image could easily be used to present all the previous flights- for Tuesday's just flip the image left to right.

The haze of Huntsville humidity was visible from 15,000 feet as a soup with large cloud islands floating on top. 

Eventually we were back on the ground in the Rocket City. Esther and the kids picked me up and we stopped by the Asian Market on our way home for goodies. The End.

More pictures of Thursday's adventures can be seen here, along with VIDEO of the Light Tunnel, the tram ride and of me barely escaping being stepped on by a Sasquatch!