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The pleasures of business travel ........

Big Dog

Large Member
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I've been on the road for 2 weeks, projects in TX and LA. Yesterday was my last day and my itinerary had me flying out of DFW at 7PM CST. Yesterday also found east Texas with snow, lots of snow. Hey, I was in a brand new Cadillac CTS, upgraded for Avis not having a preferred member's car ready ....... :biggrin:

I left Tyler, TX at 1PM CST, much earlier than anticipated, the work was done. I drove to Dallas pretty much unimpeded. It snowed but for a northern boy no issues. By the time I got to Dallas they had about 4 inches and it wasn't letting up. I surely didn't think I'd find the shambles I walked into, for Pittsburgh this would a been a cake walk.

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Got into the airport and there were lines everywhere and then I looked at the departures schedules. Being early all flight's leaving out post 7PM where not listed and all flights pre-6:45PM where canceled ........... SOB. I check-in and my flight to the Burg was still "on". I then go lock down with the PC, do some work and charge the iPhone battery. BTW ..... It's never stopped snowing.........

A little more than hour before boarding I go to my gate and it's listing a totally different flight departing for Richmond at 7:05PM ....... WTF! I check departures, my flight ain't even listed and then I hit a clerk ....... it's been moved to A10.

Get to A10 and finally some normalcy other than the stand-by's at the clerk. We board late and close the doors at 7:15PM, then we sit. And then we sit some more. Pilot comes on and indicates we're waiting on outside crew checks, we cool. We sit some more and then he says we waiting on stand-by luggage, hmmmmmmmm. The flight attendants then start serving drinks, uh oh ....... Pilot then comes clean, DFW isn't really prepared for the amount of de-icing that is required for this weather so we waiting our turn, so we wait still stationary at the gate with the door closed and wait some more.................:sad:

3 and half hours later we finally move, whooppee! And then we get in line behind 10 other planes to be de-iced. 2 hours later we hit the runway. Plane lands in Pittsburgh about 4AM EST. I'm happy "yes" but what I've been dreading is about to come to reality. See, I've been gone since before "both" storms and I'll be digging out a car. Here' the car and all I have is a ice scraper, lesson learned ..........

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Here's the fruit of my labor after 30 minutes with an ice scraper ........ :hammer:

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Now all I had is the drive home another hour and some change, in the snow. Got to bed at 5:30AM EST. BTW ......... It's still snowing here, I've seen nothing but snow fall from the sky since my day started yesterday at 6AM CST in Tyler, TX. I just can't wait for my next business trip ............... NOT!
 

Erik

SelfBane
Site Supporter
nice pics - aren't you glad it's supposed to stop snowing tomorrow and Sunday and only a 50% chance of snow Monday? :D
gotta love that global warming.
80" of snow in central Md so far -- which beats their records for entire winters -- and a month of this yet to come.
 

muleman

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
Way to go Dog. I had one of those years ago. We had 22inches of snow at home and the wife could not get out to pick me up at BWI. My sister came and picked us up at the airport in her wagoneer and the closest we got to home was stuck in a 5ft.drift 11/2 miles from home. I had to hoof it in street clothes down to my farm and get my 52 willy wagon to go pull her out. That trip home from BWI ended up being almost 6 hours till I got her out and back home.:hammer:
 

XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

Master of Distraction
Staff member
SUPER Site Supporter
Brings back bad flashbacks for me Dog. I remember a big snow storm in NYC and an freezing rain storm in Dallas in my past business travels. The only good thing was that I had platinum status back then so I was usually "stuck" in first class or the crown room.

Glad you made it home. I remember taking flights to Seattle and driving home from there because I missed the last flight to Portland. At some point you don't care anymore - you just want to get home. ;)
 

California

Charter Member
Site Supporter
Wow!

How did you get from the snowdrift to the clear pavement? I can't imagine clearing that plow berm with an ice scraper.

All my business flying was NorCal to SoCal and return. No big deal. Plus years of driving to every corner of this large state. I've never had to deal with snow like that.
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I don't miss the travel. I traveled 26 weeks per year for several years.

BD, Glad you finally made it home. May I propose you put a shovel and broom in the car for next time?

They're not very good about getting the snow out of the airport lots. There's just no place to push it. I do make it a point to take a 4WD to leave at the airport if it's winter. A lot less cleaning is needed. Get the windshield, lights and punch through it.
 

thcri

Gone But Not Forgotten
When I got home Wednesday evening it was about the same. I did have 4 wheel drive so it was no problem. My problem was I left my DC/AC converter on the my battery was almost dead. I needed a jump start and everything was A ok.
 
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