Le Floride: Oh, god...

[bzarcher]

This trip didn't start well.

1 hour delay on the flight, threatened with an upcharge if the two people in my row on the plane (my sister and mom, thanks) didn't "feel comfortable due to your weight", and then the real fun began.

It turns out my grandparents' place is actually near Ft. Myers, which I didn't remember. In -theory-, it's simple: About an hour and a half drive on 75 south, take one exit, hotel is about 2 miles from their house.

In -reality-, I-75 was a parking lot yesterday due to an accident that required them to close all southbound lanes, and it wasn't announced on the radio or on traffic alerts until we were on a section of I-75 that had no exits for 4 miles in either direction, and the traffic had already gridlocked.

The hour and a half drive ended up taking almost four hours, even after we said "fuck it!" and made our way to SR 41 instead to find our way around without using the highway.

(SR 41, btw, was a really pretty drive. If you have a reason to go down this direction and don't trust the highway, I reccomend it.)

Even worse, just as we got out of the traffic gridlock and started moving on 41, my phone rang.

It was Scott. Mr. Mac had died.

The next couple hours were spent in a bit of pain and shock, especially since my mom had spent most of the plane ride asking me what I thought would happen during the offseason for the Jackets.

However, eventually, we did make it to the hotel and get settled, and it hasn't been all bad - I was pleasantly surprised that several of my cousins showed up, and rather than being all "We haven't actually talked in 8 years...", they've been "Wow. We haven't talked in -8 years!-".

I'm sharing a room with my cousin Ted (IV), and he, my cousin Katie, and my cousin Rachel were up until about midnight, eating pizza, catching up, and talking.

The fact I own a house scares and impresses them. :D

I think this is gonna go pretty OK. :D

Comments

[yetanotherbob.livejournal.com]

1 hour delay on the flight, threatened with an upcharge if the two people in my row on the plane (my sister and mom, thanks) didn't "feel comfortable due to your weight", and then the real fun began.

Which airlines was this? I want to make sure I don't patronize them if they're going to be that rude to you. Especially since I doubt the upcharge would be given as a refund to your sister and mom.

Also, sorry about Mr. Mac. I just checked google (I don't follow hockey) and wow. What a great guy.

[flying-landon.livejournal.com]

Well, then I hate to say it, but you won't be flying anymore. That's starting to become the standard.

[yetanotherbob.livejournal.com]

I'm prolly not one to qualify for the fat fine anymore, but I've never had prollems. I recently flew southwest, and they're okay.

Alaska Airlines, however, is full of awesome. Terminal C in San Jose International means only 10 minutes going through security, and they've bent the rules so nicely for me.

[flying-landon.livejournal.com]

I've only heard stories hither and yon on the internet, myself. But I have heard them with increasing frequency.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

It was, in fact Southwest. Ah, well.

Alaska airlines doesn't fly out here, which is too bad. Flying to Alaska would actually be pretty neat.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

He was just...amazing.

Mr. Mac

[chaoticgoodnik.livejournal.com]

I'll always remember the way he came out to address the crowd at the draft last summer. You could instantly tell he was a classy and humble individual. Definitely a big loss.

Re: Mr. Mac

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

I read one of the last interviews he gave, and they talked about his WWII service. He was an AA gunner on a ship that -survived- 5 Kamikaze hits.

He described it as "Kinda exciting."

He's one of that generation where we're not going to see their like again.

[flaggerx.livejournal.com]

Tell me who not to fly with.

And the loss of John McConnell came as a blow. I wonder how this will affect the Jackets. Probably not much for a year, but down the road one wonders if the family will share his commitment to the game.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Southwest, as I mentioned. :D (And it gets better, but that's another entry).

I think they'll show some resolve this year, and from there...I don't think it will be a problem. His son has been very involved with the team as well, and I think this is part of the reason they brought Mike Priest in to be president of the team -and- CEO of the holding company that owns the Jackets (JMac Sports Enterprises).