Sitting here at the Reno Airport... Waiting for my name to be called. The gate agent speakers are clear close to the gate, but very muffled in the gallery and most of the seating. That can be helped. Get new speakers.
Sitting in the rows of chairs full of patient folks waiting to board an already late flight, I here the agent calling a name. Whose? Mine? Who knows, there is a loud 10 year old and her busy parents talking, and groups laughing heartily eight inches behind me. People can't be helped. They'll talk. Why shouldn't they?
So now I am camped out in the gallery, figuring the noise from the folks won't be so bad. A long announcement regarding connections to Anchorage is being given. Apparently the Airport cannot stop the 'Don't park here, keep your bag with you, report bad people' tape from playing when the airlines are using their PA's. Separate systems, no lockout. In the interest of clarity, this can, and should, be helped. Get an interlock that delays the taped message that we all heard at least twice proceeding through the security line anyway until the airlines have finished their pages.
Got a call from Buzz. Moving day is upon her. Family come down to help move/unpack.
I may spend 12 hours here at the airport if I can't get on the two early flights. What to do to avoid drinking...
I was driving over Donner Pass last night. I have never seen it in the day. Whenever I have had an afternoon drive across the mountains I followed CA-89 (Truckee to Reno, November '05) or US-50 (San Francisco to Carson City in June '06). I have also come up 395 from Mammoth to Reno.
I stopped at the Donner Summit rest area. It was cool, probably low 50's (not bad for 7200 feet). It was dark, but there was some site lighting. I saw a toad hopping along in a sand pile. There was moisture collected in the shadow of a small boulder.
The toad hopped to there and then stopped.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Thursday, August 03, 2006
things I like about pdx
1. On site rental cars!
Anyone who has ridden the bus for 30 minutes through the arrivals mess at LAX can sympathise with me here. Walking across the street to in garage rentals is a sheer joy. This is also the case at YYC and SEA. The next best way to go is a single shuttle or train (I prefer trains to almost everything!). SFO, SMF, and SJC have this system, it works well, and reduces congestion.
2. Still the cheapest beer!
The portland brewing company pizza parlor outside security in the food court has raised the price on a 25oz microbrew to $7 even, no sales tax. Compare that with the 9.25 domestic pints available at the expedia lounge in san jose, or the equally exorbitant prices in dallas. And all the Fat Tyre you can drink at one low price.
3. Elegant and attractive!
The white steel framework of the canopy over the departures driveway, the pair of bridges to the terminal from the garage, the ivy drooping down from the planters opposite the main terminal, and the clean, white and green appearance within get an A for attitude and futurism. I think SFO was trying for this effect with the international terminal, but a trip to SFO terminal 2 leaves some major bad tastes in one's mouth. SeaTac has a cold, mechanical feel throughout the terminals, with the possible exception of terminal A, which seems more like the color and tone of Lambert field. No wonder they put Southwest out there.
4. Free WiFi.
No more vexing pinch than firing up your laptop, seeing hotspot signs everywhere, having an hour to kill, and being asked for $9 to buy a day pass to access the network. Starbucks has a similar pay as you use scheme through TMobile. Given the ubiquity of free internet, the number of wireless networks available, it seems sinful to expect a traveller on an average of 90 minutes layover to buy time in 24 hour increments. Free is both a statement of progressivism and a marketing gimmick. albuquerque sunport, sacramento, and numberous small airports are offering this service. Corner shop coffee houses use it to get you out of starbucks. Why can't more airports spend the $200/mo and splurge on everyone's behalf?
5. Accessible by mass transit and micro transit.
PDX will become the second airport in the US (after Logan) to offer downtown to terminal bike path and racks on site. The MAX runs direct to the terminal (a personal favourite of mine is to take the trains to Midway airport. OHare seems a bit far for a train ride, but it is no more expensive on CTA). SFO has Bart and Caltrain, SeaTac expects trains by 2009, and I have taken the bus on long layovers for about $1.50 to downtown, it's much better food than the Anthony's in the airport.
6. Located near downtown.
Maybe I was spoiled by this while living in San Diego. I could walk from my apartment down harbor drive to the terminal, safely, with no hassle. Landing in San, a lightly packed tourist could get to the trolley in under a mile, and downtown in under three. PDX is inside the portland city limits, and only 9 miles from the Willamette river.
7. Decent Books.
Airports ought to have a sign that reads:
Newest hit from Mitch Albion, the eight books you'll find in every airport, and a few fashion magazines. Last time I spent a few minutes in the Powells Books at PDX I picked up Don Juan by Byron. Tonight it's Dawkins's Selfish Gene. I guess there is more to life than real estate investing.
Anyone who has ridden the bus for 30 minutes through the arrivals mess at LAX can sympathise with me here. Walking across the street to in garage rentals is a sheer joy. This is also the case at YYC and SEA. The next best way to go is a single shuttle or train (I prefer trains to almost everything!). SFO, SMF, and SJC have this system, it works well, and reduces congestion.
2. Still the cheapest beer!
The portland brewing company pizza parlor outside security in the food court has raised the price on a 25oz microbrew to $7 even, no sales tax. Compare that with the 9.25 domestic pints available at the expedia lounge in san jose, or the equally exorbitant prices in dallas. And all the Fat Tyre you can drink at one low price.
3. Elegant and attractive!
The white steel framework of the canopy over the departures driveway, the pair of bridges to the terminal from the garage, the ivy drooping down from the planters opposite the main terminal, and the clean, white and green appearance within get an A for attitude and futurism. I think SFO was trying for this effect with the international terminal, but a trip to SFO terminal 2 leaves some major bad tastes in one's mouth. SeaTac has a cold, mechanical feel throughout the terminals, with the possible exception of terminal A, which seems more like the color and tone of Lambert field. No wonder they put Southwest out there.
4. Free WiFi.
No more vexing pinch than firing up your laptop, seeing hotspot signs everywhere, having an hour to kill, and being asked for $9 to buy a day pass to access the network. Starbucks has a similar pay as you use scheme through TMobile. Given the ubiquity of free internet, the number of wireless networks available, it seems sinful to expect a traveller on an average of 90 minutes layover to buy time in 24 hour increments. Free is both a statement of progressivism and a marketing gimmick. albuquerque sunport, sacramento, and numberous small airports are offering this service. Corner shop coffee houses use it to get you out of starbucks. Why can't more airports spend the $200/mo and splurge on everyone's behalf?
5. Accessible by mass transit and micro transit.
PDX will become the second airport in the US (after Logan) to offer downtown to terminal bike path and racks on site. The MAX runs direct to the terminal (a personal favourite of mine is to take the trains to Midway airport. OHare seems a bit far for a train ride, but it is no more expensive on CTA). SFO has Bart and Caltrain, SeaTac expects trains by 2009, and I have taken the bus on long layovers for about $1.50 to downtown, it's much better food than the Anthony's in the airport.
6. Located near downtown.
Maybe I was spoiled by this while living in San Diego. I could walk from my apartment down harbor drive to the terminal, safely, with no hassle. Landing in San, a lightly packed tourist could get to the trolley in under a mile, and downtown in under three. PDX is inside the portland city limits, and only 9 miles from the Willamette river.
7. Decent Books.
Airports ought to have a sign that reads:
Newest hit from Mitch Albion, the eight books you'll find in every airport, and a few fashion magazines. Last time I spent a few minutes in the Powells Books at PDX I picked up Don Juan by Byron. Tonight it's Dawkins's Selfish Gene. I guess there is more to life than real estate investing.
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