Playing in the Wake of Hurricane Irene - Cocoa Beach, Florida
Happenings from the Chicken Dance Ranch
Showing posts with label Florida. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Florida. Show all posts
Monday, September 5, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Planes, Trains & Automobiles - Knoxville Style
What an interesting 24 hours or so it was for me starting last Monday afternoon. What was supposed to be a simple couple of flights from Orlando, Florida to Knoxville, Tennessee turned into my own personal version of the Steve Martin and John Candy classic film, "Planes, Trains & Automobiles". Luckily my traveling companion was more the Steve Martin funny guy rather than the obnoxious John Candy character.
Our VP of Sales, Pat, and I began our journey in Orlando. We already knew there was bad weather in Tennessee including tornado watches. We crossed our fingers that we'd be able to reach Knoxville that night.
After pulling back from the gate, we sat on a taxi way for about twenty minutes. There apparently was windy weather earlier in Atlanta that impacted flight schedules. Once we were in the air, the flight was fairly uneventful. I did see some large thunderhead-looking clouds, but the ride wasn't very bumpy.
Our layover in Atlanta now shortened, we quickly got to our gate via the underground Plane Train that connects the many concourses only to find our flight had a short delay. No problem, we thought, although we were keeping a close eye on the television screen showing the storms moving across the southeast region.
Boarding time came and went and a thirty minute flight delay was announced. I wasn't really hungry at the time so I opted not to go find something to eat. I figured I could eat once we landed in Knoxville. Pat and I sat through a couple more thirty minute delays before being allowed to board around 10 p.m. The cabin door was closed and then we sat. Finally the captain announced that we will have to take on additional fuel to allow for another routing to Knoxville. Did you know that FAA regulations required the cabin door to be open when fueling? And that once the door closed again, the flight attendant had to repeat the pre-flight instructions? Yep, its true.
Wheels up around 10:40 p.m. and Knoxville here we come. It was supposed to be a forty minute flight from Atlanta. An hour later, the captain came on the PA system to tell us passengers that he was unable to find a hole in the storm to get us down into Knoxville, and instead we are diverting to Greenville/Spartanburg Airport in South Carolina.
A couple of young punks in the rear of the airplane started cussing loudly when this was announced. What is wrong with some people? The captain and crew have put our safety above trying to get us to our intended destination. You just have to go with the flow and suck it up.
When we landed in Greenville, the cabin door was opened so the crew could work with ground crew on determining what the next steps were. We were asked to stay on the plane while the details were worked out. The two punks in the plane came forward and next thing I know, they have been allowed to leave. Good thing.
After about twenty minutes, we were notified that a bus would take us to Knoxville. Pat said there was no way we were getting on a bus and crossing the mountains during a storm at night with tornado watches. It would be about a three to four hour trip (although the airline said it was a two hour trip - not!). It was also not known how long it would take the bus to arrive at the airport. If passengers elected not to take the bus, they would be responsible for their own accommodations overnight and Delta would then fly them back to Atlanta in the morning and then on to Knoxville.
Pat decided we would rent a car, find a hotel, and drive to Knoxville in the morning. After disembarking, we retrieved our luggage from baggage claim and then proceeded to the rental car area. Surprisingly, they were still open at midnight because all of the scheduled inbound flights had not arrived. Pat started at the Avis counter where he was told there weren't any one-way rental cars available. So then he tried the other agencies and struck out there, too. Back to Avis and still the answer was no. Since the problem was the one-way rental issue, he asked about car availability for returning the car back to Greenville. Still nothing available.
At this point we figured we would have to find transportation to a hotel and off he went. I decided I would try the Avis counter one more time. In my nicest voice, I asked again about availability if we returned the car by 5 p.m. the next day. The agent started punching info into her computer and then said she thought she might have a one-way rental for us. The flight had already arrived but the gentleman never claimed his car. It was ours! Score!!! I motioned Pat over to the counter and after completing the paperwork, off we went to procure lodging for the night. On a side note, the punks from earlier were still at another agency's counter, trying to rent a car. I hope karma kept them from getting a car and that they had to ride the bus.
When we landed at Greenville, it was not raining yet. On approach, you could see lots of lightning in the clouds, but no rain. However, by the time we left the parking garage, it was storming furiously. We turned on the radio and the first thing we heard was the emergency broadcast system tones. Great. Here we are somewhere in Greenville and if they are saying there is a tornado, we haven't a clue where it might be.
It was three miles from the airport to the exit where several hotels were located. Three long miles. It was raining, hailing and extremely windy. Visibility was limited and was made even worse when a semi truck passed us and threw up a wall of water. We almost had to stop on the interstate before we could see out of the windshield. We came to an underpass and stopped for a few minutes. I think our nerves were rattled by the storm and lack of visibility. We then drove to a hotel where we got our rooms. I just prayed that a tornado would not come roaring through since nobody would know where I was.
Pat and I met in the lobby the next morning at 8 a.m. to begin our drive to Knoxville. The clerk at the counter told Pat to turn left leaving the parking lot and we'd get to I-26 easily. Ummm, about that. Luckily for us, I bought a new smart phone before leaving on my trip. I fired up the built in nav system and got directions to the interstate. I don't know what the hotel clerk was thinking, but there was no way we'd have gotten to I-26 if it wasn't for the nav system. We were on back country roads including the Cherokee Foothills Parkway and Route 25 before reaching I-26 heading north.
We found a McDonalds at the interchange and an Egg McMuffin never tasted so good. We hadn't eaten since lunch the day before with the exception of a couple of tiny bags of peanuts on the airplane. I was starved!
The trip to Knoxville was a very scenic route crossing the Great Smoky Mountains. We had snow showers in the mountains west of Asheville, North Carolina, so that just added to the types of weather we had experienced. We saw lots of waterfalls coming off the steep hills due to the storm during the night. I wish I would have gotten some decent pictures of them.
We pulled into the Knoxville airport around 11:30 a.m. to return the car and I could pick up my rental for my days there. I'm not sure if the Avis people felt sorry for us or what, but I got to be Mustang Sally. Literally! My rental was a brand spanking new Ford Mustang with less than five miles on the odometer. I've never been the first rental customer in any car, much less a sporty machine. While the blue was bit on the bright side, I wasn't complaining.
The remake of Planes, Trains & Automobiles was a wrap!
Our VP of Sales, Pat, and I began our journey in Orlando. We already knew there was bad weather in Tennessee including tornado watches. We crossed our fingers that we'd be able to reach Knoxville that night.
Our Aircraft Approaching the Gate
Clouds Enroute to Atlanta
Boarding time came and went and a thirty minute flight delay was announced. I wasn't really hungry at the time so I opted not to go find something to eat. I figured I could eat once we landed in Knoxville. Pat and I sat through a couple more thirty minute delays before being allowed to board around 10 p.m. The cabin door was closed and then we sat. Finally the captain announced that we will have to take on additional fuel to allow for another routing to Knoxville. Did you know that FAA regulations required the cabin door to be open when fueling? And that once the door closed again, the flight attendant had to repeat the pre-flight instructions? Yep, its true.
Wheels up around 10:40 p.m. and Knoxville here we come. It was supposed to be a forty minute flight from Atlanta. An hour later, the captain came on the PA system to tell us passengers that he was unable to find a hole in the storm to get us down into Knoxville, and instead we are diverting to Greenville/Spartanburg Airport in South Carolina.
A couple of young punks in the rear of the airplane started cussing loudly when this was announced. What is wrong with some people? The captain and crew have put our safety above trying to get us to our intended destination. You just have to go with the flow and suck it up.
When we landed in Greenville, the cabin door was opened so the crew could work with ground crew on determining what the next steps were. We were asked to stay on the plane while the details were worked out. The two punks in the plane came forward and next thing I know, they have been allowed to leave. Good thing.
After about twenty minutes, we were notified that a bus would take us to Knoxville. Pat said there was no way we were getting on a bus and crossing the mountains during a storm at night with tornado watches. It would be about a three to four hour trip (although the airline said it was a two hour trip - not!). It was also not known how long it would take the bus to arrive at the airport. If passengers elected not to take the bus, they would be responsible for their own accommodations overnight and Delta would then fly them back to Atlanta in the morning and then on to Knoxville.
Pat decided we would rent a car, find a hotel, and drive to Knoxville in the morning. After disembarking, we retrieved our luggage from baggage claim and then proceeded to the rental car area. Surprisingly, they were still open at midnight because all of the scheduled inbound flights had not arrived. Pat started at the Avis counter where he was told there weren't any one-way rental cars available. So then he tried the other agencies and struck out there, too. Back to Avis and still the answer was no. Since the problem was the one-way rental issue, he asked about car availability for returning the car back to Greenville. Still nothing available.
At this point we figured we would have to find transportation to a hotel and off he went. I decided I would try the Avis counter one more time. In my nicest voice, I asked again about availability if we returned the car by 5 p.m. the next day. The agent started punching info into her computer and then said she thought she might have a one-way rental for us. The flight had already arrived but the gentleman never claimed his car. It was ours! Score!!! I motioned Pat over to the counter and after completing the paperwork, off we went to procure lodging for the night. On a side note, the punks from earlier were still at another agency's counter, trying to rent a car. I hope karma kept them from getting a car and that they had to ride the bus.
When we landed at Greenville, it was not raining yet. On approach, you could see lots of lightning in the clouds, but no rain. However, by the time we left the parking garage, it was storming furiously. We turned on the radio and the first thing we heard was the emergency broadcast system tones. Great. Here we are somewhere in Greenville and if they are saying there is a tornado, we haven't a clue where it might be.
It was three miles from the airport to the exit where several hotels were located. Three long miles. It was raining, hailing and extremely windy. Visibility was limited and was made even worse when a semi truck passed us and threw up a wall of water. We almost had to stop on the interstate before we could see out of the windshield. We came to an underpass and stopped for a few minutes. I think our nerves were rattled by the storm and lack of visibility. We then drove to a hotel where we got our rooms. I just prayed that a tornado would not come roaring through since nobody would know where I was.
Morning After the Storm - View from Hotel Room
We found a McDonalds at the interchange and an Egg McMuffin never tasted so good. We hadn't eaten since lunch the day before with the exception of a couple of tiny bags of peanuts on the airplane. I was starved!
The trip to Knoxville was a very scenic route crossing the Great Smoky Mountains. We had snow showers in the mountains west of Asheville, North Carolina, so that just added to the types of weather we had experienced. We saw lots of waterfalls coming off the steep hills due to the storm during the night. I wish I would have gotten some decent pictures of them.
We pulled into the Knoxville airport around 11:30 a.m. to return the car and I could pick up my rental for my days there. I'm not sure if the Avis people felt sorry for us or what, but I got to be Mustang Sally. Literally! My rental was a brand spanking new Ford Mustang with less than five miles on the odometer. I've never been the first rental customer in any car, much less a sporty machine. While the blue was bit on the bright side, I wasn't complaining.
The Odometer Reading
Just call me Mustang Sally!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
World Bird Wednesday - Green Heron
We made a short stop at the Pine Island Conservation area on North Merritt Island during our trip to Florida. We were not prepared to do any hiking so stayed fairly close to the rental car. Karl heard a rustle in the bushes along the small canal where we were parked. Finally we spotted this guy down on a branch overhanging the water. I had to do more research at home to identify this one.
A cool fact (courtesy of allaboutbirds.org) - The Green Heron is one of the few tool-using birds. It commonly drops bait onto the surface of the water and grabs the small fish that are attracted. It uses a variety of baits and lures, including crusts of bread, insects, earthworms, twigs, or feathers. Clever!
Springman is the host of World Bird Wednesday. Come bird watching with us by clicking on the logo above.
A cool fact (courtesy of allaboutbirds.org) - The Green Heron is one of the few tool-using birds. It commonly drops bait onto the surface of the water and grabs the small fish that are attracted. It uses a variety of baits and lures, including crusts of bread, insects, earthworms, twigs, or feathers. Clever!
Green Heron
Springman is the host of World Bird Wednesday. Come bird watching with us by clicking on the logo above.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
World Bird Wednesday - Royal Tern
Last week, I posted about the Black Skimmers we saw in Cocoa Beach, Florida. In the same group of birds, I captured a picture of this one. At first I thought it must be the female skimmer since males have a tendency for brighter and showier plumage. But through research at allaboutbirds.org, I was able to identify this as a Royal Tern. These birds are only found along ocean beaches. They are close in size to a sea gull.
Springman at the Pine River Review is our host each week for World Bird Wednesday. Come bird watching with us by clicking on the logo above.
Royal Tern - Cocoa Beach, Florida
Springman at the Pine River Review is our host each week for World Bird Wednesday. Come bird watching with us by clicking on the logo above.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Skywatch Friday - More from the Beach
I couldn't decide which one to post, so you get them both! These are from our recent trip to Cocoa Beach, Florida. I love the beach at sunrise.
Why be satisfied with watching TV when there are awesome skies being shared through the Skywatch meme each week? Klaus, Wren, Sandy, Fishing Guy and Sylvia are the team behind Skywatch Friday. Go visit by clicking on the banner above.
Cocoa Beach, Florida
Why be satisfied with watching TV when there are awesome skies being shared through the Skywatch meme each week? Klaus, Wren, Sandy, Fishing Guy and Sylvia are the team behind Skywatch Friday. Go visit by clicking on the banner above.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
World Bird Wednesday - Black Skimmers
Our attentions were captured by a flock of birds one afternoon in Cocoa Beach, Florida. We saw them on a previous visit to the beach, clustered together on the sand near the surf line. When someone would walk by, they would fly up, circle around and land back where they started. We had to go investigate.
There we found not gulls but Black Skimmers. Their unique bills were what helped us identify them when we got home. These tern-like birds are the only species in the United States that has a larger lower mandible than upper mandible. The black skimmer drags it's lower bill through the water as it flies along, hoping to catch small fish.
I don't know why they all lined up facing the same direction on the beach. If you know the reason for this, let me know in the comments.
Springman at the Pine River Review is the host each week of World Bird Wednesday. Come bird watching with us by clicking on the logo above! Hopefully I will do a better job visiting this week than last. Where does the time go so quickly?
There we found not gulls but Black Skimmers. Their unique bills were what helped us identify them when we got home. These tern-like birds are the only species in the United States that has a larger lower mandible than upper mandible. The black skimmer drags it's lower bill through the water as it flies along, hoping to catch small fish.
Black Skimmer
I don't know why they all lined up facing the same direction on the beach. If you know the reason for this, let me know in the comments.
Attention!
Springman at the Pine River Review is the host each week of World Bird Wednesday. Come bird watching with us by clicking on the logo above! Hopefully I will do a better job visiting this week than last. Where does the time go so quickly?
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Noisy!
Unlike the boat I posted yesterday, today's boat is nowhere near as quiet a ride.
We saw several air boats last week in Florida. I know they are a very popular type of boat in that region of the country. I'm sorry, but I just can't imagine going for a boat ride and having to wear hearing protection. I'd estimate these guys were a mile away when we first heard them, long before they came into view on the other side of Lake Washington.
We had to check out Lake Washington since we also have a Lake Washington in Seattle! Just don't ask me about our trip down Seattle St.
We saw several air boats last week in Florida. I know they are a very popular type of boat in that region of the country. I'm sorry, but I just can't imagine going for a boat ride and having to wear hearing protection. I'd estimate these guys were a mile away when we first heard them, long before they came into view on the other side of Lake Washington.
We had to check out Lake Washington since we also have a Lake Washington in Seattle! Just don't ask me about our trip down Seattle St.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Skywatch Friday - Fire in the Floridian Sky
After a stormy day last Monday in Cocoa Beach complete with a tornado watch and heavy downpours, our evening started with this spectacular sunset. Maybe facing the front hotel portico wasn't so bad after all. Our balcony gave us a great viewpoint for observing the blazes of orange and yellow fanning across the western horizon.
The downright awesome team of hosts - Klaus, Wren, Sylvia, Fishing Guy and Sandy - bring us Skywatchers together each week to share our shots of the sky. Come join us by clicking on the banner above.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
World Bird Wednesday - Great Blue Heron
One of the nice things about our recent trip to Florida was the variety of birds.
Great Blue Heron
Springman at the Pine River Review is our host each week for World Bird Wednesday. Click on the logo above to see some really great bird photography from the contributors this awesome meme.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Shadow Shot Sunday - Riverfront Park
Riverfront Park - Cocoa, FL
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Why Did the Egret Cross the Sidewalk?
To get to the other side, silly! Either that or he wanted to go check out Ron Jon's.
Juvenile Great Egret
(from my Florida trip)
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