We awoke to a hint of twilight in the sky. It was too
early, but I tried to tell myself it was after 8 AM back home and I was usually
up for hours by this time. Our preparation the night before paid off but even so
I felt the need to hustle. I checked out of the hotel, bringing one of the large
suitcases with me and leaving it in the lobby. I returned to our room to find
Terri and Rosie about ready to go. Rosie grabbed Lucas, I grabbed Rover and
Terri grabbed her crutches.
Fortunately the traffic was minimal and I was able to get
the suitcases across Rt. 89 and into the Dollar Car Rental lot. I talked to the
driver of the shuttle van and he was willing to pick Terri up across the street.
At the airport the Northwest Airlines agent insisted that
she provide a wheelchair for Terri to get to the plane. In the meantime we had a
decent breakfast at the small dining room at the airport that was somewhat like
what we would have gotten at the Lake Lodge Dining Room. There was a single
security gate but there were a number of flights taking off so it took some time
for us to get through security. Although it was a small airport, the security
was thorough. We learned later that Terri could have gotten expedited handling
through security also, but instead she waited in line and shuffled forward with
her crutches.
Usually the airlines announce preboarding before a flight.
In our case we were “pre-preboarding”. The agent gave Terri a good seat
right behind First Class with plenty of legroom. She was wheeled across the
tarmac but had to make it up the ramp by herself. The Grand Tetons were looking lovely, but we were more than a little bummed out that
we were leaving. We had to leave too soon. We had had a taste of Yellowstone. I
guess this meant we had to come back for part two of our vacation some other
time.
We left a few minutes after 9 AM but arrived in Minneapolis
on time. Our connecting flight was in a whole other concourse. We were surprised
that Terri was met at the gate with a wheelchair. A man working for the airport
wheeled her to one of these electric people carts you see in large airports and
she and Rosie got in. It was too crowded for me but I needed the exercise
anyhow, so I wheeled Lucas along a lot of people movers to our gate.
I then negotiated with our gate agent about Terri’s seat.
Naturally the flight was full and it didn’t look like she would get a seat
that would accommodate her leg. But shortly before boarding she was called up.
Somehow a miracle happened and she got in a seat that did not have a seat in
front of it. Rosie and I sat next to her. The downside was I got into what was
the most uncomfortable seat I have ever sat in on an airplane. My knees were
crushed into the seat in front of me. It was inhuman. Where are OSHA regulations
when we need it? But I figured I had to grin and bear it; at least Terri had
gotten a decent seat.
But it was uncomfortable at best and painful at worst for
my legs on the last flight of our journey. As for Terri’s leg, the bumping and
jostling of the airplane made it painful for her too. Fortunately it was only a
two-hour flight. I couldn’t imagine crossing the Atlantic in a seat like this.
There were thunderstorms in the vicinity when we arrived in
Washington but not near the airport, so we arrived on time. Again someone with a
wheelchair met us. We arrived at a midfield terminal and had to take a mobile
lounge back to the terminal. Fortunately the lady pushing the wheelchair came
with us and took us all the way to baggage claim. Amazingly, we had just gotten
to baggage claim when Bill and Rover popped out the baggage claim chute. We were
given a free baggage cart to use and were soon on a taxi bound for home. We
arrived home to overcast skies but very humid weather. Our taxi driver told us
that it has been a hundred degrees earlier that day. We heard the rumble of
thunder and knew rain would arrive shortly, so we hustled into the house. After
the dry weather of Wyoming all this heat and humidity was quite a shock. We were
glad to get home and into air conditioning!
Now all we have are (mostly) wonderful memories and a whole
lot of pictures to share. I’ve put a sample of them here. I have over a
hundred digital photos. If you want a CD-ROM of the full set let me know and I
will mail one out.
Love,