Escalante 2006 - A Dream and the Realities - Part One

15 years in the making.
1300+ miles each way - not including the plane trip to MN or the drive down to CF.
28 or so hours in the car each way, one third spent without air conditioning.
The actual dreamer of the dream absent.
Hot. Really hot.
Amazing. Beautiful. Stunning. Perhaps not sufficient enough words to explain the scenery.
Revealing. Frustrating. Illuminating. All that was and was not.
Fun. Worth the all of the above.

Most of the regular readers of this blog were actual participants in this adventure so it almost seems silly to recount everything that transpired. But, if for no other reason than one of posterity, it does seem like getting it down while it's still fresh in my mind is a worthwhile thing to do.

So, making no attempt at great literacy, here goes.

Day One
Saturday July 22nd 3:45am EDT
Awake for the trip to the Boston airport. Dropped off about 4:40am for a 6:15am flight on Continental. Long line for the check-in, revealing a startling lack of modern technology on the part of Continental. Where are the E-ticket machines? Annoyed, and trapped in a line that stretched several hundred feet I took the time to notice the departure schedule, which to my great surprise seemed to say that my 6:15 plane wasn't scheduled to leave until 11:15, long after I was supposed to be in Minneapolis. Arriving at the front of the line, I inquire as to whether my eyes were seeing right, to which I was informed, yes, the plane got in late and the crew needed to sleep. Crap! But some hope; the kind lady seemed to think she could get me on a Northwest flight about the same time. Woo hoo! Not really understanding the technology or beauracracy required in changing me from one airline to another I stood generally befuddled for at least 20 minutes as she moved me one molecule at a time from a Continental flight to Cleveland to a direct flight to Minneapolis. Whatever gears and pulleys were activated, they eventually seemed to get the job done and I was off, in great haste to Terminal E where I was to not wait in line, but to go directly to someone in charge and say, "hey, I just got moved onto Northwest and my flight is leaving soon. Help me." That done, I was told to wait in line as the current batch of line sitters were on a flight leaving earlier than mine. Oh, well. Up to the front of the line and checked in with some minor pleasantries with a young woman going home to North Dakota. Next, security, where I learned that my last minute flight change qualified me for full search, both of my person and of my carry on. Had a couple laughs with the security folks and made my way to the departure lounge with just a minute or two to spare before my flight. Prior to checking in I had called Dan to let him know that I was going to be early.

Flight: uneventful and sleepy as many flights have been for me lately.

Arrived in Minneapolis around 8:00am CDT (note time zone change) to some hope at being two hours ahead of schedule. Went to baggage claim and waited. And waited. Bags arrived. Waited. Others taking their bags. Still waiting. Talk to service people. Wait a bit more. Talk to service people again - oh, your bag is coming on the next flight, around 10:00am CDT, coincidentally about the same time that you would have come in originally. Dan arrives and we decide to check out the BBY headquarters and stop quick at REI for a pack cover Dan wanted. After killing that time, back to the airport for a quick luggage grab, which of course was made more complicated by missing the exit for the airport a couple of times. Drop off, Dan circles, bag grabbed, off to lunch at a nearby Indian restaurant. Thinking they opened at 11:00 we walked to a proximate thrift store to kill time, only to return and find they opened even later than supposed. Damn. We'll have to find something on the way. Pizza, not perhaps surprisingly, in Burnsville, at a place where it seems no one eats pizza in (only take-out). Pizza was good however, though they didn't seem to grasp service. Back in the car after a coffee stop for the trip to CF.

Generally uneventful trip down 35 to 18 to 218 and into CF, listening to the lost recordings of 44 all the way. Arrived in CF around 4:00pm CDT. TClog was preparing our ride, a 2001 Mitsubishi Montero recently purchased by the TClog family. We had originally planned to rent a full-sized sedan from Enterprise, but they dropped the ball by only offering a 4 cylinder Malibu, which TCLog deemed insufficient for mountain driving. In the end, that was probably a good decision, though the Montero provided for some sultry moments, and not in a good way. Gear was moved to the basement for sorting and last minute packing. Food divided. Gear sorted and discussed. Last minute exclusions made. After a weigh-in reveals packs without water topping the scales at 45lbs there was some nervous laughter about serious hiking done with such loads, particularly if water was going to push them well above 55lbs. Oh well. Next, pizza, graciously provided by the TClog family and some genial conversation with the TClog clan. Then out for beer at a newly opened watering hole where it was learned that CF still allows smoking in bars (yuck) and our waiter was an idiot. Back to the basement for some cable tv and then sleep prior to our 6:00am CDT Sunday departure.

More coming soon......