April 1, 2025 - Leaving Atlanta

 

Title: April 1, 2025 - Leaving Atlanta

Hike Info : Description 

Hike Info:

Type: Touring, Flying 

Description:

Living room of AirBnB

Not sure why I did not sleep well last night. I was not nervous nor was the mind focused on anything. Maybe I did not work hard enough? Unknown. I did get up a little after 7 and just moseyed about until Sherri got up about 8. She also did not sleep well.

Breakfast was scrambled eggs and toast. It was a relaxed time as we were mostly packed. Only a few last minute things need to be put in. We work on cleaning up, such as tossing garbage, washing the AirBnB towels and sheets, and getting dishes washed. By 10, we are all ready and we sit down and relax until 11.

Gold Train

A couple of minutes before 11, we leave the AirBnB. It has served us well. A few things could have been a bit better, such as a few more pieces of silverware, or the bed on my side not being broken down. But everything functioned and we could relax when we were there. It was a good placement to a MARTA station-15 minute walk if we walked at a good pace. Also it was quiet.

We walked to the Brookhaven MARTA station with our packs on. This should get us ready for backpacking, well sort of. We caught the Gold train for the last time on this trip. We had debated on stopping at The Varsity around North Station. The Varsity is a large hamburger place. Its web site said there is a seating capacity of 800 people. I guess this is not your ordinary McDonalds. Also Ashley said we must go. But as we thought about navigating through 800 people with our backpacks, we decided to opt for the ordinary-airport food. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We get off at Airport Station and make our way into their terminal. Now the question we have is whether we are in the South, North or the main. But we have four hours to figure this out. So we sat and looked around the courtyard. Sherri figures out we are to be in the North wing, on Concourse E. We now we make our way through the TSA without incident.

Airport from Gold Train

Sherri and John Lewis

By now it is 2pm. We get on the “Plane Train”-cute title isn’t it? We take it to Concourse E and come out in a food court. Sherri goes to a Panda Express and I, the Arby’s. We come all the way to Atlanta for real Georgian food, right? I guess that was MaryMacs a couple of nights ago.

It is now time to find our gate, which is at the very end of the concourse. I guess I will get in many steps today. We wait around to almost 4 when our plane, Alaska Airlines 474, begins loading. We are in the first third of the folks, so we have no problems finding places for our luggage. We take off close to being on time.

Coming into Atlanta, the landing felt like we were going all over the runway. Leaving, it is the same. I do not know if it is turbulence, the runway or if we have the same pilot. Once we get up, things level off. It was just a long flight with the usual discomforts of being on a plane. There were a couple of times where we faced turbulence, but nothing which felt tremendously threatening. Even though I made a comment to Sherri that I felt about the same about plane flights and landings as I do about roller coasters.

Then coming into San Diego, there is more bouncing around. But the landing at least got us down safely, even if it felt like the pilot was not sure if he should brake and how much.

Our arrival was pretty much on time, about 6:20. Now we have about two hours and 40 minutes to wait for our trip back to Fresno. We eat our sandwiches. Then spend our time reading. I decided to go for a walk. When I pass a board with departures, I see our flight has been delayed by half an hour. Then they announce our arrival time has been moved to almost 11. It is a long day.

TSA Dog

The problem is the arriving plane was delayed. As soon as it came in, we got loaded into the plane and left. Even though the pilots said that there would be turbulence all the way, it was mostly at the start. Our landing was smooth.

It is cold when we get off the plane, in the upper 40’s. Also it has rained pretty good before we arrived. Steven is picking us up. He comes by a few minutes after we arrive at the pick up area. It is good to be back home after two weeks. We finally get to bed around midnight, which would be 3am Atlanta time.