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[DogDragon]

The Dragons are Back in the lair and glad to put of that SUV
But 14hrs from there to here isn't bad :D

[QCH2002]

Thanks for driving all the way up from Florida!!! It was nice to meet you and your son. I hope you had fun!!!!

Also... Technocrat and I arrive in the Chicago area around 9:00 pm (Central time) after a 7 hour ride. Nothing to report other than a bad accident on I94 near Kalamazoo. The accident involved 2 SUV's, two cement construction barricades, a boat, and boat trailer... Oh and about a 10 mile backup. :( We were making such good time before that!!!!

I was home by 10:30 pm.... Long day. GREAT LAN!!!

[Cyclonite]

Glad your home. Dras, Garg, Kwitko, fatcat, Blackhawk, iseia, and I are still chillin' at prime's. All but Blackhawk will be taking off at various times today.

[jared]

I got back to Houston about 10:00pm due to flight delays, got back home about 1:00am.

Hope to see all of you again next year for sure and it was good meeting everyone.

Dog, next year you better bring some more cherries! haha :D

Cheers to a successful LAN! :jared:

[primesuspect]

Thanks for the updates! Glad to hear everyone got home safe :)

[CB]

Sharky, GH and I got home yesterday evening with no issues, unless you count GH's discovery of some new water damage to one of his basement walls... Our first big rain in a couple of months came and went while we were away... :/

Oh, and I think I forgot my cell phone charger in Prime's Kitchen...

[primesuspect]

There's lots of little chargers and whatnot..... Anybody who thinks they forgot something, please PM me your shipping address :)

[Cyclonite]

Well, even though the LAN was over for me, there was no shortage of excitement on my way home.

Ryder dropped me off in front of the Delta kiosk, and I proceeded to check in. No lines. Awesome! Get checked in, head to the security check-point. Short line. Awesome! Place my stuff on the belt, step through the metal detector. No beep. Awesome! They didn't check my bags. Awesome!

That gave me plenty of time to have beer and a snack before waiting for my plane. Newcastle, yum.

So, we board the plane, and we begin taxiing out about 4:00pm. He's taxiing for about 15 minutes, then comes to a complete stop. "Uh, folks, this is your captain speaking. Due to weather in Atlanta, we've been grounded. Our next update will come at 4:30. They do a really good job down there keeping us updated, blah blah..." So 4:30 rolls around: "This is your captain again, looks like the weather is still a little rough. We won't be getting our next update until quarter past the hour, so it's going to be a bout 45 minutes." *Sigh* Crud. My luck hath run out.

He comes over the intercom again at 5:00pm and says we've been cleared. We get everything situated again, and we take off about 5:15. This is an hour and a half flight, and my connecting flight leaves at 7:05. I'd *just* make it.

So, all is happy again, until we get over Tennessee. The flight attendants begin running down the aisle and make an announcement "anybody with medical experience, please come to the back of the plane." Uh, oh! This can't be good. It's kind of exciting, but I'm exhausted. We end up getting diverted to Knoxville airport and landed at about 6:30. The landing was cool. The pilot had to slam on the brakes and we skid and stuff. Hah. Anyway, it turns out a little boy had an allergic reaction to the peanuts. They got him to the hospital, and he's fine now.

So, after all that, we got grounded again from the weather in Atlanta. We didn't take off until 8:15. That put us in Atlanta at about 9:00. Obviously I had missed my connecting flight. So, as we're taxiing, the flight attendant comes over the intercom to thank us for being patient and how helpful we were, blah blah. Basically, you're screwed, and we're not going to do anything about it. The only thing that stuck out was "there will be a bunch of ticketing agents at the gate when you deplane."

So, we pull up to the gate. "Folks, this is your captain speaking. It's just not our day. There's no gating agent to open the door for us. We've made two calls, and we're still trying to get a hold of someone." We're stuck on the plane at the damn gate! ZOMGWTFBBQ!!1eleventy-one

Finally, after we deplane, there are no ticketing agents, so I run to another gate desk. Upon asking the lady for help, she's just slowly typing things in. She tells me the next flight is at 10:55 from gate A27. I ask her if she can get me on the flight "Uhhh..." *Scrunch face* "You can go to the gate and ask..." What the hell?! I grab my tickets and check the departing flights once more. Oh! Flight boarding to Tampa at gate T05! It was supposed to leave at 8:20, but got delayed.

Let me tell you, it is a long-ass walk/sprint from terminal B to T when you've got a 50 lb. bag on your back and god knows how much my computer weighs. I get there, and they're still boarding. I get in line. Once I finally make it up there, I try to explain what's happened and she thinks I'm trying to get on an earlier flight. She gets snippy and tells me I'll have to wait for my bags and stuff. Grr... So I reexplain, and this time she sort of listened. I ask if my bags will make it, once she understood me. "Yeah, yeah. Just get on the plane" I get on the plane. Hooray!

So, you may think this is where the story ends. Nope. We finally start taxiing at about 10:00. After about 15 minutes, the captain comes over the intercom: "This is the captain. As we've been taxiing, I've been trying to start engine 2. It won't seem to start, and we're getting maintenance out here to take a look." Ten minutes. "This is your captain, looks like the engine is running now, we're on our way." After waiting in line for about 3 planes, we get in the air. It's 10:35 by this point. Land in Tampa at 11:40. Thank God.

Head to baggage claim. Guess what doesn't appear on the belt? I go place a claim and head home. I'm so exhausted. I get home at 12:30. I sleep. All is better.

They just delivered my bag 10 minutes ago.

SHORT VERSION: I'm home safe.

[Kwitko]

Fun times, Cyclonite. I bet you'd love that to happen every time you travel.

My flight was 1 hour, 16 minutes, the center seat was empty, and the girl sitting in the aisle seat was a fashion model. Turns out she really digs guys who play UT2K4 and HL2, and gets really turned on when their names in those games are double entendres. We're getting married next LAN.

[GHoosdum]

Wow, that's quite a story Cyclonite! I'm glad you're home safe, but it sounds like it was a rough time there.

And I completely understand the hugeness of the Atlanta airport, especially when you're running late. I'm impressed that you made it.

My flight was 1 hour, 16 minutes, the center seat was empty, and the girl sitting in the aisle seat was a fashion model. Turns out she really digs guys who play UT2K4 and HL2, and gets really turned on when their names in those games are double entendres. We're getting married next LAN.

Don't lie, dude.

You know she's really into you only because you're Dixie Normous.

[Cyclonite]

Well, on the flight from Atlanta to Tampa, I was surrounded by some rather attractive females. Unfortunately, at that point I was so frazzled, it was lost on me. :(

[RyderOCZ]

:eek:

Glad your home safe :)

[Keebler]

Cyclonite got hosed all around, Garg missed his flight, Dras got his luggage lost on the way here and had his flight cancelled on the way back. Sheesh!

[Kwitko]

Point of clarification, Keebs. You missed Garg's flight.

[Black Hawk]

My first half of my flight home sucked. Arrived at the airport but the check in line was damn long (I've got agoraphobia and I get anxiety attacks and I can't wait in lines and stuff like that). Asked for assistance but Spirit sucks so much, they didn't have anyone to help me. I sit around and wait for an hour or two. I finally get in line when it gets shorter and I check in. Took them 30 mins to get me a flight. At that point I was too drugged up to ask for a refund from the other flight since if I would've gotten assistance, I would've made it. Paid for the check baggage, upgraded to the big seats and we left.

Arrived at Orlando, and they didn't link my luggage. Had to wait in luggage claim, go to the counter and check in again. Guess what. Another big ass line at security. Now I'm here waiting in Orlando for a 3:50pm flight home. Hope it goes better than the previous one.

[Keebler]

You missed Garg's flight.And thank goodness, or now I'd be stuck in Albuquerque.

[CB]

I thought all the airlines stopped serving peanuts because of alergy problems...

[Cyclonite]

I haven't flown on a plane in the past few years that hasn't offered peanuts. They do offer other things. For instance, Delta offered this oatmeal bars, Sun Chips, Biscoff (sp?) cookies, and peanuts.

[Sledgehammer70]

I was a bum in Vegas for 5 1/2 hours :( thanks for letting me miss work US Airways

[Black Hawk]

My first half of my flight home sucked. Arrived at the airport but the check in line was damn long (I've got agoraphobia and I get anxiety attacks and I can't wait in lines and stuff like that). Asked for assistance but Spirit sucks so much, they didn't have anyone to help me. I sit around and wait for an hour or two. I finally get in line when it gets shorter and I check in. Took them 30 mins to get me a flight. At that point I was too drugged up to ask for a refund from the other flight since if I would've gotten assistance, I would've made it. Paid for the check baggage, upgraded to the big seats and we left.

Arrived at Orlando, and they didn't link my luggage. Had to wait in luggage claim, go to the counter and check in again. Guess what. Another big ass line at security. Now I'm here waiting in Orlando for a 3:50pm flight home. Hope it goes better than the previous one.Back home as of 7:00pm.

[Nomad]

I drove down 10 mile, got stuck at the first and second light after Dequindre! Can you believe that? Their timing is terrible! Then I turned right on John R., left on eleven mile and made all the lights until Center where I turned right and park my car. Intense 15 minutes.

[RyderOCZ]

I drove down 10 mile, got stuck at the first and second light after Dequindre! Can you believe that? Their timing is terrible! Then I turned right on John R., left on eleven mile and made all the lights until Center where I turned right and park my car. Intense 15 minutes.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
:p:p:p:p

[Thrax]

I did 85mph on 696W, wit da lizard king bumpin' in the back, how 'bout that? Driftin', swiftin'.. Coastin', testarostin'.. Those wheels don't stop, 'cause they fresh up off the block...

Or something.

[fatcat]

85 is that all...? ;D

[RyderOCZ]

85 is that all...? ;DAgreed.... Ask BuddyJ...we hit over 100 on the way back from Telegraph :D

[Thrax]

Some of us can't afford getting busted at 100MPH. ;D

[fatcat]

V8 SS models do not count vs 4cyl ricers....mmmkay! ;)

[RyderOCZ]

V8 SS models do not count vs 4cyl ricers....mmmkay! ;)Oh..my bad, sorry :p

Some of us can't afford getting busted at 100MPH. ;DWho says I can? You just don't get caught :headbange :rarr:

[Buddy J]

Agreed.... Ask BuddyJ...we hit over 100 on the way back from Telegraph :D

It's true. :respect: Ryder made sure I didn't miss my flight. Talk about dedication!

And besides, if they pulled him over, I offered to talk the police out of it. My Okie prowess would win them over.

"Howdy Officer. What'cah mean we goin' get a ticket? E'ry one knows ya cain't get tickets lest yer goin' a hunnert twenty. Ya'll Michigan folks is crazier than a fox in a hen house I tell ya what. How bout ya show a visitor some kindness. That's how we do it back home. Ya'll have nice day."

[StainMeNow]

"Howdy Officer. What'cah mean we goin' get a ticket? E'ry one knows ya cain't get tickets lest yer goin' a hunnert twenty. Ya'll Michigan folks is crazier than a fox in a hen house I tell ya what. How bout ya show a visitor some kindness. That's how we do it back home. Ya'll have nice day."

I can't even IMAGINE what you would sound like saying that...

Also, why didn't you use your Okie prowess to get yourself some MI ladies? Is Okie prowess only for special occasions?

[Nomad]

Okie prowess only for special occasions?

Like removing your sister from your zipper?

[Gargoyle]

Like removing your sister from your zipper?

That'd be Arkansas prowess.

Each state's special skill relates to something found in abundance in that state. Oklahoma's is getting out of tickets because there is an insane amount of speed traps per capita. Texas's involves cattle, but there's little more I can say about that in polite company.

[GHoosdum]

Apparently Florida's special skill has something to do with very potent rum or the 'shine. ;)

[Buddy J]

Gargoyle is right. Okie prowess really only works against speeding tickets. Our state is full of long, straight, open roads that invite spirited driving. These roads are dotted with tiny ass towns whose only means of income is ticketing passers-by. One way to get out of said tickets is to appeal to their down-home instinct and convince them that you're in the same boat. Bewmer Sewner!