Seems I screwed up on the link posting for the plane schedules Martin was watching.
Despite the bad weather that everyone had warned us about, all flights seemed to be pretty much on time.
So we would be off as planned.
So there we were, hours early.
A long time to go before we could check in, weigh in and pay in for the extra baggage I knew I had.
Waiting.....
Eventually 2pm got there and Martin and I could wheel our bags over to the ever friendly British Airways ground staff to weigh in and make our way through security.
For the sake of all those who want to do this sort of road trip to buy spares etc, I will do a break down of the baggage and costs as I experienced it.
Martin had done this US trip a few times before with Amanda, so his learnings helped me get it right first time.
So BA gives you 23kg of "free" hold baggage.
A cabin bag, size as per protocol, we did not know, but you can take up to 23kg in it (think power steering pump) as long as you can pick it up and put it in the overhead area yourself, otherwise 10kg if you cannot manage it.
And a"laptop bag" or handbag, we both had small back packs.
Before we left the UK, we both paid for an extra bag, costing us £65.00 online for 23kg into the hold.
Then as my pile of spares etc grew, I realised I would need another bag. Thankfully Kim and Clem had a old large suitcase in their garage that I took along.
My second extra bag cost me £140.00 or $200.00 for the pleasure of 23kg
I eventually weighed in the ski bag as both oversized "sports equipment" and my second extra bag, paying the $200.00 was a 3 minute job.
Then dropping it off at the oversized baggage gate, another 3 minute job.
How easy was that all then.
From there we went through security.
Weirdly, the security personnel were amazingly relaxed, friendly and the lady I passed voiced her exasperation at a passenger ahead of my for being a bit (well, very) thick.
So my backpack and cabin bag went through the X-Rays, I went through the scanner, hands aloft.
No noises..... Phew. Made it !!
Then security asked whose bag my cabin bag was..........
Buggerr !!
So he called me over, told me my bag came up suspect and he needed to go through it.
"Is there anything sharp in the bag that can hurt me?" He asked, I heard myself say "No Sir"
Next he told me to keep my distance, not to speak unless spoken to, not to point anything out to him or touch anything in the bag or that came out of it.
I was worried...... Not a lot, but only because I wondered what had caused them concern. I certainly did not want to leave anything I packed into my 16kg cabin bag behind.
First thing he pulled out, and opened the box of (I had not opened them after collecting at LMC as they were neatly packed, was my new cab mount rubbers and mounting kit..... I think the rubber being organic is the trigger on X-Rays.
He wanted to know what they all were for and his questions were quite naive. So I replied, trying not to point or touch, describing to him what they were for. He then pulled out my new door handles and new lock sets. Once I told him what they were for, he was happy, then back to his screen and pulling out the two LED lights, his interest was even more intense, seems there is a circuit board or something inside them. Anyway, I told him and explained what it was for, even showed him a photo on my mobile of them fitted.
After that he shook my hand, thanked me for my cooperation......
Then he changed completely, from business mode he went to petrol head mode..... Yup, he wanted to know more about my truck, the lights, where they came from and why I was restoring a 1966 Chevy C10 truck.
I suspect Martin was wondering what was going on....
From here we took a walk through Duty Free, nothing of interest there.
Then we went to look for a late lunch.
Finding a place, I ordered a regular (remember, this is Texas and everything is bigger) brisket sandwich and fries plus another of those massive, bottomless drinks.
They keep some good beer as well.
After lunch we settled down to people watching, and waiting for our departure.
Boarding was trouble free.
On the plane I landed next to a super nice guy who was 1.5 times my size, poor guy was stuck in the middle seat, turned out to be a super nice guy from the U.S. who was married to an English girl. His size meant I was sat sideways on takeoff and landing. So the rest of the flight I was mostly standing up, walking and trying to watch a movie while he tried to sleep.
Landing, customs, passport control and the return to out car parking to get my car and head home were all uneventful.
So that was really the end of the holiday.
As a final comment I will post a few pics of the Internet.
Travel whenever you can, go places you never imagined, never thought possible, just go. You will not regret it.
Create a Bucket List, and tick the items off.
Lastly, this road trip delivered no over delivered every day.
I have to thank Nicola my wife for insisting I go with mate Martin who had bugged me for more than 8 months to join him for his 50th birthday party trip.
Every person who reached out and offered us accommodation, advice, friendship and took the time to speak to us.
My world is a better place and my year has been turned into the year of my life after this trip.
I will never forget this.
Thank you all for the comments on the threads I created on various forums.
You made me revisit and enjoy the whole trip again.
Looking forward to the next trip.
Despite the bad weather that everyone had warned us about, all flights seemed to be pretty much on time.
So we would be off as planned.
So there we were, hours early.
A long time to go before we could check in, weigh in and pay in for the extra baggage I knew I had.
Waiting.....
Eventually 2pm got there and Martin and I could wheel our bags over to the ever friendly British Airways ground staff to weigh in and make our way through security.
For the sake of all those who want to do this sort of road trip to buy spares etc, I will do a break down of the baggage and costs as I experienced it.
Martin had done this US trip a few times before with Amanda, so his learnings helped me get it right first time.
So BA gives you 23kg of "free" hold baggage.
A cabin bag, size as per protocol, we did not know, but you can take up to 23kg in it (think power steering pump) as long as you can pick it up and put it in the overhead area yourself, otherwise 10kg if you cannot manage it.
And a"laptop bag" or handbag, we both had small back packs.
Before we left the UK, we both paid for an extra bag, costing us £65.00 online for 23kg into the hold.
Then as my pile of spares etc grew, I realised I would need another bag. Thankfully Kim and Clem had a old large suitcase in their garage that I took along.
My second extra bag cost me £140.00 or $200.00 for the pleasure of 23kg
I eventually weighed in the ski bag as both oversized "sports equipment" and my second extra bag, paying the $200.00 was a 3 minute job.
Then dropping it off at the oversized baggage gate, another 3 minute job.
How easy was that all then.
From there we went through security.
Weirdly, the security personnel were amazingly relaxed, friendly and the lady I passed voiced her exasperation at a passenger ahead of my for being a bit (well, very) thick.
So my backpack and cabin bag went through the X-Rays, I went through the scanner, hands aloft.
No noises..... Phew. Made it !!
Then security asked whose bag my cabin bag was..........
Buggerr !!
So he called me over, told me my bag came up suspect and he needed to go through it.
"Is there anything sharp in the bag that can hurt me?" He asked, I heard myself say "No Sir"
Next he told me to keep my distance, not to speak unless spoken to, not to point anything out to him or touch anything in the bag or that came out of it.
I was worried...... Not a lot, but only because I wondered what had caused them concern. I certainly did not want to leave anything I packed into my 16kg cabin bag behind.
First thing he pulled out, and opened the box of (I had not opened them after collecting at LMC as they were neatly packed, was my new cab mount rubbers and mounting kit..... I think the rubber being organic is the trigger on X-Rays.
He wanted to know what they all were for and his questions were quite naive. So I replied, trying not to point or touch, describing to him what they were for. He then pulled out my new door handles and new lock sets. Once I told him what they were for, he was happy, then back to his screen and pulling out the two LED lights, his interest was even more intense, seems there is a circuit board or something inside them. Anyway, I told him and explained what it was for, even showed him a photo on my mobile of them fitted.
After that he shook my hand, thanked me for my cooperation......
Then he changed completely, from business mode he went to petrol head mode..... Yup, he wanted to know more about my truck, the lights, where they came from and why I was restoring a 1966 Chevy C10 truck.
I suspect Martin was wondering what was going on....
From here we took a walk through Duty Free, nothing of interest there.
Then we went to look for a late lunch.
Finding a place, I ordered a regular (remember, this is Texas and everything is bigger) brisket sandwich and fries plus another of those massive, bottomless drinks.
They keep some good beer as well.
After lunch we settled down to people watching, and waiting for our departure.
Boarding was trouble free.
On the plane I landed next to a super nice guy who was 1.5 times my size, poor guy was stuck in the middle seat, turned out to be a super nice guy from the U.S. who was married to an English girl. His size meant I was sat sideways on takeoff and landing. So the rest of the flight I was mostly standing up, walking and trying to watch a movie while he tried to sleep.
Landing, customs, passport control and the return to out car parking to get my car and head home were all uneventful.
So that was really the end of the holiday.
As a final comment I will post a few pics of the Internet.
Travel whenever you can, go places you never imagined, never thought possible, just go. You will not regret it.
Create a Bucket List, and tick the items off.
Lastly, this road trip delivered no over delivered every day.
I have to thank Nicola my wife for insisting I go with mate Martin who had bugged me for more than 8 months to join him for his 50th birthday party trip.
Every person who reached out and offered us accommodation, advice, friendship and took the time to speak to us.
My world is a better place and my year has been turned into the year of my life after this trip.
I will never forget this.
Thank you all for the comments on the threads I created on various forums.
You made me revisit and enjoy the whole trip again.
Looking forward to the next trip.