Bicycling Montana, Wyoming,
Colorado and New Mexico - 2006

Pasco, WA to Billings, MT

June 10, 2006
Distance (Traveled by Air) Miles
Climbing Elevation: N/A feet

This was an interesting day. We arrived at the Pasco airport at 12:15 PM. Our airplane left for Billings via Salt Lake City, UT at 1:35 PM. As we checked in at the ticket counter we were informed that we had been chosen to have all of our bags completely searched. This means that they opened every one of our bags and took everything out to check for residue left from handling explosives. Everything was wiped with a special cloth which was then put into some type of sensor. It took a while to get through airport security.

We finally got onto the airplane which began to taxi to the runway getting ready to go airborne. Just as the plane lifted off the runway, Mary Kay grabbed my leg just above my knee so hard that I could feel her fingernails through the fabric of my pants. The plane went into a steep climb and little noises came from the seat next to me. Mary Kay was very frightened. After several minutes, she relaxed just a little and began to work on a Sudoku puzzle in a book she brought with her. We landed in Salt Lake City and walked from one gate to another gate where we would get on the flight to Billings. We ate at a Quizno's Sub Shop. As we finished eating they called our flight and we boarded our second plane. Mary Kay held my arm for most of the flight. When we landed, we watched them take all the luggage out of the airplane. Everything got off the plane except a bicycle.

In some ways this was a good deal because the motel van was not big enough to haul the bicycle to the motel. Now it is the responsibility of Delta to get the bicycle to the motel. Delta says it will arrive in Billings at 10:30 PM and they will deliver it yet tonight. The wind is 30 miles per hour, so it was good news that we did not have to bicycle to the motel.

Mary Kay had recovered and is laughing about the fact that she was so scared. We will wait and see when the bicycle is delivered, and hope for wind reductions in the morning.