Friday June 10 2022

 

Waking up bright and early at 7:55 a.m. Showering and getting ready in 15 minutes.

 

Dave gives Rebecca and I a ride to the airport to link up with Jimmy Wiseman and Nigel. I’ve got a TSA PreCheck this time but it doesn’t make too much of a difference cause there’s hardly any kind of line. The only benefit was I didn’t have to take my shoes off. Then, they have to open my bag and throw away a jar of jam I forgot doesn’t pass the 6 oz. rule.

 

Hanging around at the gate. Breakfast Bar. Tea.

 

I’m struggling as I get on the flight cause my carryon is bulging out enough to not fit in the overhead bin so I have to check it. The zipper broke too. What a racket. I take my window seat and attempt to rest to the sound of some classical music.

 

Landing in La Guardia airport. Rebecca, Nigel, and I take a booth at the Brooklyn Diner.

PB&J. Coffee. Plantain Chips.

Nigel regales stories of his 80’s college days and doesn’t hesitate to share all the jokes he’s acquired over the years.

 

 

While on the second flight Rebecca and I are able to get a seat next to each other. We start Stranger Things 4 (2022) and it blows us away. Time goes by quickly and we’ve landed in Dallas.

 

We just find out that the big shuttle bus that some of the crew drove across America in broke down about an hour outside of our destination for the show. Walking around the terminal in search of some decent food. We all remember this from a past trip. Smash Burger has a decent Black Bean Burger with Fries.

 

Back on a plane. Watching another Stranger Things episode.

 

 

Arriving in Palm Springs, California! Even though it’s night time it’s absolutely ungodly hot. Because of the shuttle bus situation we have to rent a few cars. Nigel works his magic at the Hertz desk – buttering up the dudes and slinging twenties. We manage to get an SUV with a hitch and big van.

 

While driving the SUV I discover another problem: the car keeps shutting down at the stoplight. I pull into a gas station thinking we need gas, confuse the gas station manager, and eventually we discover the car has a seatbelt mechanism that shuts it down when not buckled up and Nigel did not have his on! Ugh. It’s just one thing after the other.

 

Finally arriving at La Aqua Caliente, the casino, spa, and resort. Checking in isn’t so bad. But now we’ve gotta go find the broke down shuttle bus and trailer to retrieve our other luggage.

 

I grab a beer from the bar, a couple cheesecakes from the bakery and resign to the hotel room...