Coast to coast overnight...

We don't think of Portland (PDX) as being on the coast...about 70 miles shy, but Seattle, on the other hand is...well, pretty much. Granted the intersection of the Columbia River and the Willamette River does give Portland an "ocean-going" presence, but that is not salt water. The Puget Sound, on the other-hand, is. So in that regard Seattle is a sea port. Whew...where is he going with this post? Well, that establishes one coast in the title, but what about the other coast?

When we landed in GR and drove out of the place there was a huge sign: "Welcome to Michigan's West Coast." Now that is a stretch. I have heard about the PR campaign to get GR deemed as a part of the coast of Lake Michigan...but having lived here for 34 years, I shout: No Way. Holland is on the coast. Grand Haven is on the coast. Saugatuck is on the coast of Lake Michigan. But GR is not on the coast.

So what? Well, if GR bills itself as being on the coast of Lake Michigan, then my title has some merit. We flew last night from Seattle to Detroit, then to GR.

Our route took us from PDX to SEA on a quirk that almost cost us. Our flight to SEA-TAC was delayed one hour (air traffic issues) which ate up the largest share of our scheduled one hour and twenty-minute lay over. In fact, on the way up north we did a perfect 360 degree banked turn, which the pilot apologized for as another hold up due to air traffic.

SEA-TAC is a big airport. We came in on the "satellite" concourse of Horizon. You know, the kind where you have to walk down the plane steps and walk 100 yards to get inside the airport. Our NW connection was, you guessed it, in an unadjoined terminal. We ran, we climbed steps, we rode escalators up and down and finally ended up on a train. NO WAY, I shouted to myself. We will not make this flight. But we did...just did. But did our bags? NO WAY Aleene shouted out loud.

The trip continued in an unremarkable manner...we slept well on the flight and enjoyed the breakfast in DTW while waiting for our GRR flight.

As we walked down the ramp to the baggage area at GRR I mentioned to Aleene that the moment of truth was at hand. In fact, I pointed out the little room near NW counter where you report lost luggage. But lo and behold, there were our bags sitting with six others. They missed our flight to DTW, but went to MSP then to GRR and got there ahead of us. Good planning NW.

We motored three hours north to Boyne Falls and Boyne City and found our vacation house...a very nice little place all decked out with goodies where we will stay the week as we truck back and forth to Jeff's and Mary's six miles away.

It even has "borrowed" WiFi from a nice neighbor who has an unsecured router. Now who could ask for anything more?

As to the coast to coast thing...hey, we made it...for that we are thankful even if a bit tired.