In Kingston

The trip from Richmond CA to Kingston WA went like clockwork. Fortunately I had done my homework two days previously and had all of the transit connections written down.

Ten minutes after arriving at the bus stop I boarded the No. 74 bus to the BART station and 10 minutes after that I was on the train headed down the Fremont line. I got off at the Colosseum/Oakland Airport stop, saw a sign above the exit turnstile pointing left to AirBART, stepped through a double door, and there I was at the AirBART stop. In less than 10 minutes I was on the way to the airport.

My M.O. is to arrive at strange airports early. The aircraft departure time was 12.40 PM and I arrived at the airport at about 10.15 AM. I was carrying a back pack with my valuables, a sports bag with my clothes, and my laptop. The woman at the Air Alaska counter told me that I would save $15 for the sports bag as luggage if I could fit the laptop into the sports bag and take it and my back pack in the cabin. "You're my friend!" I said and she replied with "Yea, well I need your identification now." I presented my U.S. passport.

Going through security was interesting. My back pack didn't pass muster so a TSA agent came out with it. I expected the problem to be with the electronic gizmos that I had in my back pack but their interest was in my asthma puffers, boat keys on plastic floats, and a coil of shock cord that I use to lash groceries to the bike when I go shopping.

Unless you get your hamburger from a national chain the size of the burger can vary wildly. I should have taken the hint when the woman asked me if I wanted the meat rare, medium rare, or well done. Well, cheese burger with mushrooms turned out to be in the big side. The medium rare meat patty must have been close to an inch thick. I wasn't able to finish the French fries and for the next 3 hours I felt like I had a brick in my stomach. Oh well, at least I wasn't hungry on the flight. Before I boarded the plane I phone Arnold and told him that all was going to plan.

Thirty minutes after landing at SeaTac I was aboard the airport shuttle to Kitsap and I phoned Arnold and told him to expect me at the Viking Point stop at 5 PM. I met Arnold at about 5 PM and 15 minutes later we were at his home.

Denver the dog greeted us at the door, going berzerk as usual when I first arrive for a visit. Sandra was still out Christmas shopping and we could smell the chicken cooking in the crock pot. I spoke with Stephen and Brenda at just after 7 PM and I heard Sandra arrive toward the end of our conversation. I went out and gave her a big hug. It was good to see her again. It was good to be here.

The door-to-door trip had cost me:
- $1.00 for the No. 74 bus ride
- $3.10 for the BART ride
- $3.00 for the AirBART shuttle
- $49.50 for the flight (half the $99 round trip ticket)
- $21.90 for the Kitsap shuttle (a ride of almost 2 hours)

I make that to be $78.50. I find that amazing value given that it is the holiday season.