Transiting Chicago O'Hare

Chicago O'Hare has an undeserved reputation as a terrible airport to transit. I find transiting between American or United flights at ORD painless. Even during irregular operations, the airport and its airline tenants do a decent job of making things work. (Having realistic expectations helps this.)

This is the tunnel between the B and C concourses, offering beautiful dancing neon and Brian Eno ambient music. If this doesn't soften the hardened traveler's jaded heart, what will?

Quack Quack

Ever since interning at Quack.com, I've been a sucker for duck-themed goofiness.

Here's a happy family of mallards on the University of Washington east campus. Mum's none too pleased about me approaching to take a picture.

Seaview Boatyard

The Zenith of Adak, Alaska is a long way from home. Adak is closer to Vladivostok than Seattle. Perhaps the expertise available here at the Seaview Boatyard makes it worth the trip?

I can imagine that a Marine Travelift could be handy around the yard now and again! One could pick up and relocate the whole garage if so inclined...

A Few Lazy Afternoons Left

As I approach gainful employment, my enjoyable afternoons filled with cycling and coffee will become harder to come by.

Although nothing like the coffeeshops in Melbourne, Cugini in Ballard makes a decent cup and offers superb ambiance.

Citizenship Plant

This is a bottlebrush seedling (Callistemon), given to me during my Australian citizenship ceremony. It's not clear which of the many species it is, so we'll have to see how it turns out.

I thought it was done for following a week away for P&T's wedding - it was dried to a crisp, lost all its leaves, and was showing no signs of life. But my father revived it, and now it is back in business! I guess the legendary Australian drought resistance of native plants really is true.

New Car!

I am now the owner of a 2005 Toyota Matrix! My requirements led to a choice between Subaru wagons and this car. The Toyota won due to better fuel economy.

In the picture is my Giant TCR road bike, fitting nicely in the back without taking off the front wheel.

Discovery Park

Discovery Park is the westernmost piece of Seattle. That's Mt Ranier looming over the Port of Seattle. Downtown isn't quite visible; it's hidden behind the Briarcliff neighborhood you can see to the left.

It was Fort Lawton until the early 1970s. During WWII, there were as many as 1000 German POWs imprisioned here. Today, it's a vigorous ride down (and then back up from) the beach. There's no way aside from swimming to avoid the 320' hill between this location and the rest of the city.

Poplar Fluff Attack

Cycling through the Arboretum, I came across rolling oceans of poplar fluff! It looks like the grass is losing the battle here.

Poplars (cottonwoods) shed these wonderful cottony seeds, and there must be a large volume of the trees in the area to provide for this amount of fluff.

Spanair Error Fare

We are headed to Minorca in September! Spanair filed a fare for Calgary to Mahon that was missing a digit. SK's YYC-MAH fare EKWCA was C$55, plus taxes and surcharges. The fare has since been refiled as C$855.

The only routing available was the straightforward YYC-AC-YYZ-AC-MAD-SK-MAH and return. Fortunately, there are Spanair codeshares of Air Canada flights Calgary to Toronto and Toronto to Madrid. This means no AC fuel surcharges, and a modest total cost of US$96. I expect 10,050 UA elite qualifying miles from this.

I look forward to seeing the public art in YYZ's T1 again!