Travel

I-17 southbound to Phoenix. I left Flagstaff in cold rain but dropped down into the desert with sun, cloud, and snow on the higher peaks. It was a beautiful drive!

I'm vaccinated, and my parents are vaccinated, so I finally went to visit my Mom for her birthday, the first time I've seen her in 15 months. That is the longest I've ever gone in my entire life without seeing her.

Airplane travel was not too bad, but the airports were busier than I expected. I assume that I am not the only one who decided to resume air travel. I didn't think about it, but it must be spring break for some schools, because there were many families with children traveling.

Camelback Mountain beyond Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

Everybody has decided that the pandemic is over. It isn't over, but hopefully many of the people traveling are at least vaccinated.

I took advantage of the relatively low rates to fly first class, which I'd never done before. The seating and legroom is superior, but the experience was reduced by a crazy guy sitting on the other side of the aisle who kept ranting about music that existed only in his head. The flight attendants had difficulty dealing with him.

Middle Tennessee is full of these bland shopping strips. The skies were grey for the first two days, also typical of Middle Tennessee. I ate inside a restaurant for the first time in a year on this trip. It felt normal.

Middle Tennessee was humid and cool, but not cold, as usual for this time of year. Every time I go back to Tennessee for a visit, I feel like I'm swimming. I don't feel like I dry out until the plane lands in Phoenix.

Middle Tennessee State Blue Raider Women's Basketball. They won a tight game. First time in over a year I've been to a live sporting event.  Note the limited attendance and cardboard cutout fans behind the goal.