September 17, 2025

Sonoma, CA > Memphis, TN

Tuesday, yesterday, we spent the day organizing our packing, making lists checking it two or three times, actually packing everything up. The biggest challenge on this trip are the six bottles of California wine for Friday nights dinner with the Boulware family. However, we got it all in. It will be a much easier trip back to California next Monday as the suite cases will be fifteen or so pounds lighter, and we have one soft sided on which will probably get packed. That way we’ll only have the two small carryon size Away bags.

Spoke with German to confirm the pickup time. He suggested 08:00 was too late. That we should plan on 07:30. We agreed that is probably better. There is the construction at highways 37 and 1001 which will add some time. Additionally, it will be the tail end of rush hour.

06:30 wake up call for Mary. By then I was already showered and dressed. Prepared her cappuccino, mine was an hour and a half earlier. Put the charger, eyeglasses, and other final things in the carryon bag. Took the garbage out. Washed up the final few things. Carried the luggage to the front of the big house and opened the gate.

A little after it had gone 07:15 German pulled into the driveway. The car was quickly loaded, luggage and passengers, and we were on our way to SFO. Our flight is at 11:17 on American Airlines. We got to the airport just after it had gone 10:00. Flying first class today, so we got the priority bag drop, then it was upstairs to the TSA priority check point and security.

Security was a breeze, not much in the way of carryon luggage. The new fully plastic suspenders are great. They don’t have to be removed and the don’t set off the scanners. We headed towards the gate, stopped for a restroom and shop for Mary’s trashy magazines. We are now officially on our way to Old Miss in Oxford, MS for Grace’s first parents' weekend. While other have visited Oxford one or more times, this is out first.

Pre-boarding began at just before 11:00 by 11:02 we were seated and organized. I dozed off and on while the boarding went on. We actually took off at 11:12 and landed in Dallas-Fort Worth at 16:48; so about a three and a half hour flight. They served us food on the way. I couldn’t eat most of it. I ate the quarter-cup of nuts, 10 grapes, four dried apricots and a little it of cheese. Still too many carbohydrates, but I did stay away from the bread and other carb loaded things on the plate.

We landed in Dallas like I said at 16:48. We arrived a bit early so we had to wait for the ground crew to get it together and assist the pilot into the gate. Our arrival was at B12. Our departure for Memphis, scheduled for 19:09 was supposed to be a E7. According to the airport guide on my phone it was an 18 minute trip to the next gate, which included a ride on the Skylink which connects all the terminals here. Fortunately, the escalator to go up the Skylink was adjacent to the B12 gate.

When we got the platform for the Skylink a train, going in the right direction, was just pulling in. Maybe were going to have a real easy trip. It took about ten minutes to get to the E terminal. The train stops stop twice at the E terminal. Once near gate 33 and again near gate E21.  

We took this opportunity to find the restrooms, the began looking for somewhere to eat. Now in Dallas there are a couple problems with food vendors. They don’t really have any healthy options. While we were debating, an announcement came over the speaker – American Airlines Flight 1758 to Memphis has change its gate assignment to C20.

This means going back up to Skylink and taking it to the C terminal and finding gate C20. It wasn’t a big deal, just annoying. C20 is just a few gates down from C14 where the Skylink lets you off. More importantly it is right across from Starbucks. I found us some seats. Mary went to Starbucks and got me a tea and a sausage, egg and cheddar sandwich, and a frap for herself.

After she returned with my “dinner/lunch” she went off to find something for her dinner. I sat and ate my dinner. She retuned a little bit later with an Italian Styled Wrap from the City Point Market. It actually has more calories, fat, sodium, carbohydrates and protein than the sandwich from Starbucks. The Starbucks sandwich actually looked better, and may or may not have tasted better.

So, what was supposed to be a two and a half-hour layover was filled up with getting from one place to another, finding a place to get something to eat, the next flight is only an hour plus long so no food service, and getting to one gate and then another.

We started boarding for Memphis at roughly 18:30. We went with pre-boarding again, so we were in our seats by 18:35. The plane headed down the runway at 19:03, taxied for about fifteen minutes before actually taking off. We landed in Memphis at 20:40 at gate 10.

Interesting it was 21:00 by the time we actually got off the plane and into the terminal. The terminal looks brand new and completely deserted. We walked to the gate, which was quite a ways. We didn’t see anyone waiting to board or another plane unloading. It appears we were the last plane in for the night.

Finding the right luggage carousel wasn’t a problem. There was only one with people near it. The bags came off quickly, our were among the first. We then headed out to fina a taxi to the hotel. There is some construction going on so finding the taxi stand was a little difficult and another fine stretch of the legs. We did find it and got loaded into the taxi. The driver then proceeded to tell us it would be $29. What? The hotel is less than three miles down the road. There was some back and forth, but we were already in the taxi and away from the taxi stand. A little research shows that UberX Priority was $12, plus tip. So maybe $15.

When we got to the hotel, I gave him $25 as agreed, but we took his cab company name and plate number. We do intend on make a complaint. This was a total ripoff. Yes, the hotel has a shuttle. Yes, we probably could have waited for it. Going back to the airport I fully intend on taking the shuttle.

The room is about as far away from the front desk and elevator as it could possibly get. But, we still needed steps. The carpet didn’t help with luggage. Some hotel carpets in the hall just don’t work well with the wheels on luggage.  We have a nice room and are ready for bed. Mary is eating her sandwich and doing her Italian. I am working on this blog, and heading to bed.

Buonanotte e Ciao,

Enrico e Maria