I thought I successfully accomplished the Planes, Trains and Automobiles task on August 8, 2006. However, once I sat down to assemble the proof, I read the comments on the task more closely. Rubin's answer is SF-specific and I do not live there, so I debated submitting my proof anyway since I felt I fulfilled the actual task description and I felt cranky about his later qualification. But as a transportation nerd, I knew what Rubin was getting at in his answer to vladypus's inquiry about subways counting. (Vlady, why'd you have to ask?!) No matter how cranky I felt about the task, I couldn't equate a NYC subway with a commuter train and repeatedly tried but couldn't bring myself to submit the proof. I knew the difference. If I got the screamin' red X, I feared it would be deserved.

Lesson learned: Read the fine print before collecting your proof for a task.

Future plans for this task attempt? Soon I am moving to a location easily accessible by commuter rail. So the first time I fly anywhere.... then I should easily be able to submit proof for this task without guilt or embarrassment.

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The failed attempt

Tuesday, August 8, 2006

Start the clock at 1:45 p.m. Eastern time.

I was in the 14th Street station in NYC boarding a 3 train to get to Grand Central Station, where I was going to pick up a bus to LaGuardia airport.

I forgot to start taking bad rushed camphone pictures for this until I got off that train at 42nd Street. Then I headed over to the 7 to catch that train to Grand Central. I got a quick lunch there and then headed out to the airport buses.

I bought a roundtrip ticket on my bus ride in from the airport, so I just had to wait. I had just missed the 2:30pm LaGuardia bus, so the next one wasn't running until 3pm. My flight was scheduled to leave at 4:25, so I was worried that I was pushing the time. While waiting, I debated other options to get to the airport but didn't feel like spending that much money--and of course, doing so would ruin my chances for completing this task. I decided to chance it and run fast inside the airport if need be.

We were on the bus around 3pm. Once seated, I remembered--finally--to check my flight status on my Sidekick. My 4:25 flight (NW #261) was already delayed to a little after 5. Whew. I was okay on time then, at least in LaGuardia.

By the time the bus got to the terminal with Northwest at LGA, my flight had already been delayed an hour. I was definitely going to miss my connecting flight (NW# 1759) out of Detroit home to Kansas City, the last one home that night. I was calm and polite and just asked if there was any way I could please fly through Memphis or Minneapolis or any other city to get home tonight.

Score! She rebooked me on flights through Minneapolis with first-class seats. I didn't notice my seats until my new flight (NW# 597) was boarding. Scheduled to leave at 6pm Eastern time, we were walking onto the plane maybe 10 minutes before that, so 5:50pm. We didn't take off until almost 6:40pm though because of traffic on the runways and a stalled jet somewhere. Still had time to spare for the 6-hour limit.

Six hours after 1:45pm ET: I was still sitting in seat 3B on flight NW 597 out of LGA to MSP. Even got the first-class dinner, which was some ginger chicken stir-fry that actually was kinda tasty. To recap:

1:45pm - Train: the 3 line in NYC from 14th St to 42nd St
7 line to Grand Central
3pm NY Airport Service bus from Grand Central to LGA
Walking around in LGA
Plane: NW# 597 out of LGA, scheduled to leave at 6pm, took off approx. 6:40pm