Leave it up to Delta to really screw things up!

[skonopa]

Well, here I sit back home here in Fredericksburg, when I should've been there in Hope!

I actually made it to Detroit last night, only to have the Little Rock flight get CANCELLED! [:@][ap] Yup, stuck in Detroit for the night when I should've been in Little Rock to met up with 'Kaiser SET say' and gang to ride down together.

They went and rebooked a flight, but I would not of arrived until like 10 tonight! On top of that, how much you want to make a bet that would've most likely been delayed or what-have-ya? So, I made them book me a flight back to D.C. and to refund my plane ticket. I am actually impressed that they did! In addition, I actually managed to get a refund for the hotel room that I had booked in Little Rock for Thursday night as well. (Chalk one up for Hotels.com).

However, the money thing is not the real issue here. I am sorely disappointed that I was not able to actually make it to this and very frustrated at that whole experience. As much as I hate to say, but if there are any more pilgramages in Hope, AR, I am less likely to be inclined to want to go, just because it is such a PITA to actually GET there. Believe me, last time we had on in Hope, I had a real nightmare trying to get back home (was stuck in Memphis that Sunday night and missed an extremely important meeting that I really wanted to make that next Monday at work). At least direct flights to Indy from D.C. are pretty cheap and plentiful.

I'll have to admit that to give credit where credit's due, at least the actual service I got from the Delta staff itself (both the ticketing agents and the aircraft flight crew) was actually quite good. They actually did attempt to do everything they could within thier power to accomidate me. As frustrating as something like this happens, it is not worth it to get angry at the actual staff, as they are just trying to do thier respective jobs. It is to bad the reliability of thier flights seem to really stick in this case (and in the past, I've actually had good results with Delta, so this really irritated me even more). And of course, the flight to get back to D.C. was also delayed - go figure. []

I am looking forward to hearing/seeing some reports of what I ended up missing. [:'(]

To make me feel better, at least there is a concert right here near my place that I am going to as soon as I post this. It is featuring ZOSO, a really awesome Led Zepplin tribute band as well as The Machine, which is a Pink Floyd tribute band (don't know what they are like, but if I can't get the real deal, hopefully these guys will at least deliver a decent replica of it).

Have fun and lets seem some reports and pics (and I'll be thinking about you as I should also have been there!)

[LarryC]

The Delta-NWA merger isn't setting at all well with me, either. Before, I could get a pretty direct NW 320 NS from DC to Memphis and DC-9 to Little Rock. Now, it's all connections are through Atlanta (thanks for nothing, Delta) or Detroit, and nothing but commuter planes from ATL to LR. It looks like NWA lost out big-time in the merger.

I also used to be able to fly Airbuses from National to Boise via Minneapolis, but now it's commuter planes on that long trip across the Rockies from MSP to Boise -- sorry, I won't do that. I also had a good NWA connection from Boise to MSP to LR, but no more.

NWA kept up a good fleet for a long time, but the old days of big Boeings and then Airbuses look to be long gone, a sad end IMO. I'll have to find a better way to Hope to go there again.

[Seadog]

Steve,

I wondered what happen to you. That is a real bummer! It won't be the same here without you.

David

[skonopa]

The Delta-NWA merger isn't setting at all well with me, either. Before, I could get a pretty direct NW 320 NS from DC to Memphis and DC-9 to Little Rock. Now, it's all connections are through Atlanta (thanks for nothing, Delta) or Detroit, and nothing but commuter planes from ATL to LR. It looks like NWA lost out big-time in the merger.

The last time they had the pilgrimage in Hope, that was exactly the flight I had - Direct to Memphis on an Airbus 320 and than the DC-9 to Little Rock (actually blew me away they had a friggan DC-9 for such a short flight!) Go figure it was exactly that where I got stuck in Memphis coming back that Sunday. First, there were a bunch of delays due to the thunderstorms, and then they could'nt get the friggan plane started! As a result, I missed my connection to D.C.

This time, I have no idea why my Detroit to Little Rock flight got cancelled. They never really told us (some where thinking much had to due with the pretty fould weather that LR seemed to have been experiencing). At least, to Delta's credit, they did book me up in a hotel and provided meal vouchers (which NW did not, claiming it was due to the weather, despite me calling [bs] due to the fact they couldn't get the plane started at the gate in LR as well)

At least I did also get a refund on my trip, though, which took some of the sting out of the whole thing. The other thing that also took some of the sting out was getting to see this totally kick-*** show we just had right here in Fredericksburg at this pretty nice outdoor concert venue less than 2 miles from my place. As you all could imagine, though, I am still really sore about missing the Klipsch Music Fest/Pilgrimage. I was SO looking forward to this and really wanted to be there (and this sucks as much as the Triton Power Cruise that I was supposed to go on also getting cancelled back in April/May - at least I got a refund on that as well). I would be EXTREMELY pissed if this happened when I am trying to get to ProgPower USA in Atlanta (especially considering the considerable amount of money I've laid down as a sponsor for that festival!) At least, like to Indy, there are plenty of cheap, direct flights to Atlanta.

[LarryC]

Steve, yeah, I remember what a big fiasco your return was that trip. Terrible! Trouble is, driving a rental from Memphis to Hope is way too long a trip. I'll have to find a way to Dallas if Hope turns up again.

[picky]

Steve: I'm so sorry about your flight. It's ironic you are in Detroit. I know this doesn't help, but if I hadn't come to Hope, I'd still be there and I could have picked you up at the airport and brought you back to the house. It's only 7 miles away. A bummer all the way around. I hope you are able to get things ironed out. -Glenn

[colterphoto1]

Sorry to hear about your mis-adventures Steve.

At least hope you enjoyed ZOSO, don't know if you read my review of their show in Indy here a few weeks back. The drummer is INCREDIBLE! Love their period instruments. We had a really nice bar PA system at a large country/rock saloon that caters to older national acts so the PA dudes really know what they're doing and all the theremin solos and vocal delays were spot on as was nearly every note.

Michael

[skonopa]

Steve,

I wondered what happen to you. That is a real bummer! It won't be the same here without you.

David

Yeah, I was really looking forward to seeing you and many of the others. I saw the pics that Glenn ('Picky') posted of your rig in his "PIcky 2010 PIlgrimate Report" thread. That is pretty sweet. And I had a huge stack of my favorite prog metal CDs with me that I so wanted to try out! [6]

[skonopa]

Steve: I'm so sorry about your flight. It's ironic you are in Detroit. I know this doesn't help, but if I hadn't come to Hope, I'd still be there and I could have picked you up at the airport and brought you back to the house. It's only 7 miles away. A bummer all the way around. I hope you are able to get things ironed out. -Glenn

The other ironic thing was that while standing in line for rebookings, I was actually thinking about you and thought about trying to give you a call (I would've had to try to find your number, though). Turned out that would not have helped anyway as you managed to get to Hope (Awesome on Dr. Who to hook you up like that!). Talk about another Irony right there (and would've been a huge and very pleasent surprise to me to see you had I actually made it), is that here you are, didn't plan to go, but things just lined up perfectly to enable you to go, and there you are! (Again, huge thanks to Dr. Who), but here I am, back home, unable to go, when I had every intention of going - even so far as actually boarded the flight on the way out there, only to have things outside of my control went south on me. You can imagine the surprised look at the folks at my office when I stopped there on the way back home from the airport! I guess this makes you my spritual replacement here. [] At least I'll get to live what would've been my pilgramge experience through your pictures and report.

Fortunatly, I did pretty much get everything ironed out. Dispite the frustration of dealing with this fiasco, I was actually impressed with the actual customer service I did get from Delta themselves, Expedia (through which I actually booked all this), and Hotels.com. I was able to pretty much all my money back on this (already got the Hotels.com refund!). In addition, Delta did provide me with hotel and meals in Detriot, so no money out of pocket there either (that Best Western they put me up in was actually pretty nice). However, the only thing, and there is really no price to put on this, is the shear disappointment in not making it there to Hope and missing out on all this. For that, there is no "refund" and something that I'll just have to live with. Royally sucks in missing this. Oh well, I guess sometimes we gotta take the bitter with the sweet. Like I said before, at least I did get to see a kick-*** show locally that I would not have been able to go to otherwise. If you get lemons, sometimes you just have to make lemonade.

Today, there is another local event that I am interested in going to. There is a charity river float that is being held today that I would love to go on, so I guess it is time to head on over to Old Mill Park and see what is going on there.

[skonopa]

Sorry to hear about your mis-adventures Steve.

At least hope you enjoyed ZOSO, don't know if you read my review of their show in Indy here a few weeks back. The drummer is INCREDIBLE! Love their period instruments. We had a really nice bar PA system at a large country/rock saloon that caters to older national acts so the PA dudes really know what they're doing and all the theremin solos and vocal delays were spot on as was nearly every note.

Michael

No, I've missed that review. Which section you posted it in? I'll have to go back and read it.

Anyway, this is the second time that I've seen ZOSO. They played at the same Celebrate Virginia venue last summer, where I just saw them last night (this is that concert venue that is right here in my neighborhood). They are about as close as you can get to Led Zepplin, short of the geninue article (and since the "real" Led Zepplin is pretty much all but done, at least we can relive the Led Zepplin glory days through these guys).

In addition, The Machine was really awesome as well. For any of you Pink Floyd fans, if you get to see these guys, it is worth it!

I should've grabbed some pics last night, especially as I was sitting in the "VIP/Gold Circle" section, thus was right up next to the stage. Shame I didn't think to grab my camera last night. Oh well. [:$]

On the 25th, I'll have to go check out Ted Nugent. The Charlie Daniels Band is also playing there that I am interested in seeing as well.

Also to add! Just earlier, while running some errands, I needed to stop to put some gas in my truck. So, I stopped at the gas station right there next to the venue where I saw ZOSO last night. One of these moving van/box truck type deals pulled up at the pump next to mine. Lo and behold, it was the singer from ZOSO! [] Of course, I had to tell him how awesome that show was last night. He was a really cool dude and a joy to chat with.

[DrWho]

Dude, that really sucks! I was really looking forward to seeing you....you'll have to swing by Chicago sometime.

[skonopa]

Dude, that really sucks! I was really looking forward to seeing you....you'll have to swing by Chicago sometime.

Yeah, I know. For a little bit, it looked like I was going to have to go there on business, but seems that did not happen.

Sometime, I'll have to get out there.