The Great Scare

Rock Springs, Wyoming. July 27,2014

The alarm went off at 5:00am (the day before it went off at 4:30am) and we tried our best to wake up and roll out of bed. We rolled out, but far from awake. We got ready and were down at the lobby to wait for the airport shuttle in record time.

Before I move on to tell you about “The Great Scare”, I should say a few words about Rock Springs.... I wondered why a gate agent in Denver chuckled at the fact that I was overnighting in Rock Springs with Chris. Now I know. The airport is in the middle of nowhere. When we landed, it felt like I was on another planet. Dry, dusty, and very rocky. We landed and walked out to “the gate” and walked through the tiny terminal and out to wait for the shuttle. We had to wait a few minutes, so I explored some. We were surrounded by canyons and rocks....lots of rocks. I kept expecting a heard of buffalo to appear with Indians riding horses behind them. Our shuttle came before the buffalo..so we were sad to miss that. Our drive to the hotel was long and it was quite some time before we even saw a town. Just road and rocks. Anyway – the scenery was really cool and I wish we had more time to explore, but food and sleep were at top of our list.

The next morning came and you already know that it was early. We piled into the shuttle with the captain and flight attendant and drove off to the tiny airport among the canyons. Chris went off to start his job for the day and I had to go through security like a regular boring person. Easy right, just like in Laramie?? Well...

I began going through my regular security routine, take off shoes, put stuff in bins, push it through. There were only 4 or 5 TSA agents and they were taking their job super seriously. Which is good. I appreciate that. I walked through the scanner and “ding”, I made an alarm go off. First thought - “I knew I should not have put those bobby-pins in my hair!” No, not it. I was selected for a random full body pat down. Great. I was asked to wait for the female agent that was busy with someone's bags that was setting another scanner off. Oh wait...those are mine! What?! Rock Springs hates me! I knew that the crew was planning to board early (inside information ya know) so I was eager to get the “the gate.”

The female agent finally was free (she handed my bags off to another agent) and took me aside. She then slowly and thoroughly explained how she was going to pat me down. She then showed me where she would use her palm of her hands and where she would use the back of her hands. I was tempted to say that I had been through this before, but I did not want to be detained more.

Okay, pat down complete. Now on to my bags. So far this particular weekend I went through security twice, this time was to be my third and I had one more to go the next day. I had no trouble that last 20 plus times I have flown this past year. Why now?

The agent dug into my bags and swiped and tested. Swiped my shoes and phone. Finally I could pack up, put my shoes on and go. The TSA agent clued me in...lotion. I had put lotion on that morning (it was dry out there!) and got it over everything I touched – my shoes, bags, phone. If Chris walked through, he would have definitely set the thing off! ;-)

I finally got put back together and turned around....

There outside the window was a Embraer Brasilia – door closed and engines running...and backing up. WHAT?!?!?

My heart sank – how could they leave without me?! I knew the crew would know that I was not on yet and would wait. My husband would not leave me without telling me. I was in a total panic – I did not want to be stuck in Rock Springs. I wanted to go home with my husband!

I went up to the gate agent and ask what happened. She mentioned something about Salt Lake City and my weary brain got confused - SLC is home, that is where I am going today, but wait...what about Denver. I am supposed to go through Denver. I felt totally lost.

Then, since I was now located in a different spot and had even more of a view of where the planes are...there was another Brasilia. Both planes had a First Officer with blond hair and aviators...that was all I could see. Oh, I was so confused!

Apparently another crew came in for a short turn and did not overnight. There were two planes (at what seemed to be a one plane airport). One bound for SLC and one for Denver.

Thank goodness only one or two of the five passengers to Denver witnessed my quiet panic. How embarrassing. But how would you feel if you were detained forever by the TSA and thought you saw your husband taxiing away without you?!

It all worked out. I made it on as the sixth passenger and was handed a boarding pass. No need to call my name out – the gate agent knew everyone by name!

We made it to Denver – only to find the flight to SLC was overbooked and full. But we found a flight to Gillette Wyoming and from there to SLC. Back through security again (not many people make connections in Gillette apparently – we had to walk out and back through security.) I was not detained and I finally got to sit next to my husband!

So, with all that, I still would like to visit Wyoming again.