The Denver Airport Pub Crawl
Jul 23rd 2007
RachelGOn Writing!
The last three times I’ve flown, my flights have been delayed due to mechanical failure. So, as I waited to board United flight 765 on the 15th, I was a bit suspicious. Not because there was anything wrong, but because NOTHING was wrong. I was with my friend, Laura Lee Guhrke, who knows my history with mechanical failure and delayed flights, and the closer we got to departure, the more my suspicion grew and the more 
apprehensive I felt. There was absolutely nothing to worry about, but as we boarded I blurted out, “I’m cursed,” like I had tourettes or something.
“Don’t say that,” Laurie warned me. “Don’t even think it.”
I tried not to think about it, and as we taxied to the runway, my anxiety eased. We didn’t have to wait in line forever, and everything was perfect. We hurled down the runway and . . . the pilot slammed on the brakes. After a few tense moments the pilot told us that a light had come on indicating that a door was open. So, we taxied back to the gate and waited around for an hour before we could take off.
Now, an hour isn’t a bad wait . . . unless it means you’ll miss your connecting flight. Which we did. When we got to Denver, United had been kind enough to re-book our flight for 9:30 pm. It was 3:30. That’s seven hours. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a big bitcher. It’s kinda my thing. But no amount of bitching could get us on an earlier flight.
I looked at Laurie and asked, “What are we going to do for seven hours?”
Her answer, “Pub crawl.”
At the risk of sounding like a horrid alcoholic, it was cocktail hour somewhere in the world and we were stuck in the airport for 7 hours. So we hit the bars on concourse C before moving to concourse A. Now, we didn’t have martinis in all the bars. In most of them we just had a diet Coke, but pub crawling did pass the time quicker than sitting at the gate with a stack of magazines .
Have you ever been stuck in an airport for hours on end? What did you do to pass the time?
39 Comments »
39 Responses to “The Denver Airport Pub Crawl”
Stacy ~ on 23 Jul 2007 at 5:36 am #
I used to work for an airline, which meant traveling standby, so yes, I’ve been there a few times, though maybe 2-3 hours at most. Mostt of the airports I’ve been stuck at have been like small cities, so I actually enjoy walking around in them, better than sitting for hours. I like to save my reading for the plane ride.
Karen Hawkins on 23 Jul 2007 at 7:26 am #
Rachel, I feel your pain! I sudoku my way through the airport and yes, I’ve been known to take the occasional ‘liquid tranquilizer’ but only to soothe my flight fears.
Ok, so I’m not afraid of flying, but I could be and it’s better to keep the machine oiled, so to speak, so there’s no untoward displays of terror. I do it for the other passengers. No, really, I do.
I’m that sort of person.
I’m just glad they HAVE restaurants in airports. AND Starbucks (thank goodness). There was even a Dunkin Donuts in the Dallas airport, which was a godsend in itself. DD, I love your coffee! Oh, and those donuts, too, but I ESPECIALLY love your coffee!
Karen Hawkins on 23 Jul 2007 at 8:01 am #
Almost forgot! My best delayed aircraft story was an overbook. They asked me to give up my seat because the flight was overbooked, and I agreed. I was with a group of college students, so the other coordinator escorted them back to Orlando, through St. Louis.
After they were gone, I spent two hours in the lounge sipping free drinks, then took the next flight out, which was a direct flight AND first class, and reached the luggage carousel at the exact same time as the students and the other coordinator, but WITH a $200 voucher for a future flight.
Now that’s the way all airport delay stories should go, but rarely do.
cookeemama on 23 Jul 2007 at 8:08 am #
This just cracked me up this morning. I watched 2 episodes of “Airline” and one of “Airline UK” last night. Naturaly, only the most interesting people for the producers to show are the ones who rant and foam at the mouth because they feel the airlines are doing it to them personally.
What made me laugh the most was the pub crawl. “Airline” is forever showing somebody being denied boarding because they are drunk. For tv purposes, it’s usually someone who is extremely so. And belligerant to boot. Good think you and Laura Lee Guhrke drank diet Coke in most places.
Me? I always, always have a paperback or two tucked into my purse. And the gift shop is full of reading material. I can pass 7 hours reading and not notice it passed.
I was born a bookworm and have never changed.
cookeemama on 23 Jul 2007 at 8:09 am #
I meant to comment on the airline shows further. It’s so interesting to note that the irate passengers in the UK are every so much more polite than even the mildest of ranters in the USA version.
SuzyQ on 23 Jul 2007 at 8:10 am #
I had a 4:00 PM flight one time which was delayed because of thunderstorms. Finally, after a couple hours we are able to board the plane. As we start to taxi, we are informed we have to go back to the gate because of a light that came on. Sooooooooooo, after sitting on the plane for God knows how long, we are told we have to deplane and take all of our carryon – not a good sign. It wasn’t until about 12:30 that we were told the flight had been cancelled. By this time, all the hotels in the area were booked. Yep, I ended up staying at the airport. It wasn’t too bad because I was traveling with 3 other girls from work and we made the best of it. It kind of was like a slumber party - sleeping on the floor and talking and giggling through the night . . .
Keri Ford on 23 Jul 2007 at 8:16 am #
My dad’s military, so we could fly from US to anywhere really cheap. But it was on stand-by only. SIX of us, packed in a military airport waiting on standby. The worst year every was when the olympics were in Atlanta. I remember sitting in an airport in Germany (I think) for hours on end, watching the olympics with one of my sisters. You don’t leave the airport and risk missing a flight, so we slept on top of our suitcases, or at the time, my curves had yet to develop and I was able to squeeze under the arms of those chairs and stretch out. It was awful.
Lismore on 23 Jul 2007 at 8:33 am #
Welcome to Denver! Well, for 7 hours at least.
Sorry you were stuck in my hometown aiport, but it’s not too bad of an airport if you have to be stranded for a while.
I am such a sap, because when I pick someone up at the airport, I wait at the train exit and watch everyone’s reunions. There have been some pretty heart-warming scenes.
Susan K on 23 Jul 2007 at 8:57 am #
I don’t fly that much cause I’m afraid of flying. But when I go to visit my family in Minnesota I have to fly. I always have a few books with me and my cd player so I have music to listen too. Mostly I people watch. You see some interesting things sitting in an airport.
Kay on 23 Jul 2007 at 9:26 am #
My DH and I were bumped from a flight coming back from our honeymoon and were stuck in Denver for 8 hours. We took a limo to the Zoo! this was back in the ’80’s, and you could check bags in lockers, and get to your gate 30 min before takeoff. After the zoo, we took a cab to a nice restaurant, then went back to the airport in time for our flight.
I don’t know what I’d do now. We each travel with roller bags and laptop bags, so the zoo wold be out. So airport hotels have special rates for people stuck for a few hours. Maybe a spa visit for a massage would make the wait–and facing security when I got back, worth it.
The big problem these days, is that they don’t tell you that your plane is delayed 1,2 or 6 hours. They keep you trapped in the airport with unpredictable “updates” and when you’re traveling, especially with little ones, it would be easier if they just said, “Come back in 4 or 6 hours.” Then I could come up with a diversion for the kids.
Caren Crane on 23 Jul 2007 at 9:30 am #
When stuck at the airport, I usually try to read, but don’t want to burn out before the flight. So I end up people watching. And writing stories about them in my mind. Most interesting trip recently (airport delay-wise) was the flight from Raleigh to Dayton that should have taken a couple of hours but, for some reason, ended up taking all day and routing me through Atlanta (nothing like going around the old elbow). I missed the concert I was going to in Dayton, but saw a couple of families who had obviously just returned from China with their newly-adopted babies. I have friends who adopted a daughter from China in January, so I had lots of fun writing stories about those families!
Ellen on 23 Jul 2007 at 10:24 am #
Hello my goddesses. I am back online now that the Australian sister has flown home. It was wonderful having her and I will miss her until next time. How appropriate that we are talking about flight delays when she has a 29 hour flight ahead of her.
Since I already shared the horrific experience of my 27 hour flight from NY to Dallas for my first RWA conference, I will tell you about my trip to Austria with my other sister. We had been skiing in the mountains and decided to really party it up on our last night. REALLY! Of course, we both woke up two hours late and had to drive a fair distance to the airport.
Picture if you will, the check-in lady looking at her watch and discovering that we only had 10 minutes before the plane would take off. She processed our paperwork and yelled, “Follow me!” There was NO DOUBT in my mind that this chick had been on the Austrian Olympic Track Team. She was running full speed while my sister and I crawled behind her, dripping last night’s mascara, for the mile or so it took to get to the terminal. Might I suggest for all of you, hangovers and running do not mix?
We finally got to the gate just as they were closing the door. We found our seats and engaged the entire plane in helping us find overhead storage space. (Some was located about a half mile from our seats.) Finally, much to the delight of the entire group, we were buckled in and ready to go.
OR so we thought.
We sat on the runway for 5 hours waiting for restricted airspace to open up. Good news, though….they opened the free bar after the first hour. My sister and I got to test the theory of “a hair of the dog.”
I wish I could remember the results.
Glad to be back.
Ellen
Ellen on 23 Jul 2007 at 10:53 am #
By the way…I checked out the Karen Rose interview listed at the top of this Blog. Only the lovely Karen could get away with saying, “It was a very fresh dead person.”
LOL
cail on 23 Jul 2007 at 11:03 am #
ok, so far i win.
after a great family trip in mexico, my family and i made our way to the cancun airport awaiting our early TWA flight. Every hour or so they would tell us the plane was delayed. Finally at around 10pm they boarded the flight. The pilot who was to retire at midnight, got on the loud speaker and told us that the plane was leaking fuel and didn’t feel safe taking off. we then sat for a while till he got on the line and told us that apparently it was only leaking an acceptable amount of fuel and they would be taking off, but we should get off anyways, and take tomorrow’s flight to be safe. the majority of the plane exited and was rebooked on the next day’s flight to st. louis.
Next day rolls around and we again are delayed. after about 10 hours or so a PASSENGER jumps the fence and fixes the mechanical malfunction of the new plane. we board, and take off, land safely in St Louis, only to learn that they gave our seats away on our connecting flight to NY.
cail on 23 Jul 2007 at 11:05 am #
hours later we finally land at LGA in highforce winds. the plane was bouncing all over the place, and the flight attendants were forced into their seats for the majority of the flight. we were the last plane to land that evening, as the airport was closed afterwards due to the extreme weather. only took us 2.5 days to get home on what should have been a 5 hr trip.
i’ve got quite a few more of these where that one came from too
Kasey on 23 Jul 2007 at 11:09 am #
I haven’t flown a whole lot and so I haven’t been trapped at an airport too much. The longest was my layover in Amsterdamn. It was about a 5 hour layover but that airport is huge, so by the time we got through security, ate some dinner, shopped at a few shops it was getting time for us to go through more security since we were an international flight. It actually went by really fast. The 9 hours on the actual flight back to Minnesota, now that took an eternity. I don’t know what I would have done without those inflight movies on demand, becasueI watched 3 of them.
Aimee on 23 Jul 2007 at 11:28 am #
Well I have only flown once and it was to South America Peru to be exact for my 21st birthday mom chose this time to go down there and torture me by meeting all my relatives well we had a 5 hour layover in dallas could I go and do anything nope cause gosh forbid we miss the plane that wasn’t going to be there for 5 hours so I walked and walked and walked all over the airport and watched people and listened to the familys and the newly engaged couple pick out there ring at one of the jewlry stores there and then when the fidgetness ended I sat down and called my new boyfriend at the time (now my husband of 5 years been together for 7) and then read meanwhile my mom used to the trip slept and munched on snacks and read never leaving her seat.
Sabrina Jeffries on 23 Jul 2007 at 1:09 pm #
I’m usually either writing or reading. My flights to Dallas were delayed EACH WAY (!!!), so I was not happy. But I chatted with goddess Claudia, guest goddess Deb Marlowe, and other writer friends Cynthia Cooke, Mari Freeman, and Marcia Collette, so that wasn’t bad at all.
Going back, however, I was alone, since I left a day after everyone else. So when my flight was delayed nearly two hours, I spent the time writing my blog entry for Tuesday! I don’t know if I would have gotten it written otherwise, so the delay proved fortuitous, because once I was on the plane, I slept. A lot.
zambonigirl on 23 Jul 2007 at 1:40 pm #
When we went to North Carolina back in August last year, there was a HUGE delay because W had decided to go to Minneapolis, where our flight connected, and there can be no air traffic for an hour before and after a president landing. Did you know that? You do now. I wonder if it’s still the same amount of time? Anyway, that’s two hours right there. Plus, all the flights that were slated to take off the first hour had to be redone, so that was another hour. And the hour after W landed, those flights had to be redone, too. All of the flights that were delayed had to go off. It was about five hours.
Luckily, I had never been to the Minneapolis airport before, so we did pretty much what you did, only with stores. We did all kinds of shopping, bought some books (I think I bought one of Sabrina’s) and some magazines and margaritas…
They really should get spas at the airport for this kind of thing. there are a few that have spas, but not enough. It would be a great business.
Karen Hawkins on 23 Jul 2007 at 1:41 pm #
I was once stranded overnight in the ATL airport. It was after midnight and I could only find a very off brand hotel to stay in as I had to use a shuttle service. I get there, snatch up their last room, go inside and discover that it’s none too clean, i can hear every snore from the people on BOTH sides of me, the shower dripped water constantly, the towels were so thin you could read through them, and the bed looked none too clean.
As I was standing there in the room, taking all of this in, a plane roared overhead on take off and the ground literally shook. After one thirty a.m. the air traffic stopped to almost nil and I was just dropping off to sleep in the one chair when RUMBLE RUMBLE, a train goes by, about three feet from my back window. I HAD to laugh then … it was the truly WORST hotel I’ve ever seen and I’ve been in some doozies!
Nicole Jordan on 23 Jul 2007 at 1:55 pm #
I can’t tell you how many times this has happened to me! Usually once a year. The last time was time just this past Christmas.
And I agree, Rachel, your pub crawl is good for soothing disgruntled sensabilities. I usually opt for margueritas, or maybe a beer.
Unfortunately the last incident involved us sitting on the plane for 3 hours while they fixed an engine. Didn’t even hand out water. Thankfully I had brought some on board with me. But since I had a horrible cold, I was miserable. I don’t think I’ve ever been so grateful to be home in my life, even though it was like 2 a.m. before we finally made it.
NicoleJ
twolilhahas on 23 Jul 2007 at 2:30 pm #
Wow, I have absolutely nothing to offer on this topic. lol I’ve only been in an airport one time, and I wasn’t the one flying out. We took Dad, dropped him off, waved bye and left. I’m terrified to fly! I’d have to have some serious motivation to get my behind on a plane, like maybe a free trip to Scotland or something.
cail on 23 Jul 2007 at 2:36 pm #
oh, i forgot to mention that i love all the covers you guys have under ‘coming soon!’
Aimee on 23 Jul 2007 at 2:58 pm #
zambonigirl where in North Carolina did you go?
zambonigirl on 23 Jul 2007 at 3:48 pm #
Karen H-have you ever seen My Cousin Vinny? It’s a really funny movie, and Joe Pesci keeps trying to sleep and can’t. Just like you, he’s almost there, and then a train, or an alarm, or whatever. When he finally gets to sleep (I won’t give it away because it’s too good), it’s a really funny part of the movie. Anyway, just thought of that with your story.
Aimee-my bro and his wifey live in Sanford, just outside of Raleigh. Getting ready to make my way there at the end of August for da niece’s birthday. She’ll be three. Do you live in NC?
RachelG on 23 Jul 2007 at 4:05 pm #
I used to watch and enjoy AIRLINE, but I have recently developed a fear of airports. My worst nightmare story was being stuck in the Panama City, Florida airport for 5 hours. The airport has four gates one restaurant and one gift shop. It was hell.
The best airport I’ve ever been in was in Helena Montana. It has two gates–just doors to the outside– and the employees showed up about 15 minutes before take off. They plugged in all the security stuff, wanded me down, and I took off on time. It was great. Then I got to Salt Lake and had a two hour delay.
Lizmore. I’ve been to Denver many times. I really like Denver, just not the airport.
Judy F on 23 Jul 2007 at 4:11 pm #
I had a 3 hour lay over in st Louis one time. it was around 1 am and I was traveling by myself so I stayed in the airport. Just read. I wish I would have had someone to just talk to.
Sabrina Jeffries on 23 Jul 2007 at 4:28 pm #
Zambonigirl, I TOO was stuck at an airport due to a Bush, but it was when Bush Sr. was Vice-President. Apparently, they do it for VPs as well. My husband and I were running late to the airport, we rushed to get there, then were told we had to wait an hour because the VP had landed or taken off or something.
It turned out to be a good thing, because somewhere in the rush, I’d apparently had my purse stolen, so it gave me time to determine whether I’d just left it somewhere and then time to call the credit card companies to cancel everything. Fortunately, that was back when IDs weren’t required to get on a plane or I would have been sunk.
BTW, I forgot that I once spent the night in the Narita airport in Japan. That sucked. Everything was closed, and my two friends and I were forced to sleep on the benches in shifts. Ugh!
Karen Rose on 23 Jul 2007 at 5:05 pm #
First, thanks to the equally lovely Ellen for plugging my interview. “A very fresh dead person,” just kind of rolled off my terror-stricken tongue. But my Sept book DIE FOR ME (plug ahead) marries a contemporary uber-evil villain with equally uber-evil medieval torture and warfare. My heroine is an archeologist that speaks 10 languages, “three of them deader” than the fresh dead person.
Now back to the blog. Cail, I may be able to almost match you here.
I used to fly A LOT. Once I was on a plane that crash landed on a tiny little airstrip way outside Evansville, IN. Luckily our plane was also small - a 10 seater Lear jet - it was a shuttle from MO to Cinci. It was right next to a cornfield and I had visions of tumbling wing to wing. It was scarier than heck. That part is another story, for another blog. So we land, stumble off the plane shell-shocked except for one dork that exclaimed, “Hey, isn’t this where Madonna filmed that baseball movie?” We wanted to hurt him.
Karen Rose on 23 Jul 2007 at 5:05 pm #
We stumbled from the plane into the little building/shack where the pilots watched TV. I was shaking, but couldn’t let it show as the rest of the passengers were men and I couldn’t give them ammunition to treat me badly later – even though we were all equally terrified. The only channel the TV in the pilot’s “lounge” could pick up was showing “Rescue 911” and it was about a helicopter crash which seemed paltry compared to what we’d just been through. We laughed while we watched and consumed great quantities of beer – liquid anesthesia as KarenH said. We didn’t pub crawl – more like pub plopped. Eventually we got home, but not after another plane mishap.
I can still remember that little pilot’s “lounge” as clear as day. We left their tall garbage can filled with empty beer cans. After that, a Dunkin’ doughnuts was like a five star restaurant. And no, I am not bad luck. Although in recent years I have been on many a flight with a mechanical mishap – but no more crash landings!
Ann in IL on 23 Jul 2007 at 5:21 pm #
I was once stranded in DFW waiting for St Louis to clear snow.
My friends and I decided to have a few drinks and play cards in the bar. Our charming bartender kept bringing round after round. When I told him we didn’t order the drinks, he said in his Dallas drawl ” Mam, management says that if a patron spills a drink I can replace it free of charge” When I pointed out that we had not spilled any drinks, the charmer added ” Mam, Management doesn’t know that”.
Suzanne Enoch on 23 Jul 2007 at 5:51 pm #
Man, I’ve been delayed in Maui and in Atlanta, but that’s it — and no crash landings or sleeping overnight.
My first job is to go to all the book stores and see whether they stock any of my books, and then I head to somewhere they have french fries and diet sodas. When I go to RWA I always get more work done in the airport and on the plane than I ever do once I arrive. And no, it’s not because KarenH is my roomie.*g* There’s just always too much going on.
Claudia Dain on 23 Jul 2007 at 6:09 pm #
I can’t remember any airport/airplane mishaps. Huh. Now I’m beginning to wonder if I pubbed my way through it and have pina colada induced memory loss!
catslady on 23 Jul 2007 at 7:03 pm #
Reading definitely. A trip always means extra reading time and people watching.
Pam P on 23 Jul 2007 at 9:56 pm #
I always make sure to have books in my carry-on luggage in case I get stuck waiting around the airport for hours. Got delayed for 3 hours in December coming home from Florida and almost got on the wrong plane missing the gate re-assignment announcement earlier, being engrossed in the story.
Worst was the time with an ex-boyfriend when snow back home delayed our flight for close to 7 hours. He was worried about getting home in time for an important meeting at work the next. We ended up pub-crawling, and he got a little too boisterous having a bit too much to drink with all his frustration, and almost thrown off the plane when it was finally cleared to leave. I finally got him to settle down and fall asleep. So much easier traveling myself with my books to keep me company, lol.
cail on 24 Jul 2007 at 7:47 am #
Karen Rose- I think i’d take 2.5 days in a smokey airport boarding and disembarking broken planes over a crash landing, athough that landing was pretty bad.
i’m just hoping on my upcoming trip to africa i don’t encounter any terrible plane rides, i’ve got a NY to Senegal to Johannesburg flight, then Johannesburg to Maun then a little charter flight to the Delta near by. Not exactly my idea of a great way to spend two days.
I tend to read books or sleep in both airports and planes. i’ve been known to fall asleep even DURING takeoff down the runway.
Karen Hawkins on 24 Jul 2007 at 11:09 am #
Zamboni, I haven’t seen that, but I sooo want to! I’ll have to get it and do a Movie Night with my sweetie. He’s seen it and has mentioned how funny it is several times so I know he wants to see it again.
What a bunch of delays! Sounds as if they’re getting worse, too. Sorta scary, isn’t it?
Suzanne Enoch, it’s impossible to get word done at Nationals. I tried and TRIED this year but you’re right — there’s just too much to do. Whew! Fun but BUSY!
Does anyone take anything to make them sleep better? A friend of my swears by allergy medicine. Says it keeps her head clear AND makes her drowsy so she sleeps well. Anyone tried that?
kelly on 24 Jul 2007 at 1:47 pm #
i’m incredibly jealous. i was being your typical american student, bouncing around europe, and i was flying to cairo from geneva with a layover in athens.
the layover was 10 hours.
i ran out of cash at hour 3.
i ran out of reading material at hour 5.
i got into a fight with the security guard who wouldn’t let me into my gate so i could take a nap and not miss my flight at hour 7.5
the korean christian tour group invaded my gate area at hour 8.
man, i wish i had had alcohol.
SuzyQ on 25 Jul 2007 at 8:08 am #
KarenH - when I travel I could never seem to get a good sleep. Then a friend told me to drink a glass of red wine before going to bed. It seems to do the trick for me, and well who would pass up a chance to drink wine!