ANATOMY OF A TWO POINT FIVE HOUR WAIT AT THE AIRPORT

I planned to be here at SAN, at 8:30, not 7:08.

It all starts with an early WAKE UP. Plan: 6:00am. Actual: 4:56am. I was showered, dressed and had moved my car moved from a parking spot up the street to a spot directly in front of the Hyatt by the time my iHOME alarm and my CELL phone alarms went off at 6:00.

PS - overnight self parking at the hyatt - $24. Parking on the street - free.

Planned HOTEL DEPARTURE TIME: 7:30am (7:15am for additional allowance). But I'm up and the news on TV is recyling. Sportscenter is out of the question because the Phillies lost yesterday. Let's go... actual departure from the hotel: 6:45. This included 2 attempts by the checkout guy to print a room receipt... still not showing a zero balance. I give up. What will the accounting department say?

I gassed the rental car up last night, so no station stop. San Diego airport is a straight shoot down I-5 from the Hyatt. Still, allowing for rush hour traffic and the expectant rains, I planned for a 30 minute ride to the Enterprise rental car drop off by the Washington street exit - one I've never been to before, I felt the 30 minute allowance was the right number.

Actual time to drive from the Hyatt, complete the drop off, including a brief survey of my satisfaction, be on the shuttle bus and heading toward the airport: 13 minutes.

The rest follows suit. Planned time to shuttle to the airport and CHECK-IN with Southwest: 30 minutes. It took 10 minutes.

So here I am at 7:17am, sitting at Starbucks with a double espresso, typing this. Two and a half hours before my 9:45 flight.

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EPILOG: Obviously, it is a different world now and we plan out our airport trips to allow for the security and other delays. But back in the mid 80s, it was different - and I still look back in disbelief at one incident and that I am a legend for.

I had a 7:00am business flight out of Philly. I left my house a little before 6:00 (I am about 30 minutes from the airport not counting parking). I will say I did not do this on purpose. Making matters worse, traffic was not cooperating and I started taking alternate routes, somehow winding up at Broad and Pattison avenues, in south Philly. If you are from Philly you know where this puts me... not too close to the airport. It was 6:25am.

Ignoring the posted speed limits and a few red lights, I somehow got to the airport and by 6:50, I was in full gallop, running through the terminals to the gate - where they were getting ready to close the door. It was a sweaty few minutes in my seat, but I made the flight.

This is one of the reasons, I allow myself plenty of time these days.

Final note: The mid 80s was also a time before OJ Simpson did the "if the glove don't fit, you must acquit" court scene and was pimping for Hertz. He had a famous commercial where he ran through the airport, conveniently dropping off his car and catching his flight on time. Everyone referred to this as my OJ Simpson moment.