Each year, the Convention Assistance Committee awards the individual with the worst travel experience getting to the annual convention for the Trailblazer Award. This year’s recipient hails from the Golden State, but his journey to Detroit was anything but golden. His trip took an unexpected detour in Denver, where he found himself spending the night without any luggage. To compound the issue, there was even confusion about the whereabouts of his luggage. Eventually, our nominee managed to reach Detroit with luggage in tow, but his travel woes were far from over. His return journey was equally tumultuous. Coincidentally, I ended up on the same flight from Detroit to Denver after my initial flight experienced maintenance issues.
Little did we know, we were heading into a storm as we approached Denver. The city was engulfed in a severe thunderstorm that brought heavy rain, strong winds, and hail, which made it impossible to land. Our plane circled repeatedly until we were compelled to touch down in Rapid City, South Dakota. Despite the imminent airport closure, one staff member remained to assist us in disembarking from the plane. We were reassured that United Airlines would eventually find a way to transport us to Denver that night, as staying in Rapid City was not an option. Unfortunately, the timing was complicated by the commencement of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, leaving no available hotel rooms for hundreds of miles.
After some time, we obtained the necessary fuel and clearance to proceed to Denver. Meanwhile, in Denver, a total of 774 flights had experienced delays and 50 flights had been cancelled. The airport was teem-ing with individuals, including myself, who had missed connections and were grappling with how to reach their intended destinations. Fortunately, our nominee managed to touch down just in time for a brief chat with me before rushing to his gate to catch his connecting flight.
I share these details to underscore the possibility that if you ever find yourself on a flight with our trail-blazer and you’re in the vicinity of Denver, your travel experience might not be a pleasant one. This year’s Trailblazer Award is presented to Brian Cotta of the California Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District. Let’s hope that next year’s journey to the annual conference and back will be significantly less eventful!