Hurry up and wait

I woke up at 4:30 am on Monday for a 5 o’clock pick up to get to the airport by 5:30 for a 6:15 flight. As it was Monday morning, the security lines were incredibly long, but I had no problem making my flight (on Sky West, which shuttles for Delta). My plane on both legs (lay over in Salt Lake City) was tiny. I think I saw Buddy Holly piloting the first one.
It was snowing and cold in Salt Lake as we deplaned onto the tarmac and I managed to get some breakfast (a croissant with eggs, ham, and cheese; plus coffee) and read the Times while waiting for my next leg. I slept as much as I could but still arrived in New Mexico wiped out. It was cloudy but warm when I got into Albuquerque, but it got a lot colder during the evening – no thermostat in my hotel room as far as I can tell.
My original reason for arriving in town two and a half days in advance of the conference was to catch up on things with a good friend and colleague, ngm, but sadly he had a family emergency and couldn’t make the trip, so I’ve been bumming around town on my own for the past few days, getting my wireless fix at Starbuckses and generally wishing I had packed a warm coat.
If I can make it to Santa Fe tonight, I will. Otherwise, it’s more HBO and fast-ish food. (There’s a Denny’s right next door to my hotel.)