Raining in Spokane
It was a dark and stormy night… or rather morning. I’m writing this at 4:45 a.m. from the Spokane International Airport, so please give me a break on using at least a few clichés. It’s early. The loudspeakers are strangely extra loud this morning. It’s raining. And I’m in Spokane.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had many amazing memories in this city. The city is beautiful in the spring around Bloomsday. I have many relatives in the area and I can remember many fun times playing at my grandparents' house out in the country. This was a quick work trip: two nights, one full day, two flights there and two flights back with a lot of work in between.
The area around Spokane and Northern Idaho is incredible. For those who are unfamiliar with this part of the country, if you go east from Seattle – across the North Cascades and away from the orcas, Space Needle, monorail and islands – you will reach Spokane right along the Washington/Idaho border. Spokane is the largest city in the area. If you go east past Coeur D'Alene you will reach Montana and Big Sky Country. It is a place where the politics run red. There is an independent spirit here, and increasingly a tension between immigrants from California moving to Northern Idaho where there is water, fewer fires, people and natural beauty, and locals who have for years sought isolation. There are people who live off the grid, separate from mainstream society. As Californians have moved in seeking fewer people (and by default adding more people to the area), the region has changed with new development.
This may be why I’m writing this so early in the morning. My team was advised to get to the airport at least two hours early. For me, this meant a cold shower at 3 a.m. in my hotel right across from the airport. Apparently the hot water tanks were still as sleepy as I was prior to getting in the shower. The security line didn’t disappoint. With Pre-Check it still took me a good 30+ minutes to get through security. My colleague, without Pre-Check, has yet to make it to the gate after more than an hour. This is by far the longest it has taken to get through domestic security in a long time. As one would expect from this area, even the TSA agents were making jokes about the efficiency of the federal government. These are clearly my (airplane ticket) taxes at work.
Fortunately, I can look back on this trip as a success. We got some important business done and connected with a client in a way that isn’t possible via Zoom. The understanding we get from in-person interactions is so important. Even if it means getting up at 3 a.m., a cold shower, and long security lines.
A stock photo of Post Falls, Idaho. I was too busy to take any photos on this trip.
