close call

I've been traveling a lot these past 12 days. This morning I returned from Denver after visiting my Dad. I've done this every month since July, 2010. It's old hat now and I know where all the good eateries are located in several of the Denver Airport concourses. I pack very light, have my little routine about my bag, and shoes, baggie for liquids, etc. I usually fly Southwest and I know the drill: log in 24 hours before the flight to check in and get my boarding number and position. Sometimes I print my pass then, sometimes I am using wireless internet and access to a printer is not convenient. No biggie, I just plan to print out the boarding pass at the airport. It's a cinch as long as I have my confirmation number; I often write it larger so I can read it easily when I need it.
This morning I arrived at the airport at 5:25 am (4:15 am wake up), accessed the kiosk and entered the information and pressed the prompts on the screens. The paper printed out and I stuck it in my purse pocket and proceeded to head to security. The man at the top of the escalator told me the north end security had shorter lines so I opted to go there. It was a long walk. I wound my way through security and when I finally reached the desk where they look at the pass and license, I pulled out my boarding pass. But it was NOT my boarding pass!!! It was an "itinerary receipt"!!
Oh no.
The very nice lady wrote me an orange pass that would allow me to get back in the security area by using the employee line - a lot shorter than winding through the regular lines. I dashed back up the escalator and all the way to the other end of the terminal to the Southwest kiosk. The 'reprint boarding pass' button is in the MIDDLE of the three options. I must have been asleep, distracted, or just too casual about doing this so often.
I hurried to the closest security area this time, through the employee line and waited my turn for screening. I made it to the trains by 6:00 am (I had to jog to catch the almost closing doors).
Lucky for me my gate was the closest one the the escalator. Usually the SLC flights are at the very end of the concourse.
The southwest attendants were just finishing boarding the A group, so I was able to walk to the front of the line and board with the beginning of the B group. I was so fortunate to have arrived when I did, and that the security area was not terribly busy the second time I reached the screeners.
Sheesh! My second close call at the Denver airport. Note to self : close attention to details is necessary.

My favorite moment of the plane trip over was when the guy in the row across from me was holding a very LARGE mesh dirty clothes bag on his lap, full of clothes! The attendant walked by and said, "you're going to have to put that up in a bin". The passenger did not move or do anything. So the attendant finally came back and got the very large bag full of clothes and took it somewhere in the back of the plane. So funny! who packs their clothes for a trip in a mesh clothes bag? I'm still curious to know if they were dirty or clean.

Now here is a smart well packed traveler - Camille on her way to Costa Rica in November!