Denver convention gravity hard to escape

The American Numismatic Association convention in Denver this week was a delight to attend.

However, the annual gathering cannot return to Chicago soon enough as far as I'm concerned.

Give me a show I can drive to.

I had a travel adventure flying home yesterday.

Rainstorms in Chicago backed up air traffic into O'Hare.

Even before I had left my Denver hotel at 9 a.m. yesterday, I had received text messages.

My flight out of Denver was delayed from 11:37 a.m. to noon.

My connecting flight in Chicago was canceled.

That second message turned out to be the good news.

I never would have made it had it departed on time.

At Denver, the plane loaded.

Then an air traffic control ground stop order was given, and we all deplaned.

Around 3:30 p.m. we got going.

Another problem in Chicago led to us circling over the Dakotas.

When fuel got low, we diverted to Des Moines, Iowa.

There we refueled and got back into the air with about 10 minutes to spare before the air crew would have had to take its mandatory rest.

When I got to Chicago, the crowds at O'Hare were huge.

The customer service desks had people lined up by the hundreds running down the concourse.

Cots were being put out for stranded passengers.

My later connection was originally posted for 10 p.m.

We left after 12:40 a.m.

Coming into Appleton about 1:15 a.m., I was just glad to be near home.

I've spent a night on a Chicago O'Hare cot in the past.

I do not recommend the experience.

Another regret is I have learned that I missed a Numismatic Literary Guild Bash last night in Denver where my colleague, Bob Van Ryzin, was given the top award.

Congratulations, Bob, on winning the Clemy.

I wish I could have been there to offer these words in person.

Buzz blogger Dave Harper has twice won the Numismatic Literary Guild Award for Best Blog and is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."

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