Signs of summer

A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine, commenting on the recent warming of the weather in New York, said, "It's so nice and it doesn't smell yet." Well, it smells now. We have reached that point in summer, with temperatures reaching the 90's, when I eschew the subway for the bus and I fear for my lungs every time I step outside. The onset of NYC summer even had me agreeing to go camping in the Catskills in August.

I was flying in from Cincinnati yesterday (I was in Lexington, Ky., for a wedding over the weekend. Horses! Bourbon! Fences! By the way, Rupp Arena is a big, ugly brown box), and as we flew over the city, Manhattan looked like a grainy black and white photo. A haze was just sitting there, hanging out over the island. Riding the bus back from the airport, the view of Manhattan from Queens was just as blurry and wheeze-inducing. Ugh.

Speaking of ugh, I nominate Cincinnati for the most ridiculous airport. I have flown through CVG before, but hadn't terminated my trip there for about 15 or so years (Though I have written about CVG before in this space). I noticed from the air that the airport was huge, like it took up all of Northern Kentucky. But it wasn't until I had to go to baggage claim that I realized its scope. After I got off the plane, in the Delta Connection C Concourse, I followed signs to Baggage Claim, which led me to a shuttle bus stop. Thinking I made a mistake, I retraced my steps, only to find that I was indeed supposed to take a shuttle bus to baggage claim.

So I got on the bus to the B Concourse. I get off the bus with everyone else and again follow signs to baggage claim and the terminal. I go down a long hallway and down an escalator where I find ... a tram. The marquee on the tram says to "Concourse A and Terminal," so I hop on. Two -- two! -- stops later, I get to the terminal. I go up a long escalator and -- voila! -- baggage claim. And the first annoucement I hear is .. in French. And after the ridiculous long journey, my bags weren't even on the belt yet.

So nearly 30 minutes after I called The Sister, who was picking me up, to say I had landed, I finally had my bag and was ready to leave the airport.