Bumpy airline rides I learned are nothing.

The one time something almost did happen, we had just taken off from SAN on way to RNO. Shortly after takeoff something went wrong and the plane's automatic mechanism told it to land (this is what they told us - later) - in the ocean, right off the coast of La Jolla.

The plane got perilously low to the ocean, and then suddenly took off. My friend and I were pretty sure it was over - the things that go through your mind. My brother has asked me to drive his Lamborghini back to L.A. from San Diego, and I had told him some excuse as to why I couldn't do it (I didn't want him to know I was going to Tahoe for the tenth time in four months). As the plane started to very smoothly and gradually take a dive, I thought to myself, "Well now he'll know why I couldn't take care of his car."

One look at the flight attendants' faces was enough to tell us that this was serious. No explanation came over the intercom system - nothing at all, until after the incident.

Don't EVER worry about turbulence. Much like a good sailboat the craft can take a massive tossing about, just as long as you can!

Worry only about sudden or unexplained losses of elevation!