Bye-bye Syracuse sun.

I had the chance to take a work trip to St. Louis for the Library Marketing and Communications Conference this week.

When I boarded the plane at Syracuse’s Hancock International Airport on Tuesday, the sun was getting ready to say so long for the day over the wing.

Snow had gathered.

I was saying bye to the a several-day introduction to an autumn arrival of Central New York snow.

Hi, another sunset.

With the travel west, we jet up with another departure of our red friend before touching down.

Land after water.

Finding the airport.

Hover over a gallery photo for a description. Click on an image for an enlarged slide show.

The entry to O’Hare is always interesting from above. Is it worth the four-hour layover drawn up for me when American Airlines sent me my adjusted itinerary? At least I got to finish off Great Kitchens of the Midwest, the debut novel by J. Ryan Stradal and conquer the entire novella Miracle on the 17th Green by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge. Yes, that James Patterson. Library books both, of course.

Another positive: The long layover also allowed me the joys of approaching St. Louis under nightfall. I truly appreciated the anticipation of reaching our gateway to the west with all those twinkling lights.

I took off from Syracuse at 3:30 p.m. EST and arrived in St. Louis at 9:45 p.m. CST. Long day of traveling, indeed.

So what was in store for me after my cab ride at the Hyatt Regency at the Arch? Tune in tomorrow …