SFO – MSO: that’s airport speak for San Francisco to Missoula. Today’s goal was to get to Montana.

I got the full treatment at the security checkpoint. After putting my phone and other loose objects in a bin, I was told to take my wallet in my hand. I entered the space capsule looking whole-body scanner and raised my hands up over my head. The scan swept silently from one side of the capsule to the other. I was told to lower my hands and step out. Was I done? No.

The scan was followed by a pat down and minute inspection of the contents of my wallet. I’d left a coin purse with two quarters, a dime, and a penny in one pocket; and I found a receipt for bottled water, a $5 bill and a $10 bill on the other pocket. All objects removed, the pat down continued with no other excitement.

All very polite and efficient, but I wondered what the fuss was all about.

SFO has a plus for us older travelers; we can now keep our shoes on. Hooray, Somebody knows what a chore it is to take off your shoes without a chair to sit on.

Oh, what was the price of peanuts on the plane? Answer, they don’t have peanuts, but a snack is $2.99 (potato crisps or m&ms or two-bite cinnamon rolls). I ate the granola bar that was in my backpack and drank the free orange juice.

Arrived in MSO in good shape and ready to ‘rock and roll’.

Carto