February Summary

Monthly summary

Driving miles – 1984

Flying miles - 2110
Total miles - 4094

Nights in a hotel – 6

Days driving at least 100 miles for work – 5

States visited (unique to 2012) - 2

Year to date summary

Driving miles – 7314

Flying miles - 2110

Total Miles - 9440
Nights in a hotel – 22

Days driving at least 100 miles for work – 22

States visited (unique to 2012) - 13

*  Unfortunately, I got the nasty flu that was going around, and spent 3-4 days in bed and was not in shape to travel for several more days.  Most of this travel was done over the final 3 weeks of the month.

What a single overnight can do

While I usually try to make it to my hotel before nightfall, sometimes that doesn't work out.  So sometimes you get treated to an awesome sunset:

I particularly liked this shot because it shows both nature's beauty, and out attempts at harnessing nature to create energy for our needs.  Wind-, solar-, and other energy technologies that don't burn something and create by-products that are released into the atmosphere are the best chance at leaving a world that's livable for future generations.

But that old adage - "Red at night, sailor's delight" - didn't apply.  After this sunset, winter weather moved in overnight and left behind a whole different world the next morning:

I can't make this stuff up

When checking into my hotel recently, I felt like I had taken on the role of Dr. Phil or something.

The conversation started normally enough.  She says "We have your [frequent stay] club number on file, and thanks for being a [member at the highest level]".  To which my standard response is - "Well, it just means I'm away from home a lot".  "Yeah, my dad's a trucker, so I know how that is".

And then it got weird.

She tells me how her dad divorced her mom after 20 years of marriage and after having three children.  Said I was sorry to hear that, thinking that was it.  Well, he divorced her mom to marry her mom's sister.  So now, she has a mom, and an aunt/step-mom which, as you can imagine, created a certain amount of family tension for quite a while.  And they all lived in the same town of fewer than 15,000 people.

Aunt/step-mom and dad also have a child between them.  After 10 years of marriage, they split up.

And he quickly marries a third woman - a cousin.  And they move out of town and all but disappear.

No, I did not hear "Deliverance" banjo music, but I may be rethinking staying at this particular hotel in the future.......

Interesting Song Titles

As I travel, I listen to a variety of CDs, recorded books, and Sirius XM Radio channels to pass the time (I cannot use my cell phone while driving owing to a company policy).  Sometimes, due to limitation of the radio, the song titles and artists produce some interesting mashups.  When I can do so, I try to document them, and will share them periodically here:

Is that otherwise known as pimping?

I think it's time to remodel your bathroom............

A little hard to read  (sorry, still fine-tuning my photographic techniques) - "You make me Simply Red".  It may must be me, but I don't think this relationship will work out.

From what I know of Ms Benatar, I hardly think this is true.  There was this guy Pat I once worked for years ago, though.............

Road Ragin' Truckers

OK - if you've ever driven in a hilly area or in the mountains, you've run into this situation - you're on a long uphill climb, and you pass a slower-moving semi.  (An aside - I set my cruise 3-mph over the speed limit as a rule, knowing that a cop will never pull me over for that, but I feel like I'm getting away with something.  I know - pretty juvenile).  Anyway, you crest the hill and, as you continue to travel at your consistent speed, the truck you just passed picks up speed and repasses you.

The next uphill, you pass him.  The next downhill, he passes you.  Ad nauseum and usually just annoying.

However, while on the road this week, I passed an asshat on an uphill, pulled back in, and it so happened that a long line of traffic had caught up with us as we crested the hill.  So when he wanted to play catchup on his average speed, there was no room to for him to pull out and pass me.  So he pulls right up on my bumper - so close that all I can see is grill and headlight; I can't even see his front bumper.  Then he turns on his high beams. Then he hits me with a horn blast.  To which I reset my cruise to 1 mph BELOW the speed limit.

Then we hit the next uphill and he drops off as usual.  Having proven my point, I got off at the next exit for a bio-break and recaffeinate.......

(As an aside for all you truckers out there - don't be sold on just horsepower.  Make sure your transmission creates proper torque and is geared properly, and you won't have to worry about playing this game.  You can set your cruise control and never have to shift on anything but the most mountainous terrain.  This is a fact, and saves fuel - which puts more money in your pocket).

Thinking he was long gone and I was good to go, I pulled back onto the highway.  A different 18-wheeler is nice enough to pull into the left lane to allow me to get onto the highway.  I pull on and end up near his rear trailer axle.  He is doing a few MPH under the speed limit, and I am still coming up to speed.  Almost immediately, he turns on his turn signal to move back over, I think expecting that I should slow to allow that.  Well, no, I continue to my normal 3 MPH over the limit, and ultimately pass him.  As soon as I do, HE lets out a blast with his horn.

Which earned him a return honk, and the proper salute and I went on my way.

Proper road etiquette allows my doing just that, and he was out of line.  Jerkweed.

When I put that sign in my window that says "Blow Me", it doesn't mean to honk..............

Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs.....

I have NO idea what they are trying to say here..............

The just-legible yellow sign above their heads says "No Loitering".  They stood there for several minutes.....

As seen in Texas.......

I understand the sentiment here - if you drive into dense smoke, you may run off the road or run into other cars.  It has happened and people have been killed.  But "Park on Right Shoulder"?

No offense, but if there's fire and smoke in the area, I am (illegally) crossing over the center median, driving the other direction, and getting the hell away..................

Chicago from the air

Spent about half the week where something resembling the rodent on this shirt resides at a trade show and visiting a customer:

(Sorry - couldn't resist.  This has been in the archives a while, but this seemed like a good time to use it).

Decent day to fly yesterday, and had the opportunity to snap a couple of shots of downtown Chicago while we were on final approach:

Not the clearest of days, but I always like this approach to O'hare.  When you are downtown, particularly at the base of either the Sears Tower or John Hancock Building looking up, there's quite a sense of vertigo while you try to get your mind around the size of the structure.

Then you see them (and the rest of downtown) from this perspective, and their apparent significance changes somewhat dramatically.

Safety Moment

The picture above is the result of a fire caused by a defective iPod charger plugged into a vehicle.  The iPod was not attached - the charger was simply plugged into the dash and overheated, causing the fire.  The vehicle was parked in an attached garage, but was found by the owner prior to any smoke or heat detectors being activated, and extinguished without any further property loss than the vehicle or any any personal injury.

The vehicle has been totaled out - too much damage to repair.

Take away - please unplug ANY electrical charging device from your vehicle when you leave it for any length of time.  Or you may come back to find something very different from what you left.

January Summary

*Going to try to do this right about the end of every month.  Have been battling the flu since last weekend, so I am behind on posting these numbers.

Monthly summary

Driving miles – 5330

Flying miles - 0

Nights in a hotel – 16

Days driving at least 100 miles for work – 17

States visited (unique to 2012) - 11

Year to date summary

Driving miles – 5330

Flying miles - 0

Nights in a hotel – 16

Days driving at least 100 miles for work – 17

States visited (unique to 2012) - 11

Full disclosure – I spent one weekend this month away from home with my bride.  She was attending a conference during the day, but we got to spend time together in the evenings, and visited with family in the area.  So it wasn’t ALL work and no play.  Just mostly…………..