Notes from the Road

I've been in Hartford this week for a few days, and next week I will spend Tuesday through Friday in Dubuque, Iowa.  I didn't plan back to back trips; in point of fact I actually did plan the Dubuque trip, but the Hartford one just "came up" (i.e. my presence was required by someone else).  Anyway, over these two weeks I'll be away more than I will be home.  No bother, as these days I do count my blessings, what with so many people out of work.  

The above noted, there is nothing glamorous about traveling on business.  In fact it's kind of like being at work 24 hours a day, as I don't normally do anything fun/recreational when I travel on business.  I do tend to eat well, but that also equates to eating too much.  Not a good thing. Then there is the actual travel part of it all.  When I am in Hartford, it's about a 3 and a half hour drive, one way.  That's seven hours round trip, meaning basically a full day just driving.  Put another say, that's equivalent to watching half of all the Star Wars movies.  Dubuque means flights, and this trip that means flights out of Chicago's O'Hare airport.  This is the travel equivalent of playing Russian Roulette with one's time.  Will my flights leave on time?  Will I make my connection?  It it too foggy/snowy/rainy in Dubuque for a landing?  Unfortunately the airport in Dubuque doesn't allow for instrument landings, so the pilot basically has to be able to see the runway.  Do the math on that one.

My favorite Dubuque travel story?  I was sitting in plane in Dubuque, waiting to take off, and the pilot make the following announcement:

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain ______ from the cockpit.  We have a bit of a delay taking off, as there is a pack of wild dogs at the end of the runway, so the ground crew is going to chase them away.  We'll be in the air shortly."

or something like that.  I swear the above is true.

One final note from the road:  there are few things in the world worse than traveling on business while you are sick/physically ill at the same time.  Nothing worse.  I have a bit of that going on this week with my rib injury, but fortunately that malady is on the mend, so at worst I have to put up with some pain from time to time.  That's a hell of a lot better than the times when I've been nauseous or had problems "at the other end" while on the road.  That, folks, really stinks.  Trust me.

Well it's time to wrap this up and get a things done before I'm off to officially start my day.  Enough whining.