Working the plan

So a couple of weeks back I'm looking at a couple of opportunities.  I had an invite to spend time with some high school friends in supporting another for opening a new shop in our home town. This was a Friday night.

The following Monday I had to be in Chicago to pick up some friends returning from Kurdistan.  Hmm.  Put the plan together.  There are always customers in Chicago. 

Leave Sheboygan, Milwaukee, Oak Creek, Burlington...  and down to the McHenry, Lake Crystal area of IL.  You think of it as 'Chicago' but it's still in the country, so to speak. McHenry county is a real pretty area.

Friday afternoon I made it to my friends house in Coloma MI.  We had a fun evening with gals we've known for over 35 years. 



Ladies of 1975

But while I am 'back home' I had to stop and see my Aunt Kay.
So nice to spend time and visit before hitting the road for my return to the Chicago area.

Monday had two long meetings setting up new programs. time will tell how that works out. Monday night I picked up my friends and drove home to Sheboygan.  Sometimes things work out and I can work and play. Still a ton of driving but makes it more fun when you can work a play weekend into it too.

This trip's driving would be similar as driving from New York city to Springfield IL.  NEXT week is another long one.  Check back in!!

No time to smell the roses

Sometimes a trip is just a trip.  Fast. Direct. In. And out. As was my recent trip to Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  I saw a lot of great things.....but no place and no time to stop and take any pictures.

Tuesday I did alot of driving through the countryside of PA into NJ.  I had a stop in Lancaster.  Luckily the customer was off the beaten path so I did get to see some of the beautiful hills and dales of the county.  If you've never......you should.  Yes see Gettysburg, but drive the back roads.  Take it all in.

As for me, it was the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  Now you're driving 80 mph through the beautiful countryside....racing towards the next destination.  Edison NJ.  My room had a view of the Garden State Parkway and into the Atlantic Ocean.

The next 24 hours are a blur.  Meetings.  Airport stops to pick up and drop off the boss...and back on the Turnpikes to Harrisburg to fly home.  One nice spot in this whirlwind of a trip was having supper with my cousin Ana. 

This tips mileage including the flight equaled driving straight from NYC to Greeley CO.

BTW....they've done some great decorating at the O'Hare Airport, terminal F.
 

Sales means being fast on your feet

 I left for Harrisburg PA very early on Monday morning.  Although getting in on time and by the time I'd retrieved my luggage and gotten my little Versa to drive my GPS was telling me I was going to be a minimum of 45 minutes late for the appoint I had set.  Somerset was easily a 2 hours drive so I contacted the customer.

So now it's after two and I check my phone to see my favorite crane company here in PA needs help so I call and tell them I'm in PA and 45 minutes later I'm sitting in their office trying to unravel the information they are working with today.

Being fast on your feet happens a lot when you're in sales.  Weather and/or other unexpected issues can slow down your arrival and causing plans to change at a moment.

Here is some of the 'glamour' of sales tripping.  Alarm goes off at 5am. 5:45 on my 1 hour drive to the airport.  Check in. Security.  Get dressed again. Grab a coffee.  Fly to Cleveland. And fly to Harrisburg.  Get a car. Hit the road. Change appointments. (Note at no time in here was there time for any lunch). Three hours later I find a restaurant for supper (as I've found, it's so much easier to eat before going to the hotel). Check in and arrive in my room at 8:30pm.  Two and a half more hours of paper work before going to bed.

One of the great parts of flying someplace further south then where I live is everything is in bloom here in PA.  So wonderful.  From my room in Edison NJ I can see the Garden State Pkwy and bridge and a small piece of the Atlantic Ocean.  The fog rolling in last night reminded me of the Langoliers.

Also gas here is....reasonable. AND they pump the gas for you!!

Happy trails end at home

I know.  It's taken me a couple of days to get back here and close out this last trip.  This many miles tends to kick the snot out of me and this time I ended up pulling some muscles in my hip. 

For comparison, I drove 1300 miles.  This would be like driving straight through from NYC to Lincoln Nebraska. For my last day, I stayed by Kankakee and drove through Chicago, to Sheboygan.

One of the fun things to do on the Toll Roads are the Oasis.  It's so cool to sit there and watch the traffic come and go.  There is always a coffee shop, and a couple of places to eat.  Check one out next time you're driving the Toll Roads of America.

So now I'm home for a few days.  Check back soon!!

Dead heading

Dead heading is when you make no stops - you just drive from one place to the next.  THAT was today. 

I've driven in the 'boring states'.  Some say Nebraska, South Dakota or North Dakota.  My vote goes for Indiana, Hwy 65.  I drove just shy of 300 miles today from Louisville KY to Kankakee IL.  Nothing interesting to look at.  No birds....no odd sights.  I found myself watching the mileage, which is like watching paint dry.


At least sunset provided some interesting colors.

There is so much open prairie and space between homes and towns.

Of course part of good sunset pictures is timing. 

Tomorrow is another dead head day, but it's only about 200 miles.  By the time I hit Chicago, morning rush should be over.

Quiet Days

Tuesday was a travel day.  I left Moms and traveled to Louisville KY with just a couple of stops along the way.  But mostly it was just quiet driving time to Kentucky.  If you own a GPS, set it to SHORTEST route.  This will take you on some of the secondary highways of America which are awesome.  I'm so tired of the dry and sterile Interstates.

Coming into Louisville is a real experience.  I love bridges and crossing the Great Ohio River is a real experience.

The Ohio River holds a lot of significence for the historian in me.  The Ohio was a major 'Interstate' in the 1700's and 1800's.

Noteables like Lewis and Clark, as well as my own ancestors traveled this river. 

My several times great grandfather, Dr. Antoine Saugrain was actually attacked and injured on the Ohio River in the early 1790's when he had been commissioned to travel the 'wilderness' from Pittsburgh to Louisville. President Jefferson wanted to know what the prospects were for settling this area following the Revolutionary War.

Just west of Cincinnati, his flat boat and companions were shot at and captured.  One of the men was able to get away.  One was scalped in front of Saugrain and Saugrain himself was captured after being shot through the hand and through the flesh of his neck.  He was finally able to escape and swam away in the Ohio River, in March. 

Eventually Saugrain caught up with the man who had escaped and although greatly injured, made their way by walking or floating to the 'shores opposite Louisville'.  He remained there a few weeks while regaining his health, before riding by horseback, back to Washington.

If you would be at all interested pls click  http://saugrain.blogspot.com/2010/12/from-dr-saugrains-note-books-1788-by.html 

Bennies

Part of the road warrior experience is the opportunity to see friends and family along the way. This trip I have been able to visit my Mom in Ohio.  I've had some nice down time.  Went for a drive Friday evening at sunset.

This was Fort Laramie Ohio at sunset. It was such a nice cool evening and a lovely drive.

Saturday I was able to meet with one of my brothers for lunch in Piqua Ohio.  Great spending time with him and listening to his plans.

My youngest brother was in and out so we were able to visit some.  He's been a great help in working with Mom and her PT after knee surgery.

On Sunday afternoon Mom treated me to supper at Outback Steakhouse.  Tomorrow, it's back on the road.....Destination; Louisville KY. Then heading back to Wisconsin.