Las Vegas, and not much car related here...

Today's blog isn't car related because we aren't racing right now, and frankly have not yet decided when and where we will race again. We WILL race again, but just don't know where or when.

Also, there was a bit of a grassroots effort on classracing.com to have our effort recognized in a special upcoming readers favorites edition of National Dragster. We appreciate everyone who lobbied on our behalf. We will not be featured in that issue. There simply isn't enough time and there aren't enough pictures of our car to do that. I understand and respect that decision. I also appreciate the personal contact by National Dragster to convey that information directly to me.

The rest of this blog is about my recent trip to Las Vegas, I started writing this simply as something to do while waiting in the airports. However it took on a bit of its own life and became very long, and may even be a bit entertaining to someone. Because it is very, I repeat, very long, I will post portions over several days.


Thoughts and Musings from the Vegas trip

Part One

First I want publicly berate, verbally assault, and condemn the lack of professionalism of my travel agent for this trip's lousy planning and a faulty itinerary. Ooooops, that was me! What was I thinking when I made these reservations?

First, it seemed like a good idea to get into Vegas around 10:00 at night on Tuesday evening. After all, things are just getting jumping there at that time. And I could leave on Tuesday late in the day, after taking care of a number little things that needed to be done. So far so good. I guess that this part of the plan wasn't all that bad.

The problem was that upon arriving at the airport, parking my car, dragging my overpacked suitcases to the terminal, waiting in line for the US Air agent, I was then told, that the flight that was to be the first leg of my trip from Akron to Charlotte, was late getting to Akron. And that meant that when it did arrive, and got loaded up for Charlotte, I would miss my connection to Las Vegas. And that flight was the last one from Charlotte to Las Vegas that day. My options to get there tonight? Absolutely none!

Oh well, I guess checking things like how many flights will be available from your connecing city, in case you can't make the scheduled one, might be a consideration. But I need to get to Las Vegas, so forget planning for the next trip, how can I get there now, and when.

Tomorrow morning at 6:15 AM? That doesn't seem so bad. Drag your luggage back to the car, pay for parking and go back home for a quiet evening of playing a game called; “did I pack everything that I meant to pack?”. After obsesing about it, finding a number of items that I had meant to pack, and didn't, I finally decided that if I didn't remeber it now, it really didn't matter. So I opened a bottle of wine and settled in for a couple of episodes of Law and Order. The I went to bed, set the alarm and quickly fell asleep.

The wine and extra TV were probably not the best ideas in the world there either, considering how quickly 3:30 AM comes, and that is when I need to awake as I need to be at the airport around 5:15 AM.

But I do it. I get up, get ready, and get the airport, go through the same parking, luggage dragging, and rush to the US Airway ticket counter. But where are the US Air ticket agents? I don't know for sure, but I do know that they weren't there at the ticket counter. So I Wait. And wait. And wait. And wonder of wonders, a ticket agent appears. So I finally get ticketed, and pay the ransom for my baggage of $60, and finally get on the way to Las Vegas.

I enjoy an aisle seat, preferably on the emergency exit row. And being a good travel planner, had selected that seat for my travel all the way to Las Vegas. But wait! That was the flight yesterday, and US Air must have decided it would be amusing to put me in a middle seat between two people who are both prime candidates for bypass surgery, taking up all of their seats and part of mine, on both legs of this trip.

Every time I have flown US Air lately, they have ticked me off. And obviously, this trip was now no exception to the statement. I hate US Air. But finally I make it to Las Vegas. Hooray!

I go to the Hertz counter, get my car assignment and all that they have available is a compact car, and I wont say the name, because it isn't the car manufacturers problem that the make a roller skate with a windshield. Thankfully, at least with only a bit of physical encouragement, my luggage actually fits. So all is good. I am mobile in Las Vegas.

On to the Golden Nugget. I left my luggage in the car, and registered. Waiting what felt like 10 minutes in line to register, I get my room keys. Back to car to get my luggage, up to room. And more joy! I am checked into my room in Las Vegas.

Now, let the good times roll!

To Be continued....