My Scarf

This is my scarf:

I originally got it to wrap around my shoulders ~ in the NOLA sun to keep from burning, and in the NOLA restaurants' air conditioning that tends to be set at frigid for the tourists. When we were leaving for Cedar City last weekend, I grabbed it up and put it with my jacket. No reason; just because.

It is now part of my travel ensemble. Just during that one travel day I...

~ used it as a blanket because it is (unbeknownst to me) long enough to reach from my ankles to shoulders and wide enough to tuck in on either side of me
~ balled it up as a pillow
~ protected my hands from a super-heated metal handle
~ sat on it instead of a metal bumper
and yes
~ wrapped it around my neck to protect from sunburn
~ wrapped it around my shoulders to protect from air conditioning

I've written about my knife and other road necessities. From here on out, my scarf is right up there with those.

Days I Love

Last Sunday, we didn't bother going to bed Saturday night, because we had to leave the house at 3:00 AM. We flew from New Orleans, to Houston, to Las Vegas, where we met up with our ride and drove to Milford, Utah. At which point, Not-My-Mac and Lithus hitched the helicopter to the company truck and towed/pushed the aircraft out of the hangar.

And enjoyed catching up.

Then Lithus and I flew from Milford to Enterprise, while the driver, and Not-My-Mac drove our ride and the company truck respectively.

Then we parked the helicopter, humped across the fly yard, realized the 8-foot fence was locked (it was Sunday), so had to climb and jump it in order to get to the road where we were meeting back up with our ride. At which point, I found a shady spot to rest and Lithus snapped a picture.

Every so often, Lithus asks when I'm going to get tired of all this. I just laugh. I will never get tired of all this. As Crow said just this morning, I've never been happier. And the really busy, 13, 14, 15 hour days? The tours that include multiple legs, and numerous hotels? Those are the ones I love the most.

AAA TourBook

Back before there was the internet, there was the AAA TourBook. My dad and I would pour through them, planning trips. Looking at hotels, dreaming about staying at 5 star places, planning on staying at 3 star places, finding room service and pools. Looking up restaurants and activities. We planned out a cross-country move sitting on the white couch in the living room in Austin, surrounded by each state's travel book. He didn't need my help, but he let me help. Later, I would read them by myself, dreaming of far away places.

My grandmother's trunk with a throw-away line from my mom. My blue suitcase from my grandparents. The AAA TourBook with my dad. Did they recognize something in me, or did they create it? Maybe both. Nature v nurture. My vote is both.

Regardless, I was hanging out in the lobby in Richfield earlier this month when I saw this:

I was ridiculously pleased to learn that, even in the age of internet, the AAA TourBook is still around.

Hotel Lobbies and the View from the Window

I'm going to start posting pictures of hotel lobbies, and window views. I've learned that I remember the lobby long after I remember the town, the job, or the date. More conversations than I can count start with "Lithus, where were we where the hotel lobby looked like..." or "Was that the lobby with the..." Or even "Are you talking about the gig where we looked out over the..." Apparently my love of hotel life trumps my ability to remember statistics. I can live with this.

To bring things somewhat current, but in no particular order...

Richmond BC May 2014

Pemberton, BC:

Salt Lake City, Christmas 2013

Little Cruz, Mexico

Not the lobby, but worth posting: Prudhoe Bay/Deadhorse

Clear, Alaska

Hilton Garden Inn, Suffolk, VA: Where Lithus and I first met (literally) and revisited during Bart's week

Scottsdale, AZ 2013

Las Vegas, NV 2014

There are more, and there will be more. But this is a good start. Oooo...I do love hotels.