The photo of the cloud is one of the [many] reasons why I love taking the time to drive across country instead of flying. It’s not every day you get to see views like that when you’re stuck in the office, right?
Saw that about half way through my 12 hours of driving today on the first show travel day I’ve had in 18 months.
Feels good to be back!
And it’s as eventful as I remember it.
How It Started
I reserved a compact car for the long trip.
When I got to the counter I made some pleasant small talk with the attendant who seemed to be a bit frazzled. I told her I was in no hurry, and to take her time.
After just a moment she looks up my reservation. Looks at me. Then asks, “Do you want a Mustang?”
Absolutely!
#FreeUpgrade #Blessed #Gratitude #GasMileageSucks
Always a good sign when you haven’t even started yet, and your trip is already going great.
Bad Day
Then there was this truck having a bad day.
Yes it’s on fire.
Pretty sure that’s a feature not a bug?
Hotel
I rarely make hotel reservations ahead of time because you never know if you’re going to get stopped by a burning tractor trailer, get delayed by construction, or some other act of the [travel] gods.
Instead I like to call a hotel that’s a couple hours out from stopping time.
Tonight I found a hotel that was right next to the gig tomorrow, and it was the perfect end of the drive.
When I was about an hour and a half away I stopped for gas and called the to ask if there were rooms.
The woman said, “We have plenty of double Queen bed rooms.”
I said, “It’s just me, so I guess I can sleep in one for half the night, and the other for the rest.”
She laughs.
I tell her I’ll be there in a couple hours and get back on the road.
Flash forward to arrival.
I walk in and I say, “Hi, I’m the guy who called earlier” as I hand her my license and credit card.
“Oh! I wanted to tell you! Right after we got off the phone I sold, like, 12 rooms in a row. I didn’t want you to miss out, so I reserved one under ‘guy who called’ and that’s what you just said, too! So glad you made it, and you’re getting the last room. Everyone around here is sold out, too. I didn’t want you to travel all that way and not have a place to stay.”
Bookends
What a wonderful way to end the day which provided the cap to a wonderful start to the trip.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: kindness is a wonderful strategy for going through life.
(And it pays to treat people like people.)
You never know how or when someone is going to appreciate that little sparkle you can bring to their life.