The age-old question from
all those who drive a lot, ride motorcycles or went to one too many concerts,
is more common in this case, did you say something? What was that you just
said? For Margo and me life hasn’t just been a journey figuratively, it has
been literally our reality for more than two decades. As you can guess, long
distance driving gives you plenty of time to converse but with modern sports
cars and indeed higher performing SUVs, cabin noise isn’t suited at all for
long conversations.
How many miles has it been?
Shortly, we will be returning to Florida. An almost 2,000-mile road trip in our
Jaguar F Pace SVR. A repeat of the trip we did earlier in the year but this,
bypassing Atlanta and Tampa and driving directly to Florida’s Emerald Coast.
Some may observe that with age comes wisdom. Not sure who they are but it’s not
something Margo or I have managed to achieve. What is the saying? We are growing
older, but not up! I think we need to thank Jimmy Buffett for that additional
observation.
Bottom line? The combination
of air, sea and road mileage has certainly escalated over the past decade to
where nothing really surprises us any longer. Whenever the phone rings, it is
with a high degree of caution that we accept the call knowing all too well that
the call may result in even more time away from home wherever that happens to
be. Looking back, it certainly has been the mileage more so than the years and
this thought carried over into a business column I wrote for the HPE NonStop
community. Thank you, Indiana Jones.
Returning home after Nevada / California excursion.
These latest journeys by road that we took coast to coast have highlighted a deficiency in our ability to converse while driving. This became evident during our last road trip to Vegas and Monterey. So much so that once we returned to our Longmont condo, we went on to Amazon and purchased dual headset / microphone communication devices. The technology I have to say has come a long way since our days driving on track and the devices that we now have just happen to be cordless, noise cancelling and with an extended range of more than 500 meters.
The possibilities are now
endless! We did a test drive in our Corvette C8 Z51 Coupe that is among the
loudest when it comes to cabin noise. No matter the road surface or the speed
we reached and with music playing we have no trouble conversing at all. As for
possibilities there have been numerous times when we needed to take two cars
and with this extended range, we can talk to each other while in separate cars.
We tested that, and it worked like a charm. Then again, the many journeys we take
provides us with a constant and steady series of challenges that, thankfully,
we have found ways to overcome.
What can we say about Las
Vegas? To begin with we were guests of the HPE NonStop community managed by the
Connect organization. I was given an opportunity to speak allowing me to
rehearse what I would be presenting later in the year at the annual gathering
of the NonStop community in Monterey for NonStop Technical Boot Camp 2024
(NonStopTBC24). The conference venue in Vegas was once again the convention
halls between Venetian and Palazzo hotels. What added a little spice to the
program this year was that our hosts, HPE, kicked off the conference in the
Sphere. Let me tell you, this is an experience not to be missed and for HPE to
be the first major vendor to include the Sphere in its program, it attracted a
much bigger crowd than usual.
Instead of the usual 12,000
to 14,000 attendees this year there were 18,500 and where the Sphere was filled
to capacity with attendees standing in the aisles as the crowd swelled to the
site’s maximum of 20,000. Visually, there is no better venue to project company
information. Think IMAX and then times that by at least 100 – what was
projected was simply breathtaking. Again, following HPE’s main opening
presentations and the conference continuing on through to the end of the week,
with HPE’s departure there will be a series of performances by The Eagles who will
be taking up residence at the Sphere for the rest of the summer and likely into
the fall.
The HPE Discover event in Las Vegas
What we did enjoy is that
our hotel, dates changed at the last minute to accommodate our dash across the
pond to London, hiked the fees. When you now are charged $150 plus per night
taxes and resorts fees, what seemed a reasonable accommodation charge averaging
a princely sum, the final bill gets the heart racing. But in the subsequent
conversation – and yes, lively as that was – we became members of the MGM
family and in the process, the room we were given was a multi-room Tower Suite.
Magnificent but still it made us wary of what a simple drink might cost. How
about $50 plus tip for a cocktail and a glass of wine.
Ahh, the joys of business travel. The romance. The luxury. The gungy taxis. The heat. Yes, Vegas delivered on all counts and it was rather a welcome change to be back out on the highway yet again. We had chosen to drive the Corvette as on return we would be driving the Jaguar F Pace and a change is always good. Changes? Margo and I have spent many conversations simply deploring how much change has happened to us this year and how there seems to be no end in sight. Again, ahhh! Then again, this is as they like to say over here, not our first rodeo, and the mere fact it continues to happen with such frequency has us both looking to a lesser-paced future. But I suspect this too might become a case of, don’t hold your breath.
As for Monterey, our room
wasn’t quite as spectacular but the Hyatt Monterey still manages to exude a
presence that is hard to miss. Call it the home of the soft-shoe brigade mixed
with the four buddies away for a golfing weekend. And did we mention that when
we made the plans to visit the Hyatt Monterey we hadn’t consulted the Indy
Schedule.
You guessed it, our very stay at the Hyatt coincided with the major Indy Car
race at Laguna Seca. The presence of racing teams was apparent but they didn’t
cause too big a ruckus even though, after qualifications happened Saturday, the
general noise level around the hotel’s bar was somewhat elevated. And Margo and
I are hard of hearing – did I mention that already?
why any trip to Monterey includes at least
one dinner at the Sardine Factory.
Upcoming we have the July Fourth
weekend. Better known around the world as Independence Day, where the country
celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence back on July 4,
1776. A coincidence that convicts started arriving in Sydney in 1778
terminating the tradition of sending English convicts to places like Georgia
and further up the coast. And this year, it is already becoming a packed
weekend as on the Fourth we celebrate with the family here in Colorado before
packing many of our goods and chattels into the SUV and turn our eyes towards
Florida.
Who heads to Florida in July
and then plans to spend two months there? At this time of year, the state is at
its hottest and experience its highest levels of humidity. However, this is
exactly what we hope to experience to test our resilience. Can we survive the
heat of summer in Florida or will the coming of the end of June be a time of
travelling back to our Colorado condo to wait out the Floridian summer? At this
time, it will be a case of wait and see and watch for future posts. In the
meantime, with Monterey weather as cold as it was, when the fog did clear it
was time to take a walk along the famous waterfront boardwalks.
Looking out into Monterey Bay after
the chilling fog had lifted.
In closing, did I mention
Indy Cars were in Monterey racing around the circuit at Laguna Seca? This road
course brings back many memories as Margo and I spent weekends at the circuit
on two different occasions. In 2009 we spent the weekend as guests and had an
opportunity to check out the circuit. In July 2010 we drove the course and
really enjoyed the occasion even if I did overheat the brakes prior to handing the
car off to Margo who entered the corkscrew only to find out she had no brakes.
Can’t recall whether it was
the excitement of the moment or the response I faced as she pulled into the
pits. However, no such misfortune for our driver, Colton Herta who drove a
really good race. Even though two strategies concerning pit stops emerged that
momentarily had Colton in the lead for a number of laps, it became the lesser
of the two strategies and he finished second – good enough to jump from seventh,
in the competition’s driver standings, to fourth. And a good omen for what will
come later in the year.
The headlines say it all – four events where #26 challenged
for a win only to come away with a sole second place.
He almost won at Laguna
Seca. Colton has already scored two victories at this circuit tying his dad,
Bryan Herta, for wins with two apiece. Knowing how chuffed he was over a
strategy decision that came up oh so close to delivering the win, it was a
reminder to Margo and me that even the best plans can go awry some time. Last
month I wrote of how we just keep on moving and for now, that expression
remains a reminder that we do in fact have many more miles to cover.
But it’s not a race and
there are no trophies at the end of the day, just an all too familiar
sad-looking hotel room. And yet, knowing that the simple pleasure of
conversation has returned, after an absence for much of 2024, it’s not so much
a case of strategies or plans that continue to challenge us but rather, quite
the contrary. Then again, there may never be trophies but there is always pie
out there somewhere! Staying flexible, enjoying the ride, meeting with friends
and colleagues and being active – what more would you possibly want from a
journey that unfolds all the way to an ever-changing horizon!
Anonymous;
possibly by Jonah Lehrer
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