Valuable Experience

Bright and early here at the Birmingham airport. Well, at least early, not so bright. If you look at mapquest, you might ask, "Why are you flying to Birmingham? Isn't that only a 2 hour drive from Nashville?" Yes, it is. But with our new travel policy of working our own flights with a $400 cap, Southwest fits right in. I like to fly Southwest, and after 8 flights, I get a free ticket. With gas being as high as it is, the flight actually cost about the same as driving....crazy, huh? Talk about a crazy airport today...an airport like Birmingham isn't big, and the two Mondays a year after the races, it's just a zoo. I got here 90 minutes before my flight, checked in my bag, and then stared at the line at security that serpentined around itself at least 300 people deep. Then I became "that guy". I walked around the line, stood near where you enter the "magic ropes" of security, looked at my ticket, looked up at the arrows, looked down again and did the 2 step shuffle into the line when the family of 5 was all chatty. I bypassed and hour of waiting in line...man, I hate that guy...but it gave me time to post this morning.
Great race at Talladega...Kyle Busch sure can drive! But again, Talladega is a crap shoot...being at the right place at the right time. That's what did it for Kyle.
Last night, some of the "above the line" staff people took Sanford and I to dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse...a very rare treat. I enjoyed a petite filet and baked potato, and someone else picked up the tab. Nice.
Moving on to Richmond, VA next weekend. It is a Saturday night race for the Cup series. We still go in on Thursday, but have very long days Friday and Saturday, and fly back on Sunday. It will be good to be home on a Sunday.
The boys did well this weekend at the wrestling tournament in Ohio..Alex lost his first two and was out quick, but gained valuable experience (isn't that what you're supposed to say?). Andy lost won, won one (by pinning a girl). I still have very mixed feelings about girls wrestling boys...I like it that girls are wrestling, I think it's a great sport, but young boys and girls with hormones raging maybe shouldn't be rolling around on each other. Of course, I encourage my boys not to pin a girl too quickly...gotta get that "valuable experience". Zach did great...Won two and lost two. His victories were by wide margins and his defeats by small ones. All in all a great weekend with "valuable experience".

Here Comes the Rain Again....

Annie Lennox said it...and it is true. Raining here in Talladega. Lots of green on the radar. Looks like it breaks up on the east side of Alabama, so it is too early to tell if we'll have racing today or not. We are making contingency plans about staying tomorrow. The amazing thing about Talladega is that is could be raining on one end of the track and dry on the other end. And if the track gets wet, that's two miles of track to be dried...no easy task. If it does get going today, I am predicting a first time win for Tony Stewart...there really is no way to predict this race since The Big One always happens and it is comes down to being in the right place at the right time not to get mixed up in it.
I saw a great new show on Discovery Channel last night. I think it was call Alaska Adventure. It is four groups of people, either couples or 3 people together, who are in Alaska roughing it for 3 months. Last night they had to find their cabins/shelters after a hike through rough terrain. Fishing for salmon, getting water from streams, cutting their own firewood, scaring away bears...
Great reality show if you like outdoors/survival type programming. I am a big Discovery watcher. I can watch hours of Deadliest Catch, Survivorman and Man vs. Wild...now I have a new one...yea!
Seriously, Dad...get a dish and watch this stuff on the new tv.
I'll update you on track conditions as soon as we know more...now back to your originally scheduled programming.

Mama told me not to come...

This is the week that most NASCAR fans anticipate the most...Talladega. The monstrous track...speeds near 200 mph...getting shuffled back from 2nd the 20th in 5 seconds....potential for multi-car crashes of phenomenal proportions...(Cue the ominous music)...
Then there's the Talladega nights....not the movie, though the movie did have some funny stuff in it. I'm talking about the Talladega infield...It is a community unlike any other. A little Sodom, some Gommorah, moonshine rivers, and redneck love under a star filled sky. Sounds inviting, huh? I can't say I've been to the infield after dark...some things are just too scary. If you've ever been to the Snake Pit at Indy, you'd have a taste of what it's like...but only a mere taste. If I get the courage, and a sidearm, I may venture out...just as a journalist, not a participant.
Sandy got an iron treatment today...1st one in 10 months! I think she pushed it too long, but she really wants to be done with iron treatments...Hopefully this is a sign of healing.
The boys have all been cutting weight this week getting back down to their wrestling weights for The Tournament of Champions in Columbus, OH. It is free to attend the tournament, so why not show up? There are 3000 kids registered. The twins wrestle Saturday morning, and Zach wrestles Saturday night. I'll keep you posted on their progress.
I, however, will not be wrestling this weekend....unless I go to the INFIELD!

Home from B'ham...

To be honest, super bikes weren't that super. Kinda boring couple of days. It was pretty cool how fast they were going and almost getting horizontal...but after awhile, the excitement wore off for me. Zach stayed at the hotel today so he could watch the Predators...and they lost, so they are out of the playoffs. Oh well, there's always next season.
I have a few days off before I head back down to Alabama to do Talladega. That is a crazy race with some crazy fans.
We have been 3 days earthquake free.

Bring your son to work day....

Zach hard at work at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, AL...actually, he's playing his PSP, but in the TV truck nonetheless.

Shake, Rattle and Roll.....

4:37 am...fast asleep...slowly waking...what's that noise? Is that thunder? Better go check. So I got up, looked outside and the weather was clear. Hmmmmm. Maybe it was a loud car. Turn on the tv...breaking news...an earthquake measuring 5.2.
Who would have thought??? Anybody else feel it? I lived in Los Angeles for 3 years and never felt an earthquake like that.

Blades of Glory

If you've never been to a hockey game, you should go. Whether it's an NHL game, or the Ft. Wayne Comets, I don't think there's a better live spectator sport. The sounds of the game, the huge hits, the puck ringing off the post...just amazing.
I worked the Nashville Predators game last night. The Preds beat the mighty Red Wings last night to even their Western Conference Quarter Finals series at 2 games apiece.
I am taking Zach with me this weekend to Birmingham. He is real excited. I am excited about it because the company I am working for is one of the few who write you a check on site.
It's a beautiful, Spring day here in Nashville...hope your day is beautiful wherever you are.