Travel. It sounds glamorous but when it's for work it loses some shine. So started my long week and trip to Arizona. First the flight. The eleventh anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Never flew on this day. Closest I could say was being on the road how many years ago when the liquid scare hit and being stuck in the security line in Cincinnati. This time I braced for long lines and enhanced security. What I got was the complete opposite. Empty airports and first in line to the security checkpoint. It just got better. The flight, a four hour affair to Los Angeles, was basically empty. Got my own row, with no one in front and now one behind me. 35 total people for a plane that seats 160. NICE. I have been flying for 10 years for this job and vacation and have not seen anything like this. The flight from LA to Phoenix was similar.
Next day I did the work I needed to do had some good authentic Mexican lunch and headed out to Tucson. An hour and half later I was checking in to the hotel and off to greet Joel for dinner.
The campus is much more alive that the last time we were here. Midweek, full swing of classes. The humanity. I sat and looked like the creepy old man watching co-eds as the hour passed. I tell you what, I may have been on the old side of the people there but there were plenty of non-standard college age.
Joe got out of Chemistry and we had some Jamba Juice as we caught up. Gave him a care package: Cookies, Xbox games, stamps and envelopes, landjagers, juice boxes and other items, we said good night and went to bed.
Having taken Thursday and Friday off, I had the entire day to do things while Joel had class. First stop, the Pima Air and Space Museum. An airplane junkies dream. I like planes and they had a few planes. In fact only two other museums in the US have a bigger collection, The Air Force museum and of course the Smithsonian. To make this even more impressive, of the three, Pima is not tax payer funded.
I took two different tours on of the out lot and all the planes they have outside and the next tour that takes you to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center or AMARG for short. It's a airplane graveyard if you will. Although because it's run by the gub'ment they don't like to call it such. It's located on Davis-Mothan AFB. 33 Billion in airplanes that will be reused, retro fit or chopped for parts. If you have google earth installed (and why wouldn't you) Here is a link to the satellite imagery of the site Pretty incredible. Many of the planes had history too.
5 Hours later I had seen more airplanes than I can remember.
Headed to Dragoon brewing for a quick tasting (did not get a chance to go last time out here) and then back to campus for dinner and the Packer-Bear game.
We headed to No Anchovies. A great outdoor place with gourmet pizza, 25 beers on tap and lots of TV's. 3 blocks from the dorm. Great weather until the storm rolled in. A monsoon hit and we just sat it out. Getting thoroghly soaked. And I mean soaked. Rain in the desert it no joke. Never a sprinkle but a deluge. About 30 minutes it was over and we started to dry out. Joel's blood is getting thin already. He was shivering as we sat there soaked. The game ended and it's always sweeter with a Packer win. We hung out for a bit more and then parted ways again.
We could have stayed out later but there was homework to be done and a test to study for. Friday I met for breakfast bagels and some more talk and hangout time. Joel went to class and I bombed around the city until my flight at 1:00.
Fun times for sure and Joel has impressed me so much with how he has adapted to the change. He truly loves the choice he made and it's great to see him enjoy it.
Next week Arkansas! Suuheyy!
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