Alright Senator...Out with it. You've played the game well. The Media has devoured the hype and exhausted all possibilities (even Gov Phil Bredesen, D-TN) for heaven's sakes. Announce the pick. I know I didn't sign up for the text message announcement and you've enjoyed stringing democrats along but give it up. Several great options are out there including Governor Bredsen but if you could just give Adam here a heads up, I'd greatly appreciate it.
In all seriousness, Team Obama has played his perfectly. It's 3:30 on the Friday before the convention and all anybody can talk about is who the VP pick is. Sitting here in a Caribou Coffee shop on 14th and Rhode Island Ave, everyone is in a tizzy. I've counted 12 people candidly discussing who they want or which man or woman will carry which state. I think Biden is the best choice for what he brings to the ticket from a foreign policy standpoint and someone who could help him get legislation passed. He'd be a great attack dog and would mop the floor with Mitt Romney or Tim Pawlenty in a debate. Clearly, my opinion is what matters here so Senator, go ahead and do it. Announce Biden.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Eastward Bound - Day 2
Anne and I got a decent nights sleep, waking up at 4:30 am and getting on the road to Denver. We faced a 12 hour drive from Phoenix to Denver and would lose an hour after crossing into New Mexico. Anne took the first leg of the day to Albuquerque and unfortunately got slammed with a weather front moving north on I-17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff. The severe undulation of the highway couldn't have made driving the slightest bit enjoyable. This being her first long drive from behind the wheel of my jeep, I was a tad concerned how she'd handle it. Never fear. Mario Andretti bombed up I-17 like she'd logged hundreds of hours at Indy. I nodded on and off but couldn't fall into a deep sleep to make up what I lost in San Diego.
After passing through Flagstaff, we turned onto I-40. Out of nowhere, the same rock formations that I saw on on my trip west popped up. I truly enjoyed actually getting to check out the terrain without focusing on the road. The mile-long trains, random cliffs and small pockets of weather on the horizon were an absolute treat. Anne pushed us through another storm before coming up behind a old Chevy blazer with clumps of mud dropping off the back right tire. As we sputtered along, the frequency of the mud clumps increased before all of a sudden a big chunk fell, bouncing twice on the highway before plowing right into the left side of my car. We didn't notice anything immediately wrong and continued on to Albuquerque. It wasn't until we pulled off the highway and switched roles that I noticed a problem with the left blinker. The blinker flicked rapidly signaling a problem on the left side. Sure enough, the mud rock crushed the driver side front cover and light bulb. Fortunately, the good folks at Auto Zone built the most convenient location across the street from a Subway and the gas station that we used to fill up. Clearly, they knew some day I would roll into this exact location needing a light bulb and realized how important it was to keep the Liberty in good(ish) shape.
With the bulb replaced and our appetite's satiated, we made the proper left at Albuquerque and headed north to Denver. At this point, some of you may be questioning our decision to drive north when our stated goal was to get to Maryland. We planned to visit Anne's good friend from the 2004 Democratic Convention who lived in Denver and was working on the 2008 convention. While we sat in Subway, we briefly debated ditching the drive to Denver and just stopping somewhere in Texas or Oklahoma. Yes, trekking to Denver lengthened our drive by 5 hours, but the cost of a motel room was greater than the gas to get to Denver and we'd be stuck at a Best Western in the middle of nowhere Texas with nothing to do. Onward and Upward (literally) the Liberty rumbled towards Denver on I-25. Within minutes, Anne was out cold. She had just driven for 6 hours and I queued up a podcast from the Tony Kornheiser show, but I assumed I'd get 25 -30 minutes. I relived a couple episodes where he discussed Tiger's triumph at Torrey and the culmination of the Democratic primaries over about 3 hours really getting my first leg off to a good start.
The drive through northern New Mexico into Southern Colorado was really peaceful. The road was wide open with no cops and beautiful scenery in every location. I set the cruise control to 85 and soaked in the massive evergreen trees framed by large mountains. After the initial three hour segment, the continental divide approached and what a sight it was. Off to the left, the snow-capped Rockies sprung into the sky at an awesome inclination I had never seen before. To the right flat plains stretched on forever, with random hay bales and cows every couple miles. Anne woke up after a little while and promptly exalted "Holy..." when she looked out the windows. The dramatic change of the landscape is truly beyond belief. After she was sufficiently awake, and we were an hour into Colorado, we listened to Eddie Murphy's hit comedy "Delirious" It wasn't long before we saw signs for Denver; the day was drawing to a close. Once we got through Colorado Springs and passed the Air Force Academy, anxiousness overcame us. 11 straight hours of driving, stopping only for gas and food, was sinking in and we were so close. The traffic congestion began to increase and all of a sudden Invesco field appeared to the west. We were in Denver and merely 6 exits from Diana's apartment. A couple right turns and a left, down one block and we were there. Pushing the gearshift through neutral, reverse, and finally park felt tremendous. DENVER...GORGEOUS!
After passing through Flagstaff, we turned onto I-40. Out of nowhere, the same rock formations that I saw on on my trip west popped up. I truly enjoyed actually getting to check out the terrain without focusing on the road. The mile-long trains, random cliffs and small pockets of weather on the horizon were an absolute treat. Anne pushed us through another storm before coming up behind a old Chevy blazer with clumps of mud dropping off the back right tire. As we sputtered along, the frequency of the mud clumps increased before all of a sudden a big chunk fell, bouncing twice on the highway before plowing right into the left side of my car. We didn't notice anything immediately wrong and continued on to Albuquerque. It wasn't until we pulled off the highway and switched roles that I noticed a problem with the left blinker. The blinker flicked rapidly signaling a problem on the left side. Sure enough, the mud rock crushed the driver side front cover and light bulb. Fortunately, the good folks at Auto Zone built the most convenient location across the street from a Subway and the gas station that we used to fill up. Clearly, they knew some day I would roll into this exact location needing a light bulb and realized how important it was to keep the Liberty in good(ish) shape.
With the bulb replaced and our appetite's satiated, we made the proper left at Albuquerque and headed north to Denver. At this point, some of you may be questioning our decision to drive north when our stated goal was to get to Maryland. We planned to visit Anne's good friend from the 2004 Democratic Convention who lived in Denver and was working on the 2008 convention. While we sat in Subway, we briefly debated ditching the drive to Denver and just stopping somewhere in Texas or Oklahoma. Yes, trekking to Denver lengthened our drive by 5 hours, but the cost of a motel room was greater than the gas to get to Denver and we'd be stuck at a Best Western in the middle of nowhere Texas with nothing to do. Onward and Upward (literally) the Liberty rumbled towards Denver on I-25. Within minutes, Anne was out cold. She had just driven for 6 hours and I queued up a podcast from the Tony Kornheiser show, but I assumed I'd get 25 -30 minutes. I relived a couple episodes where he discussed Tiger's triumph at Torrey and the culmination of the Democratic primaries over about 3 hours really getting my first leg off to a good start.
The drive through northern New Mexico into Southern Colorado was really peaceful. The road was wide open with no cops and beautiful scenery in every location. I set the cruise control to 85 and soaked in the massive evergreen trees framed by large mountains. After the initial three hour segment, the continental divide approached and what a sight it was. Off to the left, the snow-capped Rockies sprung into the sky at an awesome inclination I had never seen before. To the right flat plains stretched on forever, with random hay bales and cows every couple miles. Anne woke up after a little while and promptly exalted "Holy..." when she looked out the windows. The dramatic change of the landscape is truly beyond belief. After she was sufficiently awake, and we were an hour into Colorado, we listened to Eddie Murphy's hit comedy "Delirious" It wasn't long before we saw signs for Denver; the day was drawing to a close. Once we got through Colorado Springs and passed the Air Force Academy, anxiousness overcame us. 11 straight hours of driving, stopping only for gas and food, was sinking in and we were so close. The traffic congestion began to increase and all of a sudden Invesco field appeared to the west. We were in Denver and merely 6 exits from Diana's apartment. A couple right turns and a left, down one block and we were there. Pushing the gearshift through neutral, reverse, and finally park felt tremendous. DENVER...GORGEOUS!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Road trip back - Day 1
By now, most of you are aware that we made it back in one piece. But... we made it back to the east coast in one piece! Even more surprising, we made it back on schedule with minutes to spare. Anne and I packed the Liberty to the gills and were fresh off 2 hours sleep when we got on the road. We didn't get more than 6 blocks from the house, we before turning around, realizing that a few items were left behind. Finally, at about 5:30 A.M., I got the Liberty on the I-8, cruising East through Mission Valley, El Cajon (once referred to by the Nashville Marriott as "El CaJohn") and into the Imperial Valley. I drove into San Diego on the same route but developed a greater appreciation for how vast California is on the way out. Quickly, one realizes that California could be the World's 5th largest economy. Farmland stretched for miles across an area I assumed to be desert and the towns were surprisingly large despite the vast area between them.
We got to Yuma, Arizona without any issues, and after gassing up I made a predictable pit stop at the Yuma, AZ McDonalds. Several months have passed since I last enjoyed the hearty canadian bacon and mass produced egg product delicately placed between two soft english muffins. As expected, it did not disappoint. Preceded by a warm Hash brown, the Egg McMuffin was chased by a frosty large orange juice. The #1 breakfast meal at McDonalds is second only to quality Eggs Benadict in my book, but it's a strong second. We passed through a couple Immigration checkpoints on the highway before coming up on a Homeland Security border patrol agent on the left shoulder with flashing lights. I started slowing down immediately and then noticed an agent getting out of his vehicle and walking towards oncoming traffic waving his arms in the air. As we approached the agent it appeared he was attempting to halt traffic. I couldn't stop the Liberty before we passed the agent so he waved us on and then stepped into th e center of the left lane halting traffic behind us. While it was strange, there didn't appear to be any emergency directly ahead so I continued driving. After roughly a mile, traffic came to a halt and people were getting out of their vehicles. Fortunately, I haven't been subject to these situations often and hesitated opening the door to check out what commotion lay ahead. However, like any other male, my curiosity was too great to tame and I got out and walked up to the next car hoping to see something. Sure enough, a helicopter was parked in the center of the highway and emergency vehicles were attending to a car off the left side of the road. While all this commotion transpired ahead, a grey Toyota Prius plunged off the road on the westbound lane before re-gaining control and spinning onto the road. The driver pulled onto the shoulder, collected his thoughts and then got out of his car, walking back towards the minivan parked on the shoulder behind him. As the gentleman got closer he began shouting and pointing his fingers in the air at the minivan. So not only did we have a critical accident on the east bound lane but some maniac was getting ready to pick a fight with another car on the side of the road. Within seconds, two border patrol agents arrived and disrupted that situation but it appeared as if the driver of the Prius had a legitimate complaint against because the agent left his car and had an animated discussion with the people occupying the minivan. Half an hour passed before the helicopter took off and traffic resumed it's normal flow but one thing I can surmise from this event; the Border Patrol agents responding to the accident hadn't seen this much action in a very long time.
Despite that setback, Anne and I made it to her cousin Liz's house in Phoenix before noon; not terrible time considering the hour long pit stop on I-8. Liz made a wonderful lunch for the two of us and her adorable 5 year-old son Max. Max is the man. Not only does he read at a 4th grade level but he's got sick freestyle dance moves he eagerly displayed and a deep admiration for all things superhero. I'm pretty sure when he grows up, Max wants to be a combination of Ironman and Spiderman. Liz, Max and Anne went to the pool while I took the deepest nap possible. It was 112 degrees outside and the pool seemed like a great idea, but getting some rest after 2 hours of sleep on a twin air mattress that only fit Anne and my right shoulder was the wiser choice. When the group got back, everybody showered and the 4 of us grabbed sushi at this very hip restaurant outside of Phoenix that served with blue wasabi and delicious cocktails for the ladies that were incredible. Normally, blue wasabi would be enough to shock the senses, but more astounding were the people willingly sitting outside. Sure, the restaurant had a mist machine on top of the tables but it was 112 degrees outside. Some may remark that the heat is "dry heat" but it's still 112 degrees of dry heat. Safely inside, we enjoyed a a delicious meal before heading back home to get some sleep. A couple hours later, I met up with my buddy Greg for a couple beers and our annual political discussion before calling it a night and preparing for the 12 hour drive to Denver. Day 1 in the books!
We got to Yuma, Arizona without any issues, and after gassing up I made a predictable pit stop at the Yuma, AZ McDonalds. Several months have passed since I last enjoyed the hearty canadian bacon and mass produced egg product delicately placed between two soft english muffins. As expected, it did not disappoint. Preceded by a warm Hash brown, the Egg McMuffin was chased by a frosty large orange juice. The #1 breakfast meal at McDonalds is second only to quality Eggs Benadict in my book, but it's a strong second. We passed through a couple Immigration checkpoints on the highway before coming up on a Homeland Security border patrol agent on the left shoulder with flashing lights. I started slowing down immediately and then noticed an agent getting out of his vehicle and walking towards oncoming traffic waving his arms in the air. As we approached the agent it appeared he was attempting to halt traffic. I couldn't stop the Liberty before we passed the agent so he waved us on and then stepped into th e center of the left lane halting traffic behind us. While it was strange, there didn't appear to be any emergency directly ahead so I continued driving. After roughly a mile, traffic came to a halt and people were getting out of their vehicles. Fortunately, I haven't been subject to these situations often and hesitated opening the door to check out what commotion lay ahead. However, like any other male, my curiosity was too great to tame and I got out and walked up to the next car hoping to see something. Sure enough, a helicopter was parked in the center of the highway and emergency vehicles were attending to a car off the left side of the road. While all this commotion transpired ahead, a grey Toyota Prius plunged off the road on the westbound lane before re-gaining control and spinning onto the road. The driver pulled onto the shoulder, collected his thoughts and then got out of his car, walking back towards the minivan parked on the shoulder behind him. As the gentleman got closer he began shouting and pointing his fingers in the air at the minivan. So not only did we have a critical accident on the east bound lane but some maniac was getting ready to pick a fight with another car on the side of the road. Within seconds, two border patrol agents arrived and disrupted that situation but it appeared as if the driver of the Prius had a legitimate complaint against because the agent left his car and had an animated discussion with the people occupying the minivan. Half an hour passed before the helicopter took off and traffic resumed it's normal flow but one thing I can surmise from this event; the Border Patrol agents responding to the accident hadn't seen this much action in a very long time.
Despite that setback, Anne and I made it to her cousin Liz's house in Phoenix before noon; not terrible time considering the hour long pit stop on I-8. Liz made a wonderful lunch for the two of us and her adorable 5 year-old son Max. Max is the man. Not only does he read at a 4th grade level but he's got sick freestyle dance moves he eagerly displayed and a deep admiration for all things superhero. I'm pretty sure when he grows up, Max wants to be a combination of Ironman and Spiderman. Liz, Max and Anne went to the pool while I took the deepest nap possible. It was 112 degrees outside and the pool seemed like a great idea, but getting some rest after 2 hours of sleep on a twin air mattress that only fit Anne and my right shoulder was the wiser choice. When the group got back, everybody showered and the 4 of us grabbed sushi at this very hip restaurant outside of Phoenix that served with blue wasabi and delicious cocktails for the ladies that were incredible. Normally, blue wasabi would be enough to shock the senses, but more astounding were the people willingly sitting outside. Sure, the restaurant had a mist machine on top of the tables but it was 112 degrees outside. Some may remark that the heat is "dry heat" but it's still 112 degrees of dry heat. Safely inside, we enjoyed a a delicious meal before heading back home to get some sleep. A couple hours later, I met up with my buddy Greg for a couple beers and our annual political discussion before calling it a night and preparing for the 12 hour drive to Denver. Day 1 in the books!
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