Conference Season

First Conference - Illinois. Took a red-eye to save on a hotel bill, what was I thinking? Anyway, made it into PIA just in time to enjoy the conference with a new coworker that is managing the schools/banks in IL. I did get to experience public transit at it's finest. Bus ticket $1, taxi $22 - you do the math. By the time I got to my exit, I would have been wiling to pay the $22 (not because of time but because of transit clients (isn't that what they are called - clients?). Let's just say I wouldn't let my wife or kids ride on that bus.

Next conference - South Dakota in lovely Chamberlain, SD. Flew in to FSD to nice weather - about 40 degrees. Believe me, after being in SD twice in the dead of winter, 40 degrees is a heat wave. Got to stop by the Corn Palace in Mitchell - see below.

...and I stopped by the Falls in Sioux Falls - last time I took a picture they were frozen. See below for the thaw...

Next stop on the conference list - actually a hop from FSD to DSM midweek to the Iowa conference in Des Moines. Great trail system in that city. The last day I was there I was able to run 20 miles on their river trail. Beautiful sunset as well...

Quick trip to DEN for a sales meeting in the middle of April.

Next conference is where I am returning from now - Minnesota in the spring. Flew into MSP and drove 2.5 hours north to Brainerd area lakes. What an incredible place. It had snowed on Monday, but I didn't get in until Tuesday and it was 65 degrees. rained once, but mostly 50-60 degrees all week. Great place for golf, running, and kayaking. Oh - and definatley meeting with school customers. Also won a few prizes during the evening festivities.

I will sign off with that as I am getting ready to board my plane in non other then 87A here at SFO. Next week - Louisiana. Let's hope we see some alligators...

Blogsence

I have had quite an absence from blogging as of late. I have been traveling, but so busy that I haven't had downtime in the airport - or when I have been in an airport - I've been on Sales Force and not Blogger. Mrs. A will like that - she's my boss.

I have to look back in my calendar it has been so long. In the beginning of Feb, I made it to MSP which was ridiculous - colder then anywhere I have been before - well, maybe not as cold as FSD in January - but COLD none the less. It was right after the weekend where they got 17 inches of snow and I was able to experience "ice roads" for the second time in a Toyota Rav4.

I was able to experience the Twin Cities, St Cloud, and Mora, all below freezing - actually below 0.

Week two in February was once again into the frozen tundra of FSD (South Dakota). Wow - negative 35 degrees on my trip up to Aberdeen. I almost got stuck on the interstate when they closed it down due to a blizzard 30 minutes after arriving at my hotel.

Glad I made it out of that one. I drove on an ice highway for 40 miles in a Subaru - and it was not as grippy as the Rav4. I think I will request Rav4's in the future when traveling in the winter.

At the end of February and beginning of March - I ventured once more to the Midwest to CID (Iowa). Many miles later - I had traveled east, west, south, north, west, south, north, west and I ended up in Nebraska. Only had freezing rain while I was on this trip, no snow. Then I headed east again back into Iowa to return home to the family. Here are some pictures from Iowa.

"American Pickers"

John Deere country

Beautiful skies

Next stop - SAN - a change from the Midwest, sunny, beaches, bay, meeting with bankers from around the US.

Did I mention Bunya Bunya trees and low-flying jetplanes?

I also got to do a midnight full moon hike to the highest point in San Diego County with a friend from college and his kids - great time Brian.

Brian's kids.

I will post another blog shortly with the latest travels - hope this helps to catch you up just a bit.