Now that I've got two caps under my belt this year for Dynamo away games (Charleston and Dallas, although the latter is arguably really a home game), it's time to start looking ahead at the MLS schedule more closely. Every year when the MLS reschedule is released, I sit and plan. Admittedly, I am focusing more on USMNT this year versus Dynamo mainly because the USMNT don't play much every year, so might as well take advantage this year. I've also pretty much depleted all my free United miles on world cup qualifiers and Gold Cup (spent 97,500 miles), so this means I'll need to penny-pinch like a normal person (for once) when it comes to club games.
May 5th in LA - This will be my next Dynamo game, as I was able to schedule a site visit in Torrance, CA. [Conveniently, I have a site near Home Depot Center!] Thus, my flights and car rental are paid. However, I did have to scrounge for two nights of hotel (since understandably work will not pay for the extra nights I want to stay), so I used points for a free room at the Hampton right next to the stadium. It's the same hotel we used during MLS cup. Hamptons are probably on the lowest on the totem pole of the Hilton chain, but they have free breakfast and wifi. This particular hotel also only costs 12,500 points/night as opposed to the usual 25K, which helps immensely. I'll be hanging out with KH & MF; David will also drive from San Diego as well.
May 26th in KC - I am driving with MF and KH; it's about a 10-12hr drive from Houston. Could I have flown? Yes, but I didn't want to. Had I tried to schedule flights around a site visit I would've technically been working on a Saturday and a holiday, which I didn't want to do. I can ask for compensation time everytime I work weekends, but asking for too much compensation time raises management's eyes, so it's best that I don't. I also think it will be a fun trip this year with people who are easy to travel with. This is key when taking a road trip. If something goes wrong (God forbid), you need to have adaptable companions with pleasant demeanors. To give an idea of how long ago I planned ahead, I reserved a Best Western that provides shuttle service to the power and light district on 12Jan2013 (about $105/night including taxes). I should note there's a difference between "reserving" and "booking" a room in my mind. The former means you pay at check-out, and the latter means you've paid in advance. I typically choose the former, as it's not that much more expensive to do.
Sept 1st in Chicago - On Tuesday, I found a United round trip IAH to ORD flight for $258.30 (travel on Saturday, return on Monday, so no vacation time used), which is a great deal. Some have advocated the use of Spirit Airlines ($220 round trip), but by the time you add the $35 carry-on luggage fee each way and pay for an assigned seat, it's about the same price as United (even if you paid a check-in luggage fee on United). I have flown Spirit once and will never again unless forced. They're quite unorganized; one passenger was moved seats five times (so don't choose a random seat)! I reserved a Best Western near Michigan Mile on 08Jan2013 for $166.57/night (including taxes). I doubt I'll have enough hotel points to even try to get a free room by then, but we'll see. I can always cancel the hotel. Chicago is one of the few cities where I will not book a rental car, as they have an excellent public transportation system that will take you easily to the airport and Toyota Park. I always chuckle because you take the orange line to Toyota Park.
Those are the only Dynamo trips I have set in stone so far. I really wanted to go to Columbus and NY in June, but at this point, I don't know what site visits I can schedule. I am 80% certain I can schedule site visits so that I can attend the Philly and Boston games in September, as well as the DC game in October. That would make a total of 8 regular season caps, which isn't bad. I believe this was my total number of Dynamo away games last year (although I don't really keep count). Hopefully we'll make MLS playoffs; of course I will attend as many of those games as possible.
If you're a Houston Dynamo fan, feel free to contact me if you'd like to meet on the road!
see you in Chicago!
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