Wow, it has been quite a while since I've updated this blog. I apologize, as with all my work travels, my life has been crazy. To give you an idea, I was last in the office on 29Apr2013, and I didn't return to the office until 24Jun2013! I was pretty much on daily travel, including weekends and away Dynamo games!
The match against LA the first Saturday in May was good. We had about 30 people in our Dynamo away section. It should be noted that since this was a MLS regular season game, our section was pretty chill. For example, we sat the whole time because there were people behind us. One of my friends noted the atmosphere was quite different, as it was her first time at a non-playoff game. It started sprinkling during the game, and I've never seen a crowd leave so quickly, as if they'd melt. I'd definitely consider LA full of fair weather fans. I should also mention Angel City Brigade, a few sections over, allowed us to tailgate with them; we also tend to sing similar chants.
I should note the night before the game we decided to go to Laguna Beach. We met with the American Outlaws national Chapter Chairman/Travel Manager, Brian. We went to Club Bounce and had a good time. Laguna Beach is about an hour with no traffic from Torrance, CA (where the stadium is located), so I can see why he doesn't attend LA MLS games. We also hopped around the strip, and it was a good time. It was a bit chilly, and one of the restaurants gave us blankets while on the rooftop. The view was spectacular.
Logistically, this trip was cheap for me. Work paid for my flights and rental car (since I had to be in Torrance for work the Friday before the game anyway, then Sacramento the following Tuesday). I used hotel points at the Hampton Inn off of Albertoni street. It's not the Ritz Carlton, but it's a cheap hotel (12,500 points/night vs. the usual 25,000) that is RIGHT off of the freeway. I have learned that this is a must, especially in LA when you're constantly driving. Some friends were staying at the Marriott Torrance (where the team stayed), but the Marriott was about 20 minutes from the freeway. LA sprawls, so it's best to minimize the amount of driving time when possible by staying closer to the freeway. I've always had great service at this Hampton Inn (stayed three times now) despite the fact it's run by Asians. There's free breakfast, wi-fi, and parking.
Within the same month, I went to Kansas City during Memorial Weekend for the Dynamo game. This time I road-tripped it with KH & MF. It's about a 12-hour drive (including stops). We rode in MF's SUV, and we probably filled up for gas about 3 times during the trip. Each tank cost about $40-$50, but it's still cheaper than flying if you consider the aggregate total we would've spent on flights. The most memorable part of the drive was driving through Moore, OK where the tornados had recently hit. The amount of destruction can't be explained well using words. It was strange that an entire subdivision was demolished, but a subdivision next door was fine. It's definitely a sight you won't forget.
We stayed at the Best Western - Kansas City Inn for a total of $210.44 for two nights. I had reserved the room back in January when the MLS schedule was first released. I think others may have paid more as the date approached. We had stayed at this Best Western last year, and they provided shuttle service to the power and light district. This year, they did not provide shuttle service due to new management. Therefore, I no longer recommend staying at this hotel.
Saturday night (before game day) we hung out with a few Cauldron people at Johnny's Tavern (also the American Outlaws KC chapter's bar). If you've never been to Johnny's, you should go. Service and prices are decent. It's also located in a courtyard of bars called "KC Live," which is a great setup. The courtyard, surrounded by bars, has couches, a fountain, and a big screen tv. It's where events are shown, e.g. the World Cup or NCAA final four tournament. There is no cover past 8pm or 9pm. Often, if you enter the front door of Johnny's (no cover), you can exit through the back, get your hand stamped, and enter the courtyard. You can also bring your drink from bar to bar, as long as it's not in a glass container. [Johnny's will provide plastic cups upon exit.]
I have to admit the game isn't very memorable to me because I was drumming. Whenever I drum for the games, I don't really get to watch. I was the only drummer (had a bass drum). Logistically, things went smoothly. It's funny how security gently shook the drum to ensure I wasn't sneaking anything in. Frankly, I wouldn't have even thought of opening the drum to put contraband!
After the game, we went to the members bar, which is very cool. It is the one thing I wish BBVA Compass Stadium has, but that's okay because we have air conditioned bathrooms (a must in Houston!). Apparently during games, prices at the members bar in Sporting KC's stadium are very cheap. I've heard you can get $3 hamburgers, etc., but I can promise you the hard liquor drinks are very pricey! From the members bar, we went to Johnny's again, and had a good time. The drive back from KC was nothing memorable, which in some ways is a blessing, considering last year's fiasco.
Within the same week, I followed the Dynamo to Columbus on 01Jun2013. Since I had to be in Columbus for work the following Monday, I might as well go to the game! Columbus has been the hardest stadium to obtain a ticket, in my opinion. I had my eye on Columbus for a few months prior to the game. You can't buy a single game ticket online, and when you use the automated system, you get re-directed to a ticket master agent who won't know anything about the stadium. I lied through the automated prompts, finally got someone who works for Crew, and he was able to give me a great seat for less than $30 - four rows up from the field, right next to where the Dynamo warm up. Emailing does not work, as there is no general email address for ticket sales; individual reps' email addresses are listed online. So, you have to call.
Since I went solo, I was surrounded by Crew fans (not supporters) who were mostly families, so I didn't have any trouble. There were a handful of Dynamo guys one section over, but I didn't know who they were. We tied the game, and we were both lucky. Crew had lost their greatest player due to injury; the Dynamo only had 2-3 of their usual starters due to injury. It's just that time in the season when players' bodies are wearing out, understandably.
The next morning I went to the reserves game. We won 1-0. For the most part, I stood at the top, hiding in the shade (I'm a wuss, what can I say), but for the last 15 minutes, I managed to gather some courage and sit with the Dynamo players. I'm typically not a shy person, but I always am around players because I don't want to invade their personal space. I'm glad I went.
From the reserves game, I went to the Fourth Street Bar & Grill to watch the USMNT vs Germany friendly in DC with fellow American Outlaws. Oddly, the bar was not packed at all, and I was surprised. I was there last year during the Jamaican WCQ, so I've been shoulder to shoulder there. I still had a good time. I've learned whenever you buy beer for people, people greet you with open arms.
Columbus was cheap for me because I'd just flown from Evansville, IN. It was $600 cheaper for me to flying directly from IN (including another night's hotel and car rental) versus going home from IN and flying back up to OH. I stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn near OSU. It was my first time staying in this area (have stayed downtown, near the airport, and who knows where else), and I liked it. The service was great, and there was coin laundry (a must for me, as I had been on the road for a while). The OSU area is a great, cheaper alternative to staying downtown. It's only about 10 minutes from the stadium and about 10 minutes from the AO bar. It's also easier to run errands, e.g. grocery shop or go to the liquor store, versus downtown because you don't have to worry about street or paid parking.
So, those are the last three Dynamo away games I've been to. I will write about the June USMNT home WCQs next!
Showing posts with label Kansas City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kansas City. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Houston Dynamo Away Trips
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!
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!
Sunday, March 31, 2013
USMNT WCQ Plans
If you're a USA supporter, this is a busy year with the world cup qualifiers and Gold Cup. I plan on attending all of the home WCQs, so here it goes for my travel plans and tips:
June 10-12 in Seattle: I've already booked my inbound flight. I arrive late into Seattle around 10PM, but the flight was only 12,500 miles (versus 25K miles). I'm waiting to see what kind of deal AO national has for the hotel, as downtown Seattle is quite pricey, anywhere from $250-$300/night. I've looked endlessly for a 3-star hotel downtown under $130/night; for once I'm not having any luck. I do have my eye on a Best Western though, which is a 10-minute walk from the stadium, since I've earned a free night voucher (should arrive in a few weeks). Thankfully I did have enough points for a rental car. Hertz's price for an intermediate car right now is $127/day, which seems outrageous to me. Some have advocated use of public transportation, but as of now, I'll keep the rental car reservation, as I can always reconsider and cancel later. The problem is that if the AO bar is going to be used (still to be determined, per AO Seattle president), a bus from the stadium/downtown will take 45min per Google maps (no train/subway available). I'm also not sure how late buses run at night. As for my outbound flight, I have to wait on work.
June 17-19 in Salt Lake City: I've already booked my inbound flight. Again, I'm arriving a bit late (around 8:30PM), but the flight was 12,500 miles (have to wait for work regarding outbound flight). I am working on my own room block, as I am impatient and don't want to 100% rely on AO national. I always like to have a contingency plan if possible for hotels. I am awaiting the hotel's response, but it will be for 10 rooms at the Hampton Inn downtown (about 5 blocks from the AO bar), $119/night for either a king bed room or 2 double beds, free parking/breakfast/wifi. We are under no obligation to fill all 10 rooms, no deposit is required, people can pay individually, and we can cancel 24 hours prior to arrival. This room block is being set up via my work travel agency who also can arrange leisure travel. I will notify friends when the room block is ready. I just emailed the hotel Friday night, so I expect I won't know anything until Monday at the earliest. It should be noted there is another convention during these dates called Young Living with ~5K attendees, causing hotel prices to skyrocket. David may drive, so I have not booked a rental car, although I have enough points to do so.
Sep 9-11 in Columbus: I can't believe that a round trip plane ticket on United from Houston to Columbus was over $1,100! Thank GOD for miles (25,000 round trip)! Within 30 minutes of when the USA vs Mexico game was announced during the hex draw, I booked the Holiday Inn downtown. I am currently awaiting a link for them to provide so that others can book as well; I'll have a 10-room block for 1 king or 2 double bed rooms for $109/night. I should note during the hex draw, there were at least three sold-out hotels that I encountered; since then, other hotels, such as the Residence Inn by Marriott, have limited rooms, e.g. only a queen bed room. I've booked a free car rental. I should note for car rentals, even though base price is free (whatever the rate is per day), you still have to pay airport taxes and surcharges (unlike free hotel rooms). In this case, the estimated total cost of taxes is $20.
Oct 11-12 in KC: I am waiting for Friday's Philly to Houston flight to register into my account, and then I'll have enough miles (10K) to buy a plane ticket from MCI to Houston. I should note even when you buy a plane ticket, there is a fee of $2.50 or $5, depending on the flight, but that's definitely not a bad price! I will have to await work for my inbound flight, but it'll be a busy time of year, so most likely I will only be able to fly in on game day. I will wait and see about a rental car, as it's possible I will A) get one for free B) not need one at all if friends are driving or C) get work to pay if the cost of the inbound flight + rental car is cheaper than flying me home. I've booked a free room at the Four Points by Sheraton near the airport, as I prefer to be closer to where I need to be in the mornings. Four Points hotels are really not that great and the lowest on the totem pole of Starwood hotels (Westin, Sheraton, etc), but it's a free room.
That's all I have for now for the WCQs. At this time I have no plans to attend any USMNT friendlies. Stay tuned for Gold Cup plans!
June 10-12 in Seattle: I've already booked my inbound flight. I arrive late into Seattle around 10PM, but the flight was only 12,500 miles (versus 25K miles). I'm waiting to see what kind of deal AO national has for the hotel, as downtown Seattle is quite pricey, anywhere from $250-$300/night. I've looked endlessly for a 3-star hotel downtown under $130/night; for once I'm not having any luck. I do have my eye on a Best Western though, which is a 10-minute walk from the stadium, since I've earned a free night voucher (should arrive in a few weeks). Thankfully I did have enough points for a rental car. Hertz's price for an intermediate car right now is $127/day, which seems outrageous to me. Some have advocated use of public transportation, but as of now, I'll keep the rental car reservation, as I can always reconsider and cancel later. The problem is that if the AO bar is going to be used (still to be determined, per AO Seattle president), a bus from the stadium/downtown will take 45min per Google maps (no train/subway available). I'm also not sure how late buses run at night. As for my outbound flight, I have to wait on work.
June 17-19 in Salt Lake City: I've already booked my inbound flight. Again, I'm arriving a bit late (around 8:30PM), but the flight was 12,500 miles (have to wait for work regarding outbound flight). I am working on my own room block, as I am impatient and don't want to 100% rely on AO national. I always like to have a contingency plan if possible for hotels. I am awaiting the hotel's response, but it will be for 10 rooms at the Hampton Inn downtown (about 5 blocks from the AO bar), $119/night for either a king bed room or 2 double beds, free parking/breakfast/wifi. We are under no obligation to fill all 10 rooms, no deposit is required, people can pay individually, and we can cancel 24 hours prior to arrival. This room block is being set up via my work travel agency who also can arrange leisure travel. I will notify friends when the room block is ready. I just emailed the hotel Friday night, so I expect I won't know anything until Monday at the earliest. It should be noted there is another convention during these dates called Young Living with ~5K attendees, causing hotel prices to skyrocket. David may drive, so I have not booked a rental car, although I have enough points to do so.
Sep 9-11 in Columbus: I can't believe that a round trip plane ticket on United from Houston to Columbus was over $1,100! Thank GOD for miles (25,000 round trip)! Within 30 minutes of when the USA vs Mexico game was announced during the hex draw, I booked the Holiday Inn downtown. I am currently awaiting a link for them to provide so that others can book as well; I'll have a 10-room block for 1 king or 2 double bed rooms for $109/night. I should note during the hex draw, there were at least three sold-out hotels that I encountered; since then, other hotels, such as the Residence Inn by Marriott, have limited rooms, e.g. only a queen bed room. I've booked a free car rental. I should note for car rentals, even though base price is free (whatever the rate is per day), you still have to pay airport taxes and surcharges (unlike free hotel rooms). In this case, the estimated total cost of taxes is $20.
Oct 11-12 in KC: I am waiting for Friday's Philly to Houston flight to register into my account, and then I'll have enough miles (10K) to buy a plane ticket from MCI to Houston. I should note even when you buy a plane ticket, there is a fee of $2.50 or $5, depending on the flight, but that's definitely not a bad price! I will have to await work for my inbound flight, but it'll be a busy time of year, so most likely I will only be able to fly in on game day. I will wait and see about a rental car, as it's possible I will A) get one for free B) not need one at all if friends are driving or C) get work to pay if the cost of the inbound flight + rental car is cheaper than flying me home. I've booked a free room at the Four Points by Sheraton near the airport, as I prefer to be closer to where I need to be in the mornings. Four Points hotels are really not that great and the lowest on the totem pole of Starwood hotels (Westin, Sheraton, etc), but it's a free room.
That's all I have for now for the WCQs. At this time I have no plans to attend any USMNT friendlies. Stay tuned for Gold Cup plans!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
USMNT in Kansas City
My trip to Kansas City was pretty uneventful flight-wise. Upon checking twitter, I saw LJ was arriving around the same time as me. To save KH two trips to the airport (since she was picking someone else up later that night), I offered to pick up LJ and meet at Oklahoma Joe's for dinner. While conversing with LJ, we discussed hotel rooms and rooming situation (see my previous post). We decided it was best to switch roommates because LJ had an early morning flight on Wednesday and didn't want to bother KH with driving to the airport.
We met at Oklahoma Joe's and KH was eating with some other American Outlaws people who I met for the first time. I honestly don't know where they were from, and frankly, I never saw them again the rest of the trip. This is not uncommon, as we sold out the entire supporters section at Livestrong Park, so there were lots of American Outlaws members in the vicinity for the game.
KH agreed to the roommate switch and went to pick up AS at the airport (who was supposed to be my original roommate). LJ and went to Fairway Liquors next door, which is connected to OK Joe's with a tiny strip of concrete. It seems Fairway Liquors is my go-to place for alcohol after OK Joe's. LJ and I decided to get some Woodchuck amber (of which we are both fans) and drink before the party.
I should state for the record I don't have cable. People are always amazed at this, but frankly, $150/month for television isn't a justifiable expense, considering being home two nights in a row is a rarity. As a result, we watched the Food Network, and we watched a couple of shows. The first was about diners and dives from around the nation. As the show discussed the cities which I am assigned to, I kept bookmarking restaurants on Yelp. The other show featured eating in Boston for $25/day. Since Boston is one of my cities, I also bookmarked. I wanted to continue watching tv, but LJ reminded me we flew into KC to go to the party, LOL.
The party itself was good. I ran into the usual AO suspects from Detroit and DC. I hadn't seen San Diego since Phoenix in January, so that was good; I also met a twitter follower from Denver. We have had several twitter conversations but never met in person. Alexi Lalas and Ian Darte attended. Johnny's Tavern graciously gave every single person at the bar a free American Outlaws shot, and Rob Stone from FSC opened his tab for everyone at the bar. We had a good time, and I called it a night around 1AM.
The next morning we severely needed breakfast, so we ate at Fran's, which wasn't too bad. The Hilton President hotel is in the power and light district. This makes it convenient place to stay whenever AO has a party; no drinking and driving is involved. Since the hotel was free, I can't complain too much.
After breakfast and checkout, we headed to a liquor store near the tailgate (20 minutes away), recommended by KH. The name of the store is Village West Discount Liquors. It's like a miniature Spec's, and they carry Woodchuck amber in cans. I should note because of Nascar, we were not allowed to tailgate/park in the usual asphalt parking lot near the stadium. Instead, we tailgated on a gravel lot next to Community America Ballpark, former home of the Kansas City Wizards. [Yes, I went to a MLS game there when they were the Wizards instead of Sporting Kansas City.]
The game itself was a bit nerve-racking when Guatemala scored the first goal of the game at the tenth minute. Thankfully the US pulled through with a win for a final score of 3-1. We were in the Cauldron's section, which was pretty big. I happened to run into a Texian Army member who no longer stands with us but used to stand next to me during the Dynamo games in the front row when we were at Robertson Stadium. It was good seeing him again.
One thing to note is that being in a section with AO means you are often surrounded by people who aren't used to soccer games and having tifo. A guy next to us kept waving his flag so that it was in people's faces. Even KH had some words with him, and that is unusual for her to openly criticize (usually my job). Nonetheless, as far as I know, we didn't have any problems in the section, and no one was thrown out. I know a smoke bomb went off at some point, but we were on the opposite side of the stadium.
Geoff Cameron must have read my tweets. In Columbus, Hexsel and I held up Cameron's Texian Army banner like crazy, trying to get his attention. The player banner is orange, and everyone in Texian Army signed the banner to bid farewell and good luck as he's moved from Houston Dynamo to Stoke City. We failed in Columbus, and I tweeted my disappointment. This time, in Kansas City, AS and I held up the banner again, hoping he'd come, and he did. He climbed over a barricade to get to us, and I pushed my way to the front telling people to move so I could give him the banner. I told him it's from Texian Army, and he thanked me. There wasn't time for chit-chat because idiots kept trying to mob him. I was afraid his shirt would be torn; I suppose most people aren't used to having their players approach them. Coming from Houston, we are used it. Of everything that happened, giving Cameron his player banner was the highlight of the trip.
After the game, we hung out at the members bar and then went to Yard House for after-game food. We were all tired, and it was funny how none of us ordered anything but water to drink. The food was half off pizzas and certain appetizers. Overall, the food was pretty good. I think I spent $8 on a cup of soup and some noodles; it's the cheapest I've spent in a while.
From Yard House, LJ and I proceeded to the Hampton Inn - Kansas City Airport. Some may think it's crazy to drive after a game to the airport area (20 minutes drive), but not only was it half the number of Hilton Honors points compared to the AO hotel (Hampton Inn next to the stadium), but I could sleep in and be near my next destination. I also am glad I booked an airport hotel in advance, as work at last minute (as in, didn't finalize itinerary until 11PM while at Yard House after the game) required me to go to North Carolina instead of Miami as originally planned.
Overall the trip was a success. Both LJ and AO San Diego commented on my planning skills (yes, I'm bragging). Neither had ever considered changing hotels in the middle of the trip. The AO bar, stadium, and airport are all about 20-30 minutes from each other. Therefore, it made sense to move wherever was needed. If the US play in Russia next month as the current rumor says, this means I will have made all but one domestic USMNT game this year (didn't make the Brazil friendly in May) - awesome!
We met at Oklahoma Joe's and KH was eating with some other American Outlaws people who I met for the first time. I honestly don't know where they were from, and frankly, I never saw them again the rest of the trip. This is not uncommon, as we sold out the entire supporters section at Livestrong Park, so there were lots of American Outlaws members in the vicinity for the game.
KH agreed to the roommate switch and went to pick up AS at the airport (who was supposed to be my original roommate). LJ and went to Fairway Liquors next door, which is connected to OK Joe's with a tiny strip of concrete. It seems Fairway Liquors is my go-to place for alcohol after OK Joe's. LJ and I decided to get some Woodchuck amber (of which we are both fans) and drink before the party.
I should state for the record I don't have cable. People are always amazed at this, but frankly, $150/month for television isn't a justifiable expense, considering being home two nights in a row is a rarity. As a result, we watched the Food Network, and we watched a couple of shows. The first was about diners and dives from around the nation. As the show discussed the cities which I am assigned to, I kept bookmarking restaurants on Yelp. The other show featured eating in Boston for $25/day. Since Boston is one of my cities, I also bookmarked. I wanted to continue watching tv, but LJ reminded me we flew into KC to go to the party, LOL.
The party itself was good. I ran into the usual AO suspects from Detroit and DC. I hadn't seen San Diego since Phoenix in January, so that was good; I also met a twitter follower from Denver. We have had several twitter conversations but never met in person. Alexi Lalas and Ian Darte attended. Johnny's Tavern graciously gave every single person at the bar a free American Outlaws shot, and Rob Stone from FSC opened his tab for everyone at the bar. We had a good time, and I called it a night around 1AM.
The next morning we severely needed breakfast, so we ate at Fran's, which wasn't too bad. The Hilton President hotel is in the power and light district. This makes it convenient place to stay whenever AO has a party; no drinking and driving is involved. Since the hotel was free, I can't complain too much.
After breakfast and checkout, we headed to a liquor store near the tailgate (20 minutes away), recommended by KH. The name of the store is Village West Discount Liquors. It's like a miniature Spec's, and they carry Woodchuck amber in cans. I should note because of Nascar, we were not allowed to tailgate/park in the usual asphalt parking lot near the stadium. Instead, we tailgated on a gravel lot next to Community America Ballpark, former home of the Kansas City Wizards. [Yes, I went to a MLS game there when they were the Wizards instead of Sporting Kansas City.]
The game itself was a bit nerve-racking when Guatemala scored the first goal of the game at the tenth minute. Thankfully the US pulled through with a win for a final score of 3-1. We were in the Cauldron's section, which was pretty big. I happened to run into a Texian Army member who no longer stands with us but used to stand next to me during the Dynamo games in the front row when we were at Robertson Stadium. It was good seeing him again.
One thing to note is that being in a section with AO means you are often surrounded by people who aren't used to soccer games and having tifo. A guy next to us kept waving his flag so that it was in people's faces. Even KH had some words with him, and that is unusual for her to openly criticize (usually my job). Nonetheless, as far as I know, we didn't have any problems in the section, and no one was thrown out. I know a smoke bomb went off at some point, but we were on the opposite side of the stadium.
Geoff Cameron must have read my tweets. In Columbus, Hexsel and I held up Cameron's Texian Army banner like crazy, trying to get his attention. The player banner is orange, and everyone in Texian Army signed the banner to bid farewell and good luck as he's moved from Houston Dynamo to Stoke City. We failed in Columbus, and I tweeted my disappointment. This time, in Kansas City, AS and I held up the banner again, hoping he'd come, and he did. He climbed over a barricade to get to us, and I pushed my way to the front telling people to move so I could give him the banner. I told him it's from Texian Army, and he thanked me. There wasn't time for chit-chat because idiots kept trying to mob him. I was afraid his shirt would be torn; I suppose most people aren't used to having their players approach them. Coming from Houston, we are used it. Of everything that happened, giving Cameron his player banner was the highlight of the trip.
After the game, we hung out at the members bar and then went to Yard House for after-game food. We were all tired, and it was funny how none of us ordered anything but water to drink. The food was half off pizzas and certain appetizers. Overall, the food was pretty good. I think I spent $8 on a cup of soup and some noodles; it's the cheapest I've spent in a while.
From Yard House, LJ and I proceeded to the Hampton Inn - Kansas City Airport. Some may think it's crazy to drive after a game to the airport area (20 minutes drive), but not only was it half the number of Hilton Honors points compared to the AO hotel (Hampton Inn next to the stadium), but I could sleep in and be near my next destination. I also am glad I booked an airport hotel in advance, as work at last minute (as in, didn't finalize itinerary until 11PM while at Yard House after the game) required me to go to North Carolina instead of Miami as originally planned.
Overall the trip was a success. Both LJ and AO San Diego commented on my planning skills (yes, I'm bragging). Neither had ever considered changing hotels in the middle of the trip. The AO bar, stadium, and airport are all about 20-30 minutes from each other. Therefore, it made sense to move wherever was needed. If the US play in Russia next month as the current rumor says, this means I will have made all but one domestic USMNT game this year (didn't make the Brazil friendly in May) - awesome!
Sunday, October 14, 2012
KC Plans - USMNT vs Guatemala
Since I am now on the road 3-5 days per week, it's really hard to keep track of my leisure trips now! To give an idea of how much I travel now, I probably visit 15-20 airports per month. I'm on a 15-city rotation schedule. Each city has to be visited every 8-12 weeks, so I am really racking up the miles and points!
For those who don't know, you can always reserve rooms (no credit card charged) and then cancel the day of (time is set by the hotel-read their cancellation policies) or the day before. This is originally what I had reserved for Kansas City this week:
For those who don't know, you can always reserve rooms (no credit card charged) and then cancel the day of (time is set by the hotel-read their cancellation policies) or the day before. This is originally what I had reserved for Kansas City this week:
- Best Western Kansas City Inn (free shuttle to/from Power & Light District): 2 nights, 1 King Bed ($90/night)
- Best Western Kansas City Inn: 1 night, 1 King Bed ($90/night)
- Best Western Kansas City Inn: 2 nights, 2 Double Beds ($90/night)
- AO hotel (near stadium): 2 nights, 2 Double Beds ($114/night)
Instead, as of the 1st of this month (been too busy to book earlier!), I decided book the following:
- 1st night: Hotel across the street from the AO bar (20 minutes from the stadium), so no driving/extra parking needed (35,000 points). The hotel is sold out, but the rooms when I last checked, retailed $300/night.
- 2nd night: Hotel near the airport (20 minutes from the stadium), so that on Wednesday, I just need to wake up and go to work (12,500 points). Remaining rooms are available for $150/night, and there is a free shuttle to/from the airport.
I have one free day of rental car at $42/day. Unfortunately a week-long trip in August for some reason didn't count towards rental car points and were converted into miles instead, sigh. Otherwise, I'd have enough points for the base price to be completely free.
My flight going to Kansas City is free because I am using rewards miles. My outbound flight is being paid for by work, since I am headed to audit a site the next day. Most likely this will be a recurring pattern for my trips.
I am traveling with AS for this trip, as he is willing to pay hotel taxes and parking at the hotel the first night. We are splitting the remaining car rental fees and gas. I don't mind if people share a room with me, but I do ask they pay whatever is remaining (taxes, surcharges, etc), since I am covering 100% of the base price. Even if we were splitting the room, there is no way taxes would equal half of the hotel room. Furthermore, this eliminates any potential resentment I may have for moochers. If someone pays the taxes, at least I will feel there is some sort of contribution.
KH is already in Kansas City and is complaining of the wind. Apparently I need to pack the whole nine yards - ski mask, gloves, beanie, etc. The temperature looks like it will be in the 40s at night! From Kansas City, I go to Miami where it will be 80 degrees, so packing will be tricky. Let's go USA!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Kansas City Part III
There are some newly learned lessons now that I've taken my first road trip to KC. The KC turnpike costs $6 going towards KC and $6 returning, which isn't bad (was led to believe it's double the amount each way). The turnpike accepts both credit card and cash. In addition, in a Ford Escape (a SUV), it roughly takes about 3 tanks of gas each way to get to KC; you should also add another tank while you're driving in the city, just in case.
I have also learned who I can travel with and who I cannot travel with. I cannot travel with people who decide to have a bad attitude the entire trip. My roommate either had a bad attitude or bitched the entire time. As a result, I barely talked to her and really didn't wish to be around her, even though things had been find on previous trips (although previous trips went smoothly without any hiccups). My goal for a vacation (no pun intended) is to visit the city, hang out at good bars and restaurants, see a great game (hopefully win), and most of all, have fun.
My roommate had decided to ride home in another vehicle because she didn't want to ride "cheek to cheek" in ours. [We were offering a ride to someone in ours.] She then proceeded to be pissy and resentful the entire weekend due to shuffling vehicles, but I cannot feel sorry for people who make their own choices. The person who had an empty backseat wasn't offering to help the people whose vehicle broke down (same guy who got mad at OK Joe's); I don't think I am that kind of person.
I drove my roommate at 7AM on 08-Jul-2012 to the other driver (since he was staying near the stadium), and the car ride was completely silent. I said, "I may need your help with the GPS." <silence> I worked the GPS myself, and even though I swerved a couple of times, she did not bother to help me drive HER to HER destination (which by the way, I figured out what hotel to bring her to - she had no idea). When we arrived at the hotel, she did nothing but grumble and then slammed the door shut. I was going to text a passenger in the vehicle to let them know she was in the lobby, but I decided to refrain. I refuse to aid ungrateful people. Later she apologized via text for being upset, but given that she was livid while with me to the point of putting us in jeopardy (even though I did nothing), I will not travel with her again.
Furthermore, it is my opinion the owner of the vehicle decides who rides in the car and who doesn't. Thus again, I could not feel sorry for my roommate, especially when she wasn't offering to help drive in the first place. At least the passenger from the broken vehicle drove most of the way home.
In addition, I found out at breakfast (after dropping off my roommate) that there was some drama the previous night. We took care of one of the passengers from the broken vehicle. The other three passengers went with a friend of theirs. As a result, there was an empty double bed in one of the rooms. MF told a couple, who initially was going to sleep on the floor in her room, to take the empty bed in another room. The couple felt as if they were being kicked out and were quite offended for some reason. This couple failed to bring bedding, pillows, sleeping bags, etc. so I am not sure why they became so irate. In conversation, they had made some sort of reference to the slight when I was talking about my roommate. The couple said, "Well she's not the only one that's mad." I had no clue about the drama until MF explained later.
Traveling with people is a tricky business because you are always then tied to them in a certain way, especially when going together as a group. It's a fine line. You don't want to be away from the group too much, but you also don't want to be a part of the group too much. Hopefully when I get my promotion at work soon (will be traveling 4-5 days/week), I will be able to stay in hotels, rent cars, and book flights for free!
I have also learned who I can travel with and who I cannot travel with. I cannot travel with people who decide to have a bad attitude the entire trip. My roommate either had a bad attitude or bitched the entire time. As a result, I barely talked to her and really didn't wish to be around her, even though things had been find on previous trips (although previous trips went smoothly without any hiccups). My goal for a vacation (no pun intended) is to visit the city, hang out at good bars and restaurants, see a great game (hopefully win), and most of all, have fun.
My roommate had decided to ride home in another vehicle because she didn't want to ride "cheek to cheek" in ours. [We were offering a ride to someone in ours.] She then proceeded to be pissy and resentful the entire weekend due to shuffling vehicles, but I cannot feel sorry for people who make their own choices. The person who had an empty backseat wasn't offering to help the people whose vehicle broke down (same guy who got mad at OK Joe's); I don't think I am that kind of person.
I drove my roommate at 7AM on 08-Jul-2012 to the other driver (since he was staying near the stadium), and the car ride was completely silent. I said, "I may need your help with the GPS." <silence> I worked the GPS myself, and even though I swerved a couple of times, she did not bother to help me drive HER to HER destination (which by the way, I figured out what hotel to bring her to - she had no idea). When we arrived at the hotel, she did nothing but grumble and then slammed the door shut. I was going to text a passenger in the vehicle to let them know she was in the lobby, but I decided to refrain. I refuse to aid ungrateful people. Later she apologized via text for being upset, but given that she was livid while with me to the point of putting us in jeopardy (even though I did nothing), I will not travel with her again.
Furthermore, it is my opinion the owner of the vehicle decides who rides in the car and who doesn't. Thus again, I could not feel sorry for my roommate, especially when she wasn't offering to help drive in the first place. At least the passenger from the broken vehicle drove most of the way home.
In addition, I found out at breakfast (after dropping off my roommate) that there was some drama the previous night. We took care of one of the passengers from the broken vehicle. The other three passengers went with a friend of theirs. As a result, there was an empty double bed in one of the rooms. MF told a couple, who initially was going to sleep on the floor in her room, to take the empty bed in another room. The couple felt as if they were being kicked out and were quite offended for some reason. This couple failed to bring bedding, pillows, sleeping bags, etc. so I am not sure why they became so irate. In conversation, they had made some sort of reference to the slight when I was talking about my roommate. The couple said, "Well she's not the only one that's mad." I had no clue about the drama until MF explained later.
Traveling with people is a tricky business because you are always then tied to them in a certain way, especially when going together as a group. It's a fine line. You don't want to be away from the group too much, but you also don't want to be a part of the group too much. Hopefully when I get my promotion at work soon (will be traveling 4-5 days/week), I will be able to stay in hotels, rent cars, and book flights for free!
Friday, July 20, 2012
Kansas City Part II
After a night out, I definitely slept until there was pounding at my door around noon. Sigh. A third vehicle of friends had arrived. We had booked rooms with a middle door in between us; it was nice of the hotel to be so accommodating. MF had booked one room where at one point as many as 6 people were going to cram into the room. I booked a room for just me and the fourth passenger in our vehicle because I didn't want to be so cramped in one room (which means there would have been 8 total in a room).
I woke up and we went to Oklahoma Joe's BBQ. The line was out the door as usual, but the food was cheap and good. The guy from the previous night who drove out to Ottowa, KS arrived just as we were finished eating. He was then upset we didn't stay and hang around to watch him eat. For those who have never been to OK Joe's, it is so packed that the line always wraps around the building. Due to the small number of tables and chairs, this is not a place to lollygag. You sit, eat, make small talk while eating, wipe your mouth, and leave.
I should note this same guy decided to stay near the stadium instead of where everyone else in Texian Army was staying (about 20 minutes away). For a minimum of four games, even before I decided to go on this trip, I told him not to stay near the stadium due to lack of a nightlife. I strongly encouraged him to stay where everyone else was staying and to move hotels, especially since he didn't pay for his room up front. I cannot feel sorry for people when they are upset because the rest of the group has an agenda (and they chose not to be part of the group).
Since I am becoming more and more familiar with Kansas City, we stopped at Fairway Liquors, which is in the adjacent parking lot. I remembered stopping here in November during the Eastern Conference Final trip. The prices are decent, and it's convenient after eating at OK Joe's. I say "adjacent parking lot" according to my standards. The reality is, if you don't look for the minuscule strip of asphalt, you will easily miss the fact the parking lots are connected.
After the liquor store, we went to Jiffy Lube because MF's "check engine" light came on during the previous night. We were worried, especially after what happened to the other vehicle. Thankfully there were minor problems, and surprisingly the Jiffy Lube guy did not try to tell us to get the oil changed. He assured us we'd make it back to Houston safely; later on the way to the stadium, the light turned off.
We regrouped at the hotel, shuffled people, drums, and coolers around because we had about 15 people needing to fit in two vehicles. We received an invitation from the KC Cauldron (supporters group for Sporting KC), and we decided to take the invitation, though with caution. I drove us to the stadium, and it was hot. It was 107 degrees, and we parked near the speedway. The parking lot had no shade and black asphalt. A parking attendant in a truck took pity on us, so we loaded the drums and coolers into the bed; he then headed to the Cauldron's tailgate with our stuff.
Thank God for KC Cauldron. We would have roasted. They had lots of canopies, welcomed us with open arms, provided water bottles, and a girl had pudding shots. It was funny how there was barely any trash talking, and we all found common ground by talking about other MLS teams. This was the first time I've actually tailgated with the opposing supporters group, and I was pleasantly surprised that there were no altercations. I am so used to Dallas that it was a positive change. I am not saying I would do this with every supporters group, but KC definitely has changed my mindset. It also was a lovely 180 degree contrast to the bottle-throwing, fist-punching, let's-flash-passport-cards regular KC fans experienced during the Eastern Conference Final last year.
We marched into the stadium with no trouble. I drummed the whole game, and I should note I've now established myself as a drummer for Texian Army, since I've been drumming the last six games now. It was odd being the only bass drummer (another drummer had a snare), but it was still fun. I hardly see any of the game while drumming. Sometimes I get to see the highlights, but only if I really pay attention. My support for the team comes in a different format, I suppose. I know we tied 0-0, which made me feel better about accepting the Cauldron's invitation to the Members Bar.
This was my third time at the Members Bar. I have to admit, when people ask, "How's the new Houston Dynamo stadium?" I always say, "I wish we had a Members Bar like Kansas City." No joke. The setup is incredible. Their drummers were jamming inside, and the Cauldron started motioning and waving their hands for us to join. They demanded a Dynamo chant, we jammed, and when everyone started joining arms to sing, "When the Saints Go Marching In," I thought it was beautiful. Cauldron people were joining arms with Texian Army, and it was wonderful. Somewhere I hope there's footage, but a search of YouTube failed to show results.
After the Members Bar, we went back to the hotel. I called it a night. The drive the next day was mundane as well. CS and I drove most of the way back home to Houston, and we made it in 12 hours. My next post will be lessons learned and about other things that happened during the trip, but for now, I bid adieu. Have a good day!
I woke up and we went to Oklahoma Joe's BBQ. The line was out the door as usual, but the food was cheap and good. The guy from the previous night who drove out to Ottowa, KS arrived just as we were finished eating. He was then upset we didn't stay and hang around to watch him eat. For those who have never been to OK Joe's, it is so packed that the line always wraps around the building. Due to the small number of tables and chairs, this is not a place to lollygag. You sit, eat, make small talk while eating, wipe your mouth, and leave.
I should note this same guy decided to stay near the stadium instead of where everyone else in Texian Army was staying (about 20 minutes away). For a minimum of four games, even before I decided to go on this trip, I told him not to stay near the stadium due to lack of a nightlife. I strongly encouraged him to stay where everyone else was staying and to move hotels, especially since he didn't pay for his room up front. I cannot feel sorry for people when they are upset because the rest of the group has an agenda (and they chose not to be part of the group).
Since I am becoming more and more familiar with Kansas City, we stopped at Fairway Liquors, which is in the adjacent parking lot. I remembered stopping here in November during the Eastern Conference Final trip. The prices are decent, and it's convenient after eating at OK Joe's. I say "adjacent parking lot" according to my standards. The reality is, if you don't look for the minuscule strip of asphalt, you will easily miss the fact the parking lots are connected.
After the liquor store, we went to Jiffy Lube because MF's "check engine" light came on during the previous night. We were worried, especially after what happened to the other vehicle. Thankfully there were minor problems, and surprisingly the Jiffy Lube guy did not try to tell us to get the oil changed. He assured us we'd make it back to Houston safely; later on the way to the stadium, the light turned off.
We regrouped at the hotel, shuffled people, drums, and coolers around because we had about 15 people needing to fit in two vehicles. We received an invitation from the KC Cauldron (supporters group for Sporting KC), and we decided to take the invitation, though with caution. I drove us to the stadium, and it was hot. It was 107 degrees, and we parked near the speedway. The parking lot had no shade and black asphalt. A parking attendant in a truck took pity on us, so we loaded the drums and coolers into the bed; he then headed to the Cauldron's tailgate with our stuff.
Thank God for KC Cauldron. We would have roasted. They had lots of canopies, welcomed us with open arms, provided water bottles, and a girl had pudding shots. It was funny how there was barely any trash talking, and we all found common ground by talking about other MLS teams. This was the first time I've actually tailgated with the opposing supporters group, and I was pleasantly surprised that there were no altercations. I am so used to Dallas that it was a positive change. I am not saying I would do this with every supporters group, but KC definitely has changed my mindset. It also was a lovely 180 degree contrast to the bottle-throwing, fist-punching, let's-flash-passport-cards regular KC fans experienced during the Eastern Conference Final last year.
We marched into the stadium with no trouble. I drummed the whole game, and I should note I've now established myself as a drummer for Texian Army, since I've been drumming the last six games now. It was odd being the only bass drummer (another drummer had a snare), but it was still fun. I hardly see any of the game while drumming. Sometimes I get to see the highlights, but only if I really pay attention. My support for the team comes in a different format, I suppose. I know we tied 0-0, which made me feel better about accepting the Cauldron's invitation to the Members Bar.
This was my third time at the Members Bar. I have to admit, when people ask, "How's the new Houston Dynamo stadium?" I always say, "I wish we had a Members Bar like Kansas City." No joke. The setup is incredible. Their drummers were jamming inside, and the Cauldron started motioning and waving their hands for us to join. They demanded a Dynamo chant, we jammed, and when everyone started joining arms to sing, "When the Saints Go Marching In," I thought it was beautiful. Cauldron people were joining arms with Texian Army, and it was wonderful. Somewhere I hope there's footage, but a search of YouTube failed to show results.
After the Members Bar, we went back to the hotel. I called it a night. The drive the next day was mundane as well. CS and I drove most of the way back home to Houston, and we made it in 12 hours. My next post will be lessons learned and about other things that happened during the trip, but for now, I bid adieu. Have a good day!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Kansas City Part I
I've been so busy or exhausted with soccer that I have neglected this blog. On July 6, 2012, I left my friend's apartment at 7AM for Kansas City. In the car was MF, her brother (who happens to have the same initials), and me. We stopped along the way to pick up a friend as well and then met another vehicle at the Bucee's in Madisonville.
The plan was to caravan with the other vehicle, but no one seemed to discuss the route upon leaving Madisonville. In Dallas (about 4hrs later), my GPS said to take 75N and merge with 69N. So, this is the route we decided to follow. Starting in Van Alstyne (a little north of Dallas), we noticed the other vehicle wasn't behind us anymore. Phone calls and text messages ensued. The other vehicle was taking 35N the entire way. As a result, we decided to meet a little north of Denton, TX so we took 75N to 82W (went through Sherman, home of my alma mater - great memories!) to 35N. After meeting with the other vehicle at a gas station, we were well on our way.
Even though I only lived about 15 minutes south of the Texoma border while at Austin College, I never had a desire to enter Oklahoma. With that said, it is a surprisingly beautiful drive. OK is full of hills (unlike TX) and lots of limestone. There were lots of trees, beautiful scenery, and some controlled burns along the way. In contrast, Kansas is pretty boring, although this is due partly to the turnpike. Since you're on the turnpike, there's really very little branching off, in terms of small towns, due to the limited number of exits.
The drive itself was pretty mundane until we were about 20 miles outside of Ottowa, KS when the other vehicle broke down. For some reason, when JH (driving at the time) pushed the accelerator, the car slowed down. It was very strange because I was driving at the time. At one point JH was nearly 2 miles ahead of me, and all of a sudden, he was behind me. We stopped on the side of the road. The guys attempted to figure out what was wrong with the vehicle while MF called AAA. Thankfully they didn't take too long, considering that they were totally swamped. In the meantime, we were trying to figure out logistics - people's stuff, who would ride with whom (no one could fit in the tow truck itself), etc.
A tow truck arrived, along with the AAA supervisor in his own vehicle. JH determined the closest Nissan dealer is in Lawrence, KS, about 40 miles away from Kansas City. Luckily AAA only charged $150 to tow it there; technically they should have charged $4/extra mile over a certain amount. The AAA supervisor graciously took 3 people in his car to a gas station in Ottowa, KS while I followed; we took 1 passenger from the vehicle. We waited for about 1.5 hours for another Texian Army member (who had already arrived in Kansas City) to come pick up the other 3 people. We did not want to leave anyone stranded.
I will say a situation like this gives great insight as to how people react to curve balls. One of the people in our vehicle became visibly upset, yelling, "I just want out of here!" She could not understand why we stopped to help people in need. Neither MF nor I had the heart to leave people stranded. In addition, I kept thinking, "What if we had been in that situation?" I would have hoped friends would have helped. Besides, it isn't like we are all strangers. Being part of a supporters group is like being with a family. I am with these people constantly, and I've known the people in the other vehicle since 2007.
One of the people who drove from Kansas City to the gas station in Ottowa, KS later revealed to someone, "That put me in a compromising situation." I am not sure how this was warranted. He was already in KC, and according to another person, wasn't going to go out anyway because he was too tired. I really don't understand people like this. But nevertheless we made it to our hotel, Best Western - Kansas City Inn, around 10PM. The drive, which should've taken 12 hours, ended up taking 15, but the important thing is that we were safe.
Of course, we did not stay in the hotel that night. After a couple arrived at the hotel from the airport, the hotel graciously shuttled us (with the exception of the friend who was upset by the whole car situation) to dinner at Gates BBQ. We then returned to the hotel for a brief stop, and the shuttle again took us to KC Live, a place in the Power and Light District. I like KC Live because there's a perimeter of bars around an outdoor courtyard. You can move from bar to bar with your open container, listen to live music in the middle, etc. Johnny's Tavern is adjacent to KC Live, home of the KC Cauldron and American Outlaws KC chapter (was there in March & April). There's also Pizza Bar where you can buy a big slice of pizza for only $3.50. My only criticism of KC Live is that the bars close at 3AM, but the bathrooms close at 2AM. Due to lack of bathrooms, we left around 2:30AM, headed back to the hotel, and I called it a night.
Another blog post will follow. Have a good evening!
The plan was to caravan with the other vehicle, but no one seemed to discuss the route upon leaving Madisonville. In Dallas (about 4hrs later), my GPS said to take 75N and merge with 69N. So, this is the route we decided to follow. Starting in Van Alstyne (a little north of Dallas), we noticed the other vehicle wasn't behind us anymore. Phone calls and text messages ensued. The other vehicle was taking 35N the entire way. As a result, we decided to meet a little north of Denton, TX so we took 75N to 82W (went through Sherman, home of my alma mater - great memories!) to 35N. After meeting with the other vehicle at a gas station, we were well on our way.
Even though I only lived about 15 minutes south of the Texoma border while at Austin College, I never had a desire to enter Oklahoma. With that said, it is a surprisingly beautiful drive. OK is full of hills (unlike TX) and lots of limestone. There were lots of trees, beautiful scenery, and some controlled burns along the way. In contrast, Kansas is pretty boring, although this is due partly to the turnpike. Since you're on the turnpike, there's really very little branching off, in terms of small towns, due to the limited number of exits.
The drive itself was pretty mundane until we were about 20 miles outside of Ottowa, KS when the other vehicle broke down. For some reason, when JH (driving at the time) pushed the accelerator, the car slowed down. It was very strange because I was driving at the time. At one point JH was nearly 2 miles ahead of me, and all of a sudden, he was behind me. We stopped on the side of the road. The guys attempted to figure out what was wrong with the vehicle while MF called AAA. Thankfully they didn't take too long, considering that they were totally swamped. In the meantime, we were trying to figure out logistics - people's stuff, who would ride with whom (no one could fit in the tow truck itself), etc.
A tow truck arrived, along with the AAA supervisor in his own vehicle. JH determined the closest Nissan dealer is in Lawrence, KS, about 40 miles away from Kansas City. Luckily AAA only charged $150 to tow it there; technically they should have charged $4/extra mile over a certain amount. The AAA supervisor graciously took 3 people in his car to a gas station in Ottowa, KS while I followed; we took 1 passenger from the vehicle. We waited for about 1.5 hours for another Texian Army member (who had already arrived in Kansas City) to come pick up the other 3 people. We did not want to leave anyone stranded.
I will say a situation like this gives great insight as to how people react to curve balls. One of the people in our vehicle became visibly upset, yelling, "I just want out of here!" She could not understand why we stopped to help people in need. Neither MF nor I had the heart to leave people stranded. In addition, I kept thinking, "What if we had been in that situation?" I would have hoped friends would have helped. Besides, it isn't like we are all strangers. Being part of a supporters group is like being with a family. I am with these people constantly, and I've known the people in the other vehicle since 2007.
One of the people who drove from Kansas City to the gas station in Ottowa, KS later revealed to someone, "That put me in a compromising situation." I am not sure how this was warranted. He was already in KC, and according to another person, wasn't going to go out anyway because he was too tired. I really don't understand people like this. But nevertheless we made it to our hotel, Best Western - Kansas City Inn, around 10PM. The drive, which should've taken 12 hours, ended up taking 15, but the important thing is that we were safe.
Of course, we did not stay in the hotel that night. After a couple arrived at the hotel from the airport, the hotel graciously shuttled us (with the exception of the friend who was upset by the whole car situation) to dinner at Gates BBQ. We then returned to the hotel for a brief stop, and the shuttle again took us to KC Live, a place in the Power and Light District. I like KC Live because there's a perimeter of bars around an outdoor courtyard. You can move from bar to bar with your open container, listen to live music in the middle, etc. Johnny's Tavern is adjacent to KC Live, home of the KC Cauldron and American Outlaws KC chapter (was there in March & April). There's also Pizza Bar where you can buy a big slice of pizza for only $3.50. My only criticism of KC Live is that the bars close at 3AM, but the bathrooms close at 2AM. Due to lack of bathrooms, we left around 2:30AM, headed back to the hotel, and I called it a night.
Another blog post will follow. Have a good evening!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Kansas City USMNT Flights
It's funny how ESP somewhat works. After a heavy discussion yesterday during Mexico/Brazil game about the FIFA and CONCACAF schedules, I decided this morning around 9AM CDT I'd go ahead and put a vacation request for Oct. 15-17, 2012.
Little did I know US Soccer would release the final US city this year for a world cup qualifier this afternoon - Kansas City.
Kudos to Kansas City. I like the Power and Light District, the BBQ is definitely better than North Carolina (gag), and let's face it - it's a soccer-dedicated stadium.
But, I have to admit, I am kind of getting tired of going there. Between the MLS Eastern Conference final last year and the Olympic qualifiers this year (when the USA failed to show up - let's not say more), I've now been to KC twice in the last year. October 2012 will be the third time in nearly a year I'll be there.
Nevertheless, I am looking to book a flight next week. My allowance is 1 trip booked per credit card statement. Is there something going on in KC (besides the USMNT game) that I should know about?
Little did I know US Soccer would release the final US city this year for a world cup qualifier this afternoon - Kansas City.
Kudos to Kansas City. I like the Power and Light District, the BBQ is definitely better than North Carolina (gag), and let's face it - it's a soccer-dedicated stadium.
But, I have to admit, I am kind of getting tired of going there. Between the MLS Eastern Conference final last year and the Olympic qualifiers this year (when the USA failed to show up - let's not say more), I've now been to KC twice in the last year. October 2012 will be the third time in nearly a year I'll be there.
Nevertheless, I am looking to book a flight next week. My allowance is 1 trip booked per credit card statement. Is there something going on in KC (besides the USMNT game) that I should know about?
- United: $867 nonstop <insert HUGE gasp>
- Southwest: $314.70, 1 stop each way
- American Airlines: $312.70, 1 stop each way
- Airtran: $321.70, 1 stop each way (5-6 hours)
- Delta (don't ever leave the airport): ~$900, 1 stop each way (uh, no)
- Frontier: nearly $400, actually operated by Republic Airlines (?!?!), 1 stop each way (~5 hours)
- Travelocity hotel/flight package: $584.30 through American Airlines (1 stop each way) with hotel near Power and Light District. Orbitz also has a comparable package.
- Air Canada does not conduct USA domestic flights.
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