My blog’s been in a minor rut over the past few days. I’ve been working on a summary-type post in regards to VMWorld, but it just keeps growing and growing and finally this morning I decided to put it on the back burner. I’ll shelve that one for now and condense 10,000 words into a single paragraph:
VMWorld was great. I had a good time attending more than 20 sessions. The after parties and the training sessions were pretty cool, too. I learned a lot, but I’m not sure I would go again.
There … now that’s out of the way.
The drive back from Vegas … ugh, 1,100 miles is no joke. I left Vegas around 7am, got gas and stretched a couple of times, and arrived in Albuquerque around 6pm. There, I met my friends Paul (Pantechnicon) and Charles (Ubikuberalles) for dinner at the Flying Star Cafe. I had the enchiladas with chicken and green chile, and they were great. The three of us ended up hanging out in the cafe for almost 3 hours. Paul graciously offered me a place to crash for the night, but I had already planned on crashing in Santa Rosa for the night, another 100 miles down the road. When I got to Santa Rosa I wasn’t tired at all, so I ended up driving for another four hours or so, finally stopping in the outskirts of Amarillo. I slept for a few hours in a Love’s parking lot before waking up, driving about 30 minutes, and realizing I was still too tired to sleep. I pulled over a second time and fell asleep in a different gas station parking lot. After that nap I was wide awake, and finished my drive without incident. Google Maps says the drive straight through should take 17.5 hours and I did it in 25 so … eh, not impressive.
I was back in town yesterday and will be home today. Tomorrow I’ll be flying (yes, flying!) to Washington D.C. for a few days. Wish me luck in that endeavor.
Wouldn’t the 17.5 hours estimate based on minimal stopping (ie. there are two drivers and therefore the only breaks are meals and quick pit stops)? If you drove alone, then 25 hours isn’t bad at all. And even if it were, no biggie; what matters is that you did it and came home.
So I guess that if you go to CGE next year, you won’t be driving? :P
how does the theory it seems like the drive back goes by faster in this instance?
I believe the 17.5 hour estimate is based on no stops. At a minimum, for 1,100 miles, I would have to stop twice for gas. In my younger days I could have made it in 18 hours but … I just get too stiff these days and have to get out and stretch more than I used to.
As for the drive back being shorter … I don’t know about that. The way “there” is always more fun because you’re seeing new things and making fun stops and stuff. The way home is all about just getting back home as quickly as possible.