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 |  I travel the country on business, sometimes the world. Come see where I've been. |
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Talk about perks, my job has one of the best ones I can think of! I travel in the course of business, delivering classes for my employer. I am a Senior Training Specialist for Motorola Solutions, and teach classes on a wide variety of subjects centered around 2 way radio communications. I'm qualified to deliver approximately 30 different classes, but about half of those are 'Legacy' classes, and are not in demand anymore. My students are technicians, those who maintain, program, calibrate, and repair large 2-way radio systems. Some of these systems are statewide, and use TCP-IP networking to allow sites to communicate with others. Some are small, traditional type radio sites. The size doesn't matter, in each case the systems must be kept operational at all times, since many of them are Public Safety Systems. So I get to travel, sometimes frequently, 3-4 weeks in a row.... where am I this week? This probably won't have daily entries, but I will make entries when I get to go somewhere, and keep an updated list of coming trips. My schedule changes faster than the weather, so don't be too surprised to see me list an upcoming class, only to remark later on that it is cancelled, or delayed. Delays are fine of course, but a later date might mean that someone else gets to go instead of me,,, Well, here we go with this, let's see where it takes us.  Best Cultural And Regional Honorable Mention |
| Locale: Charlottesville, Virginia, Hampton, Virginia Week of: August 30, 2021 In my previous entries about this trip, I failed to mention where we dined, so thought I'd update you on this. I do want to say one thing first though. I know it sounds like I'm (or maybe Robert Waltz  and I) are lushes, looking for our next fix of alcohol. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Yes, this trip was all about me getting to Virginia for that Bourbon. That is true. But we didn't drink much at all, and while it was about getting Bourbon, it was not about drinking it, at least then. I don't drink and drive. Hard, fast, rule I never break. I've never had a DUI, and don't intend to get one anytime soon. Besides, I really am a lightweight, any more than one drink and I'm done. One is fine, I don't get drunk on one, but two or more, you never know.I started the trip a bit late on Thursday after spending the day working from home. I left about 2 pm, but had to stop to get a haircut first, so I didn't get out of town until almost 3:30. My plan was to spend the night in Cincinnati, I didn't arrive until almost 8pm. I was tired, so any idea of going out was gone. Friday's drive was a bit better, I arrived in Charlottesville about 5 pm. Saturday was a day of driving, visiting my daughter, and the Distillery. So where did we eat and what did we have? Thursday: Panera Bread - I just had a Caeser Salad with chicken. They were getting ready to close, so it wasn't great, but it's the kind of meal I wanted and needed. Friday: Bob Evans: Not my favorite place for breakfast, but it was close, easy to get back on the route, so no brainer really. There was a place I do enjoy called "Another Broken Egg", but it was about 25 minutes away, and in the wrong direction. Friday night: I picked up Robert Waltz and Artemismad  after getting settled in my hotel. I had wanted to go to a place I found while in Charlottesville a few years back. It's a South African place with food that is unlike anything I've had before. Sadly, they are closed permantently. I mentioned that to Bob, and told him to decide where we should go. We ended up going to Threenotchedbrewing https://threenotchdbrewing.com/charlottesville-craft-kitchen-brewery/, a nearby brew pub. Yes, we had alcohol. I had a beer, sadly it was canned, Bob and Anna had Sake. We decided on three appetizers while waiting for our table, and three more once we were sat. Let's see if I can remember things correctly. we had Pot-stickers, Hummus and veggies, and a bowl of Ramen. Once we were at our table, we ordered three more. A trio of mini-burgers, Nachos, and deviled eggs. Quite the combination overall, and everything was very good.Saturday: Bob confessed a desire for a Egg McMuffin, so we stopped there. I decided on the two breakfast burritos. Not my favorite place to stop, but we didn't have time to dine in at a decent place. Saturday lunch: Bob and I walked to a nearby Pizza place only to find it closed, which meant a return walk of a quarter mile. Just that short walk wore me out! We were heading to a Subway, but saw a Teriyaki place on the way and stopped there. Sushi and a small plate later and we were sated, for now. Saturday dinner: After our adventure was over for the day, it was time to head to Charlottesville. Bob knew of a Vietnamese place in Richmond he recommended, so we stopped there. https://mekongisforbeerlovers.com/ He had a make your own Spring Roll, and I had a Shrimp Pho. Even their smallest size was too big for me, but not by too much. It was what I wanted and needed though. I should have had more veggies all weekend, but sadly, nope. Sunday breakfast: One of my favorite breakfast chains to dine at, First Watch. https://www.firstwatch.com/locations/barracks I had a nice omelet which was pretty good overall. Lunch and dinner were mainly snacks during my drive. Not the healthiest meals all weekend, but better than fast food all the time. I'm sorry if this is too detailed for you, but it is what it is, as they say. Now to figure out how to get more personal road-trips like this! In Closing That's about it for now, til next time, be good to yourselves and those you love, and WRITE!  Jim Dorrell |
| Locale: Charlottesville, Virginia, Hampton, Virginia Week of: August 30, 2021 Today was just a great day overall. Expensive, but great. I picked up Robert Waltz a little after 8 and we headed for the Newport News/Hampton area of Virginia. It was a great drive, uneventful, and fun. We got there around 10:45 or so, and visiting my daughter first. She lives in Hampton with her husband & two children. Its been far too long since I've visited them. We sat and talked for a bit, but their son Jonathan was anxious to get going. They were taking him to the Gray Wolf Lodge today for a day of fun and such. I don't blame him for being anxious. She knew I was coming, but had made these plans long ago. Since Bob and I had things to get done too, I told her there was no way she was changing her plans.We left about 12:45, yep, a short visit. Very good visit, quality time, I even watched Jonathan play with his VR Spiderman game in his room. This was significant to me, because Jonathan is borderline Autistic. We had a good time in his room, but it wasn't long enough. As I mentioned, all too soon Bob and I had to leave. Our next stop was at the Mini-Mart near the base to get a bottle of Moscato from Italy. In this case, I got a bottle of Mango Moscato. Next of course was the Ironclad Distillery. But, it was lunch time and we were both hungry. We ended up going to a small place nearby and had a bite. Back at the Distillery, I found that they had set three bottles of the Rickover Bourbon aside for me to pickup. We sampled a couple (including their Bourbon Syrup, Yummy!), I even added a bottle of Bourbon Syrup to my stuff. Bob sampled more than I did since I was driving. I'm a lightweight with alcohol, so didn't want to push things. If I lived in this area though, I'd be in trouble, their stuff is that good. Then we had the drive back to Charlottesville, but we had to make a stop for dinner at a Vietnamese place that Bob likes. Yeah, it too was good.. very good. After that, the drive. Not long, Bob and I talked all day long it seems. It wasn't like meeting someone for the first time (okay, second time, we did have dinner together with 🌕 HuntersMoon  and his wife in December 2019), but it was not like two men who barely know each other, it was like old friends meeting after not seeing each other for quite a while. Maybe due to a lockdown caused by a Global Pandemic? So yes, a very good day, tiring, but good.In Closing That's about it for now, til next time, be good to yourselves and those you love, and WRITE! Jim Dorrell |
| Locale: Virginia Week of: August 30, 2021 Well, first things first. I did work this week, though it seems I didn't get much done. I was to cross-train a fellow instructor on two courses that I'm the only officially qualified instructor of. Problem is, things didn't go quite as planned. Monday was fine, then came Tuesday. For some reason, the shot this week really hit me. Hit me hard. I was starting to feel unwell Monday night, and by Tuesday morning it was far worse. I just ached all over, no appetite, at least I didn't have a fever, nor was I vomiting. It was mostly a feeling of just 'being unwell'. By Wednesday morning, I was almost 100%. So we did the cross training Monday and Wednesday. I don't feel I was properly prepared, and could have done a much better job in cross-training him. Thursday. <Sigh> He changed his password Wednesday night, and could do nothing on Thursday. He spent the day (as far as I know) working with IT to correct his problem. So only two days of cross-training. Friday we were all (all employess) given the day off. It's called 'Feel good Friday', they do this once in a while. Knowing this day off was coming on a three day weekend, and feeling I needed a road trip, I decided I would drive to Newport News Virginia. The reason? To purchase a bottle of Bourbon. 'That's a pretty expensive bottle of Bourbon Jim', is what most of you are thinking, or saying. And you are right. But there's a reason. (Isn't there always a reason?). This Bourbon is distilled by the Ironclad Distillery in Newport News. I know you're wondering why I didn't have them ship me a bottle or two. They aren't licensed to ship out of state. I found out tonight that Virginia has some pretty odd laws about alcohol, and that's fine. So what's so special about this Bourbon? Well, it's called the Hyman Rickover Bourbon. And who was Hyman Rickover? He is the Naval Admiral who is considered the 'father of the US Nuclear Navy'. Without him, I wouldn't be where I am today. I just wanted a bottle of it, okay?  I couldn't have it shipped to me, I couldn't have any one buy it and ship to me (that's illegal), I could not find a website that could ship it to, so the only option seemed to be coming here to get it myself. Besides, I needed a road trip!I left yesterday to head here, and spent the night in Cincinnati. This morning, the phone GPS (we won't talk about the GPS in my van, and how impossible it is to add an destination to it), showed the fastest route to head due east, then south at Jackson Ohio. I didn't look at it closely, I just started driving. It turns out, the route took me through Point Pleasant, West Virginia, so I had to stop and see 'him'  You may know of this creature from the movie, this is a sculptors representation of 'The Mothman'. The movie "The Mothman Prophecies made this creature almost a household name. There's no way I could come to Virginia to purchase Bourbon and not pick up Robert Waltz , so tonight I'm staying in Charlottesville, Virginia. We had dinner together, and will head to Newport News tomorrow morning. I am counting on Bob to tell me if this is a good Bourbon or not. He can tell me it's rot-gut stuff, I'm still getting a bottle. We'll return here tomorrow night, I will head home Sunday, and should arrive sometime before midnight. So, a whirlwind road trip, but a fun one just the same.In Closing I am still delivering classes from home only, and don't see that changing the rest of this year. Tjhat's fine, I've really started enjoying teaching from home, but I also miss traveling. That's about it for now, til next time, be good to yourselves and those you love, and WRITE! Jim Dorrell |
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I then went to Taiwan for two weeks; but, although that was nice, it wasn't 'home'. 
