I am home

Home from Talladega and Georgia ! What a trip. The flight to Georgia was a little bumpy. Low clouds getting out of Salt Lake and unsettled weather all across the US. We had one of those map things to watch so that entertained us. 3+ hours. Atlanta is one of, if not the largest airport in the US. WOW, you look at the map in the in flight magazine and panic ! We are never going to get out of here ! But It is very easy. By the time I went to the restroom, got on the train, found the baggage carrousel, our bags were waiting. The crowds are large but they are moving. The people are very courteous and pleasant. The hotel shuttle picked us up and the Double Tree Airport Hotel was nice. The staff was helpful to two weary travelers.

We checked in with our Dream Trip Hosts and received our tickets, pit passes, lanyards, plastic credential holders, and Talladega pins.

Our room was a king and was nice. After checking it out we went in to the restaurant. The server, Ben, was great. My friend had an appetite so he got him pork chops. Me I was just a little hungry, he suggest a chicken casedea, it was very good. We had margaritas from the bar, up, salt and no salt. All and all a nice meal, Gave us time to relax and calm down from our flight.

The hotel puts up Delta crew and staff so they are busy. My room was quiet, no outside noise, no hall noise. The halls and common areas were clean and the décor was different from a lot of hotels. The room was typical Hilton. They use fresh flowers in the halls, by the elevators, seating areas, etc. Welcome to the south. We desert dwellers like that.

Sunday morning we got up early. The small bus that took our group to the Race was new and very clean. There were 25 of us, plus a Host. Our driver was very knowledge. He made his way around construction, accidents, cops giving tickets, cars being towed and detours. Talladega is in Alabama on Anniston Air Force Base about 105 miles from Atlanta. We passed some small towns, but nowhere you would want to stay, unless you had your home with you. Lots of camping. Talladega its self is out in the middle of nowhere. It is a huge track, surrounded by land. Anniston is a closed Base but we passed an active Base on our way, plus national forest. At the track they have lots of parking at track side and camping places for trailers, campers, tents and all sorts of rigs. Hundreds of porta-pottys. All with in walking distance of the track.

There is seating for 100,000+. The stands were not full. The race is flat out - 3 and 4 wide most of the time. Single file is not the norm.
Danica did good early on, but it is like she runs out of gas or something. She always finishes in the 20's. Everyone said the wrecks were not as bad this year. I have not watched the race before so I can not compare, but I thought they were spectacular !! The one at the finish line on the last lap was a real dust up!! At least they let the race end.

I am so glad Royce goes with me. He knows why the cautions are called. He knows all the cars and drivers and where they stand in the points in the races. He takes time to explain over and over why things are as they are in the race. He has a real good time at the race and holds my hand on the trip to and from the track. It is nice to have some one to have fun with.

Back at the hotel we relaxed and cleaned up. boy were we covered with dirt. The restaurant was closed, they were doing room service with no charge and serving in the bar. We did not want to go any where so we ate in the bar. The bartender was a delight. He ask every ones name, and remembered them.

Monday we spent some time seeing a bit of Atlanta. I have done a lot of traveling and going in and out of airports and hotels does not count as seeing a city. Having never being to Atlanta before  we hired a cab for 2 hours and saw some sights. They have a giant Ferris wheel downtown by Olympic Park. We rode that first. What a thrill. You can see all the buildings, all of Olympic Park, we were alone in  a gondola that could seat six or eight people. It is quite a ride. Next we drove by the Coke a Cola Museum, the Aquarium, the CNN building, Ted Turner's complex and the home of the author of Gone With the Wind, the novel. He stopped were ever we wanted.We saw Emery University, and the home of the Atlanta Braves and drove through another business school. We went to Atlanta Underground but I did not go down. We drove through neighborhoods and were impressed by the hotels and banks down town. Atlanta is a big city, we took a small bite and then went back to our hotel. The cab driver likes Atlanta, he is from Ghana by way of London. He feels living, working and going to school in the United States is easier than in London. He goes back and forth to London a lot. He knew the city well and we had a good time with him.

Tuesday we flew home. We checked out of the hotel at noon and our flight was not until 4:30pm. We got a good feel for how big the air port was !
We bought a pizza and a beer and sat by a window and watched a tarmac with the planes coming and going and the baggage trains going 90 miles an hour in all directions with no traffic lights. It was incredible. Our server explained that the bar tried to be a little different. They are such a big, busy place they try to have different food, a full service bar and a place to sit out of the flow of the food court. Our pizza was a build your own with feta cheese and Italian meets and a thin crust, hand tossed. Good sauce. There was a man playing Jazz on a piano.

The flight home was bumpy. 90 mile an hour tail wind all the way. Good pilot he didn't let it slow him down!!
Good to be home. Next stop LA