On the road in Raleigh
I had a really nice drive down from Virginia Beach yesterday. Until I got to Raleigh’s outer loop, I-540.
Just as I was nearing the Capitol Boulevard exit — ironically, not far from where we lived, back in the mid-1990s — a big piece of plywood lying in the road flew up in the turbulent wake of a pack of vehicles and flipped right at me. I smacked into it at 60 mph, ripping off part of my front bumper.
Yes, that’s the same front bumper that I just had replaced two months ago after I hit a deer.
At least it was drivable after only an hour’s work at a nearby Chrysler dealer. While I was there, Sharon was back home on the phone with our insurance agent who suggested — I am not making this up — that we switch to bicycles.
Mental note: When I get home Friday, start looking for a new insurance agent.
As a result, I got to the Embassy Suites here in Cary, N.C., a little later than I had hoped. Man, what a nice place this is. The only previous time I’ve stayed in an Embassy Suites was at a Quickcourse in St. Louis in 2000.
My place here is huge, with a living/dining room separate from the bedroom. This sure would come in handy for an SND annual workshop.
I wonder if we’ve ever considered holding an annual workshop in an Embassy Suites. Our annual workshop is probably too large for this hotel anyway.
The view from the door of my room is nearly identical to the photo I posted a couple weeks ago. Except I’m higher up — on the 7th floor, three from the top:
That’s a photo from the Embassy Suites website, not from me. I brought my camera so I can take pictures to post. But I discovered this morning that my battery was dead. So no photos this time. Dammit.
I sat in the bar last night, sucking down Sam Adams beer and tweaking my slideshow. I went downstairs for a complimentary breakfast. Which means you can’t eat it; you have to stand there and compliment it: Oh, what a beautiful spread!
Not really. But it makes a good story.
I’ll head downstairs in a few minutes and set up for my show, which begins in about 45 minutes.
I see a lot of familiar names on the NCPA registration roster I was given. I hope they’re coming to my show. I’ve not seen some of these folks in years.
I’ll be done at noon. I’ll hop in my poor, wounded PT Cruiser, probably hit a Wendy’s for lunch and then head downtown where I’m presenting at The News & Observer’s staff development day this afternoon.
Then, I face a long, dark ride home after only a few hours’ sleep last night and with a car that’s handling funny because I’m missing a slice of a bumper and half of the attached air dam.
Sigh…
If any deer leap in front of me tonight, baby, they’re toast!