Lately, I’ve been fortunate to visit both the right and left coasts – all within the last two weeks. And each time…well, the trip has been…let’s just say “eventful” and that’s not because of the purpose of each excursion.

A couple weeks ago I blogged about my travels to Alexandria,VA. That trip started out with a plane navigation problem that resulted in a cooling fan replacement, then an entire computer sensor thingy switcharoo. All was well…after a 90 minute departure delay.

So today I find myself in San Diego.

This morning’s departure from DFW was delayed 50 minutes. This time it was because of some damaged heat shield for the brake on the nose gear. Ahhh yeah, lets get that replaced guys…no objections here…glad you found that issue before we pushed back from the gate instead of when we tried to land out here. They ended up jacking up the plane with all of us on board and replacing the front tire, brake assembly, and that pesky heat shield.

This left coast trip is semi-business – I’m on a fly-in with Hunter Industries. Me and four other guys are getting the manufacturing tour of Hunter’s low voltage outdoor lighting line as well as their irrigation products. My buddy Charley is the local rep in Dallas and treats me well. And he’s fun to be around. Case in point(s):

Upon arrival in San Diego, Charley rents this Chrysler van for all of us to tool around town in (we’re styling now!). The goofy thing then unexpectedly loses electrical power. The van starts (and stays running) and the door locks work…everything else looks like somebody forgot to pay the electric bill this month. Charley pulls into a parking lot, shuts off the van, everyone falls out, and 5 minutes later the electrical system starts working again. We quickly pile back into the van and Charley gets us to the hotel, where once there the crazy thing goes dark again. Needless to say, Charley drops us off and heads back to Hertz to “replace” the rental.

But wait…I failed to mention on the way to the hotel we’re in a traffic slowdown because of a roadside fire. From the looks of things, somebody else was having electrical problems as a car was fried on the shoulder and the roadside vegetation subsequently caught fire. Oh geez, but great photo opp (will have to post those later).

Charley is a good sport about it all and takes our ribbing with much grace (he might think he has too with this bunch, I don’t know)

The next couple days may be equally eventful, or not. We’ll see. But I will say I keep hearing this annoying voice in my noggin that says maybe I should stay home for a while.

Naw, the summers in San Diego are worth the visit. 78 degrees with a cooling breeze from the ocean. It is a trip that offers a reprieve from the Texas heat – 30 some odd days of +100 degrees heat without rain – and the equally nasty heat wave experienced in Virginia a few days ago.

Go away voice between my ears. I’m enjoying the weather and people-craziness of those in the land of fruit and nuts…and great grilled seafood, holy cow was that good eating at Asti Restorante!