Valley of the Sun

Let those who know, know the joy..

My work necessitated a trip to Phoenix for a conference and seeking to make lemonade out of prunes, I made the most of it. Here is my travel log and some observations…

I arrived to find welcoming temperatures in the eighties and brilliant sunshine. Google maps came through again and after checking in, donning my sport coat and picking up a name badge, I was among the geeks. I should clarify, there were two distinct groups, those with Italian shoes, fancy watches and pressed shirts. There were others with black Rebooks, digital watches and wrinkled cotton dockers. The Italian shoes were hugely outnumbered and the main secessions were like listening to someone reading a warranty for a product you don’t have, or ever intend to have.


I’ve seen clouds that looked like biscuits before, but this is the first time the sky looked like PANCAKES !!

When you attend these shows you know how a woman feels when men leer at her. People don’t make eye contact until they read your name badge (not for your name, but for your company) and then, depending on if you are a effectively a buyer or a seller, you get either a warm greeting or polite restraint.

The homeless people in Phoenix are really, really tan. Instead of looking healthy, it gives them an otherworldly appearance. In Seattle the homeless have skin complexions the color of cinnamon rolls, in Phoenix they look more like saddles. Not a judgment, just a sad observation.

With the precision of a Swiss watch I checked off my objectives. I met the people I needed and covered the topics I needed to address. This allowed me some time to myself and I used it well.


There were lots of hospitality suites in the hotel that had free food. The weird thing was all the food was from the hotel so after a very short time you realized it was all the same. Having attended Aviation trade shows since 1988, the theme of repetition is getting to me.

At least they had BACON

The highlight of my trip (from a personal perspective) was getting to attend a Spring Training game for my Seattle Mariners.

Google maps brought me to the parking lot and after forking over a Lincoln I found my spot. As I walked toward the stadium I must have had the appropriate bewildered out of towner first timer look. A female parking attendant who was probably one hundred and thirty years old (or in her mid seventies with a George Hamilton tan) asked if I had a ticket. I told her I did not and she handed me a forth row seat on the third base line for free. This was looking like a good day. I found my seat and snapped some pictures.


Nice seat eh ?

On the way to the airport I was getting gas when a big truck and an SUV had a confrontational meeting..


Sorry dude !