BOULDER - ALMOST HOME

You would think two weeks in the Northeast would have been enough time for me on the road, but I decided to squeeze one additional trip on the end because that is just how I roll. Nuts might be a better way to say it. In any case, I flew from New York to Denver for two days of planning meetings for the SNAP event we will help produce in September. For those of you unfamiliar with SNAP, it is really an awesome event that I highly recommend to you. The whole experience is about changing your perceptions in the areas of Science, Nature, Art and People. The event was founded by Peter Roy, Drake Sadler, Steve Demos, and Doug Greene and the goal is to produce a “fire hose” of content. Check out the website for more information on who is coming, etc…

This year we will be moving the event from Austin to the Boulder Theatre in downtown Boulder. This is a really cool deco style building that gives us a blank canvas with really good sound and lighting to produce something spectacular. I am really excited about how this will come together this year. I will make sure to get some pictures of the production for everyone to see.

While the meetings were great, I was definitely ready to come home by friday. My only regret was I didn’t have enough time to stop by an see my favorite Allegro Coffee folks in Thornton. Next time. However, two really cool things happened on the way home. First, as I was driving out of Boulder, I looked out over the landscape whizzing by and saw a field full of prairie dogs sunning themselves.

The day had been overcast with pockets of sun and they were taking full advantage. I wish there had been somewhere to stop and snap a photo, but I was late for the plane and it was off the side of the freeway so you will just have to take my word for it when I say it was one of those special little moments when nature rewards you with something spectacular. There must have been three or four hundred of them.

Secondly, as I was waiting in line at my gate in Denver, I made friends with the two Southwest pilots flying me home. Our plane was delayed - big shock these days - so we had a half and hour or so to shoot the breeze. You’re probably thinking, why is this important - well, it helped me clear up something I have wondered about for some time. A few months ago my step-dad had told me a story he had heard about how Southwest planes speed on the tarmac during taxi because it was cheaper to pay the speeding ticket than it was to suffer the wrath of customers who were late. It made sense to me, especially since I am so rabidly loyal to Southwest, but I had always wondered how this was enforced.

Also, when Chris and I were in Vegas recently, our pilot pretty much had the plane off the ground on the taxi to the runway, so I was curious to know.

Well it turns out there actually isn’t a speed limit, but rather it is up to each pilot to determine the safe speed in getting the plane to the runway. Apparently you can take a Boeing 737 up to 250 mph on land without taking off, so I figure the guy in Vegas was doing at least 200. I mean, our tires screeched as we turned the corner onto the runway. I love it. I would so much rather have it this way then the “Jet Blue Experience” where you board early just to sit on the tarmac while they walk you through their unbelievably legalistic safety speech and then crawl out to the runway. I say go for it. But that’s just me.

Boulder and SNAP were awesome and I can’t wait for the event, but in the words of my new favorite pilot - “let’s get the hell out of here…” - I have some pancakes to make.

PS - The landing in Oakland was great. Buttery smooth