Wow, I've been bad
So I've been neglecting my blog really bad mostly because things have been kind of crazy with lots of things going on. I can't divulge everything yet because some stuff isn't set in stone yet but all I can say is that there may be some big changes in store for me here in the near future.
Onto other things now like what I've been upto lately. After the Dover trip, I pretty much worked every day until July 7th - 15th, which was a crazy, racing filled adventure. That week started with a trip to Eldora Speedway for the Ollie's 360 Challenge, where I got to spend time with Sara and Mary, who I hadn't seen since our trip to Charlotte last fall. We had a blast, spending time in the pits and in the stands, watching Kasey, Joey, and Dave Blaney run sprints along with a number of other regular Sprint drivers. The pits were a mess of mud because of rain earlier in the day but it was fun watching the guys in the pits and watching the action on the track upclose like that. I also had a first in that I got like 5 feet from Kale and said Hi to him and got a nice Hi back from him. The racing action was great in part because we didn't have to see Donny Schatz win but at the same time both Kasey and Joey struggled in the A-Main. Overall, it was quite a muddy but fun time.
The next day, it was off to O'Hare to pick up Abby for the beginning of what was to be our whirlwind week. On the way back from the airport, we stopped off at Giordano's for lunch for Abby's first Chicago style pizza. We had a delicious lunch and then headed back on our way to my house. We stopped at my house and dropped off our stuff and then took a tour of the town that included a stop at my work and a trip to the beach where Abby and I walked on the beach and stuck our feet in the water, enjoying it and solidifying the idea that if we live together, we must live on or near the beach. After that, we headed back to my house for awhile and then dad took us to dinner at Quaker Steak & Lube in Portage.
The next day began the first of our 3 day adventure at Chicagoland Speedway. We got ready, loaded up the car, grabbed lunch, got gas and ice and headed on our way to the track. We got there with plenty of time to spare as the Nationwide cars were just taking to the track for practice when we got there. We went and hit the haulers and Abby picked up a Sprint Fan View before we headed to the car to drop off stuff we purchased before heading down to the Pits, where we had planned to spend the rest of the day. We got down there as Nationwide practice was ending and Cup practice was getting ready to get underway. We hung out and took pictures and tried out the Fan View while we hung out. Before the end of Cup practice, it started to lightning and drizzling, which brought out a red flag briefly. They resumed the action only to red flag it again as the rain and lightning resumed and gained in intensity. We hurried through the pits and back up to the grandstands and waited out the rain under the stands. The rain stopped and the sun came out and we took the time to go to the car and grab our jackets and such because it had gotten a little cool and we had a feeling that they were going to be able to get the track dry and get qualifying in since they had the lights and plenty of time. We headed back to the pits and watched as the cars were being pushed through pre-qualifying inspection and pushed out onto the track, onto the grid for qualifying. As we waited, we noticed the skies getting dark once more but thought nothing of it at first. Once we saw the skies starting to get black as night and the clouds stacking and rolling in, we thought it was a good idea to head back to the grandstands in hopes of getting to the car before the rain hit this time. As we hurried back to the pedestrian tunnel, we heard them make an announcement over the PA to tell everyone in the stands to leave the stands immediately because of impending bad weather. No sooner had the announcement been made, we saw crew members come running from the garage and down pit road to get the cars covered and back to the garage before the rain hit. We got to the stands just as the rain hit once more. We waited out the rain once more and once it died down to a drizzle we finally headed to the car and headed home. Thus ended our crazy day at Chicagoland Speedway.
Friday saw a return to the track for us and better weather. We went to the track and went down to the pits and watched the end of Nationwide practice and all of the first of the two Cup practices. As the 2nd Cup practice was underway, we headed back up to grab something to eat and head to the car to chill for a bit before the Nationwide race. We grabbed a funnel cake to share, another first for Abby. After we snacked at the car, we got our stuff together and headed back upto the track and headed to our seats. We got settled and got ready for the race. We watched what ended up being a fairly quick race and saw Kyle Busch win and Brad K. come away with a good finish despite being under the weather. And I have to say that after that race, Brad has found a place among my favorite drivers and he is my favorite Nationwide only driver now. After the race, we headed back to the house and cleaned up before crashing out in preparation for a busy Cup race day the next day.
Saturday we left a little earlier than we had on Friday because we knew traffic was going to be bad. We made good time and had time to kill before we had to hit signings. I ended up going over to the ONMC booth to check and see if they had anything open and managed to get in on a garage tour. I got to go down to the garage and got to see a flurry of activity as the teams were getting ready for the race. After the garage tour, I hurried over to the TRB hauler and met up with Abby who went through the line for me for AJ and got a Chicagoland Speedway flag signed for me. She passed the flag to me and I jumped in the line for Brian's signing. Got through the line and got the flag signed and then hurried over to Mears's hauler for his signing and got my flag signed as well. After we finished at Mears' signing, we headed down to the pits to go on pit road and take pictures. Once we finished up on pit road, we grabbed a snack and then headed back to the car to chill for a bit before finally heading upto the track. We got settled and watched intros and everything before the race and settled in for a long and fairly uneventful race except for the final couple lap shootout to the end and we were rooting for anyone but Kyle to win. We watched Kyle cruise to victory and then we went and returned the Fan View before heading home.
Sunday and Monday, we spent the last two full days that Abby was here doing things around town. Sunday, we slept in and then went shopping. Monday, we went to the beach and the dunes for awhile before going back to the house and relaxing.
On Tuesday, I took Abby back to the airport and said goodbye to her. It was sad to see her leave because we had so much fun in what turned out to be a busy but quick week. I am really looking forward to seeing her again and hopefully, I will be seeing her again really soon and for a lot longer this time too. :)
Since then, there hasn't really been much of anything in the eventful department that has taken place when I've been off from work.
The other big news is that I finally obtained the unobtainable. On Tuesday, I was out running errands and I went to my local WalMart to pick up a couple of items that I needed. Once I grabbed the couple of items that I had gone there for, I went to the Electronics department to check and see if they had gotten any Wiis in stock yet just as I do every time I go in there. I walk down the aisle where all the games and systems are located and low and behold, they actually had a couple of the consoles! I couldn't believe it. As soon as I saw it there, I found an employee in the area so that I could get one because ever since I played it at a friend's I fell in love and decided I wanted one and I had decided that my stimulus check was going to pay for it. I got it and the remote control charging base so far. It came with the Wii Sports game and I plan on getting more games at some point but for now, I am happy with what I have. Now to set it up and play.
I think that pretty much catches you guys up on me as of late. I will try and update again soon when something else good and fun happens.
Onto other things now like what I've been upto lately. After the Dover trip, I pretty much worked every day until July 7th - 15th, which was a crazy, racing filled adventure. That week started with a trip to Eldora Speedway for the Ollie's 360 Challenge, where I got to spend time with Sara and Mary, who I hadn't seen since our trip to Charlotte last fall. We had a blast, spending time in the pits and in the stands, watching Kasey, Joey, and Dave Blaney run sprints along with a number of other regular Sprint drivers. The pits were a mess of mud because of rain earlier in the day but it was fun watching the guys in the pits and watching the action on the track upclose like that. I also had a first in that I got like 5 feet from Kale and said Hi to him and got a nice Hi back from him. The racing action was great in part because we didn't have to see Donny Schatz win but at the same time both Kasey and Joey struggled in the A-Main. Overall, it was quite a muddy but fun time.
The next day, it was off to O'Hare to pick up Abby for the beginning of what was to be our whirlwind week. On the way back from the airport, we stopped off at Giordano's for lunch for Abby's first Chicago style pizza. We had a delicious lunch and then headed back on our way to my house. We stopped at my house and dropped off our stuff and then took a tour of the town that included a stop at my work and a trip to the beach where Abby and I walked on the beach and stuck our feet in the water, enjoying it and solidifying the idea that if we live together, we must live on or near the beach. After that, we headed back to my house for awhile and then dad took us to dinner at Quaker Steak & Lube in Portage.
The next day began the first of our 3 day adventure at Chicagoland Speedway. We got ready, loaded up the car, grabbed lunch, got gas and ice and headed on our way to the track. We got there with plenty of time to spare as the Nationwide cars were just taking to the track for practice when we got there. We went and hit the haulers and Abby picked up a Sprint Fan View before we headed to the car to drop off stuff we purchased before heading down to the Pits, where we had planned to spend the rest of the day. We got down there as Nationwide practice was ending and Cup practice was getting ready to get underway. We hung out and took pictures and tried out the Fan View while we hung out. Before the end of Cup practice, it started to lightning and drizzling, which brought out a red flag briefly. They resumed the action only to red flag it again as the rain and lightning resumed and gained in intensity. We hurried through the pits and back up to the grandstands and waited out the rain under the stands. The rain stopped and the sun came out and we took the time to go to the car and grab our jackets and such because it had gotten a little cool and we had a feeling that they were going to be able to get the track dry and get qualifying in since they had the lights and plenty of time. We headed back to the pits and watched as the cars were being pushed through pre-qualifying inspection and pushed out onto the track, onto the grid for qualifying. As we waited, we noticed the skies getting dark once more but thought nothing of it at first. Once we saw the skies starting to get black as night and the clouds stacking and rolling in, we thought it was a good idea to head back to the grandstands in hopes of getting to the car before the rain hit this time. As we hurried back to the pedestrian tunnel, we heard them make an announcement over the PA to tell everyone in the stands to leave the stands immediately because of impending bad weather. No sooner had the announcement been made, we saw crew members come running from the garage and down pit road to get the cars covered and back to the garage before the rain hit. We got to the stands just as the rain hit once more. We waited out the rain once more and once it died down to a drizzle we finally headed to the car and headed home. Thus ended our crazy day at Chicagoland Speedway.
Friday saw a return to the track for us and better weather. We went to the track and went down to the pits and watched the end of Nationwide practice and all of the first of the two Cup practices. As the 2nd Cup practice was underway, we headed back up to grab something to eat and head to the car to chill for a bit before the Nationwide race. We grabbed a funnel cake to share, another first for Abby. After we snacked at the car, we got our stuff together and headed back upto the track and headed to our seats. We got settled and got ready for the race. We watched what ended up being a fairly quick race and saw Kyle Busch win and Brad K. come away with a good finish despite being under the weather. And I have to say that after that race, Brad has found a place among my favorite drivers and he is my favorite Nationwide only driver now. After the race, we headed back to the house and cleaned up before crashing out in preparation for a busy Cup race day the next day.
Saturday we left a little earlier than we had on Friday because we knew traffic was going to be bad. We made good time and had time to kill before we had to hit signings. I ended up going over to the ONMC booth to check and see if they had anything open and managed to get in on a garage tour. I got to go down to the garage and got to see a flurry of activity as the teams were getting ready for the race. After the garage tour, I hurried over to the TRB hauler and met up with Abby who went through the line for me for AJ and got a Chicagoland Speedway flag signed for me. She passed the flag to me and I jumped in the line for Brian's signing. Got through the line and got the flag signed and then hurried over to Mears's hauler for his signing and got my flag signed as well. After we finished at Mears' signing, we headed down to the pits to go on pit road and take pictures. Once we finished up on pit road, we grabbed a snack and then headed back to the car to chill for a bit before finally heading upto the track. We got settled and watched intros and everything before the race and settled in for a long and fairly uneventful race except for the final couple lap shootout to the end and we were rooting for anyone but Kyle to win. We watched Kyle cruise to victory and then we went and returned the Fan View before heading home.
Sunday and Monday, we spent the last two full days that Abby was here doing things around town. Sunday, we slept in and then went shopping. Monday, we went to the beach and the dunes for awhile before going back to the house and relaxing.
On Tuesday, I took Abby back to the airport and said goodbye to her. It was sad to see her leave because we had so much fun in what turned out to be a busy but quick week. I am really looking forward to seeing her again and hopefully, I will be seeing her again really soon and for a lot longer this time too. :)
Since then, there hasn't really been much of anything in the eventful department that has taken place when I've been off from work.
The other big news is that I finally obtained the unobtainable. On Tuesday, I was out running errands and I went to my local WalMart to pick up a couple of items that I needed. Once I grabbed the couple of items that I had gone there for, I went to the Electronics department to check and see if they had gotten any Wiis in stock yet just as I do every time I go in there. I walk down the aisle where all the games and systems are located and low and behold, they actually had a couple of the consoles! I couldn't believe it. As soon as I saw it there, I found an employee in the area so that I could get one because ever since I played it at a friend's I fell in love and decided I wanted one and I had decided that my stimulus check was going to pay for it. I got it and the remote control charging base so far. It came with the Wii Sports game and I plan on getting more games at some point but for now, I am happy with what I have. Now to set it up and play.
I think that pretty much catches you guys up on me as of late. I will try and update again soon when something else good and fun happens.