TRAVELS WITH COCO PART ONE - TO SAN DIEGO
First a note: Next Monday, July 24th starting at
3:00 PM ET, I'll be the guest once again of my
friends The Trip Chicks on a live streaming radio
show called "Escapes." Once again you will have
the opportunity to email your questions for me or
them. Go to www.AskTheTripChicks.com and your
questions may be about aviation in general,
questions you'd like to ask an airline pilot,
fear of flying topics, pretty much anything you
want. You can listen to the show here:
http://www.radiosandysprings.com/Escapes/index.html.
Now, about our road trip. Yes, we finally loaded
up the car with the three of us, Al The Web Guy,
Coco The Pomeranian and me, and headed for
California. We've put up yet another album in
our trusty Photo Gallery called San Diego Road
Trip and have plenty of photos posted there if
you're interested. Gallery
I love swimming while Al The Web Guy and Coco are
less enthused about it. We left at 6:00 AM from
our home southeast of Denver and were in Glenwood
Springs by midmorning. We've been there many
times as I think it's one of the most pleasant
and beautiful places on earth. The hot springs
main pool is the biggest in the world as far as I
know and larger than a football field.
Although we've been there many times it's always
been in the off-season, usually in October as we
do our annual fall trek into the Rocky Mountains.
My point, and I do have one, is this is the
first time the water slides have ever been open.
Did somebody say water-slides? Those reading my
material for any length of time know I just can't
resist them.
Al The Web Guy and Coco The Pomeranian had little
interest in swimming, so I went by myself and
bought a ticket that included a total of eight
rides on the two water slides, more than I wanted
but I figured I'd swoosh down a few times and
give the rest of the tickets away, which I did,
to a very enthused eight year old boy and his
less enthused but appreciative Mom.
One of the slides requires an inner tube and is
fast, but the other one is smaller, you go down
without anything but yourself, and it's so fast
it leaves the other one in the dust. I found
myself getting beat to death on the ride down,
staggered away dizzily, then went back to prove
to myself I wasn't afraid of getting beat up
again. I thought it might be easier and less
frightening the second time. I was wrong, of
course, and thought I was hallucinating when I
shot out the bottom for the second time and heard
my name being called.
I looked to the left. Nothing. I looked to the
right. Still nothing. MERYL! UP HERE! I
looked up and there were Al The Web Guy and Coco
The Pomeranian on a bridge at the end of the
pools where the slides are. I just had time to
smile before my picture got snapped. It's only a
little scary and you'll find it in our new San
Diego Road Trip Album. Album
After I swam a little more, we piled back into
the car and headed for Grand Junction, through
Telluride and on to Cortez for the night.
Telluride is one of the prettiest places on
earth. It really is and I promise you I have
done extensive research on the subject.
Unfortunately, it got really cloudy and
eventually we wound up in a heavy downpour part
of the way.
Still, I was able to see some of the red hills
that make Telluride so distinguishable from the
air. You always know for sure it's Telluride by
the red hills, the horseshoe shape of the valley
with the town at the far end nestled against the
mountains. Al spotted some elk cows and calves
and he got a nice photo, also in our new album.
We spent the night in Cortez, the three of us in
a room and what seemed to be hundreds of prairie
dogs yipping away outside our window in a vacant
lot next to our motel. No matter, all three of
us were pooped after a long day and were happy to
hit the sack.
Now, rather than make this far too long, I'm
going to make this Part I about our road trip and
save the rest for another Update or two or
however many it takes to tell you about some of
the interesting things that happened. For one
thing, Al The Web Guy and I met with the CEO of
San Diego.com and I want to you a little about
that.
Then there was a very special reunion with an old
friend who's featured in "The World At My Feet"
and I'll be talking about that as well. If
you've read the book you'll recognize him.
Two notes and then I'll save the rest for later:
First, I added some more photos to the Microsoft
Flight Simulator Team Gallery. They're screen
shots from John Southmayd (Microsoft) and my
simulator ride in the F-4 and you can see what a
HUD (Heads Up Display ) looks like among other
things. HUD allows pilots to read their
instruments right on their windshields instead of
having to look down and it's the first time I'd
used one although some airlines have them in
their planes.
Speaking of John, would you believe this guy went
out almost immediately upon his return to Seattle
and flew a real airplane? He told me the ride in
the F-4 with me inspired him to go do the real
thing after procrastinating forever and coming up
with excuses that really had no merit. It's
reactions like John's that make me glad I'm in a
position to share my passion for aviation with
others and I'm so proud of him. Be sure to find
him with his Cessna 172 in the Microsoft Flight
Simulator Team Album. Remember, you can always
go to this album, then click on Latest Uploads to
find the most recent additions.
The other note, and this one is kind of a bummer,
is that I spoke with my usatoday.com editors by
phone while I was in San Diego. A few months ago
I came close to cutting the cord there when the
same questions were being repeated with almost no
new material to work with. My editors and I knew
from the beginning this column would have a
finite run and frankly we were all surprised I
could keep up a column a week this long. Now
it's almost two years and they decided the
column, although still popular, was starting to
repeat and decided to terminate it.
I am, however, continuing the tradition in a
brand new section of my site called, "Ask Cap'n
Meryl" and will continue to post questions and
answers. Questions should include your first and
last name and city/state, and I'll be posting a
new one every Tuesday.
The good news is another, very prestigious
publication made me an offer some time ago which
I had to reject as it was a conflict of interest
with usatoday.com. I'm not sure if I want to
continue the column elsewhere, propose something
new (if you have ideas, please share them with
me) or just concentrate on Microsoft and my own
site. I'll be sure to keep you informed of what
happens here, of course.
Please Note Al The Web Guy has created a free photo gallery site where you'll be able to post your own photos in your own private gallery. Your family and friends will be able to view all your photos. You can register and upload your photos at Your photo gallery .
“The World At My Feet” and “Flights of Whimsy”
marketing test was a success and is now a
permanent offer in our Gift Ideas area at
fromthecockpit.com. Just $25 for both books,
shipped anywhere in the world for free for a
savings of $12.85.
Click here:
http://www.fromthecockpit.com/Gift_Ideas.html
And with that,
Until Next Time,
Maintain Airspeed!
Cap'n Meryl
www.fromthecockpit.com
www.flyingfearless.com
www.fromthecockpit.com/profile.htm(keynote speaker)
3:00 PM ET, I'll be the guest once again of my
friends The Trip Chicks on a live streaming radio
show called "Escapes." Once again you will have
the opportunity to email your questions for me or
them. Go to www.AskTheTripChicks.com and your
questions may be about aviation in general,
questions you'd like to ask an airline pilot,
fear of flying topics, pretty much anything you
want. You can listen to the show here:
http://www.radiosandysprings.com/Escapes/index.html.
Now, about our road trip. Yes, we finally loaded
up the car with the three of us, Al The Web Guy,
Coco The Pomeranian and me, and headed for
California. We've put up yet another album in
our trusty Photo Gallery called San Diego Road
Trip and have plenty of photos posted there if
you're interested. Gallery
I love swimming while Al The Web Guy and Coco are
less enthused about it. We left at 6:00 AM from
our home southeast of Denver and were in Glenwood
Springs by midmorning. We've been there many
times as I think it's one of the most pleasant
and beautiful places on earth. The hot springs
main pool is the biggest in the world as far as I
know and larger than a football field.
Although we've been there many times it's always
been in the off-season, usually in October as we
do our annual fall trek into the Rocky Mountains.
My point, and I do have one, is this is the
first time the water slides have ever been open.
Did somebody say water-slides? Those reading my
material for any length of time know I just can't
resist them.
Al The Web Guy and Coco The Pomeranian had little
interest in swimming, so I went by myself and
bought a ticket that included a total of eight
rides on the two water slides, more than I wanted
but I figured I'd swoosh down a few times and
give the rest of the tickets away, which I did,
to a very enthused eight year old boy and his
less enthused but appreciative Mom.
One of the slides requires an inner tube and is
fast, but the other one is smaller, you go down
without anything but yourself, and it's so fast
it leaves the other one in the dust. I found
myself getting beat to death on the ride down,
staggered away dizzily, then went back to prove
to myself I wasn't afraid of getting beat up
again. I thought it might be easier and less
frightening the second time. I was wrong, of
course, and thought I was hallucinating when I
shot out the bottom for the second time and heard
my name being called.
I looked to the left. Nothing. I looked to the
right. Still nothing. MERYL! UP HERE! I
looked up and there were Al The Web Guy and Coco
The Pomeranian on a bridge at the end of the
pools where the slides are. I just had time to
smile before my picture got snapped. It's only a
little scary and you'll find it in our new San
Diego Road Trip Album. Album
After I swam a little more, we piled back into
the car and headed for Grand Junction, through
Telluride and on to Cortez for the night.
Telluride is one of the prettiest places on
earth. It really is and I promise you I have
done extensive research on the subject.
Unfortunately, it got really cloudy and
eventually we wound up in a heavy downpour part
of the way.
Still, I was able to see some of the red hills
that make Telluride so distinguishable from the
air. You always know for sure it's Telluride by
the red hills, the horseshoe shape of the valley
with the town at the far end nestled against the
mountains. Al spotted some elk cows and calves
and he got a nice photo, also in our new album.
We spent the night in Cortez, the three of us in
a room and what seemed to be hundreds of prairie
dogs yipping away outside our window in a vacant
lot next to our motel. No matter, all three of
us were pooped after a long day and were happy to
hit the sack.
Now, rather than make this far too long, I'm
going to make this Part I about our road trip and
save the rest for another Update or two or
however many it takes to tell you about some of
the interesting things that happened. For one
thing, Al The Web Guy and I met with the CEO of
San Diego.com and I want to you a little about
that.
Then there was a very special reunion with an old
friend who's featured in "The World At My Feet"
and I'll be talking about that as well. If
you've read the book you'll recognize him.
Two notes and then I'll save the rest for later:
First, I added some more photos to the Microsoft
Flight Simulator Team Gallery. They're screen
shots from John Southmayd (Microsoft) and my
simulator ride in the F-4 and you can see what a
HUD (Heads Up Display ) looks like among other
things. HUD allows pilots to read their
instruments right on their windshields instead of
having to look down and it's the first time I'd
used one although some airlines have them in
their planes.
Speaking of John, would you believe this guy went
out almost immediately upon his return to Seattle
and flew a real airplane? He told me the ride in
the F-4 with me inspired him to go do the real
thing after procrastinating forever and coming up
with excuses that really had no merit. It's
reactions like John's that make me glad I'm in a
position to share my passion for aviation with
others and I'm so proud of him. Be sure to find
him with his Cessna 172 in the Microsoft Flight
Simulator Team Album. Remember, you can always
go to this album, then click on Latest Uploads to
find the most recent additions.
The other note, and this one is kind of a bummer,
is that I spoke with my usatoday.com editors by
phone while I was in San Diego. A few months ago
I came close to cutting the cord there when the
same questions were being repeated with almost no
new material to work with. My editors and I knew
from the beginning this column would have a
finite run and frankly we were all surprised I
could keep up a column a week this long. Now
it's almost two years and they decided the
column, although still popular, was starting to
repeat and decided to terminate it.
I am, however, continuing the tradition in a
brand new section of my site called, "Ask Cap'n
Meryl" and will continue to post questions and
answers. Questions should include your first and
last name and city/state, and I'll be posting a
new one every Tuesday.
The good news is another, very prestigious
publication made me an offer some time ago which
I had to reject as it was a conflict of interest
with usatoday.com. I'm not sure if I want to
continue the column elsewhere, propose something
new (if you have ideas, please share them with
me) or just concentrate on Microsoft and my own
site. I'll be sure to keep you informed of what
happens here, of course.
Please Note Al The Web Guy has created a free photo gallery site where you'll be able to post your own photos in your own private gallery. Your family and friends will be able to view all your photos. You can register and upload your photos at Your photo gallery .
“The World At My Feet” and “Flights of Whimsy”
marketing test was a success and is now a
permanent offer in our Gift Ideas area at
fromthecockpit.com. Just $25 for both books,
shipped anywhere in the world for free for a
savings of $12.85.
Click here:
http://www.fromthecockpit.com/Gift_Ideas.html
And with that,
Until Next Time,
Maintain Airspeed!
Cap'n Meryl
www.fromthecockpit.com
www.flyingfearless.com
www.fromthecockpit.com/profile.htm(keynote speaker)
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