I Live in Iowa: Week 131

A busy week it was! It started with Sunday, and while a "standard" Sunday for me it was, it included a 51 mile bicycle ride. Bicycling is so easy, you sit down 99% of the time. I mean I can go out and ride for three and a half hours, and the next day not be very tired from it. Maybe that speaks to my fitness, but compared to running, it doesn't take nearly the effort for me.

Monday started well before daylight, picking up a coworker for the drive to Madison, WI. Then we flew to Denver, CO, another flight to Spokane, WA, drove through Idaho to Canada, and ended our journey well after dark in Cranbrook, British Columbia. The trip took around 14 hours total, and we had little downtime between segments.

Tuesday started with breakfast and coffee at Tim Hortons and a day at the dealership fixing the problem we were sent to Canada to fix. I would show pictures because I'm pretty happy with what we did, but that is definitely not my own personal intellectual property, but my company's so I won't. We also had a chance to get out in the field and see some machines operating. My fourth time in the field but my coworker's first. It's always good to get another engineer out into the field to see how our equipment is used.

Wednesday was more time at the dealership finishing fixing the first problem and fixing a second problem. Ultimately we documented 24 "issues" with our prototype that we took back to the office. That night we drove back to Spokane, hoping to catch an early flight. We stopped for great steak at Lou's in Ponderay, which I highly recommend, if for no other reason than to see a building made largely with beetle kill wood. I also had the chance Wednesday night to see two of my friends from Dubuque that moved to Spokane. It's so nice to see friends after moving away. People grow and change, and often it's surprising, and usually for the better.

Thursday, the early flights were full so we slept in and took a quick tour of Spokane before a flight and working on our five page trip report for an hour and a half in the Denver airport.

Spokane, with a Hydroelectric Plant on the Right

Friday I was into the office for a ultimately tiring seven hours before a 21 mile bicycle ride. Four hours of sleep is not enough for me. However, we sent out our trip report to our engineering team and I felt very good about that. Not everybody who travels sends out a report, but I feel that as the company pays thousands of dollars for us to travel to these far away places it is my duty to put together a few pages so that those who do not travel can have a glimpse of our products in action.

Saturday was leisurely, beginning with 12 hours of sleep, but did include a few pitches of rock climbing, a two mile run, and a trip to Buffalo Wild Wings. It's only the third time I was out rock climbing in 2013 and my right leg is healing, slowly but it is healing. A busy week, and a good productive week. I am so blessed!

Happy Veterans Day!