Can’t believe I found another one!
If you remember from my entry a couple weeks ago, the weather here in central Indiana has gotten full swing into the winter mode. Temperatures are consistently below 40 degrees F, and the snow is flying pretty good just north of Indianapolis. Also, I don’t have any of that slick, heated cold-weather riding gear a lot of my riding buddies are using now. I know: I’m a lightweight. In fact, it’s so cold outside; I’ve moved all the motorcycles into the family room of my house so they don’t have to suffer through the cold in the garage.
Well, I had a chance to spend a long weekend in San Francisco as a “tourist,” which is very different than my normal business travel mode. In fact, I’m writing the Experience to you all from a lovely old Victorian house in the Noe Valley area of San Francisco.
This spur-of-the-moment trip gave me the opportunity to experience the grand-spanking-new Weir Cook International Terminal at the Indianapolis International Airport that just opened for business a week ago. A direct and simple arrival to the new terminal from the new exit #68 off I-70 was followed by an effortless check-in at the Delta ticket counter in a beautifully designed terminal building.
The next test of this new facility is typically one of the most stressful experiences in today’s world of airline travel – the TSA security screening area. Well, the folks out at the Indianapolis International Airport did a grand job of designing a generously sized area to accommodate a smooth and expeditious trip through the security area and deliver you into a gate concourse full of surprises.
While I was getting ready to go through the X-ray equipment, a young lady behind me commented on the bright red Ducati Corse sweatshirt I was wearing. Wow, there are Ducati fans everywhere you go!
Now I’m past security and walking into the B concourse toward my departure gate and what do I see? I find myself standing right in front of a South Bend Chocolate Company store with the siren lure of chocolate delights whiffing out into the concourse. Not only am I a lightweight, I also have no willpower when it comes to chocolate, so I am obliged to check out this new establishment that is a kin to one of our favorite places to stop in downtown Indianapolis for treats.
Guess who I see behind the counter at the Chocolate Café but none other than the young lady who complimented me on my bright red Ducati Corse sweatshirt at the TSA security screening area. Liz proceeded to make me the most decadent cup of white chocolate hot chocolate I have ever experienced. Wow, what a delightful experience chatting with Liz and indulging in a steaming hot cup of chocolate ecstasy!
So all you fans who plan to visit Indianapolis next year and attend the 2009 Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 30, 2009, be sure to stop by the Chocolate Café if you are arriving at the new Weir Cook Terminal at the Indianapolis International Airport.
Anyway, I need to sign off for now, but I’ll see you all in a couple weeks at www.redbullindianapolisgp.com.
Greg
Indy GP chat is going strong
It’s now been almost two months since the inaugural running of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. In gatherings all over, enthusiasts who experienced this event are sharing stories that will be keeping our enthusiasm charged up as we count down to next year’s event in August 2009.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a local BMW Riders Club gathering at the home of Dr. Dallas Peak. As it turns out, Dallas also played an important role during the inaugural running of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP as part of the medical teams stationed around the course. I’ve used some of the photos he took during the weekend of the Moto Taxi team in this week’s installment of The Experience.
The BMW Riders Club “meeting” at the Peak’s home was a great opportunity to share some stories and experiences from the Indy GP with another group of enthusiasts. I was given the chance to talk to the group about my experiences working with the folks out on West 16th Street with the Moto Taxi team and some of the promotional activities leading up to the event.
As you might gather from a couple of these photos, the BMW Riders Club isn’t too much different than the Honda Sport Touring Association (HSTA) group you’ve seen me hanging out with. We all love the motorcycling lifestyle, but we do take our gastronomic delights quite seriously. The Peak’s and the BMW folks laid out one serious spread of delicacies that would have made any one of the HSTA folks salivate with delight!
The weather here in central Indiana is finally going into winter mode. To you folks in more mild climates, that means it is getting COLD! I did manage to get a few more morning commutes to the office last week, but 39 degrees F in perforated leathers is a bit on the chilly side. Several of the BMW Riders Club members at the “meeting” this past Sunday did show up on two wheels, and I understand Dr. Peak commutes up to Indianapolis every day on his BMW.
Anyway, keep up the chat, sharing your Indy GP experiences, and I’ll see you all in a couple weeks at www.redbullindianapolisgp.com.
Greg