Day 1
The day started off with my normal routine of having breakfast with the family before heading off to the Houston airport. I took my trusty Honda CRV to the Parking Spot which has become a known destination to me.
The parking shuttle service took me to the C Terminal where I proceeded to check in my bag. I then went through TSA security leveraging the Clear service. I really don’t know if Clear is saving me much time versus PreTSA. On this particular day PreTSA had a shorter wait time than Clear. I suppose its always better to have a second option for any unforeseen circumstances.
After passing through security I headed to the United lounge and conducted my Tuesday morning one-on-one calls. Upon completing my meetings I made my way over to Potbelly. I bought an Apple Walnut salad along with a bottle of water. This is a healthy alternative to the other quick meals offered at this Terminal. It also helps that the salad tastes pretty good.
After purchasing my lunch I boarded the plane and a couple of hours later arrived in Cincinnati. I picked up my suitcase and went to get my car from National Car rental. On this trip I scored an Audi SUV which was really nice to drive. It almost tempted me to think about trading in my Honda CRV. In the end I decided to stay true and loyal to my car back home.
As I was getting into the Audi I began to feel my stomach rumble. I thought about a Gyro and searched for a place on the Yelp app. I found a restaurant called Gyro on Main. This place is located in a very nice, historic looking neighborhood. The street was full of stores, eateries, bars and other cool locales. It seemed to be really laid back and the kind of place that would be bustling on a summer day.
The gentleman serving me at Gyro on Main was very nice but unfortunately his mother was in the hospital. Before leaving I wished him, his mother and family well. I then drove to the Hilton Garden Inn located in Chelsea Midtown. I quickly got changed into my workout clothing and made my way to the East Hill Tennis Club. I played for an hour and a half with the local coach and team.
These clinics are a great way to burn off stress and calories. There is no better way to end the day. I’m always very grateful for the opportunity to play with nice people.
Day 2
The day started early with me going to Planet Fitness. I did strength workout before returning to the hotel to have breakfast. While eating my cereal I was listening to the Wall Street Journal News app. This app has turned out to be a great resource for me to stay current with business and Global news. I really like the being able to listen to the story via the audio feature.
My local sales rep, Kyle, showed up at 7:15 AM and we both headed out to visit a couple accounts. After our two customer visits we stopped for lunch at a place called The Clubhouse. This was a nice family restaurant that primarily serves sandwiches and soups. I had a very tasty meatball sub. Upon arriving back to my hotel I changed into my workout clothes and headed out to the Western Athletic Tennis Club.
This is another great facility that has 8 indoor courts. The clinic had about 15 people and lasted 1 1/2 hours. I found it amazing that the coaches were able to keep everyone active and moving the whole time. This was especially impressive since we only played on two courts! This is one of the best workouts I’ve had in a while. Tennis definitely keeps your feet and body in constant motion.
Day 3
The day started once again with me going to Planet Fitness and getting in my morning workout. After having a quick breakfast at the hotel Kyle picked me up and we headed out to our first customer visit in Kentucky.
It was a rainy morning which provided some beautiful scenery throughout the drive. After we completed our customer meeting Kyle took me to visit the historic towns of Maysville and Augusta. What made these towns interesting to me was the fact that this is where the Freedom Trail took place. It was in these homes where Slaves were hidden and held so they could be transported across the Ohio river to their freedom. It was really a poignant moment and made me think about the significance that one side of the river had for a single black person during these horrifying times. I feel strongly that these towns should be visited by more people so they can learn more about this country’s history and at the same time support the local businesses. While metropolitan cities continue to thrive it is important that these towns survive for future generations to experience.
After a couple of hours we headed back into Cincinnati where we had a great lunch at the Buckhead Mountain Grill. I had a Kentucky Hot Brown for the first time in my life. This is an open-faced turkey sandwich with bacon and Mornay sauce on Texas toast. Needless to say it was very filling.
We then made our way across the street to The Party Source liquor store. I wanted to see if I could get my hands on a Blantons bourbon bottle. Upon arriving to the Bourbon aisle I was amazed to see the large selection. However there was no Blantons to be found. We then left and headed back to the Hilton hotel to finish up the day.
After Kyle dropped me off at the hotel I went back to my room to work for a few hours before leaving for another clinic at the East Tennis Club. This was my second session with the Sarah (the coach). She once again did a great job moving everyone around and keeping the action going the whole time. Towards the end of the clinic my legs began to feel very heavy and tired. It was a good feeling to complete this clinic and the other 2 days of solid tennis play.
Day 4
Is was an early 3:30 AM (EST) start for me as I had a flight leaving Cincinnati’s CVG airport at 6:30 AM. After checking in and passing through security I had to wait an hour before the CVG club lounge was open to travelers. I am able to access this lounge via Priority Pass due to my Capital Venture X credit card. After eating a parfait and cereal I boarded the plane. I then recalled that my seat had been upgraded to First Class. This seat came with breakfast and I instantly began to make some room in my stomach. The airline served up waffles and everything on the tray was very good. I finally arrived in Houston a bit tired but was glad to be home and in warmer weather.
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