Vegas Bound, With Extra Earplugs!

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April 5th, 2018

Greetings from seat 2-D on my Delta flight to Las Vegas, typing on an uneven tray table while jetting westward. If I’m ever in another band (I won’t be) that could be a good name for it. “Ladies and gentlemen, here they are! Jetting Westward!” There actually is a band called Stabbing Westward, and there was a fun band back in the New Wave era called Go West, so maybe not. But maybe. And hey, if I put my right knee on the edge of this tray table, by making my right foot be on tiptoes, I can even it out.

Taking off, over Mall of America (Click on any photo to enlarge)

I’ve “only” been a frequent air traveler for about 40 years, but I just learned something new recently. Maybe I didn’t learn it as much as I finally figured it out. I always pick window seats, because I like having the option of looking out said window. But, I also hate to be hot on a plane. The temperature on airplanes tends to be decided by those passengers who whine the most, and a sizable contingent of those folks think planes are too cold. I am not one of those people. It just occurred to me recently that I should select my seats based on which side of the plane does not get direct sunlight. That would be the right side on westbound flights, as this one is. I’m in 2-D. When I return to MSP, I’ll be in 2-A. The sun will again be on the other side. It gets a little more complicated when you’re heading north or south. Kind of depends on the time of day, if you follow this.

The WiFi on this flight is pretty sketchy. So sketchy I can’t seem to download the photos I emailed to myself for this blog. If there are no photos as you’re reading this, that’s the reason why. Maybe I can add them later, if I can’t grab them and put them in this blog when I post it. Travel problems…

BREAKING NEWS: They finally downloaded. Hence the photo just above.

So, anyway… Yes I’m headed for Las Vegas. It’s always a unique and interesting experience, and we’ve been racing in Vegas for a long time. Early in the CSK days we stayed at MGM Grand for some reason. Maybe because CSK got us a good rate due to the fact they had their annual corporate meetings there for many years (hence our good fortune in meeting Huey Lewis one year). We then spent a good five or six years at the old Imperial Palace. It wasn’t as nice as a lot of hotels on The Strip but they gave us a great rate and it felt like the kind of unpretentious place we were used to. Chuck Worsham loved the Imperial Palace. And I did pretty well on the slots there.

For the next few years we stayed at Monte Carlo, which was a nice place. At least it was a nice place right up until the time new resort development went nuts down by that end of The Strip and the construction went on throughout the night. A lot of people don’t care about stuff like that, but we actually needed to get some sleep. When I joined Team Wilkerson, we stayed at Mandalay Bay because Bob Tasca worked a deal with them in exchange for large decals on both of our cars. That was a VERY nice place with some great food. We then shifted to The Cannery to be closer to the track, and that’s where I’m staying this time. Being just a couple of exits away from the track can easily mean an extra 30-45 minutes of sleep in the morning. So, what I’m saying here is that a lot of experiences in Vegas don’t change that much. Not so, this year.

Somehow, the staff at the “other” Strip, the one called The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, pulled off a massive construction project in just the five months since we raced there last fall. They not only added two new lanes, they also poured new concrete for the two existing lanes, so all four are basically “brand new.” This all means we’re headed to the first 4-Wide race in Las Vegas. I have an inkling it’s going to be pretty spectacular, and if advance ticket sales are any indication it’s also going to be extremely popular.

And why wouldn’t it be? It’s Las Vegas. Everything is glitz and glamour. Everything is “over the top” and spectacular. 4-Wide drag racing belongs in Vegas. And now, we have it in the east (Charlotte) and the west. It should be a fun weekend, on all fronts.

And, in reference to the headline for today’s installment, the noise will be epic. The first time we raced 4-wide in Charlotte, we all learned a lesson about the impact four Nitro cars could have on people standing near them, or even just watching them from the stands. I’m sure it was actually just twice as loud as two cars, but it seemed more like the sound was squared. That was the first time I decided to find the best, most dense, set of earplugs I could locate and put them in before I put my headset (aka “ear muffs”) on over them. And it was still incredibly loud. As for the concussion… You almost can’t help but flinch. You feel in it your core. I’ve seen Rush, The Who, and Led Zeppelin in concert. I’ve had my guts rattled by that music, but it’s nothing compared to 4-wide. It’s something every drag racing fan should see and experience. It’s just plain something EVERYONE should experience.

Sweet boy. Always sad to leave him and his little brother…

Now, on to different subjects. The photos are, one by one, slowly beginning to download now. So I present you with the first one that managed to do that. Buster did NOT want me to go on this trip. This was him last night, when the suitcase appeared in our bedroom.

Our friend Erica is staying with the Big Fella and Boofus for the next few days, because Barbara will be in Pittsburgh until Sunday and I’m, obviously, in a band called Jetting Westward. She’ll take good care of them. It’s great to come home to two fuzzy guys who are so well adjusted thanks to Erica’s presence.

Yesterday, we had our quarterly Board of Directors meeting for our Home Owners Association, and the meeting room we normally reserve wasn’t available. So, I offered up my office in the lower level of our house and we all met there. I knew Buster was snoozing in the kitty condo down there, but I assumed he wouldn’t invite himself to the meeting. I should’ve known better. About halfway through the meeting he came sauntering out of the bedroom where the condo is, and he introduced himself to everyone, even going so far as to rub his face on the leg of the new rep from our management company. He’s something else. Boofie just stayed upstairs away from the strange humans.

Do not walk under our neighbor’s roof!

In case you hadn’t noticed, we had a major “winter” storm early this week. One of the bigger ones we’ve had this year, despite the fact it’s officially spring and it’s now April. We probably ended up with 6 to 8 inches of very wet and very heavy snow. And today the Twins are having their home opener at Target Field. They’ve had an army of staff members and volunteers clearing all the white stuff from the grandstands, aisles, and concourses while the grounds crew has cleared the field. There is baseball being played in Minnesota as I type this. Well, at least batting practice. The Twins even came up with a new hashtag for their social media: #ColdAirDon’tCare

And speaking of baseball, I’m back in the groove with my next book project. As I blogged about earlier, my timing for kicking off the research for my father’s biography, tentatively entitled “1-0” wasn’t so good. Spring training was just starting and everyone I wanted to talk to was really busy. Now that the real season has started, people’s schedules are opening up. Plus, my decision to dive back into the NHRA world with my friend Del Worsham played a part in this as well. I had to focus on his stuff for a good solid month just to get back in the PR groove. Now, I feel like I can do the research and write the book at the same time as I’m doing Del’s PR. I’m confident I can multitask, and the opportunity to talk to so many successful ballplayers is just too great to delay any longer.

Kitty. Back in the day. A class act.

Yesterday, I spent about 25 minutes on the phone with Jim Kaat, a phenomenal Major League pitcher whose career spanned parts of four decades. “Kitty” as he was often called, made his Major League debut in 1959 with the original Washington Senators. When the Senators moved to Minnesota, to become the Twins, in 1961 he went with them. He spent 12 seasons wearing a Twins uniform, and was part of an epic duel with Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers in the 1965 World Series. He wasn’t done, though. He then played for the White Sox, Phillies, Yankees, and Cardinals, where he finished up a remarkable career in 1983.

The Twins put me in touch with Kitty and yesterday we finally got a chance to talk. Jim Kaat is in the opening paragraphs of Chapter 1 of “Bats, Balls, & Burnouts” because he was a member of the Charleston Senators, who were managed by my dad. He made a big impression on me, even at that age, and I’ve always admired him.

Jim is a deep thinker, and he’d taken the time to really ponder what Del Wilber had meant to him, as an instructor, manager, mentor, and friend. His thoughts and his stories gave me goosebumps. Before we hung up, I knew the candle had been lit again and the fire to write “1-0” was again roaring in my writer’s brain. Can’t wait to talk to so many more of my dad’s former players. Their memories just add to mine, and make them richer.

We’re getting somewhat close to beginning our descent now, and I’m impressed this old “beater” of a MacBook Pro still has 39% battery this long into the flight. I shall, as we say, bid you all a fond adieu. Next week, on Thursday Blog Day, I promise to have much detail about the Vegas 4-Wide extravaganza with photos to illustrate the stories.

As always, my loyal blog reading friends, if you just perused this installment and enjoyed it, please click the “Like” button at the top. The more “Likes” the merrier.

See you next week!

Bob Wilber, at your service as the lead singer for Jetting Westward.

 

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