Hello everyone. I just got to the hotel and thought I'd post an update on my way to Gary Con.
First, if you haven't heard this yet, early D&D designer and all around good guy James Ward passed yesterday. I met him once or twice in the dealer hall, but can't say that I knew him well. We live in a time now where we are losing heroes from our youths. Or at least I am that old; I'm sure many of you are much younger. I'm sure there will be a proper memorial this weekend and I'd like to encourage everyone who plays RPGs to try to meet the founders if they ever get a chance.
Today, the plan was to leave early, drive the 8 hour (9 once you add in rest stops) and get to Lake Geneva by 3. However, my trailer had other plans. When I got about an hour and a half out, somewhere between Columbus and Dayton, I noticed the trailer really felt like it was dragging. Before I could pull off, it jerked suddenly to the side, I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the trailer dragging on the ground. I look to the side and, I kid you not, I see the trailer tire rolling on the road next to me. Luckily, there weren't any other cars around, so nobody got hurt.
Trailer on the pavement
I called a towing service...about 3 hours later, the trailer was repaired and I was able to get back on the road. $175/hr for emergency service. Plus parts. Still...what else was I going to do?
About an hour later, I pulled over and got some gas. I looked around at the plaza I pulled into. Oddly, it was the same one I pulled into about 5 years ago when I had transmission problems with my truck. That was an expensive day as well. There is something about the Ohio/Indiana border that has it in for me.
This following picture is one that I hadn't seen before. I dunno....I think literally any other billboard would have been better than this.
Drove through Chicago around 6:00. I've driven through several of the cities where cons are over the years in the midwest and east coast. Philly, Atlanta, Raleigh, Cleveland, Columbus, Kansas City... I gotta say Chicago drivers are by far the worst I've ever encounted. I hate driving through there every single year. Luckily, the weekend and Gary Con makes up for it.
Made it to my room about 9:00. I'm going to watch some Capt. America and the Winter Soldier and take an easy night and the set up tomorrow.
I'll bring you the news from Gary Con over the weekend.
