Flatballer

30" of snow is a lot, full stop.

And to think we're hopefully moving up to that desolate, frozen wasteland sometime soon.

Anyone here that travels a lot for work got any wisdom to share? Do you enjoy it? Consulting job I'm possibly looking at is 50-75% probably, mostly within a 6 hour drive in the NE, 4 day weeks generally, or one week gone, one week home, but it's possible it could be 6 months in California or something (in which case we'd probably expense an apartment and bring the family). I'm guessing it eats into riding (as if I do that anyway, I'd like to though), although if I'm driving mostly I can take my bike and ride new areas, which would be fun. I think I might enjoy it, but traveling consultant is a big change from sit in a cube in the same place and surf the internet half the day.

gsteinb

isn't your wife pregnant? asking folks if they like business travel is like asking someone if they like chocolate or vanilla. it makes consistent training and eating more challenging, though it's certainly doable. some people even excel at that. it make can relationships challenging, though likewise some folks find it doable, even supportive. you might see a lot of new places, or spend a lot of time watching porn in a hotel room. it's mostly what you do with it.

Flatballer

Yeah, it will be a little while before it starts and the baby is due any day now, and she's more on board than I am. Makes sense that it's a personal thing. The bit of travel I've done I've enjoyed, but it's never been as much as this would be. I can see the upsides and the downsides, I just don't know. I guess it's something you just have to try and see how it goes. I think I can put up with anything for a year or two, especially if it helps us in the long run. I don't look forward to being away for chunks of time and missing my little girl growing up, but it's not like I won't be home 3 days a week at least, and there's always Skype. People certainly have it worse than that, and if it helps my family it's worth it.

shovelhd

One thing I learned is that when they say 50-75% travel, they really mean 75-90% travel. If you drill down deeper to try and get a real number, and they start questioning your commitment to the job, then you'll know the answer.

hack

Eh ... my last job started with little travel, but that increased over time. Before I left, I was traveling a few times a month for a few days each venture. So, not A LOT, but enough that I hated it. Hated being away from home, hated going to the airport, hotels, rental cars, etc. Initially, it was fun, but it grew quite tiring quite quickly. I like to travel for pleasure, but for work it was pretty unpleasant. That's just my experience.

therhodeo

We have the opposite problem here. They tell salesmen 50-75% and then they end up in the office 90% of the time doing quotes.

cmh

Many people in the PNW use tire chains for winter driving conditions and they work well in snow, and as good as anything on ice. They are cheap, and you only put them on when you need them. I'm not sure why chains are not more popular in other parts of the country.

grolby

They are illegal in most urban and suburban areas of the Northeast.

Edit: I may have posted that in too much haste. Not necessarily illegal. It is true vehicle owner manuals for most passenger cars say they shouldn't be used.

Flatballer

Don't you have to take them off as soon as you get to a dry section of road though? I think the problem is the big roads get cleared pretty quickly, so you're constantly taking your chains off and putting them back on.

grolby

Yes, driving with chains mounted on dry pavement will damage the pavement. That's what's illegal in most places. Chains are allowed, but impractical if you're not entirely on snow.

Flatballer

Just need some autochains like the firetrucks and ambulances.

topflightpro

Went to renew my USAC license today. When I got to the check out, the total was $105 - $70 for my license, $5 for the Ride Clean program, and then $30 for the USAC Membership.

I had no idea what this membership thing was. Had any of you heard of it? Apparently it is for Gran Fondo riders and provides insurance, a t-shirt and a Bicycling Magazine subscription.

Also, USAC set it up so that it automatically appears in my cart without me opting in.

Grumpy McTrumpy

for me it showed up as an option before the cart page.

topflightpro

Ok. I was mistaken. I went back and looked through it again. There was a pop-up window when I went to put my license in the cart, and I misread the window. I thought it was asking me to confirm my license.

rideaz

I remember seeing that too and thinking it was weird add on because don't most Gran Fondos etc carry their own event insurance?

ridethecliche

Man if I could post pictures of the cars parked in boston during the storms last year...

I swear I saw one car that was buried so badly and then the snow turned to ice. Driver probably didn't see their car till May.

big john

I think chains suck. Putting them on at night while freezing sucks. The noise and vibration sucks. Being limited to 25mph sucks. They skate all over the road on ice, unlike studded tires. And, if they come loose while driving, they beat the crap out of the car.

Flatballer

Does anyone else enjoy doing their taxes? I'm not sure why, but I'm always excited. Put things in, see the refund go up or down, and at the end you hopefully get a little money (hopefully not too much, and I guess ideally you'd pay a bit, but that's no fun).

TheKillerPenguin

Last year was my first tax season working out all the various sole proprietor forms, and I really enjoyed learning the ins and outs. I did make one mistake, but it was an error in my favor

wens

I bought a UCI license and followed UCI rules once. I think usac gets more slack from me in the future.

TheKillerPenguin

The Swedish chef Speak

Translating all of today's code comments...

gsteinb

I have tax returns older than you.

TheKillerPenguin

I only get carded like half the time! I'm an adult!

carpediemracing 

You can be a CPA.

The Missus (a CPA) does our taxes basically every month or so, to see where we need to be (quarterly estimates, etc). She became a CPA because she loves this stuff. WIthout her Carpe Diem Racing (entity, not me) would have been dead in the water a while ago. CDR (the entity) sent out their W2s pretty much as soon as it was possible to do so, thanks to her.

mattm

I wouldn't say "enjoy", but I like getting it over with.