If you haven’t been following along, here’s the quick recap: On deployment, I get $68 a day for food. Whatever I don’t spend, I get to keep — and with kids in college, that money matters. Plus, I’m a man who can eat for a lot less than $68 a day. Tuna packets and dignity are basically free. But… when in Rome, right? And Rhode Island has its own Rome — a Roman Empire made of chowder, clam cakes, pizza, and milkshakes promoted like folklore. I tried the famous Awful Awful because everyone said you had to. Didn’t live up to the hype. Not bad — just… I’m from an area with real milkshake chops. We don’t hand out superlatives lightly. This deployment was also my first time being out solo for ten full days. I met up with a teammate a few times, and one night he suggested dinner. We hit up Shannon View Inn , an Irish bar close to my hotel. Good call on his part. I ordered fish and chips that came with a mountain of French fries . The kind of mountain that would’ve made my mother...

My Noble Steed (Sort Of) I got a short up and back deployment to look at a water damaged RV in Virginia Beach.After dropping off Alida’s Car in Wilmington I hit the dusty trail for a trip so short in time that there won’t be any postcards. Just 11 hours and 680 miles in basically a day. The two days ride is a 2025 Nissan Sentra. Calling it a noble steed might be generous—it’s less stallion, more mule with a limp. The kind of mount they hand the greenhorn who hasn’t quite proven himself worthy of a bronc. My suitcase is the saddle, my backpack the bedroll, and together we’re just trying to make it from town to town without throwing a shoe. Maybe one day, if I stay loyal to the rental kingdom, I’ll be trusted with something that can actually gallop—or at least a goat that bites. The Ranch Owner’s Quarters But the trail took a funny turn. For one night, they put me up in a Homewood Suites. Two beds, a whole kitchen, a fridge big enough for a side of beef, and a bathroom the size of a danc...

I started super early yesterday in North Carolina, flew out to DFW, caught a quick layover, and landed in Colorado Springs. Woke up early this morning running on caffeine and curiosity—and let me tell you, the Rockies didn’t disappoint. First Glimpse of the Rockies The moment I saw them from the plane window, I couldn’t help but say it out loud: Oh my God. Massive, jagged, and stretching forever. On the ground, driving through the city, they’re even more surreal. It made me wonder—if I lived here, would they start to fade into the background? Like the Shawangunks back home—always there, always beautiful, but eventually just scenery? For now, I’m the tourist. And I’m going to ooh and ah without shame. Flights, Seats, and the Thrill of the Gamble American Airlines got me here. Aside from my bag taking forever to show up at the end, the flights were solid. I picked my seat for the first leg and left the second one to fate—and scored 9A. I’m officially a fan of this seat roulette thin...

There’s a certain kind of quiet glory that doesn’t come from grand triumphs, but from small, consistent wins. Like waking up in a Marriott, shuffling downstairs in today’s fresh shirt, and discovering that the breakfast is not only free for employees of X Corporation—but good . Not just edible. Not just “included.” But worth sitting down for. Let me take you there. Where Business Casual Meets Breakfast Casual This particular Marriott has mastered the tone. The dining area opens just past the modern lobby and its low, clean couches and oddly placed decorative logs. It’s the kind of lobby that makes you feel slightly underdressed, even in a polo. But walk past the little bar and the Starbucks kiosk—yes, an actual Starbucks with real baristas and espresso machines humming like jet engines (it doubles as a bar at night)—and you’ll find a discreet buffet tucked around the corner. The kind of layout that says, “This is free, but we won’t make you feel desperate about it.” There are no loud ...