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View Full Version : Denver CO business trip looking like ALL business



mark page
08-19-2008, 10:00 PM
Looks like now that two week power session in Denver is going to be all power and little pleasure. I had a wild hair up my **** and called Corporate on the east coast with what I thought was a brilliant idea. Save your air fair and I will drive to Denver on my dime. First question was how many miles is it. My reply--maybe 850 or so. Their reply--Holy ****, now why would you want to drive??? My reply was a little bit of scenery, do my best thinking while on the road, clear my brain, don't want to be without transportation....etc. (No where did I mention I want to take a business trip and turn it into a vacation on the company:eek:). I then received the "verbal" non-written unofficial agenda for my trip. If I seriously plan, coordinate, schedule, brainstorm, and fly under the radar, I MIGHT have enough time free to call home twice to check on things. Of course this will require cutting in and sacrificing some of my 6 hrs a night of quality sleeping time....But I did get the great benefits speech of how nice of a 15 passenger van we will have to chauffeur us to and from the hotel & to and from meals, meet us at the airport, etc. Thanks to all for the recommendations of places to see & go, but looks like if I don't get a window seat and fly over it or get bussed by it, I'm going to miss it.:(

Jim Becker
08-20-2008, 8:47 AM
That really bites, Mark. 'Really is too long without any down time, and honestly, that will make the whole exercise less effective. IMHO, of course. Hopefully, your hotel will have a western view of the mountains at least...

Pat Germain
08-20-2008, 5:17 PM
Major bummer.

It it was me, I'd take some vacation time and book a few nights in Manitou Springs. Can you change your return flight to a later date?

Careful. If you spend time in Colorado, don't be surprised if you want to move here.

mark page
08-20-2008, 5:38 PM
OK, some more questions. Will be staying at the LaQuinta at 6801 Tower Rd. Anything around there within walking distance to check out??????

Jim Becker
08-20-2008, 6:22 PM
Will be staying at the LaQuinta at 6801 Tower Rd. Anything around there within walking distance to check out??????

You're pretty much just outside the airport and not close to anything. I stay at one of the Marriott properties next door when I have to leave Denver for home on an early flight.

mark page
08-20-2008, 7:00 PM
Nuts, sucks to be me I guess. I do have one Sunday free if you can call it that. I received the "formal" agenda today. Even then, the agenda does not allow time to check a rental back in the following Monday morn. Even got the list of "not applicable" charges that I can make on the company credit card, about as long as the dead sea scrolls, lol. I find that funny, cause I can charge most of those to the CC here locally without a hitch. Hope they have a good bar handy!!!!

Pat Germain
08-20-2008, 9:50 PM
OK, some more questions. Will be staying at the LaQuinta at 6801 Tower Rd. Anything around there within walking distance to check out??????

As I recall, that's pretty much an industrial area. Another bummer.

This concept of flying people across the country to spend every waking minute holed up in a windowless conference room is becoming more and more common. And it's downright cruel!

Jim Becker
08-20-2008, 10:08 PM
As I recall, that's pretty much an industrial area.

It's in the middle of a very, very, VERY large field! No industry in evidence that I remember, although if you turn the opposite way on Tower you'll get to a very nice landfill. :) These hotels are just off the airport expressway...about 1500' or so south of it. Tower Road is just below the E470 airport interchange.

Pat Germain
08-20-2008, 10:32 PM
OK, I looked it up. Sheesh, that's a lot further East than I thought. You're right, Jim. That's out by the airport and there's pretty much nothing out there.

mark page
08-20-2008, 10:49 PM
I have to pull up the ole map and take a look-see. The Dist. Ctr. is located on East 49th ave and now I know where the hotel is. I am being as optimistic as I can. Who else can state that they fly to Denver for two weeks and get to tour the industrial sections of the city. "Space, the final frontier, My mission is to boldly go where no man has gone before...." (at least in his right mind).:D:D:D

Matt Meiser
08-21-2008, 8:35 AM
Its been 12 years since I've been to Denver, but from what I remember, if its near the airport, its near NOTHING! When I was there we stayed by the old airport and I remember it being a very long drive.

Jim Becker
08-21-2008, 8:40 AM
Well...there is always the hotel shuttle to the airport for some people gazing and...fast food... :D ....it's only about a five minute ride.

Pat Germain
08-21-2008, 1:13 PM
Well...there is always the hotel shuttle to the airport for some people gazing and...fast food... :D ....it's only about a five minute ride.

There's an idea! Since it's in a big, white tent you can pretend it's Cirque du Soleil. ;)

Ron Ainge
08-21-2008, 4:27 PM
Mark

Jim is right, that hotel is out near the airport with little else arounod it. There is a few restraunts there but nothing and I mean nothing else. I hope you can find some spare time while you are in our area to see some of the sights because they are great. I have lived in this area for 8 years and I don't think you could get me out of here without a fight. Best wished and I hope you like our area.

Ron Ainge
08-21-2008, 4:30 PM
Mark

I don't konw exactly when you are going to visit this area but if you are here on 9/2/08 I will invite you to attend our turning club meeting. If you are interested send me a PM and I will let you know the particulars.

mark page
08-21-2008, 6:21 PM
Will be in Denver the 8th-19th will little time except for Sunday 14th off. I may try to call up an old employee of mine that lives in Conifer (sp?) and see if he can come get me out of "jail"for a day. His sister-in-law is my hair stylist, and coincidentally getting my haircut tonight. She's going to give me all his contact info.

Belinda Barfield
08-21-2008, 6:53 PM
With all the power of teleconferencing it's a shame that companies still force employees to spend two weeks of misery holed up in a windowless conference room. And why is it that there is never ANYTHING near an airport? Oh wait, I'm so wrong, Savannah has a Wal-Mart and a Sam's Club just down the road from the airport. :rolleyes:

Mark, maybe you can develop a case of 24 hour "flu" and play hooky for a day. (I can't believe that as an employer I just suggested that :eek:, but I've been an employee as well. ) If you are like me, that precious 6 hours of sleep won't actually kick in for several days when you are so exhausted you can't help but sleep.

mark page
08-21-2008, 7:02 PM
Well I am the manager of my facility, but still just a small potato in the major corporation. My DM's had to go thru the same thing, so I'm not just getting picked on. The GOOD NEWS is our advanced leadership program training was cancelled thru the end of 2008. This one was a NINE WEEK course. Can't input the smilies from the computer here at work, so will just say EEK EEK EEK.

Pat Germain
08-21-2008, 7:46 PM
FYI, there's a fairly new Italian restaurant on Tower road called Di Cicco's. My wife and I ate there a few months ago after I picked her up from a very harrowing flight and she wanted to calm down before driving back to The Springs. (The landing gear on her plane wouldn't come down and she circled the airport for two hours.)

Di Cicco's is strange. It has a gigantic dining room several stories high. There's a stage against one wall where a band plays light jazz and swing tunes. There's a giant video fireplace behind them. Roman statues and pillars adorn the area.

I ordered a cappucinno and the waitress said she'd try to find someone who knew how to make one. :confused: What I got tasted nothing like a cappucinno. I sent it back.

I ordered ravioli marsalla. What I got tasted like ravioli smothered in pancake syrup. I sent it back. The waitress was shocked. She said people raved about their marsalla sauce. Well, I've had marsalla sauce at many restaurants in the USA and in Trieste, Italy. That was no marsalla sauce.

I ordered a replacement for the ravioli marsalla. It was just pasta which was several dollars less than the ravioli dish I sent back. I ended up getting billed for the ravioli dish. I wanted to get out as soon as possible and didn't mention it to the waitress.

As we exited, my wife had to use the ladies room. I stood in the lobby for a good ten minutes; just me, the hostess and some employee she was talking to. At no time did she ask me how my meal was. It would have been awkward interupting her conversation to bring it up myself.

So, if your posse wants to dine at Di Cicco's, you might consider something else. Although, that place does seem well suited for a large group. It's possible I just had an unusually lousy experience.

mark page
08-21-2008, 11:36 PM
Just got off the phone with my friend out there. He is definately willing to come rescue me for the one day I have off. I will remember the place not to eat, lol. My written agenda does not include "where" we will be dining. Even breakfast on the agenda is left to the "continental" one from the hotel. Great, I get a jelly roll....:( But like I stated, I'm being optimistic and at least I get to reunite with a friend I haven't seen in a few years. So there is an upside to the trip. I'll let my friend & his LOML decide a good place to dine, buy dinner for them, and possibly we will all have a day to remember. I have been thru worse, and I anticipate I will still have a pulse and be able to haze the mirror after all this has passed. As far as playing "hookey", it will definately take a death certificate to get out of it.:rolleyes: Plus I do know one person from my district that gets to go with me, so at least not the only lonely in the class. Just read the "fine print" of the agenda. I will have to "shack" up with someone for two weeks in the hotel room. Just hope that this person is close to my age, but with my luck will either be wearing diapers or have the COB syndrome (cranky old bast***).

Jim Becker
08-22-2008, 8:52 AM
Oooh....I hate the roommate thing. It's one of the reasons I always try very hard to be a "speaker" at company functions. One of the perks is often a room to yourself.

Pat Germain
08-22-2008, 11:54 AM
Sounds like this conference is being done on the cheap. ;) No doubt the company got a killer deal for putting their folks in a hotel out on the airport prairie with nothing around.

When it comes to hotel rommates, it all depends on the person. He could be great company, or Dude From Hell.

There are a number of corporate, chain restaurants on Tower Rd. It seems a new one is up every time I go up there.

"Continental Breakfast" might as well be "No Breakfast". Often, you'd be better off buying a pack of cinnammon rolls at 7-11 and munching on those every morning.

Jim Becker
09-01-2008, 10:32 AM
Ok...I personally investigated the Tower Road culinary options for you on Saturday. :) In addition to the aforementioned Italian place, you have Ruby Tuesday (where we ate and is generally a good restaurant chain) next door. In the other direction (towards the airport highway), you have Bennigans and the Valley Diner. We ate lunch at one of the latter in Silverthorne CO a few days earlier and it was quite acceptable as a diner type establishment. The Marriott Courtyard also has a restaurant that serves dinner. There are some eating options on the non-secure side of the airport, too, if you want to ride the hotel shuttle out there.

Pat Germain
09-01-2008, 10:49 AM
Love the avatar pic, Jim! It's very Colorado.

The Bennigan's won't be an option since the entire chain went belly-up a few weeks ago. The parent company also shut down their Steak & Ale franchise.

Jim Becker
09-01-2008, 11:18 AM
The Bennigan's won't be an option since the entire chain went belly-up a few weeks ago. The parent company also shut down their Steak & Ale franchise.

Ah, I didn't know that. Too bad. At least the Ruby Tuesdays is excellent and has a big enough menu that one can eat with a lot of variety if necessary.

Sorry we didn't get to to meet last week, Pat...the timing just didn't work out. But I did buy that hat just up the road from you in Manatoba Springs. :) 'Pleased to say it stayed on my head very well throughout the trip including a few hours on the back of a horse in some of the most beautiful territory I've been in ever about 35 miles north of Sliverthorne, CO.

mark page
09-01-2008, 8:51 PM
Thanks Jim,
I will have to try a few of them out if I get the chance. Hope you enjoyed your visit to CO. Hope the kid's had a good time, after all that's what life is all about isn't it??? Best wishes!!!!

Jim Becker
09-01-2008, 8:58 PM
Yup, good time. Pics in this thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=91310).