Phoenix, Arizona – Car Rental Options

Posted on October 13, 2014 by murray

I have been truly negligent in keeping up my end of the blog, so here it goes.

Arizona, our next destination. We had thought to go in September when we had a large stretch of time available. We intended to drive and see some territory neither of us have visited but that option evaporated and we are now flying. It is a minor change in some ways but it does require preparation not necessary had we driven. Renting a car, for instance.

We don’t rent many cars so it is time to learn something new. Big lesson; DON’T rent a car from an airport location. I spend the better part of week checking out what it would cost to rent a car for 10 days in Arizona. The logical place to pick up the car would be at the Phoenix airport where we are going to land. It would also be convenient to drop it off there since that is where our plane leaves from. I look at all the possibilities and they seem, at least to me, to be quite expense but also something did not sit right. First off, car rental prices change like airfares. Also, like airfares, there does not seem to any rhyme or reason to the change in costs. Really is it worth the time to have some employee or even a computer figuring out which particular model of car is worth how much at this or that instance in time. Come on! it’s a car!

The cost to rent a compact car from the airport location today, October 13,2014, is (I’ll work in Canadian funds where I can) $449.37 plus $246.46 in taxes and surcharges to total $695.84. Like I said, seems a little excessive. There is a discount to ‘pay now’ on the website. It amounts to about 10%. $404.44 plus $232.21 in taxes totaling $636.65. These taxes are “concession recovery, facility maintenance, ENERGY RECOVERY FEE (caps are used on the website price breakdown???), county surcharge, customer facility, and taxes”. Except for the taxes, all of the charges are airport specific and account for a significant portion of what the car is being tendered for.

Simply by using a little bit of lateral thinking I am able to save a large percentage by renting from a location not on airport property . What if I rent the car from a Scottsdale location? Bingo. The cost drops over $300, less that 50% of what I was originally quoted. If I want to book the car it will cost $299.92 plus $56.22 in taxes equaling $356.15, but by paying immediately the cost drops to $269.93 + $51.37 = $321.30. (As I mentioned the prices change and I actually paid $293.62 a couple of days ago.) These savings are a bit greater due to the fact that we do not really need a car on the evening we arrive and we save one day’s rental by not booking the car until the next morning. Just by the by, the car rental agency is directly across the street from our hotel but some agencies will pick you up from the hotel on the day you rent and drop you off after you return the car.

We now have another problem. How to get to the hotel on the night we arrive and how to return to the airport on the day we are to leave. Before I pay for the car rental I check out the cost of a cab ride with the hotel front desk. The fellow tells me it is around $50 US ($56 Cad). So even with the expense of a taxi we save over $200 on the cost of renting a car from the airport and I will have the luxury of being chauffeured to my hotel. Upon further investigation I found the SuperShuttle which provides airport to hotel door service for the two of us costing $84 US ($94.22 Cad) return fare.

By not renting at the airport we save over $200 about 1/3 of the cost of renting a car.
I am beginning to dislike airports as much as I generally dislike airlines. They seem be in business solely for the purpose of making money. Unfortunately, both are missing the same point. They are in the customer service industry and by taking care of the customer, the bottom line will take care of itself. A leap of faith is required to adopt this idea and make it a company cornerstone but as best as I can make, neither the airports or the airlines are willing to take that leap and because they have a market with little or no choice they chose the ‘safe’ route and dictate cost and quality of service to their users.

Airports that charge stupid high fees to the car rental companies and have them pass the cost onto the potential customers caused me to look for alternatives. I will do my best to spread the word. It may only cost airports a few nickels but it is a few nickels they could have had. More important they will loose customers. Customers that could have been loyal customers. Ones that would tout the benefits of using airport services and how valuable they are to travelers rather than spew off blogging about how they are self centered, egocentric, bloated organizations.

PS. The car rental companies should not get off scott free either. You will note that the base cost of the car from the Scottsdale location is lower than the cost of the car from the airport. An instance of supply and demand I am sure but supply and demand to a rental company is sort of a mute point as they shuffle cars around from site to site to meet demand.

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Tour of Alberta and World Triathlon Grand Final Photos

Posted on September 18, 2014 by debbie

I have loaded photos from the World Triathlon Grand Final which was held in Edmonton from August 26 to September 1, 2014. We have photos of both the Women’s and Men’s Elite races.

Men's Elite Race of the World Triathlon Grand Final

Elite Men’s Race of the World Triathlon Grand Final

There are also photos of the Tour of Alberta that traveled around the province from September 2 to September 7, 2014.

Tour of Alberta Stage 3 Finish at Namao

Tour of Alberta Stage 3 Finish Circuit at Namao

The photos are posted under “Photos” in the main menu bar and are in the “Western Canada” Album. The Women’s race is first, followed by the Men’s race and then the Tour of Alberta.

Once the photos of the album have loaded, scroll down towards the bottom and locate the photos from this summer. Click on the first photo of the grouping and a “slide show” view will appear. Scroll through the photos using the arrow on the right.

Enjoy!

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San Salvador Photos

Posted on September 9, 2014 by debbie

Our San Salvador photos are finally in the blog. We had a little hiccup with the Photo section and I have had to reconstruct it. Some cosmetic and photo quality work still needs to be done, but the photos are back in place. WHO HOO!

To view the San Salvador photos:

  • Hover over “Photos” on the main menu bar
  • When the drop down menu appears, find San Salvador and click on it
  • Click on the first photo to get a larger “slide show” type view.
  • Use the right arrow to scroll through the pics.
  • Enjoy!

Bahamas

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Tour of Alberta 2014 Edmonton

Posted on September 7, 2014 by debbie

Today is the big Edmonton circuit for the Tour of Alberta. Two times in and out of our river valley. 11 laps of an 11 km route. We are pumped. Regardless of the light rain we expect the turnout here will be better than elsewhere in the province.

The climb up Bellamy Hill

The climb up Bellamy Hill

We are not disappointed. The people are out in droves, the race is exciting, and the Bellamy Hill climb is tough. Three of those climbs are for King of the Mountain points. The race for the KOM jersey is fought by Simon Yates (Orica-Greenedge) and Robin Carpenter (Hincapie Sportswear Development Team). Yates beats out Carpenter eventually winning the Polka Dot Jersey.

Simon Yates

Simon Yates

We wander the course from Bellamy Hill to 107 St where the racers cross twice in a lap where we meet up with swim buddies and tri buddies and cycling buddies. The Edmonton athletes are out to support this great race.

The peloton rushing by

The peloton rushing by

From 107 St we scurry towards the finish line area catching a glimpse of the racers on lap 9. At the finish we join the masses along the orange fences and cheer the racers as they complete their last two laps. It is always amazing to see how fast they rush past. There is definitely excitement in the air with everyone ringing their bells, clapping their clappers and cheering loudly.

The finish is a mad sprint of a whittled down pack of 30. Daryl Impey wins the stage and gathers a time bonus enough to push Tom Dumoulin out of the number one spot of the GC.

Daryl Impey wins the stage and the GC

Daryl Impey wins the stage and the race

We stop and chat with Thomas, the Hincapie Team Manager (we think), who we chatted with in the Tim Horton’s on the way to Lethbridge. I ask him how the team did and he says they did well but the riders don’t have the depth of the European team riders. But, after all they are a development team and this is what they are all about. Nice fellow. Their season is over but he says they will be back next year.

Murray runs into Oran one last time and J, Oran’s navigator, and we look forward to seeing them again next year.

It has been a great Tour of Alberta. It will feel odd not getting up tomorrow and driving to a spot on some highway to watch a group of spandex clad cyclists swoosh by. Until next year.

The race is over

The race is over for another year

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Tour of Alberta 2014 Edmonton to Sherwood Park – Rally Car Driving

Posted on September 6, 2014 by debbie

I feel like a rally car driver. I am in a line of five cars all driving 85 kph down TWP 510 towards Hwy 21. We are all of the same mind. Get to the finish line before the racers.

These last few days have felt very much like a rally car race. Murray navigates and I drive. We drive at a somewhat leisurely speed to our first stop to watch the racers go by. Even though we have left with lots of time, there is still a slight pressure to get there. Once the racers cycle by and the train passes, we hop in our vehicle and we drive at a not so leisurely speed to our second spot. I try not to speed, but the speedometer needle seems to creep up anyway. Rally car driving! (Not really but it sure feels like it sometimes!)

Today we leave with lots of time to get to the corner of TWP 510 and RR210 where the Canadian Pave turns into Gravel. We are not the first to arrive and find a former workmate/cyclist buddy of Murray’s standing on the side of the road. We spend our time chatting and catching up. Another couple has a scanner and the fellow kindly keeps us up to date on the race.

The chase rounds the corner

The chase rounds the corner

We hear there is a break about 4 minutes up on the pack. They arrive at the corner and take the corner with great care. The pack arrives minutes later and takes it faster. We all hold our breath hoping no one crashes.

A rough ride

A rough ride

A few stragglers are behind the pack and when they arrive, we see the reason written in blood running down their legs. One cyclist is riding a yellow neutral bike from the neutral support vehicle. His red Argon bike sits atop the yellow vehicle. It looks like the pave and gravel have taken a toll.

Once the vehicles pass, we jump in our steed and rally drive with the five others down the pave. Murray knows these roads well, and we opt for a slightly different route into Sherwood Park. We arrive, park and walk to the finish line area with time to spare.

A different kind of peloton

A different kind of peloton

There are more spectators here than there have been all week. Kids and cyclists and grandmas and teenagers and whole families. The festival booths are plenty. There is excitement in the air. The lead group and the chase pack are coming!

Race around the circuit

Race around the circuit

The cyclists speed by and the rush of wind is amazing. From rally car racers on the road we turn into Formula 1 race spectators standing behind the orange rails watching as the sleeker faster machines whoosh within inches.

Ryan Anderson - Best Canadian

Ryan Anderson in the Red Jersey for Best Canadian

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Tour of Alberta 2014 Wetaskiwin to Edmonton – We Are Getting the Hang of This

Posted on September 5, 2014 by murray

We are back in Edmonton. Sleeping in our own bed and partially into our regular routine, with one addition, the Tour of Alberta. Our plan for viewing the race today takes precision timing. We figure we should catch the feed zone and then race across town and pick up the finish at CFB Edmonton near Namao.

We can only guess at where the feed zone is but we think it should be easy enough to find. If we follow the race route from slightly over 1/2 way we will find the signs that indicate the feed zone, then find it exactly, park and wait for the race to pass. We score big. We get on the highway heading to the route with plenty of time to spare and figure we are doing well when a caravan of race vehicles passes us going to…….the feed zone of course. We knew right away where they were headed so we just tucked in behind and voila! we are in place with over an hour to spare.

At the Feed Zone

At the Feed Zone

The pack passes, compacto, the whir of the bikes is always something to marvel at. A few more riders grab musettes today and we are able to pick up a couple of bags and a couple of bottles. It is always interesting to see what sort of treats the riders throw away, leaving them for us to snack on if we desire. Today there was a couple of very small fruit pies, several power gels and bars and a homemade snack made with rice and blueberries constructed from a recipe book Debbie knows of comprising of cyclist specific food.

View from the road

View from the road

After a short trip combing the ditch, we are back on the highway, cutting across the NE corner of the city and into Namao. This is a Canadian Forces Base and neither of us is familiar with where the finish is, where we are allowed to travel or where we can park. When we arrive there is a congregation of police vehicles and occupants trying to discern exactly the same thing we are. So I ask directions and get a general idea where the race route is. Not quite as easy as following a caravan. We park, not exactly sure where we are headed. One of the marshals heads us in the direction of the finish but sends us the long way. We eventually end up more or less where we want and stake out a spot on the fence ready to watch the finale. We are on the outside of a corner exactly at the exit point of the curve and the riders are riding flat out and close enough to touch. This is cool.

Circuit around Namao

Circuit around Namao

Three laps and it is all over with a sprint between two riders for the finish line.

Circuit around Namao

Circuit around Namao

Today the plan was executed flawlessly. Some days are like that. We’ll see how things go tomorrow following the Tour of Alberta.

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Tour of Alberta 2014 Innisfail to Red Deer – Hob Nobbing

Posted on September 4, 2014 by murray

It’s a change of gear today. In the last two days we have worn the warmest clothes we lugged along, rain gear head to toe, save shoes which we both neglected, and yesterday, umbrellas. This morning the temperature is fall like, 2C, but it is suppose to be sunny and warm up. I’m not chancing shorts but at least we can doff the rain gear and umbrellas.

After the race yesterday we stopped in at an institution in Lethbridge, the Shanghai Restaurant. It serves Chinese food if you haven’t guessed. We order and when the food arrives the first thing I notice is the food tastes like the Chinese food we use to get in Edmonton 40 years ago. I have noticed this before. Over time the Chinese food in bigger cities has changed, I’m guessing become more “North American” friendly or maybe adjusted to a wider variety of tastes. But if you visit a Chinese restaurant in a smaller centre the food has not changed. I have no idea what the difference is, but it definitely harkens back to days past.

The first three days of the tour have not brought out the crowds as I remember them from last year. There were quite a few people out in Calgary, I think mostly hard core cyclist types, but not nearly as many as were out to view the Prologue in Edmonton last year. The climb to the legislature was lined 3 deep top to bottom, the crowd to the top of COP was sporadic except the very top where there were quite a few folks making a racket. The crowd in Lethbridge was extremely small but with good reason. One would have to be willing to be soaked and cold and I can understand how staying home would be an easy choice.

Behind the scenes at the start line

Behind the scenes at the start line

Today it is good to see a few more folks out at the start in Innisfail but still not an over large group. They did let the elementary school kids out for a while to line the fences and that really helps to boost the numbers. Last year there was a really good crowd in Red Deer but I did not get to the finish today so I cannot comment on what happened there.

Even with smaller crowds we manage to meet a plethora of interesting folks. I arrive at a switchback on the Prologue course and the marshal there was quite a personable fellow. He is a Calgarian, who normally volunteers to help out with triathlons but thought he would throw his hat into the bike racing ring and is going to follow the entire circuit blowing his whistle and directing bikes and traffic with his orange flag. The next person we run into is a photographer we met last year at the race, Oran, (check out his website called eibhir) , who is back to do the entire tour and I am sure we will run into each other many times.

At the Prologue, Debbie meets the course director who is directing traffic on the course. He is from Los Angeles and travels to races all over North America. In Lethbridge,  the first person Debbie meets is a fellow from Calgary, his mother lives in Fort McLeod and he took the day off work to take her to an appointment so he figured he would just continue on to Lethbridge and see what the bike race had to offer.

At the finish line we meet a marshal with a very strong southern US accent. He is from Georgia and tells us he follows the races, sort of like a roadie. A local was manning the gate allowing spectators to cross when safe and she tells us she has taken time away from work because “it is not very often you can witness a world class event and what better way to see things than to help out.”

Today we go to the start and run into another person we know. L swims with our training group and in fact coaches the occasional session. He is traveling as a soigneur for the Canadian team. He has a big smile and is really enjoying doing laundry, filling water bottles, making lunches and being driver in one of the team vehicles.

The start in Innisfail

The start in Innisfail

Debbie and I split up, one on either side of the road, to get photos and each of us gets involved filling in locals, even older than us, on the ins and outs of the bike race and what they can expect to see as the neutralized peloton rolls past to the race start.

At the Feed Zone

At the Feed Zone

Part of following the race is to see the event unfold but just as important is to meet people, not just those that are racing, but the behind the scenes people, the locals that are helping out, and the spectators that are thrilled to have such an event pass through their town enabling them to witness something usually viewed on TV.

At the Feed Zone

At the Feed Zone

It doesn’t really matter what the weather or what gear one has to don to contend with it, the friendly people are what makes following the tour more enjoyable. We don’t have to travel far to expand the understanding we each personally carry about the world.

View from the side of the road

View from the side of the road

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Tour of Alberta 2014 Lethbridge

Posted on September 3, 2014 by murray

It was inevitable. We are sitting at the KOM (King of the Mountain) spot in Lethbridge an hour before the race start and it is pouring. It has been since we left Calgary. As planned we arrive here at 2pm ready to elbow our way to a good parking spot and secure the ultimate watching 2 sq. ft. Expecting crowds we are prepared for all. There is absolutely no one here except the marshals and us, of course. There is one other fellow, whom I happen to know, K, but he has scoped out the non-crowds and left to find a coffee. I presume he will return just prior to the peleton passing by.

We leave Calgary with what we thought was a good amount of time for us (spectators) to get to the race route in time. As we make our way south there are a number of race vehicles making their way as well. We pass buses, team cars and official’s cars. We stop for lunch at the iconic Canadian fast food place of Tim Horton’s. Shortly after we sit down, the Hincapie Development team van pulls in so the racers can pick up some lunch. When in Rome. Have a short chat with a couple of the guys, wish them luck, then we are on our way again. It isn’t far to Lethbridge but I hope they make it to the start in time to as least turn their pedals a couple of times. I do not envy their task today. 4 hours of misery in 8C rainy weather. I guess that is what they get paid for.

The first time up the hill out of the coulee the pack romps up the climb. By the second lap there is a break of three riders.

Three rider break

Three rider break

The chase pack is about 2 minutes back and then there are a few lone riders way off the back. Each time the riders make the climb, they are looking more and more soaking wet. Some don’t look too happy, but they keep riding.

The chase pack

The chase pack

We watch four circuits on the climb and then move to the finish line. Standing by the fence near the finish we see them race by on their fifth lap. There are now only 2 riders out front. The large chase pack has splintered in two and there are a few more trailers. One lone rider, way off the back, is determined to finish. He goes past finishing his fifth lap just ahead of the pack sprinting at the end of their race. There is a mad dash for the finish line by a pack of about 16. Many of the riders head right to their team bus to get out of the chill and get dry.

The sprint to the line

The sprint to the line

It was a tough day out on the course not just for the riders but also for us spectators.

Debbie in the rain

Debbie in the rain

 

We have the heat turned up high in the vehicle as we drive north again and we are still not warm yet.

The skies are looking better

The skies are looking better

Hopefully the forecast for tomorrow is blue skies, sun and warmth.

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Tour of Alberta 2014 in Calgary

Posted on September 2, 2014 by debbie

The forecast is rain. We leave Edmonton, a nice sunny day and it looks like it is going to stay that way. As we progress south we head toward an ominous black sky. It must have something to do with the Tour of Alberta. Last year as we traveled from Drumheller to Black Diamond the skies got blacker and blacker and eventually poured on us all night. Today it starts to drizzle just south of Olds and gains momentum as we head into Calgary. The weatherman says 10cm tonight. We are trying to figure out what to wear as the rain abates but the dark sky still looms. We opt not to ride our bikes and dress for rain. As we approach the site the sky begins to clear.

Murray snoozing before the startI think the riders are in their buses thinking about how lousy it will be to ride in the rain. The time comes, the race starts and the rain has not arrived. One by one the racers ride by and the rain looks less and less likely.

Riders warming up

Two riders warming up

The prologue is short as prologues are and there is a very steep 1.2km hill at the end. The idea is to split the racers a few seconds apart and set up the GC. All the guys are riding fast from our perspective but there are few that seem to outshine the rest. There is not much strategy, put your head down and go. Go hard.

The crowds are not massive but there are quite a few people along the roadside. You can follow the progress of the riders by the wave of sound coming up the hill.

We are ensconced on one of the switchbacks taking photos and cheering the riders as they pass. 118 riders at one minute intervals takes 118 minutes. Still no rain.

The Tour of Albert begins and tomorrow it is Lethbridge. The forecast is rain!

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From a Converstation and a Desire to Trip Planning

Posted on August 3, 2014 by debbie

“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”               Tony Wheeler, Cofounder – Lonely Planet

On the weekend I went to Strawberry Creek with my girlfriends, Murray volunteered at a local bike race. While at the race, he chatted with a young woman who had just come back from the Galapagos Islands. She told him all about snorkeling with baby seals and how they would play with her by pulling on her fins. When Murray recounted this conversation to me later, I got excited. Really excited!

Years ago, even before I met Murray, I had viewed photos of Machu Picchu and decided that one day I should go there. As this desire sat buried in my heart, I watched as various people went there. And I still hadn’t gone.

This baby seal conversation and the desire to see Machu Picchu then formulated itself into our next trip. We have a concept of the trip, but now comes the investigation into where to go, what to do and when.

I have the easy part – the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador. Murray is looking into what there is to see in Peru. We will also look at Bolivia, next door to Peru.

We are in the initial stages of planning a trip that emerged from a conversation about seal pups in the Galapagos Islands and a desire to discover Peru’s Machu Picchu.

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