About that Loss Damage Waiver (LDW)

Yes, there are ‘up sells’ even in the rental car industry. On our recent trip to Florida, we rented a car from Advantage and right out the gate, the up sell came out – do you want a convertible or a Jeep?  Wow, what a car company, I thought.  This is great!  My wife chimed in, “Wait, are those the same price as what we signed up for?”  Ummm, no. Those came in at an extra $28/day or an extra $150. So, no on that front.

Next up – the Loss Damage Waiver or LDW – probably one of the more confusing and annoying aspects to the rental car experience.  This was almost presented as non-negotiable – and the sales push was on. We were even warned of ‘dump trucks’ up and down the roads we were going to drive on and even the smallest rock could conceivably hit our windshield which would cause us to be held liable for damage. Out came the question: aren’t we already covered by our current auto insurance?  Most certainly not, we were told – at least, rental cars weren’t covered by the sales agent’s insurance company (of course not!).

We were pressured into securing the LDW resulting in an additional $100 on top of the rental cost, but out of the goodness of her heart the ‘extra driver’ fee was waived b/c we purchased the LDW.  Hmmmm. Spidey senses go off. We drive off headed to our hotel and that nagging feeling sunk in – we’ve been screwed.

On the way to our hotel, we called our insurance company and learned that we did indeed have insurance coverage that extended to car rentals and that we gave in to the sales pitch from the rental car company. So, after hanging up the phone, we turned around at the next exit, drove back, and had the LDW refunded to us. Always push back when confronted with the LDW – if you have full coverage with a reputable company you’re probably okay to forgo the coverage.

Word to the wise: Call your insurance company before your trip to see if your current insurance already extends to car rentals. In some instances, if you book with a Visa or American Express, there are other coverages extended on to rental cars (but not liability insurance).

Ave Maria, Florida

My wife and I traveled to Naples, Florida to see our niece graduate from Ave Maria University.  Founded by Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan, Ave Maria University just celebrated 10 years in operation and is a Catholic university located about 45 minutes from Naples, Florida. The University is situated in the town of Ave Maria, a planned college community being built around the University and boasts nearly 5,000 residents. The drive in to the University is beautiful – winding roads surrounded by palm trees leading to a family farm, and passing the different developments beginning to spring up as part of the town of Ave Maria (Del Webb, Maple Ridge, etc).  The drive up to the University culminates with the Oratory, a Catholic Church that serves as the de facto center of town. The church is surrounded by town shops which include a Publix grocery store, the Queen Mary pub & grill, and other retail stores. Apartments line the top of these retail stores adding another layer of living in town. What a beautiful, young campus dedicated to the ideals of the Catholic faith! 

Getting here: The closest airport is Fort Myers (RSW).  The University is about an hour from the airport and 45 minutes from Naples, Florida.

What to do: Walk the planned community, shop in the retail stores around the Oratory, or visit the Mother Theresa Museum, the only one of its kind in the United States. Take in a Mass offered daily in the Oratory . The inside of the church is a mix of the old and the modern. Tom Monaghan’s fondness of Frank Lloyd Wright is obvious in the light fixtures throughout the church.

Day trip to Colonial Williamsburg

Recently, while on a work trip to nearby Norfolk, VA, my wife came down for a quick weekend visit. As we wanted to get a bit outside of the Hampton Roads area, we decided to take a day trip westbound over to Colonial Williamsburg. My wife had never been before and this was my first visit in probably a decade or more. Williamsburg is part of what is known as the 'Historic Triangle' (along with Jamestown and Yorktown) and boasts dozens of original and/or recreated buildings dating back to the late 1600s and 1700s. Stroll through some of the recreated buildings off of the main street and you'll encounter re-enacters who will recall to you what life was really like during the 1700s. It really is a cool little town with pebble strewn streets, closed off to vehicular traffic, and also the proud home to the College of William & Mary.

Sir Christopher Wren Building on the Campus of William & Mary

Must dos: Stroll down Duke of Gloucester Street and soak up the history! Lined with a farmers market on weekends and stores on either side, duck into a place or two to bring home some memorabilia. Walk back in time on the campus of William & Mary - a true gem of a campus in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg and home to the oldest college building in the United States [see photo above].

Getting here: About 3 hours from the Washington, DC area - take 95 south to I-295 over to 64 East and follow signs to Colonial Williamsburg. About 45 minutes from Norfolk - jump on 64 West and get off at exit 243B.

Eateries: There are a few places to eat on either side of the main street in Colonial Williamsburg. Check out the DoG Street Cafe - the Rail Sandwich is a must try with a local IPA to wash it down.

Hindenburg Memorial (Lakehurst, NJ)

Visiting my in-laws in nearby Lakewood, NJ offered the opportunity to visit the site of the Hindenburg Disaster Memorial commemorating the loss of 36 people on May 06, 1937 (35 people on board and 1 person on the ground). Situated on what is now Joint Base McGuire/Dix, the Hindenburg exploded and crashed while trying to land on the grounds of then Naval Air Station Lakehurst. Speculation on the exact cause of the explosion swirled at the time with theories involving everything from sabotage, a fuel leak, and static electricity. Whatever the cause that brought down the Hindenburg, it essentially ended the age of dirigible passenger travel.

The memorial marking the spot where the Hindenburg crashed nearly 80 years ago [Hangar 1 can be seen on the far left in the background which housed the Hindenburg].

Plaque commemorating the Hindenburg crash.

Groundhog Day 2014 - The Prediction Heard 'Round the World!

There is a small hamlet in Pennsylvania that is ground zero for weather forecasting every Groundhog Day weekend and watched by millions around the country and the world.  That town is Punxsutawney, home to Punxsutawney Phil, the most famous weather forecaster in the world [sorry Jim Cantore!].

Watching coverage of this event every year, I thought it was time to go see what this experience was all about.  The die-hards begin to descend upon Punsutawney shortly after 3AM and include all walks of life – college students fresh off a brew bus, families with kids, and the elderly. You can’t drive up to Gobbler’s Knob, where Phil makes his prediction, since it is closed off to cars so you have two options. One, you can walk up the 1.5 miles to Gobbler’s Knob or you can catch the bus up from one of three locations around town [Walmart, McDonald’s, and Punxy Plaza] which run fairly frequently. This year, over 30,000 people made the trek up to Gobbler’s Knob for the big announcement.

As a groundhog day rookie, I discovered you really don’t need to arrive by 3AM, but try to arrive by 5 or 6 am.  If you are there early you’ll get a good spot to watch the announcement and may even get to meet the President of the Groundhogs Club and even Weather Channel weather forecaster Jim Cantore who makes the pilgrimage each year [see pic below!]. Leading up to the big announcement, the main stage features dancing, singing [taking Top 40 hits and weaving in a Groundhog flair], and even a fireworks show.

Then, at 7:25, the action begins. The leadership of the Groundhog Club walks down from the top of Gobbler's Knob and then on to the stage to pull Phil out of his sleeping space on stage. Then, the 128^th prediction announcement was read:

A Super Bowl winner I will not predict

But my weather forecast you cannot contradict

Why that’s not a football but my shadow I see

Six more weeks of winter, it must be

With that, Groundhog Day activities came to a close and winter remains at least for another few weeks. Thanks to the good folks in Punxy for putting on a good show!

Must-Dos: Gobbler’s Knob to hear Phil’s prediction, of course!  Make the trek down from Gobbler’s Knob after the prediction and hit Punxy Phil’s restaurant. Waits are long, but the food is good.

Travel: About 4 hours from Leesburg, VA. Consider breaking up the trip by staying in nearby Indiana, PA [about 40 minutes south of Punxsutawney].

Logistics: Some folks spend the night before in nearby Indiana, PA as hotels are limited in Punxsutawney. Once there, park at one of the three launching points [visit groundhogstuff.com for more info on pick-up spots] and pay $5.00 to be bussed up to the Knob.

Travel Musings 2014 – Volume 1 – Quick overview of the miles game

So, you’re asking yourself – how can I get frequent flyer miles if I really don’t fly?! There are tons of ways to earn miles even if you don’t step foot on an airplane [but that helps a lot if you want to build miles fast].  A simple rule of thumb for the miles game is to do things you normally do, but conform to how the airline has it set up. Here is a brief overview of how to get closer to that free airline ticket quickly:

1. The Airline Credit Card: Let’s use United Airlines as a test case as that is my airline of choice [with access to airlines in the Star Alliance Network]. Depending on the credit card offer, you can earn 30,000 up to 50,000 miles just for signing up [and spending a certain amount on the card to secure the full bonus].  From that point forward, count on 1 mile per $1 spent which can really add up depending on your shopping habits.  There usually is a yearly fee, but sometimes that is waived for the first year.  Depending on the size of the sign-on bonus, you could already be flying for free somewhere in the Continental United States or the Caribbean.

Just remember - don’t keep a balance on that mileage credit card – if you do, that free ticket will cost you thousands in interest charges.

2. Send flowers: Valentine’s Day is right around the corner as is Mother’s Day.  Word to the miles wise – go through your airline’s online shopping ‘mall’ to secure your flowers purchase. Some companies offer 10-20 miles per $ spent which could yield a few hundred extra miles into your miles account.

3. Eat a meal: Some airlines offer a ‘Dining Program’ where you can earn 5-10 miles per dollar spent just for going out to eat at your favorite restaurant [assuming you use your  registered credit / debit card at these participating restaurants].   

Try those three things first to get a head of steam going in your quest for a free airline ticket!

Travel Musings, Volume 3 – Resolution Time

You know what time it is – we’re almost to the end of the year where you look at your waistline and say, this is the year I’m going to lose ‘X’ amount of pounds. Or maybe your resolutions are focused on reading one or more of the classics or even the Bible.  One thing I love to do around this time of year is set a target of where I’d like to travel to in the year ahead.  These could be international trips, domestic trips, or even local sites that I’ve never seen before.

Making lists is fun.  Making travel lists is REALLY fun.  It really is a mini-bucket list albeit on a one-year timeline. I do know this – if you don’t write it down you’ll probably never do it. Not only does this apply to goals you have with your career or life, but travel especially. 

Zig Ziglar said it best – if you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.  Developing your travel list is no different – if you have nothing to shoot for in places to see, you’ll be hard pressed to go see them.  So, looking forward as we inch closer to 2014, what is it going to be?  Have you always wanted to fly to London for a long weekend or take in the sights and sounds of New York during Christmas? Whatever it is, remember that the beginning starts with the end in mind so break the year up into quarters, plan a trip to a place where you want to go, and go do it.

Here’s to a blessed and fun 2014!