A commoner drinks (and dines) at Mickey’s Tavern, Madison, Wis.

While I was working in Madison, Wis., last fall, I was fortunate to discover quite a few great old-fashioned neighborhood taverns and dives.  But in the case of Mickey’s Tavern in particular, I sought it out based on a recommendation from my future wife.  As fate would have it, Punky knew one of the bartenders who worked there, and from all accounts she felt Mickey’s would be my kind of place.  As usual, she was right.

Scenes from the Wurst. Wedding. Ever.

My few faithful followers have probably noticed a scarcity of blog posts in recent months (with the most recent exception of last month’s rant against crappy airline service).  The good news (depending on your point of view, I suppose) is my blogging days are far from over.  On the contrary, I’ve been hoarding ideas for future posts over the past several months.  I’ve simply been a little busy and preoccupied with planning a far more important chapter in my life.  

Yes, as evidence that one should never say never again, The April and I got married.  And, indicative of our collectively warped sense of humor -- as well as a play on our last names -- we dubbed it the Wurst Wedding Ever.

Flying unfriendly skies

Before I started my current job, my fear of flying was largely based on the fact that I’m putting my fate entirely in someone else’s hands with every flight.  The more I fly, however, the reasons I dread air travel have become more about the many customer service catastrophes that can befall you at any given moment. 

Recently, I had one of those days where I felt the full force of the domino effect of Murphy’s Law.  You see, when one thing goes wrong in the airline business, it negatively impacts several other things, and before you know it, you’re in a tailspin of suck that can last for days. 

To be fair, my latent hostility toward the Cleveland airport had been building for a couple of weeks. For starters, it’s conveniently located near absolutely nothing, making my average commute to work or my hotel once I arrive at least 30-40 minutes.  And that doesn’t factor in how long it takes to get a rental car at the airport.  That’s because the airport rental area is nowhere near the airport. You have to walk a mile from baggage claim to a shuttle, which wanders through a maze of construction sites and frontage roads with potholes the size of a Buick.  All in all, this process takes at least another 20 minutes. 

Supposedly, all of the “improvements” at the airport are for the 2016 Republican National Convention.  I have a feeling if there really are riots, it won’t be because of Donald Trump; it will be because the airport and its surroundings are so messed up.    

So, one Friday morning when I’m more than ready to get out of Cleveland for the weekend, I started with dropping off my rental car and doing the 20 minute commute.  Fortunately, once I arrived, the security point check-in did not take nearly as long as it appeared it would.  This is one area where I will compliment the Cleveland airport.  They have this screening process down fairly well. 

I had plenty to time to catch my 11 a.m. flight on United to Chicago.  Sure, last week’s flight was delayed an hour due to mechanical problems (the last thing you want to hear about the plane you’re about to get on!).  But things were going so smoothly today.  What could go wrong?

Day drankin’ in the Mardi Gras spirit

Since travel has become a huge part of my job lately, it’s been easy to forget that some of the greatest adventures are the least scripted.  Fortunately, there’s no better way to go off the script than a Saturday small town bar tour in Central Illinois. 

That’s what The April and I decided to do on what I like to call Mardi Gras Saturday (the weekend before Fat Tuesday), along with our friends Larry and Tammy.  The goal was to not have a goal except to enjoy the day exploring new places and meeting new friends.

Enjoying the company of the bartender at the Uptown Saloon

Our first stop was a familiar one, considering my past stops on bus trips to Fast Eddie’s in Alton and during the local Irish Days celebration – the Uptown Saloon in Farmersville.  Located, naturally, in the heart of downtown Farmersville, the Uptown Saloon serves as a quiet and friendly oasis for day drinkers, although I hear business picks up some at night and especially when a band plays there.  It also always seems to have a welcoming bartender to exchange in small talk.