The Sheriff - Indianapolis

 Remember that post where I was flying by myself for the first time? Well, that trip was to Indianapolis, a place I had never been before. It turned out to be a great trip and I loved all of the people I met while I was there.

Manning 18 - First retired jersey number in Indianapolis Colts history. NFL all-time record holder upon retirement: Five-time NFL MVP, passing touchdowns (539), passing yards (71,940), game-winning drives (54), comeback victories (45), total offense. Dedicated October 7, 2017 "The Sheriff" Sculptor: Ryan Feeney, Indianapolis, Indiana

As a Denver-ite and American football fan, you know that I had to look up some information about Peyton Manning. He played for the Colts from 1998-2011 before being picked up by the Denver Broncos from 2012-2015, managing to earn his teams 1 Super Bowl championship each.

Lucas Oil Stadium is located in the heart of the city allowing me easy access and I couldn't stop looking at this very cool homage to The Sheriff himself:

If you are an American football fan, this is a must-see on a trip through Indianapolis. I was there for about 29 hours and managed to squeeze it in just after my plane landed.

"The Sheriff" Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts Quarterback 1998-2011, The number one pick in the 1998 NFL draft, Peyton Manning went on to become one of the game's all-time greatest players, starting every game in his first 13 seasons and providing Colts fans with some of the most prolific moments in sports history. He was also one of the game's most popular players and personalities, re-nowned for his dramatic play-calling, colorful audibles, and heart-pounding comeback victories. Manning led a Colts team that set an NFL record for most victories in a decade, and he held seven NFL all-time passing records upon his retirement. He played in 14 Pro-Bowls, was named First Team All-Pro seven times, and was the MVP of the Colts Super Bowl XLI victory. He was also named the NFL MVP an unprecedented five times, and was the 2005 NFL Man of the Year. The people in our community will forever be grateful for Peyton's contributions, and for his role in bringing Indianapolis and Indiana their first major World Championship. "Always a Colt"  

Something's Missing

 For the ump-teenth time today I have driven from Denver to Pueblo to attend my school's yearly get-together/training. Working at a statewide, online school can sometimes present challenges and one of those is finding the money and time to get us all together in the same place. Well, this is that time and this is that place.

Each year they put me up in a hotel of their choosing somewhere within Pueblo. I don't mind being here, there's not much to do but I'm not here to be a tourist anyway.

One of the first things I do when checking into a hotel is open all the drawers - anyone else do that?!?! I'm also curious to see what they keep in there, extra blankets or extra pillows (yes, please!), and sometimes some tourism info. This was maybe one of the first times where it dawned on me that the last few times I've been in hotels, something is missing.

I'm not much of a Bible reader, but expect a Gideon's Bible to be discreetly placed inside one of the numerous drawers in a hotel room. When looking through my room this evening I didn't find one, which led me to think back to previous hotel stays. I do not remember seeing one recently, so is this a thing still? Did Gideon give up on trying to convert the masses?

Secondly, this hotel has no little informational booklet. Not a word about their own property or what to do in this small town. Do you need ice? Well, too bad, we're not going to tell you where it is! We have a pool, but you've got to wander the halls to find it or call us at the desk and we'll give you the info. I am a borderline millennial and I do not want to pick up the phone, so I want that book to give me all the information I need.

Maybe I'm getting too old fashioned and just plain old, thinking about the bygone days of finding the Bible or reading through the hotel's info booklet.

My First Time

Today is the day, my first time flying all by myself. It's such a weird feeling being by myself, even though it's feels automatic - get to the airport early, get through security, wait patiently (and maybe a bit anxiously) at the gate, board the plane, etc.

A few months ago I encouraged my 19 year old niece to go somewhere by herself (of course I've been trying to get her to backpack Europe, so start small) and she did! She visited a friend in Virginia and flew by herself. Okay, so that's something she has accomplished that I have yet to do, and I told her so, she can do anything, even fly alone.

Two months later, here I am sitting at the gate waiting to board a plane for Indianapolis. I travel a lot for work, usually conferences and my husband tags along. We've been to several cities we may not have visited otherwise. So why is this one different? I started a side job coaching teachers and the company I work for also provides professional development. An opportunity popped up and I had room in my schedule so I jumped on it. It's a 3 hour training, that's it, so it's a quick trip. I've never been to Indy and neither has my husband but when I started looking at flights I knew that we couldn't swing a few extra days, I would need to get in and get out. He told me it wasn't worth it, I didn't want to be the one to say it so I'm glad he did. 

So, that's it, that's the story. I'm officially an adult.