Posted by: Charles King in Indiana, 2009 on
Apr 30, 2009
Posted by: Charles King in Indiana, 2009 on
Apr 22, 2009
Started the morning off with a fascinating visit to a freight logistics firm. Once again amazed at how generous with their time people are: the President of the company spent an entire morning with me discussing freight in the US, and road vs rail.
It was the Queen's birthday today, so we prefaced our presentation to the Evansville Noon Club with the National Anthem. Some 200 members present, so probably our biggest audience to date!
Posted by: Charles King in Indiana, 2009 on
Apr 20, 2009
Well, we're now halfway through at District Conference in Clarksville. Saw Thunder over the River yesterday evening - North America's largest fireworks display - and a great party atmosphere beforehand. Bourbon Slushes are the way forward!
I think we've all got to the point where we could quite happily stay: certainly for me one of the great things - and one that doesn't really come through in the films - has been the sense of community and warm small town spirit. Yet again we experienced it in Madison on the banks of the mighty Ohio River; likewise at Conference, and once more in Jasper and Evansville.
Posted by: Charles King in Indiana, 2009 on
Apr 15, 2009
Had a fascinating morning yesterday seeing plans for America's transport network. Only in the US could a trillion-dollar vision for reinventing the interstate highway network be envisioned: 40,000 miles of highways are to be upgraded with integrated high-speed railway tracks down the middle of the corridor, and separate truck lanes. How to make it happen?
We had our 'rib fix' at a barbecue place in the evening with Rotarians from the Greenwood and Franklin clubs.
Posted by: Charles King in Indiana, 2009 on
Apr 13, 2009
A couple of 7am breakfast club meetings on Thursday and Friday meant gloriously early starts at 5.30. Grreat, but nothing the team couldn't handle. Tusday's met in Brown County after which we were able to go for a hike around the State Park (or at least some of us - Mark and Em took a more scenic tour around the forest). Brilliant warm weather - saw snakes and turtles in the lake. Dinner at the GSE Co-Chair's was amazing, serenaded at the end with a barber shop quartet.
Friday was changeover day and after another breakfast meeting, we headed up to Franklin, meeting up with Becky and Trish from the incoming team. At the classic movie theatre we were pipped to the post for being the furthest travellers by an Essex couple who just happened to be in town... (how is that possible?)
Posted by: Charles King in Indiana, 2009 on
Apr 09, 2009
Does the lack of sleep show too much? Well, if it does, it's more than compensated for by yet another brilliant and intensive day.
After an audience with Mayor Fred, met with the Columbus transportation planning and engineering departments. Then taken on a whistle-stop tour of interstate intersections and bridges, and got taken round an asphalt plant and laboratory. Who'd have thought that so much thought goes into the stuff you drive on? Asphalt is the number one recycled product in the US, even ahead of cans.
