Dave,
I know that Mike doesn't always travel to sites with you, but what about the rest of the crew? Do you all start in one place, board the plane together (I hope in first class), and arrive at your destination as a group? You all don't live in the same area do you?

Thanks for making a great show. I liked the turkey episode. I found it fascinating.

Janeece

They sure do. Here's the DJ crew on the road to Piscataway, or maybe Paw Paw West (by god) Virginia.

Funny.

That can't be them......no ones barfing....


Loretta

I don't think it's them, either. Where are Barsky's shorts?

debi

Pssst...they're traveling incognito.

Din0

Taz! You've heard of Paw Paw??

My college roommate and dearest friend is from there, but it's been years since I've had the pleasure of traveling through the area! Of course, if you blink, you'll miss it!

Liz

Liz I rode my bike through the Paw Paw tunnel on a three-day, 186 mile ride along the length of the C&O Canal.

We started in Cumberland and spent the first night in Hancock and the second night in Harper's Ferry, before reeling off the final 60 miles into Georgetown.

I knew my legs were good for it, I hoped my @55 was good for it, but I didn't expect to have as much trouble as I did with my neck and...wrists. Very very sore wrists, 'cos apparently I was resting all my weight on my arms to protect my bvtt.

Had some fun adventures, and the worst night of my life ever in the KOA Kampground from H3ll.

Favorite tee shirt spotted on the ride:

"It takes a b!tch like me to love a b@st@rd like him."

Overall, it was a great experience and left me with a real sense of accomplishment.

Taz, sounds like you had a great time, if you ignore the pain part!

Did you do the ride in the fall? It's absolutely breathtaking through there then. But it is very mountainous (guess you found that out!), especially Harper's Ferry.

Have you ever biked through the Leesburg/Loudoun County area? My mom lived there for three years and we traveled a lot (by car!) on the back roads.

Liz

The canal route itself is 100% flat, maybe even a tiny downgrade, since the path was built to enable donkeys to tow barges from Cumberland down to the Potomac River.

(Ironically, the railroad came through just after the canal was opened and rendered it economically useless. Its existence is threatened from time to time; Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas once hiked the length of it to garner some publicity for saving it. The Canal is now a National Park)

Hard to believe, but it was over 10 years ago for me. January of '96 we had a dreadful blizzard that dumped three feet on us in DC and much more in the elevations. The consequence of the snowmelt meant that the canal & towpath took a real beating. Our ride was Labor Day weekend and the Park Service had just begun repairs. The damage was most evident down near Washington. A lot of that trail was in very bad shape, with big craters and a few collapsed areas. When we passed through the Great Falls recreation area near the very end of our journey, I felt like a through hiker on the Appalachian Trail, all sweaty and muddy and hungry and dirty, while all the day hikers were out with their shiny new boots and unsullied LL Bean shorts.

Just a week or two after our ride, the remnants of Hurricane Fran came through DC and rained itself out in the mountains. All the repair work went for naught as the river rose again and tore everything up once more.

quote:

Originally posted by Tazma:
They sure do. Here's the DJ crew on the road to Piscataway, or maybe Paw Paw West (by god) Virginia.

You know Tazma, I think DC can't afford luxurious accommodations for the guys in the crew. I think they funnel that money to morning donuts and designer coffee.

I think I saw a few chickens in that car pool.

Yes we generally travel together when on the ground in 3 vehicles, usually. None of them are in as good of shape is the one in that picture when we are through.

I usually fly by myself, or sometimes with Doug, a day before to scout the shows.

Mike will fly the next day (my scout day) from SF. The rest of the crew will fly that day as well, all together, except Troy, who will fly from his home state, New Mexico.

We all travel back together, except Mike and Troy, to LA.

Dave

So is there someone on staff who books all of your flights from all of those places? I'm sure there is...but do you guys get any say in any of it? For instance, do you get to choose between the 6am flight and the 10am flight? Or is it just dependant on the kind of mood the flight booker is in?

Din0

I am involved heavily in the planning of the travel with the show. Flight times, car rental, hotels- all of it for every trip. We have had 4 travel coordinators since the beginning of Dirty Jobs and are about to have a fifth as #4 leaves next week.

Every one thus far has hated me when they begin working on this show, feeling that I am a little controlling or micromanaging. That is what I have heard anyway. But after a month or two they start saying that they LOVE me since I know what I want, and I do not complain when things break down- I believe it is easier to solve problems in field- just because I can do more on the ground then they can do on the phone.

Our coordinators work on other shows, and they say our entire crew is the easiest to work with- we are road warriors and we know how to roll with the punches. But it also has to do with how involved with the planning I am- I know, say, how far we have to travel by car and that effects what time to fly in. Personally, I would rather get up earlier to get IN earlier when traveling west to east as we most always do. It gets complicated for sure.

Lets see how long #5 takes to warm up to me.

Dave

Thanks Dave for the inside info. I love learning more about what it takes to make the show.

It sounds like you are busier then Mike.

I see. How's the blood pressure with all the micromanaging (no pun intended) you do?

Maybe YOU should consider an assistant.

Din0

My blood pressure is generally 80 over 100- some would consider this borderline low.

Dave

You guys are welcome at the hotel where I work. Can't guarantee a discounted rate but can guarantee clean comfortable rooms.

Can also guarantee privacy. I'm sure management would do all they could to make sure you guys get the rest you are entitled to. Everyone can relate to having to do "dirty jobs" when working at a hotel. lol

Let's see...there's cleaning up after sick guests. Cleaning up after a team of teenage soccer players competing in a tournament. Cleaning toilets and soiled laundry. Working in laundry, which is hot and sweaty. The list goes on and on.

Central New York area. Major chain.

My contact info for this site is wrong, can't seem to fix it. Older computer and all but if needed, can email mods with correct info.

Thanx,
Tricia