Four Things I Learned On Vacation in Phoenix

I’m back in town and doing the weather on KOIN Local 6 Monday just in time to talk about a chilly east wind.

I’ve been down in Phoenix with my wife and kids at something called WordCamp Phoenix. The camp ended with an ice sculpture in the desert–not something you see everyday.

WordCamp is basically a short course on building and using blogs based on WordPress – a blogging application. The thing my brucesussman.com blog is based on.

Four Things I learned On Vacation In Phoenix:

1. People all over the world are building and using blogs based on WordPress. And in order to hold this meeting in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, Arizona, the city added dozens of wireless hot-spots and spent thousands on wiring so that everyone could get online all the time.  Even Chandler’s mayor was tweeting about the event!
2. It’s still winter, even in Phoenix. Clear skies all night drop you into the low 40s by morning. But sunshine all day long pushes you into the 70s by about 1pm. It’s proof that dry air heats and cools much faster than the damp air we’re used to in the Pacific Northwest. We spend all day trying to warm 10-15 degrees!
3.  It’s too late for me (and you) to move to Phoenix and open a car wash. There are already way too many. And they have huge signs out front: $3 Car Wash. $4 Car Wash, free vacuums. $5 Car Wash, hand dry. I know there’s a lot of dust in the desert but I’m pretty sure the car wash opportunities are maxed out!
4. If you’re flying out of Phoenix, allow extra time to get to your plane. It takes much longer than flying out of PDX. From the rental car shuttle to the long line at the Southwest Airlines counter to security and having the kids toy suitcase screened for explosives. Yes, that happened. And it all meant the Portland weatherman and his family were the last four on board a sold out flight. Only middle seats were left and the helpful crew found people that graciously changed seats so my wife could sit by our five year old and I could sit by our three year old. If you were on that flight, thanks for your help. Next time, the Sussmans will be earlier!