HereForTheBeer: Good cap to a good biz trip Monday - Thursday.
New customer to me, via the OEM because of insurance reqs. They bought a couple used machines about 8-10 years ago. Another former tech put at least one of them in and had done service on the other. The one he installed had some high-dollar options that perform some specific things to bump up production and make life easier for the operator. The operator told me the stuff never did work and that the tech said it would take a long time and a lot of money to fix them. The first optional assembly I got running in 20 minutes, and the second one took about 40 minutes - and it was simply adjustments, with no parts needed. The customer gave the "No WAY!" look and practically hugged me.
A bit irritating that the other guy didn't even try. I mean, seriously simple stuff, and the customer just plain gave up on them ever working because they were told it was going to be a major ordeal to restore operation.
So yeah, pretty great to be able to make the customer love their machines again.
So I left yesterday about 4pm, for the 8-hour drive home from the St Louis area back up to Wisconsin. GPS screwed up and failed to mention a turn so I ended up making a bit of a detour. What a fantastic detour it was! Southwest of St Louis is some beautiful hilly country, a mix of heavy woods and small farms, and the roads are just short of being a ride at Disney. I was whipping the little rental car around like mad, enjoying the view and the drive for that little brief excursion.
About two hours from home, I encountered storm clouds off to the left. The rest of the drive was a nighttime lightning show up in the clouds while enjoying the hilly and curvy roads of northeastern Iowa and on into Wisconsin. Rain held off until just as I pulled into the driveway.
Some trips I dread. This one I would do again, no problem. Something about the Midwestern countryside on back roads that hits me in just the right spot.
Oh, and today is the 9th anniversary of starting my own gig. Wasn't sure it would last past the first year, and again past the Great Slowdown of 2009 - 2011.
Congrats on starting your own gig 9 years ago may you make it many more happy years :)