NRHA Race to the European Futurity – Blog
The first leg of the NRHA Amazing/Really Awesome Race is underway! The team of Melanie Rinehart (NRHA Manager of Events) and Christa Morris (NRHA Manager of Marketing & Communications) started in Oklahoma City with the goal of reaching the NRHA European Futurity and NRHA Show. Their ‘race’ will end when they arrive in Kreuth, Germany at Ostbayernhalle. (Be sure to stay posted after the race for updates throughout the show from Christa.)
Thursday, March 4
9 a.m. CST – The first challenge, Airport Anxiety – We were challenged to make it to the airline counter on-time, without a single bag overweight, all of our extra show cargo checked and to DFW on time for our connection! Oh, and with our passports. Some other travelers headed to Kreuth were not so lucky (I will not mention names and incriminate anyone). Off to a good start. We made it through the challenge without being eliminated from the race!
12:30 p.m. CST – On a ‘Detour’ in DFW, we ran into NRHA Mascot Slider’s sister Spin in Terminal D. She helped us with the challenge of picking our last ‘american’ meal for a couple of weeks! Under her sage advise, we opted for TGIFridays close to our gate. I actually kinda laughed at myself after I ordered – Parmesan crusted chicken with tortellini in alfredo sauce. Doesn’t really scream ‘U.S.’ food like a good ol’ bacon cheeseburger, fries and apple pie – But it was suuure good! I admittedly gorged myself. You never know what the airplane food will be like. Looking forward to our next challenge, Spin helped us with our strategy for commandeering the best seats on the flight from DFW. Their were several rows empty and we wanted to make sure we could get a little extra room without being too pushy lol.
2:28 p.m. CST – Save a Seat Challenge – Yay! We managed to grab a place on the plane without anyone next to us! I’m sure we won’t be so lucky on the ride back, but we will take what we can get. Anti-nausea meds. Check. Tylenol Cold meds. Check. iPhone on airplane mode to listen to music – and now power off. Check. Glamour magazine. Check. U-shaped pillow. Check. Ready. Set. Go. Mission accomplished!
4 p.m. CST – Fabulous Food Challenge – Seriously? They’re serving us dinner already. OK. Lasagna or chicken and pasta? Is it noodle month or something? Definitely NOT fabulous.
Sometime in Some Time Zone on a race ‘Pitstop’ – Decided to watch “Up in the Air” for research purposes 
Kinda funny when George Clooney goes into how to pick the security line you should get into based on the type of person. Stereotyping? Probably. True? Pretty much. Also laughing at how slow I got through security this time. I’m not saying I held up the line, but it was not my best elapsed time. Note to self: Backpack is handy for carrying, not so handy for emptying/re-filling quickly. Grab shoes and waddle bare footed to nearest seat with arms full o’ stuff.
Friday, March 5
It’s probably Friday in Germany – Crying baby wakes me up from sleeping sideways in seat with head propped up by two pillows – minus drool. Time for a few rounds of blackjack on my phone.
7 a.m. Germany – On the next leg of the NRHA Amazing/Really Awesome Race, an unknown adversary threw a ‘Roadblock’ in front of our team “making” me forget a bag at baggage claim in Frankfurt! “Why honey, you’re too young to forget things like that.” Luckily I realized it before we left the airport. So I navigated my way back to and from the Rental Car garage through sliding doors, escalators, flower shops, casinos (yes, there are casino locations in the Frankfurt airport) and on to the airline desk. The airline folks sent me in circles for a while (left hand: right hand), but I only could laugh when the lovely lady that finally reunited me with my bags welcomed me to the counter by saying, “You must be the one we are running around in circles! Why don’t you just follow me.” We conquered the “Roadblock.” On to the next challenge – Navigation! Set the GPS for Kreuth and let’s get rolling!
10 a.m. – Holy cow. I just thought I was driving fast. Was that a car, or a flash of light that just passed me??
11 a.m. – Jet lag. Need Red Bull and food.
11:05 a.m. - IiiiiiEEEEE! The lady in the talking box (GPS) just gave me a heart attack. Must turn down volume. No need for Red Bull now!
3 p.m. – Navigation Challenge successful. Ahhh. We made it to Kreuth without any wrong turns. Time to go check in with the crew in the Show Office and get settled in our work stations and the hotel. It should be a pretty calm evening of unpacking and getting ready for tomorrow. We will grab some dinner in a couple of hours. And then off to sleep to be ready for a big day on Saturday! We made it through the Amazing/Really Awesome Race and were not eliminated! lol. We can’t wait to see some great Reining competition at the 2010 NRHA European Futurity and NRHA Show.
Check back here for updates as well as these other places on the web:
NRHA’s Facebook Fan Page – www.facebook.com/nrhareining
NRHA European Futurity web site – www.nrha-european-futurity.com
NRHA’s Twitter – www.twitter.com/nrha
From NRHA’s Christa Morris…. Live in Germany…
