Maybe it's the 2008-2009 Whirlwind Scrabble Tour?

Oh, the universe is definitely leaning toward my 2008 Whirlwind Scrabble tour becoming reality. In fact, with the addition of the Players Championship in Dayton, Ohio next year, maybe my tour will be extended! What better way to end a year-long Scrabble extravaganza than with a five-day Scrabble marathon?

Guess what else? Eric has taken a part-time job that seems to secure this destiny of mine. He's going to be working with an airline while he finishes up his degree...meaning that I can fly for free to wherever the airline flies (and at a reduced cost on other airlines). Now guess where the airline's nearest hub is from Charlie West? DE-troit, Michigan! Detroit (and its surrounding area) seems to be the Scrabble capitol of my (regional) universe. At right about six hours away, though, it sits on the very border of the area I had been looking at for my Scrabble tour. Now, though, a trip to Detroit is likely to take more like an hour-and-a-half and, at most, cost me a rental car for less than the gas money and not nearly as much time. Although airline employees and their families fly standby, CRW is not the busiest airport in the world and I'd have three chances to make a flight any given day (and could zip back down the hill if I had to wait four hours for the next flight). The worst-case scenario: I get in my car at 4:00 in the afternoon (right before the last flight of the day leaves) and drive the same six hours I would have in the first place.

And since Eric's new job is so perfect for me, I'm thinking about foregoing the Durham tournament in favor of South Lyon, Michigan in October. The Durham tournament would offer a few more games and the chance for some trivia or poker after-hours, but...as you are well-aware by now, the South Lyon tournament would give me a chance to fly instead of drive. And that would put me at being away from home no more than two weekends in a row (instead of three).

So...my shiny, new preliminary schedule goes a little something like this:

Rocky River, Ohio on July 12th;
Pontiac, Michigan from August over Labor Day weekend;
Fenton, Michigan on September 13th and 14th;
Hudson, Ohio on September 20th to the 21st;
South Lyon, Michigan on October 11th and 12th;
Elyria, Ohio on October 18th and 19th;
Lexington, Kentucky on the first weekend in November;
Strongsville, Ohio on December 6th and 7th; and,
the Players Championship in Dayton, Ohio from August 1st through the 5th, 2009.

Of course, if I make a big year of it, there will probably be other tournaments from January 2009 until August. And I guess, if I get that used to playing a lot of Scrabble, it will probably go on from there! If that be the case, then I sure hope to see some results from all this studying!!

Want to make a contribution to my
semi-worldwide Scrabble tour?
Great!
Just click here!!

5 comments:

bgscrabble said...

Say YES to South Lyon, MI. We always have poker chez Fiszbein SAturday night on the South Lyon weekend. The great thing is you get to sleep in Sunday morning since first game Sunday is 1pm. I will add to to the South Lyon list on cross-tables.

Tina said...

Ohhh, yes! Sleeping in!!! I didn't even realize that.

Brad Mills said...

Some anticipated tourneys for your consideration in the January to August time period... and extremely tentative dates. (Which means "I'm completely guessing on some of these".) Since you can fly on the cheap I'm also throwing in a few which are outside our normal circuit.

* Minneapolis, January
* Hudson, January or February
* Charlotte, January or February
* Elyria, mid-March
* Charleston, late March or early April (don't miss this one, please!)
* Boston, April
* Pittsburgh, late April or early May
* Chicago, Memorial Day weekend
* Detroit, June
* Knoxville, June

You'll have your pick of Michigan tourneys because they have about 70 per year. There will also probably be a few others in Ohio, a handful in Philadelphia, and several one-day events hither and yon.

Godspeed!

Anonymous said...

Looks like you are jumping into the scrabble scene with both feet! Does your firefigher husband play scrabble or texas hold'em? I assume he can fly for free too with his new job. Sounds like a great way for a quick couple's getaway! I'll see you at Rocky River, South Lyon, and I am sure a lot of other tourneys too. And remember, this time you can't pretend you can't play poker! :)

Tina said...

You kiddin me?!?! Somebody's gotta watch these yougins!

He actually does play poker very well...and has gone along with me to locations near casinos with poker rooms.

If we can work out child care, bringing him along when there's going to be poker would be a great idea.

As for me, I am jumping right in with both feet! And it's time to sink or swim!!! :-)