WEDNESDAY!   We're off - sorta.  Well, at least we're not in Palm Springs anymore.  The Riding4Beer 2011 China Tour  took to the skies yesterday as we headed towards China.  Actually we headed away from China to Dallas/Fort Worth where we're spending the night in some dive motel paid for by the airline.  Look, we can't say enough good things about getting free tickets, but we could say better things if they were better tickets!

Some mechanical issue with our plane in Palm Springs - the engine de-icing valve, like you need that flying out of a desert - caused us to depart late and be routed through Dallas/Fort Worth.  Once in the Lone Star state of coyotes and strippers it was too late to make the Shanghai flight departing from Chicago, soooooo, it was a lazy night at the Day's Inn (Free HBO, in room refrigerator and free local calls!).  We did sneak into the Westin down the street and claim we were staying there to get complimentary cocktails and cheese toast in the lobby, but otherwise there's not much happening here on the service road to DFW.

This morning we had to be awake at 3:45am (GOD HELP US!) to make a 4:10am airport shuttle to make a 6:00am flight to Chicago to make the 11am flight to Shanghai, China.  We're posting this from the Day's Inn lobby waiting for the shuttle, so we'll let ya know it it all worked!  Here's how you'll know - either we'll post again later today from Chicago (which means it didn't work), or we'll post tomorrow morning (right on schedule) from Shanghai.  Folks, welcome to the Riding4Beer 2011 China Tour - it's never boring!

                                                        JUST A FEW PICS FROM ALONG THE FRIENDLY SKIES!

                 
  Goodbye Palm Springs and Goodbye Sonny Bono!                   Hello Dallas - Yes that's a Walmart bag!

                                                                           
                                                                As always, SHOCKED!   Get used to it.