Gallery: NAHBS or Not at NAHBS 2013

Exactly what it is that I’ve done to anger the travel gods, I’m not sure. But I’m pretty sure I’ve thoroughly pissed them off.

It started back in November, when, despite arriving at the living hell that is Los Angeles International Airport a solid three hours before my flight, I missed it anyway because American Airlines’ machines weren’t reading my credit card and the lines the talk-to-a-semi-literate-and-mostly-uncaring-person desk were moving at a ridiculously slow pace.

With no acceptable plan B, I limped home. No matter, I didn’t leave home at the crack of 4:00 a.m. because I wanted to go ride my bike with a bunch of like-minded people or anything, I just like driving on the 405 freeway in the middle of the night.

It’s happened again.

The automated message from a computerish voice on the other end of the 800-number call told me that my flight scheduled for the next day had just been cancelled. But there was good news; I’d been scheduled on another flight that would give me just one day at the 2013 North American Handmade Bicycle Show—otherwise affectionately known as NAHBS.

Immediately, I began searching for a new flight—something right away—before the weather would have a chance to mess up O’hare. But the news was not really all that good.

And so I got mad. And I decided to just go ahead and make my own show. Here’s to everyone who’s #notatnahbs but would like to be at the show.