MY FAVORITE RIDER COMMENTS IN SEPTEMBER 2026

I picked up three guys at 4 am who were on the way home from a fun night. One said, "My son is sitting next to me." I said, "How old is he?" He said, "20, I'm very proud of him." The father sounded young and I asked, "How old are you?" He said, "28, I started  young." I answered, "That's why I'm driving you home."(38)

I was driving "J" and asked if that was short for "Jay". He said, "No, I had to change my name on the app from Jacob because Uber drivers kept telling me bible lessons about Jacob."

The 911 operator told me, "Recently I spoke with a 3 year-old on the phone. He was taught to call 911 if his mom had a seizure. He couldn't talk that well, but he was able to get an ambulance there quickly."

The couple had big smiles and she said he was, "Like a walking golden retriever." He said he was, "A dog in human form."

I asked him how he met his wife and he said, "I walked into a friend's party and I saw her and time stood still. It was love at first sight."(Married 10 years)

I told the guy from Idaho about the two sisters from Idaho last month who I told they should have at least given me a potato. He said, "I should have had a potato for you." Another guy said, "I looked at their picture a second time, I used to date a girl from Idaho."

"We were in Hawaii during the hurricane with winds of 160 mph. We heated our coffee on a barbecue grill."

"If someone tries to explain to you what Japan is like, you won't get it. I went to a professional baseball game there and at the end there were no crumbs on the ground."

The young couple are engaged with plans to marry in two years when she finishes her masters. She said, "He made me wait and he can wait for me."

From Chicago: "I was driving one night with a heavy foot and got pulled over. In the back seat I had some blankets and several mannequin heads. As the cop approached my car he drew his weapon and told me to get out of the car. Another officer pulled up and they searched my car and then realized they were just mannequin heads and we had a good laugh. He gave me a warning and told me to slow down."

                                                MORE RIDER COMMENTS

She: "We were at a wedding and at the end a guy went into the picture booth by himself  and had a picture taken with these big lobster claws."

She: "Life is what you make of it. Art makes the world a better place."

From the UK he told me, "People in the north are more accessible in the UK."

He: "I didn't think I'd ever see Georgia with the championship. It may never be done again winning two consecutive ones."

He: "My step-brother just started playing for the Buffalo Bills."

She handed a very small brown envelope and inside it had a sticker that said, "You are beautiful." There was also a colorful, shiny message that said, "I AM ENOUGH," and a handmade chain that said, Clear Your Mind. She explained this by saying, "I like to give strangers games." It is now part of my museum.

I asked the woman what kind of work she did and she said, "I'm actually a doctor, an orthopedic surgeon." I asked her why she said it that way and she said, "I'm an unassuming person and some people are surprised I'm a doctor."

She: "I'm an OBGYN and I deliver babies in the hospital that Taylor Swift was born."

He worked in Los Alamos, New Mexico for six years and told me, "I have a PHD in nuclear engineering. 

He: "Hong Kong is the New York of the east."

She was in town to help her friend get ready for a theme wedding. She said, "It's like a Greek Mythology wedding with a fairy look. The groom is going to be dressed as Emperor Palpatine from "Star Wars", but creating the fake wrinkles is a challenge."

He: "Thailand is known as the land of smiles."

High school coach: "I'm just trying to get them to have confidence in themselves."

The dentist moved to Colorado and said it was very easy to get a license here, but very difficult to do in Texas. "For Colorado I just had a couple clicks on the computer and I had a license." 

He: "I'm kind of famous, I'm the third baseman for the Savannah Bananas." 

From India she asked me something no one else has ever asked, "What are your three favorite books?"

The woman's name was Charlie and she said, "I was named after my grandmother."

He tried to teach me how to say cheers in Eastern Europe which sounds like, "nah zdro vyeh". Finally, he gave up and said, "In German they say "prost" for cheers."

The young woman asked me, "What advice would you give someone who wants to make more friends?"

My three riders told me about the motor scooter clubs they belong to-"We are in a Vespa scooter club and some of us for 25 years we ride around and socialize."

He: "I have Irish twins, a boy and a girl who are 5 and 6."

THANK YOU TO THE THREE RIDERS WHO GAVE ME THESE EXTRA BILLS

 Albania, Poland, and the Euro bill.

I PICKED PEOPLE UP THIS MONTH FROM: Ukraine, India, Venezuela, Senegal, Mexico, Peru, United Kingdom, Philippines, Palestine, Zimbabwe, Columbia, Abkhazia, 

I DROVE PEOPLE WITH THESE UNIQUE OCCUPATIONS: 

Plasma Physicist            Former political reporter                  Nuclear Pharmacist

In Radioactive Waste Management           Energy Developer                   911 Operator

Practicing Chinese Medicine for 20 years            Operations person for IT company in India

Professor of Aerospace Engineering          Commercial Transportation Director

Project Manager Chicago University         Grant writer           Human Resources for QVC 

Private Chef Business in the Outer Banks    Marketing Director for Art Museum

WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT ME AND MY CAR:

Therapist: "I went out for pizza and I came back with the meaning of life. This is your superpower, you're giving people a rare experience."

"Thank you for starting my day on a sunshiny note."

"Honored to be part of the 17,000 plus passengers! Keep spreading joy!

I said to them, "You got a vacation in Hawaii." He replied, "Yeah, but I don't have a museum in my car."

"Are you a big time traveler?"

"You get to see the different slices of life."

As I was talking to her she thought, "This guy should write a book."

"This is a great way to wake up in the morning."

"You're passing on the good."

"I love your passion."

"The world needs more kindness."

"Thank you for sharing so much."

"This could be a showcase car."

"Definitely an experience."

"I appreciate you, you have everything here."

"I know this was going to to be an excellent ride as soon as you pulled up."

"This is a beautiful thing."

"I love your car."

"Your car is amazing."

"Glad you enjoy what you do."

"This was the most enjoyable ride."

"This was amazing, incredible, a unique experience, a pleasure."

"I really appreciate you, you're really cool."

"Thank you for the stories."

"You're the most memorable driver I've ever had."

"You are very entertaining."

"You're a sweetheart."

 Looking at the mannequin, she said, "She has a compelling gaze."

"You're living your best life."

"You made this fun."

"Very inspiring that you've been married 43 years."

"You I trust."

"You're the best."

"This was a wonderful ride."

"I really enjoyed this, it was the coolest Uber I've ever been in."

"This was the most unique Uber I've ever been in."

"This is crazy."

Wild.

MY FAVORITE RIDERS IN SEPTEMBER 2026

 A NUCLEAR PHARMACIST?

It sounds dangerous, but my rider as you can see below does not look dangerous at all. He was very outgoing and amusing.  He said, "I'm really not into working, I'd rather sleep and travel." Don't worry though, he is serious with what he does. He prepares, tests, and distributes radioactive drugs to hospitals. It is a unique occupation that requires eight years of school and there are not many nuclear pharmacists in the country. His picture is now in my museum and I'll be talking about meeting someone who has a career that most people have never heard of.

PHISH PEOPLE ARE BACK

Several years ago when I was driving in Charleston, South Carolina, the band Phish had a couple shows one weekend. The band started playing in Vermont in 1983 and has a very unique following. They focus mainly on musical improvisation and jams without having a single hit song.  One fan told me that, "Phish is the most popular band no one knows about." Many of their fans have gone to their concerts 50, 100, 150 times over the years. The fans were passionate, dedicated and a a lot of fun to talk to.

During the first weekend in September Phish played in Denver, Colorado and their fans once again impressed me. One rider told me that this was her 98th concert and her best friend it was going to be her 200th concert. She explained that Phish had taught her a lot about music including how to listen more carefully. Two of my Phish riders were very generous tipping me and one gave me a very unique game which will be in my next blog with my favorite rider comments.  Looking forward to Phish returning in the future.

THE CHALLENGING HAWIIAN VACATION

The Colorado couple had been to Hawaii before, but this time they were there the same time as Hurricane Lowell which dropped 21 inches of rain on parts of Hawaii.  They did have two days before the storm and they made the best of their time the rest of the week.  Electricity was out in many restaurants and they heated coffee on a barbecue grill. They experienced wind gusts up to 160 mph. Next month they will be celebrating being married 46 years, so Happy Anniversary to you both and thanks for sharing your Hawaiian adventure with me.  At the end of the ride I said to them, "At least you had a vacation in Hawaii and he said, "Yeah, but we don't have a museum in our car."

REDEMPTION WILL BE ACHIEVED

My Sunday morning was brightened when I picked up a well dressed, smiling woman with a unique story. I thought she was going to church or a wedding, but instead she was headed to work in a retail store. Living at a halfway house she shared her story how she barely avoided going to prison. She had taken money from a retail store where she was working and planned on returning it, but she was caught before she returned it. She was sincerely sorry and took full responsibility for it and was paying back the money she took. I congratulated her on how she was changing her life and encouraged her to continue what she was doing.  I'm confident that she will have a much better life as she completes her journey for redemption and I wish her the very best.

DREAM GREAT DREAMS

The college student has big goals. She is in a pre-med program and wants to travel to Madrid and possibly get her Veterinarian degree there in the near future.  I could tell that she is very determined and goal oriented. When she was younger her hobby was doing rodeo for eight years and now she is on a volleyball team in college. She gave me a bill from Poland that she had from a vacation last summer. I would wish her luck, but I don't think she needs it.

ANOTHER TERRIFIC BRITISH RIDE

I had the pleasure of driving a very personable guy from the UK to the airport for his trip home.  He has a computer science degree and a PHD in Mathematics. Although I love numbers he said that his strength is in "reasoning." He works for a company that handles a lot transportations issues. He has plans to visit Utah and California on two separate trips in the next 6-12 months. He's traveling to Greece soon and is going to see if he can get me an older Greek bill and he may be able to come up with a King Charles bill from the UK for me.  I enjoyed sharing some of my funny British stories with him and I hope to see him in the future if he returns to Colorado

A DYNAMIC DUO

The two friends were going to a Panda Fest, which is a very large Asian festival. One of them had just returned from serving in our Army in Albania for nine months and generously gave me my second Albanian bill. He has been in the Army for four years and was helping protect the Kosovo border from Serbia. He missed home and said that Albania was "not for him." He enjoys Colorado a lot more.

His male friend has been a surgical technologist for six years in a field dominated by women. He prepares and helps surgeons during surgery and needs to know everything that is going on during the operation.  Although he's not doing the work, it's a stressful job but it's very rewarding for him.

THE PROFESSIONAL RIDE

I joked with the couple from Pennsylvania that I was feeling a little uneducated driving them.  She is an OBGYN delivering babies in the hospital where Taylor Swift was born and he is an attorney.  After telling them about the secret agent who gave me the first bill in my car, I asked him, "What kind of attorney are you?" He said, "I'm not a secret agent, but I do work for the government." I enjoyed driving them to the Botanical Gardens especially since they are now living in Pennsylvania, my favorite state for great riders. 

THE SMILING COUPLE

It had to be a great ride because they were both grinning from ear to ear. Married for three years, the Colorado couple met playing soccer on different teams. When I complimented them on their smiles, she said, "He's like a walking golden retriever." He added, "I'm a dog in human form." We had a very short time together unfortunately, but they were a joy to drive.  Next time I have to get a picture for my museum.

THE LONE OFFICER

For 19 years he was the guy in charge of law enforcement for a small town. He covered forty miles in a department of one. The guy he replaced did train him for three months, but he was the only one in charge for 21 years. The best advice he got was to "Speak firmly and carry a big stick, but don't use it." He finally decided he had enough and moved into another city job taking care of the maintenance which is a lot easier to do.

The 100 Best Pizza Places in The World!

I had Pizza Hut recently and although I liked it, I was "shocked" to find out it was not on this list. As some of you know I'm not really fond of pizza anymore, but that could change. My kids ate too many pizza bagels and every other kind of pizza growing up and I lost my pizza taste buds. If I eat pizza a few times a year, I'm good.

In 2017, three Italians formed an organization 50 Top Pizzas and later started picking out the top 100 pizza places in the world. The number one place this year is Napoli on the Road in London. It somehow jumped from fifth place to first place.

What I find most interesting on this list is the cities that have a best pie. Would you have guessed this? Would you be eating pizza here?

Two of the top ten pizza places are in Tokyo. (RistoPizza by Napoli and The Pizza Bar on 38th.

Baldoria in Madrid is number 8.

Alleria in Chile is listed as number 11.

Fiata, in Hong Kong is number 16.

Gigi's in Sydney is also number 16.

La Clasica in  El Salvador is number 25.

Spaca Napoli, Seoul is number 28

Other places with great pizza in the Top 100: Bangkok, Philippines, Germany, Amsterdam, Peru, Slovakia, Japan, Uruguay, Vietnam, Buenos Aires, Costa Rica, India, Zagreb.(Croatia)

Italy had the most places with 25 and New York only had 7 and New Jersey had 1.

I may have to carry a list of this to let my passengers know who are traveling to these countries. I'm sure they want to know where to get great pizza on their vacation.

Sausage Anyone?

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile below was created in 1936 by the nephew of the founder of the Oscar Mayer company.  Today they have a fleet of cars that travel around the country advertising the company. I used to work with someone who used to drive one of them and I have a picture somewhere of my youngest daughter and I standing in front of one.

There's a new big dog in town, but it's made out of Lego brick.  The picture below is the largest Lego sausage in the world measuring 6 feet and 6.7 inches long.  A German man put together 65,000 Lego bricks to make this sausage and bun.

The unique idea came from talking with a sausage producer.  Tommy Schmidt gets the credit for making it and he said, "I have always enjoyed taking on unusual challenges."  This is a tribute to his area which is famous for its bratwurst.

How long did it take to make this? It took a full year to build it including six months in the construction phase. It took many people to move it from his backyard to the sausage company's headquarters. I guess he wasn't thinking about the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile or he would have put wheels on it.

The Millionaire Cashier

Believe it or not this is another story about Costco.  I do not work for them. Yes, I love their chicken and I did eat most of one last night, but I don't work for them. However, it can be a really good thing to work for them.

The article I recently read was about Tony Barzar, a 60-year-old cashier in Arizona, who started working for them in 1986, forty years ago. His 401k has over a million dollars in it. Costco's philosophy is to keep workers and pay them well which reduces the amount of money they have to pay for training new employees.

He is currently working part-time and still makes $32.90 per hour. He's also very good at his job. Although over the years he's been offered management positions, he's very happy doing what he does and has declined the promotions.

In 2009 his family bought a three bedroom house with a pool and they've traveled to Europe twice in the past decade.  He also has pretty good health insurance from the company.

According to Costco there are thousands of employees who have over a million dollars in their 401k account which is pretty impressive.  The first year turnover rate for employees is only 7% which is very low.

Two important things here: Saving money in a 401k does add up to a lot of money and there are some pretty great companies who do treat their employees very well.

A Nun Who Runs Marathons

Sister Stephanie Baliga works at Chicago's Mission of our Lady of the Angels, but she came close to being an Olympic athlete.  When she was a student athlete at The University of Illinois she was the sixth fastest freshman in the nation.  When she fractured her ankle as a sophomore she decided to dedicate her life to God.

For the past 15 years she has run in the Chicago Marathon to raise money for the their food bank. She has helped raise $2.6 million for the food bank.  She said, "We serve 400 to 500 families every Tuesday and we send about 300 deliveries to senior citizens each week. It's totally changed my life."

This year she is running with 200 others from their Mission and their goal is to raise $500,000.  Other members line the marathon route with funny signs such as: "Run Like You're Being Chaste," "2/3 of God's Name is Go," and "May God Have Mercy on Your Soles."  They have already raised close to $200,000 before the marathon.

There are times that one person make a very big difference in the lives of many.

A Repair Shop For You?

When you think of a repair shop, do you think of a car or computer repair shop? What if there were repair shops for anything you needed repaired and it cost nothing? Yes, it really costs nothing.  In 2009 it began as a free event, "A Repair Cafe" and today it is global non-profit organization with 59,000 members, almost 4,000 repair cafes, and 850,000 things fixed each year.

What an incredible idea! It gives people the opportunity to work together and get things fixed that are of sentimental value or in bad condition. It extends the life of things you want to keep. You don't have to give throw them out-how great is this!

The way it works is that you bring your item to a repair cafe and a repair export will work on it for you. The experts find it very rewarding helping people and fixing something that needs to be fixed. They get to show someone how to fix it.

Who has repair cafes? The Netherlands, The United Kingdom,  Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and The United States which has over 250 repair cafes spread across the country. How do you find a repair cafe near you? Click on the link below to check it out.

https://www.repaircafe.org/en/community/