Seeking elite status needs to be a careful balancing act. Having been traveling for a number of years, my views on elite status have shifted over time. Initially, I found status not to be something worth worrying about or considering. I figured that I could find the best values available from each program, whether that’s with miles and points or with dollars and combine that with the occasional perk from a credit card program or loyalty offer. Over time, my view changed 180° and I began to pursue status more aggressively. I had previously looked down on the concepts of mileage runs and mattress runs, but now I started to take advantage of great offers solely for the purpose of earning status. I like being treated more specially as an elite member and I value the extra perks including upgrades and increased flexibility. But chasing status too aggressively could cost more time and money than the benefits it bestows.
It was with this great skepticism in mind that I began considering whether to mattress run for Hyatt Globalist status in 2021. With elite night requirements cut in half and several promotions offering additional points, extra savings, and even bonus elite night credits, I found that I could achieve top-tier status with only ten actual nights. This ultimately seemed to be a great opportunity and I began looking at options for a pandemic-era mattress run.
I settled on Kansas City for its relative proximity to home, great barbecue scene, unfamiliarity, and proximity to the outdoors. This would be another solo trip, but as a road trip rather than a flight, Ollie could come along for the ride.
When I checked into the hotel on my first night, I began feeling a bit lonely. The pandemic has ravaged relationships and the introvert in me felt guiltily okay with that. But somehow that same act of being alone felt different, worse. It was a feeling reminiscent of living in New York City, when I felt like a paradox, simultaneously feeling grateful and in awe of living in such a great metropolis and lonely and uncomfortable being so far away from home. These experiences make it easy to forget that relationships are more important than I sometimes give them credit for. Life is all about balance, and alone time vs. togetherness is no exception.
But this is also why I travel. Solo travel and group travel both offer unique experiences and feelings on which to reflect. I believe that feeling outside of my comfort zone is a good thing and the opportunity to be reminded of appreciating my friendships is similarly a good thing.
It was with this internal renaissance in mind that Ollie and I began exploring Kansas City the following day. Walking through downtown, I felt comfortable, like wearing my favorite old pair of jeans. I had explored many places, in cities ranging from the US to Europe to Asia, and I loved the feeling of wandering from neighborhood to neighborhood, strolling aimlessly and enjoying the sights. Ollie too seemed to be enjoying himself.
We logged over eight miles of walking, wandering, and exploring before finding some barbecue and returning to our hotel for the evening. We called it a night early since I had a huge itinerary in mind for the next day.
Our next morning began before 7 am when I served Ollie breakfast and grabbed a coffee and sausage-and-cheese for myself as we hit the road for a four hour drive into Arkansas. We were headed to a hike called Death Canyon, a 4 mile trail strongly recommended by folks on Reddit. By the time we made it there shortly after noon, Ollie was excited to get out of the car and sprinted down the path. On the other hand, I took a moment to appreciate the breathtaking scenery surrounding me.
The trail began very easy as a gravel ATV road but quickly shrunk into a small stomped-out path. It was easy to get lost and I kept checking the map on my phone to correct when we veered off course.
We hiked for several miles, though our elevation didn’t change significantly. Instead it seemed as though the land was carving itself around us.
The pinnacle of the hike was a scramble down into the canyon. Someone had erected a stable rope, which was helpful to me; Ollie scrambled down on his own four legs.
Eventually, we made it safely to the bottom of the gorge and enjoyed the spectacular views of rock formations that surrounded us on all four sides.
We sat here and marvelled for a while. Ollie drank from the fresh spring water falling from the top of the gorge, but I chose to use a waterbottle instead. I never realized Arkansas was so beautiful, but it illustrates just how easy it can be to overlook the attractions in your own backyard. That has been one advantage of the pandemic: the gift of closer examination of the numerous attractions right here in the US.
After we were finished reflecting, we began to climb out of the gorge, slowly up the rope and eventually made it back to the main path and to the car. Our next destination, another hour and a half drive away, was Hot Springs National Park. As a lover of hot springs as a general rule, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to cross this national park off my list when I was already so close.
Hot Springs National Park is so named because it is one of the largest such natural springs in the US. The water is upwards of 110 degrees. In fact, there are no outdoor springs here and the indoor bathhouses must cool the natural water to be safe for humans to comfortably bathe. The bathhouses were closed due to covid, so I didn’t have the opportunity to experience them, but I did still get to feel the uncooled heat of the springs from several running fountains outside. Meanwhile, Ollie enjoyed sniffing and posing in front of a pet goods store.
By the time we arrived in Hot Springs, night was falling. We climbed a trail to the top of a small hill overlooking the city of Hot Springs, AR.
Hot Springs National Park is also unique in that the town itself is the park. Many national parks have small villages that sprout up to provide infrastructure for the rangers and visitors, but in Hot Springs the infrastructure existed first when the bathhouses were created by gangsters exiled from New York City who were looking to capitalize on growing westward expansion. Eventually, the town was crowned as a national park for both its natural wonder and its man-made historical significance.
Finally, we retreated to our hotel for the evening, exhausted after a full day of driving and hiking. The following day, we were faced with a harrowing twelve hour journey home, made longer by a brewing snowstorm in Minnesota. Over the course of 24 hours, we went from a beautiful 60 degrees and sunny to just 10 degrees and a snowstorm. By that point, I no longer held the conflicted feelings over traveling solo at the start of the trip; I was happy to have procrastinated Minnesota winter as long as I could.
This short trip was a great bonding experience for Ollie and me, served as a thought-provoking reminder of the importance of balance in life, and offered a short reprieve from the monotony that the pandemic and work-from-home life had become. It may not have been as glamorous as other trips, but it was nonetheless a very fulfilling way to getting a few bonus elite night credits in the most balanced way I could think of.
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