Thanks to my German mom's commitment to visiting her parents every other year, I started doing TATLs in 1962, at the age of 2.

Always loved being on a plane, loved people watching at airports, and going to new places.

I think it was in 2003, maybe 2004 I saw Quest on Business and he was doing a piece on MRs, following a couple of guys around the skies of Texas as they chased a miles bonus for completed a series of segs on AA. My DW thought they were nuts, but I fully understood what they were doing.

Fast forward to 2007, I scored a TATL op-up to J on LH and decided that was the only way to fly. ( no kidding, right?) But I just can't afford to pay it and my employer, the US government, won't pay for it. (no complaint, just a fact)

In early 2008 I did a TATL on AA, and in November I realized I would be doing 2 TATLs in December and for 2009 I anticipated 2, maybe 3 more. I scoured the internet looking for advice on how to score upgrades and stumbled across FT. I learned about the AA PLT Challenge and completed one with my 1st TATL. On my second TATL I scored an OP-UP on the outbound leg. Then I had a family emergency and had to do my 3rd TATL in 4 weeks. OP-UPed on both segs. I realized I figured "it" out.

Did a 30k mile MR to score with the BOS3x and DEQMs that helped me get to EXP.

Anyway, I am hooked! DW thinks I am nuts. but she now loves flying in premium cabins and thanks me for being nuts.

Now, it is late and I have an 0830 from LGA-CLT in the morning, so I need to get to bed. Oh, the upgrade cleared at 100 hours!^