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Globetrotters

We are a group of ordinary yet extraordinary travel lovers sharing our experiences of exploring the world with the world.

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Nine Interesting Years Spent as a Cross-Country Super Commuter

8 min readApr 8, 2025

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A bag tag that reads Travel is a Nightmare
As seen at Washington Dulles International Airport (Credit: Todd Castor)

For nine years beginning in 2011, I lived the life of a “super commuter,” which as living in one place but physically working a long distance away.

It all began when I applied for a job within my company for which I was the most qualified candidate, but resisted relocating across the country. Since I had spent the previous four years successfully working in a remote role, my new boss and I agreed I’d spend at least a week every month at the company’s headquarters, 2,200 miles from home.

And so began a lifestyle that would see me spending a minimum of 60 nights a year in the Washington, DC area, with my home base remaining in Los Angeles.

As you might guess, super commuting for that many years, on that many different flights, enabled me to encounter nearly every imaginable situation involving air travel.

From ice storms that prevented flying altogether to thunderstorms ridden out on runways, from lonely nights in hotel rooms to rushing home for a family emergency, from last-minute bookings for meetings to perk-filled vacations, I experienced the bad, the ugly, and the good of frequent flying.

Globetrotters
Globetrotters

Published in Globetrotters

We are a group of ordinary yet extraordinary travel lovers sharing our experiences of exploring the world with the world.

Todd Castor
Todd Castor

Written by Todd Castor

Former bi-coastal digital product management professional | Surfer, swimmer and life-long learner | Residing in Southern California

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