30,000 FEET OVER KANSAS -- I should've expected my 2008 Spring Training trip to end this way. I overpaid for my plane ticket, and I was scheduled to arrive in Chicago at 12:15 a.m. My selfless, pregnant wife was set to pick me up at O'Hare, guaranteeing a bleary tomorrow for us both.

But it turns out the USAirways oversold the flight, and when they asked if anyone wanted to be rerouted through Milwaukee, I sprung out of my seat and raised my hand. For other inconvenienced travelers, this might result in a free ticket or something. For me, it cut down the rigmarole by several hours. And, to top it off, the agent upgraded me to first class.

In my nearly 34 years on this Earth, I've never flown first class. I'm a thrifty traveler, which isn't to say I'm cheap. I'd just rather spend my money on something other than a wide seat and "free" booze. That said, I'm also a nervous and sweaty flier, and those cramped seats tend to jangle my frazzled nerves.

Flying somewhere over Kansas -- I think -- I'm happy to say that I'm neither cramped nor jangled. I'm enjoying a nice glass of cabernet, and I just finished a surprisingly good dinner (had I known that it was coming, I would've skipped the Burger King at the Phoenix airport; and yes, for those counting, this is my fifth meal today).

The flight attendant just brought me a piece of apple pie. As Ferris Bueller said, "If you have the means, I highly recommend it."

But really, the whole week has been this way, thanks to the generosity of several strangers. The Arizona Department of Tourism has seen the dozens of Phoenix-themed stories I've written over the last 11 years for OnMilwaukee.com, and they know my love for this area is genuine. Which is why, when they offered to host us at the Four Seasons, Hotel Valley Ho and the Westin, I knew I wasn't violating any journalistic integrity I hold dear.

I told them, straight up, that while I appreciate their hospitality, they can't buy editorial coverage (and to their credit, they didn't expect to, either). I told them that I'd blog about my experiences honestly, and so would the pair who golfed five of the areas most famous courses. Discounted, free or full-price, I made it clear that I wouldn't hesitate to report a bad experience, and I wouldn't sugar-coat a mediocre experience.

Of course, they had nothing to worry about, because our accommodations weren't exactly the Tempe Travelodge (where we stayed in 1998). Each property was spectacular in its own way, and I'm still raving about our dinner at Deseo. Bill and Paul were blown away by the golf, especially the TPC course. If anything, these offers facilitated an otherwise prohibitively expensive trip.

As an owner of OnMilwaukee.com, I insist on paying for these work/fun trips out of my own pocket, and the company credit card didn't once leave my wallet this week. Same for my recent Europe trip: This is the kind of work I'm happy to pay to do. I encourage all my writers to do the same, though we, of course, cover a portion -- but not all -- of their expenses.

And now I'm heading home in first class. Would I pay an extra $150, each way, for the upgrade? Probably not. But as someone who's always wondered what it's like, I'll tell you this: it's very, very nice. And it beats the pants off of flying into O'Hare and driving home to Milwaukee in the middle of the night.

But now, my laptop battery is dying, and I have a piece of pie to eat. I'm excited to get back to work tomorrow, tan, rested and ready. And I wouldn't be able to say that without the generosity of a whole bunch of people this week. Thank you, everybody, and good night.