Folks - I have to admit.
I have a guilty pleasure.
It’s not what you think.
I talk a lot about flying cars, but - I do love me a great train.
My first true experience with trains was in NYC - 2018 + 2019.
I will say, life in the City without a car was heavenly.
One less thing.
Growing up in Colorado, wading through I-70 traffic, I’d think of the trains in Switzerland.
Slicing through the mountains.
Moving people with speed + efficiency.
Let’s Try Something
Today I’m taking the train. Glenwood Springs to Denver.
A one-way trek that costs $116 and approx. 7 hours.
If I were to drive - approx. $40 in gas. 4 hours.
If I had the opportunity to fly - approx. $400 in jet fuel. 50 minutes.
Time is money.
I am very much looking forward to the ride. I bought the cheapest seat. It sits high, with big windows.
I’ll snap some photos. Share the magnificent view of the Rocky Mountains.
The Truth
In reality, rail-based transit in North America is nearly nonexistent.
Sure - a few cities back East have metros. But the West is a desert.
Taking the train poses difficulties once I drop into Denver.
I can walk to my friend’s apartment. But getting from Denver to Boulder for Brad’s investor luncheon, I’ll be limited to the bus, an uber or fuck it - maybe a scooter.
Cross that bridge when we get there.
Normally - the inconvenience when I arrive is enough to prompt me to drive.
But for the sake of play, I had to take the train.
The Great Ag Drone Race
I have a lot of data. I’m just getting started spotting trends.
Here’s a timely tale.
DJI is losing its grip on American farms.
In August 2023, DJI built 85.8% of the ag drones on American farms. Today it’s 62.4%.
DJI didn’t shrink. Its fleet grew 6x. Everyone else grew 23x.
More than $150 million in new ag drones has landed since 2023.
The farm was the first place drones went to work. Spraying, seeding, scouting. Now it’s a race.
The great ag drone race is underway.
Investors, place your bets.
Cracks In Capital Markets
Stocks are getting rocked. The KOSPI triggered a circuit breaker in Korea overnight, and US real rates continue to climb.
Sure looks like something’s afoot. Be safe.
Perhaps a silver lining… Anthropic’s (Claude’s parent co.) earnings leak. The AI giant’s quarterly revenue grew 46%, but the growth acceleration has stalled.
For what it’s worth - I recently left Chase. I’d prefer a local bank. Not a recommendation - sharing for your observation.
First Look At Tesla’s “Flying Car”
Almost a year ago, on Elon’s latest Joe Rogan appearance, the trillionaire teased that the new Tesla Roadster could fly.
I suspect it was a joke. Sort of. But maybe not.
With Elon, you never know.
The Roadster is very late. If y’all remember, he unveiled it in November 2017 and promised delivery by 2020.
We forgive him for the delay. We know he has a lot on his plate.
Tune in - tonight, 6:55 PM MT. Livestream link. You may witness history.
And keep an eye on the $TSLA weekly close. $TSLA started its historic run (2019 - 2021) months before the COVID crash.
Post-crash, $TSLA was one of the strongest stocks in the market. Beating the S&P to new highs.
History doesn’t repeat, but it often rhymes.
Enough for today. I mustn’t be late for the train!