How I Hacked My Vacation

This past summer I hatched a harebrained scheme to make some money while I was away on vacation. I used every start up share economy service I could get my hands on, including FlightCar, AirBnB and Zimride. In short, all hell broke loose—busted tires, stranger road trips, fine print. I wrote about the crazy experience in a piece for LA Weekly called "How I Hacked My Vacation":

"Early the next morning, I arrived at the FlightCar parking lot in the quiet predawn dark. Floodlights illuminated the lot while a small office offered free water and coffee. The little operation felt like a relief tent at a refugee camp. I stepped into a slick black town car with another FlightCar patron, giving him a brotherly, knowing look just like, I imagine, any other secret society member might."

Since then, FlightCar, which allows you to park at the airport for free and rent your vehicle while away on vacation, has opened in LAX. While I might've had a roller coaster ride the first time I used the service, you can bet I'll be rolling up to the FlightCar lot at LAX on Monday on a trip I'm taking to Colorado. In the end, it's just way too convenient not to have to ask your friends for a ride to the airport. You get to keep your friends.