In the Field: Sadler

Obviously, competing in the Nextel Cup Series as we do, we're constantly traveling, criss-crossing this great United States.

And as we do, we run into a lot of different weather conditions, depending on the time of year it is. It makes you plan ahead, I'll say that much.

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Because, while we had a real variety of weather conditions at Daytona for Speedweeks -- from real warm T-shirt weather to some conditions that were quite chilly -- at least we had our motor coaches there to carry a range of warm weather gear.

But since it's like a 40-hour drive from Daytona out to California, I gave my coach driver, Will, a break to spend some time with his wife and kids and things like that, and I just chilled out in a hotel.

Coming to Southern California on the week after Speedweeks might give you the impression you're going to be in for warm weather, but that was not really the case for us.

It's another interesting aspect of what we do, in that we go to California when it tends to be chilly, as it was last weekend; and then at the end of the summer, when it's pretty warm just about everywhere.

Anyways, I made sure on Sunday night after the Daytona 500 I had all my coats and sweatshirts packed up on the bus and ready to come out to California.

Once we get to the track, for better or worse, California is no different than any other race weekend. Once we get into it, we don't really get to do a lot other than be at the racetrack and deal with our racecars.

But there is a difference we'll see between Southern California in February and Southern California in August and September. We'll usually try to play some golf when we come out here for Labor Day weekend.

But it was way too cold to be playing any golf last weekend. I couldn't believe how cold it was. Right from the start, on Friday everybody was going for their sweatshirts and jackets, so it made you forget it was Southern California.

It was almost like we were back in Daytona for Speedweeks, which as everyone knows usually has its moments for some cold weather. So I don't know if the cold weather was following us around, or what?

But that doesn't matter when we're in California, really, because I'm covered no matter what the weather does. We stay over near the Ontario Mills Mall, and being the video game guy that I am, they've got this pretty cool virtual reality golfing game in the mall.

So I go in there a lot. If it's too cold to play outside, I can still go work on my golf swing, inside, so we go over there and do that and play some other video games. That's just kind of the way I relax.

I'll usually take in a movie one night.

One thing that I always try to do when I go out there, whether it's California, Las Vegas or Phoenix -- is I try to stay on East Coast time as much as I can, so I'm not all thrown for a loop when I have to head back to Charlotte on Sunday night -- or whenever we go home.

The neat thing is, they've got some nice restaurants around where we stay. So I don't try to do anything major, just play some games, watch some movies and after that, I just try to take it easy.

In the summertime, we do it a little different. There's a place that Dale Jarrett and I have gone to in the past, Pacific Palms Resort in Industry, Calif. It's a really difficult golf course that has a hotel that sits right in the middle of it.

It's a really beautiful place, and in nice shape -- but it's hard. We usually try to come out at least a half a day early, so we can get over there.

Now, I'll give you an example of how rough it was in California last week. I was supposed to come out a day early and go to Taylor Made to get fitted for some new golf clubs, because I do some promotional stuff for Taylor Made while I'm playing golf.

But it was so cold I couldn't do it. So I guess I'm going to have to plan my trip at the end of the summer in order to be able to do that, then.

If I do that, I'll be able to play some down in Carlsbad, Calif., with the Taylor Made people.

Last weekend, it was a little bit too cold for me. I want to be nice and warm and loosened up when I play golf. I like playing golf in a short-sleeved shirt. I don't like playing in a sweatshirt or anything like that.

Maybe it'll be warmed up by the time we go to Vegas next week -- but that's another story for another time.

Elliott Sadler, now in his ninth full season in the Cup Series, shares weekly with NASCAR.COM readers life on the road through staff writer Dave Rodman.