Being an Uber driver in Milwaukee is a one-of-a-kind experience that lets Dave Begel meet some of the most interesting people, residents as well as visitors to the city. Everybody has a story and Tales of the Road will highlight some of those stories. The stories have been edited into quotes from riders. Names have been omitted or changed to preserve the privacy of his passengers.

Milwaukee loves its conventions, and it's proud to lure companies and organizations here to take advantage of all that the city has to offer. Key among those pitches are hotels, including the number of rooms, location and amenities we can offer up, and while we could use more rooms, we have a high level of amenities available.

We love the conventions because of the joy it brings us seeing visitors having fun in our city and because of the economic impact – spending in restaurants and bars and shops – which can be considerable. The latest to hit us is the huge annual Northwestern Mutual convention, 10,000 visitors strong, that officially got underway Monday.

When I pick up guests from Milwaukee hotels, it can be surprising to find that not all of the economic impact happens in the usual places.

Victims, here we come!

I picked up the three guys at the entrance to the Marriott on Michigan Street.

Two wore polo shirts in dark-hued horizontal stripes and one wore a short-sleeved button-down collared shirt. Each one wore jeans, pressed to within an inch of their lives with a sharp crease down the front. Each had short dark hair, parted on the left and combed to the right. They were in their 30s.

They climbed in the back seat, all three guys, and it seemed a little odd since there was a perfectly good seat in the front. The destination was Victor’s, the legendary bar on Van Buren that has had a reputation as THE place for visitors and others to find a girl.

The three guys were in town for the Northwestern convention. One was from Barrington, Ill., another from Casper, Wyo., and the third from Green Bay.

"First time in Milwaukee?" I asked.

Not even close. Two of them had been here for seven consecutive conventions and the third was here for his sixth. They have always come in on Saturday morning before the convention. They’ve always hit Victor’s.

My nose suddenly twitched and I glanced in my rearview mirror. The three guys each held a small bottle. As incredible as it sounds, they were trying to decide which cologne they wanted to wear. Putting it on their finger and letting each other smell it.

If there were ever three guys who were not getting lucky at Victor’s, they were in the back seat of my car.

Lakefront vs. Miller

"We want to go on a beer tour," one of the three women said when she and her friends climbed into the back seat from in front of the Fairfield Inn and Suites Downtown. "But we need advice."

Ever the helpful tour guide, I asked what their issue was.

Turns out the concierge recommended the tours at both Miller and Lakefront breweries.

"We heard Miller was an amazing place, huge and real organized," my rider said. "The Lakefront one seems to offer much more beer. What do you think?"

I told them I’d never been on either one since I don’t drink beer. But based on destinations I’ve driven guests to it would seem Miller is most popular. Based on riders who were returning from a tour, the Lakefront guests seemed just a little more over-served.

The three ladies went for Lakefront, unanimously.

Good, good morning

The pickup was at the Ramada Inn Downtown a little after 8:30 on Monday morning. The name on the pickup ping was Luella. She was waiting outside the hotel, dressed in a pair of shorts and a big black shirt hanging out. She was in her late 30s or early 40s.

She didn’t enter a destination into the app but said I should take her to Cudahy, which kind of surprised me.

We exchanged greetings and then, as always, I began to try and find out her story.

"Are you a cop?" she asked. I was kind of surprised but assured her I wasn’t.

"I’m a companion," she told me.

Now, I did not just fall off the turnip truck, so I was pretty sure of what she was talking about. "A temporary companion?" I asked her.

She had a cool laugh as she said, "very temporary."

I said that I was kind of surprised that it was so early in the morning.

She explained, again with that cool laugh, that most times when there are businessmen in town, she gets called for an early morning "session" before he starts his work day.

"Only men?" I asked.

"I don’t go the other way. Just men ... or older boys." She laughed again.

I dropped her at a McDonald’s on Packard and as she got out, she said, "Have a good week." I returned her wish. She just smiled and said, "I will."