# Gathering At L.A., Saturday 1



## WhoozOn1st (Dec 20, 2008)

Some of us staying at the Metro Plaza had agreed to meet in the lobby Saturday morning, promptly at six-ish, for the short stroll to Philippe's for a morning meal. I think those who went with us will agree that Philippe's serves a pretty mean breakfast (before 10:30 a.m.). Because I'm a dedicated carnivore, and since Phillipe's serves French dip sandwiches at all times they're open, I went with a double-dip beef along with a 10-cent cup of coffee and added the killer mustard, of course (to the sandwich, not the coffee).

On Friday night I had read online a kind of scary weather report for Saturday. Major temperature drop predicted. Immediately posted a warning in the forum for those of us who remained online at the Gathering: "Dress accordingly" for Saturday.

Saturday morning was somewhat chilly, and pretty breezy, at least for this Southern Californian, but overall excellent weather for the day. Because the offshore Santa Ana winds that persisted throughout the Gathering, all of SoCal was unusually clear; smog blown out to sea. Was asked "What are those mountains?" I looked around. "Wow. Those are the San Gabriels. You usually can't see them so well. Guys, this is postcard weather, as I promised." HA! "You also promised an earthquake." "Calm down. It's early yet."

Following the fine breakfast we headed over to LAUS. Consulted amongst ourselves to see that everybody had their Surfliner tickets for train 566 to San Diego, and return to LAUS. The walk to LAUS took us back by the Metro Plaza, so a last chance to ditch or retrieve anything.

Arriving at LAUS, me and Dave (who had just joined us that morning after arriving on his loophole itinerary late the night before) skipped the ticket/baggage line and went over to the (as usual) unused 3 QuikTrak machines. Turned out Dave had forgotten his ticket printout at the hotel after all. OOPS.

Dave went back to the Metro Plaza for his printout, but was unable to return in time to join the AU group for departure.

While Dave did that, I found the main AU group waiting in line at a "gate" for departure. Al had joined us, and was wearing a shirt with a print of an album cover from my old band, "The Angry Samoans." "Hey Al! Good to see you again!" (Al was at the Chicago Gathering) "Great shirt!!" It's not ALL trains. We talk about other stuff too, with the common Amtrak interest serving as the starting block.

Boarding gates at LAUS are a bad joke. Told Alan that we should just walk down the tunnel and board, but he was dubious;

concerned, IIRC, that seeing us bolt the whole waiting crowd would follow. The main concern was that all us AU folks be seated together, if possible.

We got pretty much together out on the platform, and I informed Alan of the Dave situation. Alan had Dave's cell number, and immediately called him. Alan had planned for such a situation, and provided an alternative itinerary, my printout of which I had given to Dave, just in case.

It has been suggested that instead of Dave going all the way back to the hotel he could have just bought a new ticket. However, given the short time involved, and the long line, I don't think it would have made a difference.

A little aside: Out on the platform Alan tossed a big cup of coffee - from Union Bagel at LAUS - into a garbage can, saying something to the effect that it was the worst he'd ever tasted and totally unacceptable.

We got underway on time, mostly seated together in Coach, with a couple folks up in BC. Chris 1 and Alice were on the lower level. It was something of a party, with fun yap, picture taking, and scenery enjoying.

Eric, his daughter, and his granddaughter, joined us at Fullerton. I had brought a fez along as a gift for the granddaughter, but she seemed to be afraid of me at first. And who could blame her? Big ugly stranger with a weird hat. We did some seat rearranging to accommodate our new passengers, which put Tom next to me. He apparently took that as a signal to start taking some fairly embarrassing video, in which I was mugging and yapping like the idiot I am. But it also shows most of us who were along on the ride.

Overall a very fun ride to San Diego, in fine company.

Next: Light Rail, And More, At San Diego.


----------



## MrFSS (Dec 20, 2008)

WhoozOn1st said:


> We did some seat rearranging to accommodate our new passengers, which put Tom next to me. He apparently took that as a signal to start taking some fairly embarrassing video, in which I was mugging and yapping like the idiot I am. But it also shows most of us who were along on the ride.


And, that short video is

 if you are interested.


----------



## the_traveler (Dec 20, 2008)

I should have just bought new tickets at the QT, but since I used a voucher to pay for them, those were the *ONLY* tickets that I had to pre-print for the *ENTIRE* trip! And of course, those are the ones I forgot! :angry: And on the return trip, I had BC tickets, so I wanted t get them form the hotel. (Luckily, it was only 2 blocks away.)

When I returned to LAUS, and got to the platform, I saw the Surfliner just pulling away!


----------



## WhoozOn1st (Dec 20, 2008)

the_traveler said:


> I should have just bought new tickets at the QT, but since I used a voucher to pay for them, those were the *ONLY* tickets that I had to pre-print for the *ENTIRE* trip! And of course, those are the ones I forgot! :angry: And on the return trip, I had BC tickets, so I wanted t get them form the hotel. (Luckily, it was only 2 blocks away.)
> When I returned to LAUS, and got to the platform, I saw the Surfliner just pulling away!


To eliminate any unwarranted suspense, Dave used the alternative itinerary to successfully meet up with us at San Diego.


----------



## GG-1 (Dec 20, 2008)

WhoozOn1st said:


> Eric, his daughter, and his granddaughter, joined us at Fullerton. I had brought a fez along as a gift for the granddaughter, but she seemed to be afraid of me at first. And who could blame her? Big ugly stranger with a weird hat.


Aloha

Evan, the Granddaughter, did warm up to Patrick, and took the FEZ to school for the "show and tell" of her Weekend experience. She has asked if she will see everyone again, and particularly Patrick and Alice since they live in So. California.


----------



## WhoozOn1st (Dec 21, 2008)

GG-1 said:


> WhoozOn1st said:
> 
> 
> > Eric, his daughter, and his granddaughter, joined us at Fullerton. I had brought a fez along as a gift for the granddaughter, but she seemed to be afraid of me at first. And who could blame her? Big ugly stranger with a weird hat.
> ...


I think Alice actually lives in Northern California. Around Oroville, if memory serves, and she and I talked at length about the environmental impact of the Oroville dam.

Alice was something of a surprise to me. When I see someone using a wheelchair my natural inclination is to offer assistance. Alice would have none of it. FINE! But that's getting ahead of the next section.


----------



## Alice (Dec 22, 2008)

WhoozOn1st said:


> GG-1 said:
> 
> 
> > WhoozOn1st said:
> ...


Yes, Oroville, but my elderly mother lives in SoCal so I'm south pretty often.

Re help with Wheelchair, how do you expect me to get any exercise, especially to work off all that fine food you located?!


----------



## MrFSS (Dec 22, 2008)

I have put many *Get Together* pictures in a slide show if you are interested.

*View It Here*


----------



## chuljin (Dec 22, 2008)

WhoozOn1st said:


> with a couple folks up in BC. Chris 1 and Alice were on the lower level.


but also



Whooz said:


> elitist dog


 that he is, chuljin (who I guess would be Chris 4?)


----------



## WhoozOn1st (Dec 22, 2008)

chuljin said:


> WhoozOn1st said:
> 
> 
> > with a couple folks up in BC. Chris 1 and Alice were on the lower level.
> ...


I think for narrative purposes in following sections, Chris 1 (diesteldorf), Chris 2 (printman), Chris 3 (saxman66), Chris 4 (chuljin). A Chrises crisis, I tellya! I was sorely tempted to just call everybody Fred and be done with it. We'll get around to the elitist dogs in due time.

EDIT: The Chrises crisis was something like the Monty Python sketch in which all the Australians are named Bruce. A new guy has a different name, and is told that would be confusing, so they'll just call him Bruce.


----------

