Upon hitting the ground at San Diego - beautiful old Santa Fe depot downtown - we Gathered ourselves and headed for the Grand Central Cafe for a bite of lunch. On the platform met chuljin (Chris 4), an AU L.A. local, for the first time. A fellow smoker, so there were two of us.
I hadn't known about the Grand Central Cafe. It's only a block or so up from the station, serves good food at reasonable prices, and the Amtrak Unlimited Lunch Invasion didn't seem to faze the service. Good talk all around at two tables, good opportunities for group shots, and general congeniality and hilarity.
MrFSS announced how the group check would be paid, but I didn't hear it. Kept listening to Al talk about rock and roll (a fave topic, I must admit). After collecting most of the cash and finding it came up short MrFSS made a pointed appeal while staring right at me. OOPS. Quickly coughed up the cabbage while noting that "Tom, if this corn-fed blowhard from Nebraska hadn't been bending my ear so hard you woulda had the money already." HAHA!!
Before leaving the restaurant Alan pointed out that no restrooms on the light rail, so go now. The rounds were made, and we headed back to the depot to resume riding trains.
Light rail riding was a blast. Everybody well-fed and in a good mood because, hey, WE'RE RIDING TRAINS! And we're riding trains with other people who like to ride trains and talk about riding trains. The essence of what makes a Gathering such a cool deal.
I ask you folks in the hinterlands: How often do you get an opportunity to hang out with friendly folks who like riding trains, like talking trains, and are pretty well-versed on any other topic that might come up while riding trains? Not often, I'd wager.
CHOWDAH!!
During the light rail riding there was something of a split. Seemed some wanted to ride the line to the Mexican border instead of joining the whole group for dinner at the Italian restaurant I had selected. Some crap about dinner being too soon after lunch. This news was delivered to me by Anthony during the light rail loop around greater San Diego.
I think Alan deputizes Anthony to tell me things I don't wanna hear. He knows I might yell at him, but am unlikely to yell at Anthony. HAHA!!
In any case the two factions parted amicably. Took my loyal posse (including 3 of the 4 Chrises) to the restaurant, while the enemies indulged what I consider the lame-oh ride to the border at San Ysidro. HAHAHA!!
Regrouping back at the depot following the separate excursions, we readied to board Surfliner 591 back to L.A.
Previously unknown to me, the majority had booked Business Class back to L.A., which left me alone in Coach. Obviously lickspittle capitalist insects.
Somewhat ironically, I actually got to board before the imperialist pustules. Boarding "gates" at San Diego are an even bigger joke than at LAX.
Upon passing the knot of AU fascists while walking forward to my proletarian coach seat I took the opportunity to harangue them as running dog lackeys of the bourgeoisie: "See you in L.A., elitist pigs!"
The Surfliner was not all that crowded, but the crew clearly thought they were gonna get hammered along the way. The result was constant reminders about one person, one seat, and the big one: Quad-facing seats were only for groups of 3 or more. The rant was repeated so often that some folks in my car memorized it and made it a sing-along.
Never got hammered; light passenger load all the way. After Fullerton I went back to kibbitz with the elitists:
"Look who sneaked in."
"No sneaking. Walked in like I own the place and nobody said shirt."
"Patrick, did you hear all those announcements?"
"Yeah. Four. Four. Four seats in one."
Asked the running dogs if they had been able to hear the horn. They hadn't, but I had. Never heard such erratic horn action before, and told the guys about it. Never the same sequence or timing twice in a row. No standard long, long, short, long. Didn't mind, you understand. Love hearing the horn. Just unusual.
It was speculated - jokingly - that either the guy was having fun or trying to keep himself awake.
Returned to my peon place for the final run into LAX. Upon arrival we dispersed and looked forward to the following day.
Gathering 2008 Saturday
NEXT: Shop Tour Narrative
I hadn't known about the Grand Central Cafe. It's only a block or so up from the station, serves good food at reasonable prices, and the Amtrak Unlimited Lunch Invasion didn't seem to faze the service. Good talk all around at two tables, good opportunities for group shots, and general congeniality and hilarity.
MrFSS announced how the group check would be paid, but I didn't hear it. Kept listening to Al talk about rock and roll (a fave topic, I must admit). After collecting most of the cash and finding it came up short MrFSS made a pointed appeal while staring right at me. OOPS. Quickly coughed up the cabbage while noting that "Tom, if this corn-fed blowhard from Nebraska hadn't been bending my ear so hard you woulda had the money already." HAHA!!
Before leaving the restaurant Alan pointed out that no restrooms on the light rail, so go now. The rounds were made, and we headed back to the depot to resume riding trains.
Light rail riding was a blast. Everybody well-fed and in a good mood because, hey, WE'RE RIDING TRAINS! And we're riding trains with other people who like to ride trains and talk about riding trains. The essence of what makes a Gathering such a cool deal.
I ask you folks in the hinterlands: How often do you get an opportunity to hang out with friendly folks who like riding trains, like talking trains, and are pretty well-versed on any other topic that might come up while riding trains? Not often, I'd wager.
CHOWDAH!!
During the light rail riding there was something of a split. Seemed some wanted to ride the line to the Mexican border instead of joining the whole group for dinner at the Italian restaurant I had selected. Some crap about dinner being too soon after lunch. This news was delivered to me by Anthony during the light rail loop around greater San Diego.
I think Alan deputizes Anthony to tell me things I don't wanna hear. He knows I might yell at him, but am unlikely to yell at Anthony. HAHA!!
In any case the two factions parted amicably. Took my loyal posse (including 3 of the 4 Chrises) to the restaurant, while the enemies indulged what I consider the lame-oh ride to the border at San Ysidro. HAHAHA!!
Regrouping back at the depot following the separate excursions, we readied to board Surfliner 591 back to L.A.
Previously unknown to me, the majority had booked Business Class back to L.A., which left me alone in Coach. Obviously lickspittle capitalist insects.
Somewhat ironically, I actually got to board before the imperialist pustules. Boarding "gates" at San Diego are an even bigger joke than at LAX.
Upon passing the knot of AU fascists while walking forward to my proletarian coach seat I took the opportunity to harangue them as running dog lackeys of the bourgeoisie: "See you in L.A., elitist pigs!"
The Surfliner was not all that crowded, but the crew clearly thought they were gonna get hammered along the way. The result was constant reminders about one person, one seat, and the big one: Quad-facing seats were only for groups of 3 or more. The rant was repeated so often that some folks in my car memorized it and made it a sing-along.
Never got hammered; light passenger load all the way. After Fullerton I went back to kibbitz with the elitists:
"Look who sneaked in."
"No sneaking. Walked in like I own the place and nobody said shirt."
"Patrick, did you hear all those announcements?"
"Yeah. Four. Four. Four seats in one."
Asked the running dogs if they had been able to hear the horn. They hadn't, but I had. Never heard such erratic horn action before, and told the guys about it. Never the same sequence or timing twice in a row. No standard long, long, short, long. Didn't mind, you understand. Love hearing the horn. Just unusual.
It was speculated - jokingly - that either the guy was having fun or trying to keep himself awake.
Returned to my peon place for the final run into LAX. Upon arrival we dispersed and looked forward to the following day.
Gathering 2008 Saturday
NEXT: Shop Tour Narrative
