Off to the Big City

[Boondox]

Well, despite the fact every time I leave home on business I swear it'll be the last time, I've got to fly out to San Diego for a week. Another convention of geeks. Back to the land where everything is paved and all roads lead to the mall. Sure, the location is right on the beach, but Vermont weather is just perfect at last -- highs in the 30s and clear skies -- and there's still so much snow to move!

Sure wish these trips took place during mud season!

Pete
www.gatewaytovermont.com

 

[jimmoore]

Pete, we don' want to hear about all those golden Californy girls in those skippy lil' BIKINIs when you get back. Have a safe trip!!

jim

 

[markcg2000]

<font color=blue>...we don' want to hear ...</font color=blue>

Yeah, take pictures /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

mark

 

[ronjhall]

Pete:
Hope you did a search for all the Compact Tractor <font color=orange>(oops Kubota)</font color=orange> dealers in the San Diego area. Even Geeks play with tractors./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Bird]

I've only been to San Diego once; in Jan. '74. Sure did enjoy eating at a place I think was called Anthony's Fish Grotto. Really good New England style clam chowder and abalone. Wonder if it's still there and still good.

Bird

 

[Thomas]

Trip like those just make you appreciate your home that much more.

Pete,you gone country for sure and welcome. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Wingnut]

trade ya! I gotta go spend a week in Holland ... and I'm certainly not looking forward to wasting the better part of a day, each way, flying. Then I get back, spend a day at home and off to Texas for 4 days ... then home for 2 weeks and off to Milan, Italy.
People who think travelling is fun ... obviously don't do it!
Last year I lost my Silver frequent flier status in March ... back to silver in June, Gold in August and 2000 miles short on Platinum in December. Trip to London, Paris, 2 to Holland, 9 to Houston, 12 to Philly, Boston, Frisco, San Diego, 2 to Atlanta, Dallas ... a vacation to me is staying home and playing with the 'bota!

too bad that common sense ain't

 

[Wingnut]

oh ... and my job is NOT about travelling ... I'm not in sales ... so I guess it could be worse!

too bad that common sense ain't

 

[Boondox]

Bird -- Anthony's is still there and doing well. My problem is that I'm so intimidated by crowds I can't enjoy myself in cities anymore. It's strange, but while I'll wait patiently for 15 minutes for a farmer to get a herd of Holsteins out of the road, I won't wait 1 minute in a line for a restaurant!

And I really miss the open space and greenery. I went to Los Angeles last autumn for another geek convention and didn't see a dog the entire time. Not only that, but the only grass I found was on TOP of a skyscraper!!! They landscaped way up there for parties and such. Too weird!

San Diego's not that bad, but it just strikes me as odd that so many people view going to the mall as recreation. My folks tell me 110 continuous miles of coastline in Southern Cal are closed this week due to sewage contamination. Big yellow signs up and down the beaches. And they call that Paradise..?

Hah! Check my website to see my version of Paradise.

Well, gotta log off for the week. Taking the laptop with me, but not sure I'll have the time to check TBN till homecoming. Take care, buddies!

Pete
www.gatewaytovermont.com

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>I'll wait patiently for 15 minutes for a farmer to get a herd of Holsteins out of the road, I won't wait 1 minute in a line for a restaurant!</font color=blue>

My sentiments exactly. But 27 years ago, Anthony's had a bar to wait in instead of a line, so I could handle that./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

 

[RobertN]

I was hunting this weekend, about 5 hours north of San Diego. Wide open country; one ranch was 90,000 acres...

There's those pockets of saturation, like the bay area, losangeles, san diego. But, there is still a lot of very rural Calif out there.

I hate the danged crowds and traffic too; I try my best to head AWAY from it /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[Boondox]

Well, I survived the trip. Actually had a pretty good time both professionally and personally. And I actually waited an hour (with friends and margaritas) for a fantastic dinner at Casa Bandini in Old Town!

Every single beach was closed due to sewage contamination, so we spent some time driving around checking out the sights. Lot of growth since last I was there! Lots of pavement, and at times virtually every single street was clogged bumper to bumper with commuters. Never seen so many SUVs in my life! Big 4WD units that probably never leave the pavement. And very few had more than one occupant!!! The malls appear to serve a social function in addition to the mercantile aspect. Very interesting, but not my lifestyle.

Scored some flannel sheets on clearance, though. It was 2 degrees in VT when I left, and 70 in Cal, so there wasn't much of a market for flannel out there. Got em for half price.

Like I said, it was a good trip. But it sure is good to be home!

Pete
www.gatewaytovermont.com

 

[Bird]

Flannel sheets? Didn't even know they still made 'em. Haven't seen one in over 40 years, but we sure used them when I was growing up; the kind that was double length so there was no way they could pull loose at the foot and leave your feet uncovered. I never slept in a house that had heat in the bedrooms anytime, or any heat on in the house at all at night until I was 19 years old. Kinda spoiled to central heat and air now though.

Bird

 

[alan40]

Gald you made it back to the Land of Sanity. I had to do allot of time around Burbank for a couple of years. Like you said more Suv's out there then anywere and always pretty much hazy when ever you got up a little in elevation. Did like the good Mexican food though!!!
Welcome back,
Al

 

[jimmoore]

Bird, those double length flannel blankets bring back old memories! We used them too. We didn't have electricity or running water until 1947. We used an old privvy out behind the barn. The bed room would get so cold that the chamber pot would freeze!! I would snuggle down in that old feather bed and pull the covers up over my head and just leave a little hole to breath through. Had to have that, as little brother was often gassy!! THE GOOD OLD DAYS. HAHA

jim

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>We didn't have electricity or running water until 1947. We used an old privvy out behind the barn.</font color=blue>

I don't know if you could say we were ahead of you or behind you, Jim./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif We had electric lights in the house from about '42, and Mother had a genuine butane cookstove instead of wood, then we even got a Dearborn space heater in the living room in '46 (I think), but we didn't have running water or a bathroom in the house until '51 or '52, and then the water was supplied by a windmill and on rare occasions when there wasn't enough wind, the tank would run out and we'd still have to haul water and go back to using the outhouse.

Bird