Wednesday (August 2nd) I left home and headed off to work, I brought all of my luggage with me as I was heading out right after I got off Thursday morning). My actual vacation started then, at about 7am on Thursday morning...my dad picked me up from work and took me to where he was teaching for the day, as my brother was going to pick me up there later that day. Thursday was pretty uneventful for me...I laid down in the truck and slept. Thursday evening my brother came and recovered my comatose body from the horrendous heat and humidity that I was forced to suffer through throughout the day. He and I went down to his apartment where we just plain old hung out all night. I was originally going to get together with Kam (as he lives not too far from my brother), but after my brother his fiancée and I got back from dinner it was pretty late, so I just sat around. Friday my brother's fiancée woke me up and we headed out for my last minute shopping...all the little things that I didn't have; shorts, a couple extra t-shirts, swim-trunks (which I didn't need anyway), etc. We got back to the apartment about the same time my brother was getting off of work. I watched a little bit of Toonami to pass the time and then we headed to the Airport. My flight was pretty boring, didn't see much besides clouds most of the way...but I did get to see a very beautiful sunset, so that was nice.
When I landed at SFO I could hardly keep myself from grinning like the village idiot when I walked up the ramp from the plane to the gate. Now, I knew that we had talked about using airport signs, but I assumed that we had decided against it, so I wasn't looking for such...instead I saw DK sitting nicely in one of those awfully uncomfortable airport chairs. It took me a little while to make sure it was her (the final give away was when she gave a little wave) and walked up...only to have my thoughts so rudely interrupted by noire's yell of "Fine! Don't even look at the sign we made you!" well, from there everything was pretty much as I everyone else described...though MA surprised me with his beard, I was never told that he wore one, and I had never seen a pic of him. So with the customary "you Madcap!" greeting that he and I use and all of the other introductions (dk, noire, mori, and jat) we were on our way to baggage pick up. That was a fun ten minutes for me...Watching as every bag from my flight glides past me, anxiously awaiting the appearance of my overgrown suitcase...and waiting...and waiting...and...well, you get the idea *l* It seemed to just drag on. Finally, I heard the *thunk* of a couple pieces of luggage hitting the little moving circle. I glanced over and lo and behold!! My bag (about time, too!).
After that we weaved out way out of SFO and started toward Mikel's. Most of the way I think we were making small talk, getting to know each other, etc. I'm sure MA and I were exchanging movie quotes, but I don't remember exactly.
When we got there we found Vel asleep...or rather no longer asleep on Mikel's chair and everyone else was just sorta' milling around. I was introduced to everyone and we all started talkin'. I don't know about the others, but I was still a little uncomfortable. Luckily I found something to talk to MA and Bob (Mikel's famous "Bobfriend" *g*) about...hunting. Even though it did sorta' (ok ok totally) grossed vel out. Throughout the course of the night we had pizza, made small talk and just got to know everyone. At one point I did call home to tell my parents that I had made it, but of course they were camping so I got my friend, Pooh, instead (no that is not his real name, it's Mitch, but his nickname has been "pooh" his whole life) who was taking care of the cats.
The next day we all got up (too early if you ask me) and headed out. We all headed to Mikel's parent's house. There we pretty much just sat around for a few minutes before decided that what we really needed was food. So we all headed out to this nice Italian place, where we occupied ourselves with colouring on the paper table "cloth". After MA snuck the bill away without us knowing we headed out to get some batteries for my camera. After that Jat drove noire, vel, MA, Mori and I to our hotel room, so that we could change and whatnot. We stuck around there for a while before we Jat took Mori, vel, noire and myself to vel's house to wait around for her dad to get home before the rallye. It was while we were sitting around there that noire posted her first installment. Vel was busy staring at her unorganized .mp3 list and later looking at her table of horses trying to decide who should get what horse for the ride on sunday. Mori...well, I really don't remember what he was doing *l*. I busied myself with staring at an old globe that vel had and later vel, mori, and I went outside in the "jungle" that is vel's backyard (if you really want to see a jungle, you have to see my backyard in the summer) where vel pointed out the multitude of fruit trees that they have and introduced us to her dogs. Finally, Mikel and Bob showed up and then vel's dad came and we all headed out to the rallye. There is really not much I can say about the rallye that hasn't already been said, so I'll just leave it at that.
Sunday we got up bright and early once more. Ma, Mori, and I realized that none of us knew who (if anyone) would be picking us up, so we decided that if no one was there by 7:45 (we had to be to stables no later then 8:30), we'd head out on our own. Right as we were walking out of the hotel lobby Jat was walking in, so we just hitched a ride with her and we all got to the stables. The ride was actually quite fun...even though I spent the large majority of it holding Apollo (my horse) back to wait for poor DK on the putzy Copper (I think Lead would more appropriate). Apollo didn't really like that...he wanted to be up front as much as I did. *shrug* oh well, Bob and I talked a bit on the ride (don't me ask me what about...I really don't remember) and I spent some time admiring the trees which I found extremely beautiful (but after hearing Kel's Tree Monologue I am thinking that the trees may have been pulling some sort of Venus Fly-trap trick on me *l*) which I later discovered were Eucalyptus (sp?) trees. When we were done with that we headed back to San Jose where we were gonna' meet everyone at DK's cafe. We got there and hung for a while waiting for several other people to show up. Somehow I think we managed to vel in a state that resembled "awake", but that could've been a trick of the light *l*. When everyone else showed up we walked down to Pizza Chicago where I had this really good pizza with tons of garlic on it. We then decided to go to Japan-town for an Anime shop and a Martial arts shop. Since out hotel was on the way mori, MA, and I walked back there to drop off out boxes of leftovers. MA and I decided to use this opportunity to find ourselves a DVD player so that we could Tombstone (which he had brought for just that reason). We got directions to a Blockbuster and drove around trying to find it, but it never showed up, so we went back to the cafe where everyone was about to leave. They were all driving; but, since they said that it was only about a mile away, MA and I decided to walk. We walked about a mile before vel and noire found us...it turns out that it was about twice the distance that they originally thought. So after some convincing we clambered into the car and rode down to Japan town...where everything was already closed. *sigh* some other time I guess. I don't think that we did anything else that day as a group...dk, noire, and vel wanted to go home and pack...needless to say Jat went with them. Mikel and Bob-friend went somewhere else and Gina (a friend of the girls' who was pretty cool) went home (I think). Mori, MA, and I went back to our hotel room. It only took MA and I a few moments to decide to go to San Francisco for the evening...after all I just had to get my mom a Hard Rock Cafe bear. So Ma and I headed up to SF. We found Hard Rock with out a problem, but of course there was an hour waiting period before we could be seated, so we walked down to the pier. Being San Francisco it was a little chilly and foggy...those pics of mine that are posted "Who turned out the light?" and "...I have no idea *l*..." are of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate bridge, respectively. By now it was dusk and MA and I thought that we should head back to Hard Rock. We got there mere moments before Ma's name was called and we went to get ourselves a table. We ate and got out of there. We had a number of interesting conversations on that little side trip...I found it to be quite entertaining (especially MA's blank response that clearly said I was nuts when I tried to explain to him my convoluted theory on time). When we got back to the hotel Mori was already asleep.
The next morning we all met up at Jat's and headed out to Monterey...again, not much I can say that hasn't already been said. Though I have to admit, Ma is right...except the whole predator thing, the life of a Seal would be great.
We left there and said our good-byes to Jat, Mikel, and Bob (he still hadn't seen Titan A.E. btw...though everyone said that he'd love the ending *g*) and started on our way to Crescent City CA where we had reservations to spend the night. The drive has been pretty well covered by everyone else, from vel's crazy driving to the fun we had in Freak 1. I must admit, though, that going through the Redwoods in the dark was interesting...especially when the road seems to disappear and a tree takes it place (yes Kel, we know) only to discover that road was curving. I don't think it would've been that bad, save I wasn't driving, so everything seems that much more unexpected. Well, we got to Cresent City and found the little whole in the wall motel and checked in. I stepped outside for a smoke (I was the only one that smoked...kind of a release actually) and noticed this peculiar sculpture in the back of a truck...at first it appeared to be two turtles...well...mating. Then my eyes drifted down to the writing on it and I broke out laughing on the spot...for there in nice big bold letters was "TITANIC". I had to show MA, knowing that he'd appreciate it, so I opened up the door, called for him and grabbed my camera.
The next we made it to Astoria OR...after several side trips and one "detour" all of which have been spoken of. When Freak 1 (finally) made it to Caly's it was to discover that we were the last. I was introduced to Jarihn and Kelanin, neither of whom I really knew that well online. Well, we all sat around talking for a while, breaking the ice and Kel surprised us all by standing up and giving his (now famous) Tree Monologue. While noire posted her second installment I told this year's family deer hunting story (edited for content for vel's sake) mainly about my brother (the one who has a B.A. in Biology) trying to out run a deer through an overgrown clear cut with 30+ pounds of gear on his back and a rifle in his hands...needless to say he didn't succeed *g*. Well, noire, vel and I slept sitting up on the couch, MA and Kel went back to their hotel and everyone else found a place on the hardwood floor (except Caly of course, who had her own bed *g*).
I really don't remember what happened next...I think that that was the day that was went up to the Column and walked around downtown Astoria. After lunch we watched some people feed fish scraps to a couple sea lions and MA and I decided that being a Sea Loin would be even better then being a seal...you're bigger (less predators to worry about) and you get tossed food...what more could one want? Well, after that we headed out to Canon Beach where we just barely made it to shore before the tide came in and washed away the string of rocks that acted as a land bridge to the Haystack. We wondered the beach for a time visiting. After the rock piling/pounding/tossing/pondering incident I decided to write the big "Freak out 2000" in the sand. Of course when we got someone to take a group photo, dk stood behind him. After that I wondered off to the rock ile again to find a place to sit and caught vel and noire "admiring the scenery" so I thought that I'd snap a photo of that as well. After we left the beach and got back to Caly's we hooked up the DVD that he had rented earlier that morning and we all watched Tombstone.
Oh yeah...somewhere in there we went to Kenny Chesney concert and did the whole rock climbing bit...though I think that vel would have rathered I didn't...I would have rather I didn't for that matter!! But actually it was worth it, now I know that I can do it if I ever decide to try again.
Anyway...I don't think that we really did much after that...the fouth night (the last one there) we headed out to Fort Steven's State Park (I think it was) to have a bonfire and s’mores on the beach.
Saturday was time to bid everyone adieu and we headed out.
The next while was spent with dk, noire, vel and myself getting back to the bay (my flight left form SFO). Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed driving the BMW *G*. Sunday night we sat around noire's house waiting for the time where I would have to go. after watching the rest of Sailor Moon (and using up the last of my film) we left noire behind on the brink of tears and dk took me to SFO with vel along for the ride and to say goodbye. After parting hugs at the airport they drove off and I headed to my gate. My flight was on time and I watched the bay fade in the darkness.
I landed at MSP at around 6:00am on the 14th. I was told that my brother's fiancee would be waiting at her and my brother's apt for my call, so I call...and get no answer...well, I was a little worried, but figured that she must just be in the shower or asleep or something so I gave it about 20 min and thought that I'd try again. When I was heading back to phone I ran accross her talking frantically to my brother about how she can't find me. *sigh* she decided that it would just be easier for her to come and get and me *shakes head* it's really nice to know about a change of plans.
Well, there the trip form my POV...true I went into more detail about what all happend in CA then OR, but OR has already been covered fairly well...so I figured that there really isn't much more I could add.
Kheltan