Kevin Standlee: Fandom Is My Way of Life

There was some difficulty getting from Fremont to the airport, because the train encountered signal problems and had to proceed at a crawl between Fremont and Hayward, but I had lots of slack in my schedule and made it to the airport with more than an hour to spare. The flight was badly overbooked, and they asked for nine volunteers.

Good thing I didn't take the offered "bump," however, as the next flight wasn't until about 8 PM or so, rather than the 4:20 or so we actually left. Even with the flight running more or less on time, we didn't get to Seaside until nearly midnight, because we stopped for dinner in Kelso and to pick up a few groceries before getting to the hotel.

This Holiday Inn Express room is more like a mini-suite, with a half-wall separating the sleeping area from the living area. Pretty nice, and right next to the convention center as well, so Lisa can park the Van of Antennas in a way that shows it off without having to jockey for space in the convention center's parking lot.

The hotel has both wired and wireless internet service, which is good.

After the USA-Italy draw, Lisa came back to the room (she had called me on the radio periodically to check on me and the game) and we went back over to the convention center. We were there because there were some more small things she wanted from the convention dealers' room and I had money. As it happens, we got to the room just in time for the special 2:30 must-be-present-to-win door prize drawings. While I was standing there waiting for Lisa to complete her business, I heard the announcer boom out, "Next is Kevin Standlee, KE6APJ, from Mehama, Oregon!" I started waving my hat so they wouldn't draw another name, and made my way up to the announcer to collect my prize, which was a $50 gift certificate for Alinco radio equipment from Ham Distributors. I didn't really need it, and Lisa said she didn't want it, but she'll give it to her father as a Father's Day present, and she thinks he'll want it. This solves a small problem of what to get him while we were here.

Then it was time for lunch (a bit late). After a big bowl of clam chowder, Lisa and I went for a longish walk. We first went down by the hotel where we used to stay. The site is surrounded by chain-link fence. Most of the units have already been knocked down, but the little corner unit in which we've spent a weekend almost every year for the past ten or so still stood for now forlornly on the corner, awaiting the wrecking crew. Making our goodbyes, we walked down past the Lewis and Clark Salt Works and then onto the Seaside Promenade and then out onto the beach. We didn't walk then entire length of the beach, only about half of it, before heading back to the hotel. My feet hurt, not from the walking -- I've been doing a lot of walking -- but from the standing around on the hard concrete floor of the convention center. Walking is easy; sitting is easy; standing still is hard.

I forget how late it stays light at this latitude. It's nearly 8 PM and still pretty bright out. Although it was gloomy and raining this morning, it turned fine this afternoon, and I'm glad I put on sunscreen and my wide-brimmed hat (which I wish I'd had at the rugby matches last weekend).

Because we ate lunch so late, a late dinner is also indicated. So maybe a dip in the hotel's indoor pool and use of the whirlpool would help our sore feet and legs feel better.