Stalker's Guide (dwellings and durations)

Plat · Post by **Plat** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:35 pm

Dear Cyber-stalkers,

Tawny and I will be staying at the Ramada Limited, in Mountain View, CA. We're flying in through the SFO airport on Tuesday August 15, and departing Tuesday August 22. We're renting a small car.

If you're in the area, we should meet up. Please bring sedatives.

Get the idea? Omit whatever you're uncomfortable with -- it'd be nice to know at least which CITY y'all are staying in, especially if it's more than Thursday-Saturday.

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 6:05 pm

What happened to the idea of collectively renting a couple houses for the week?

king_arthur · Post by **king_arthur** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 6:45 pm

I will be staying with relatives in Carmel. Won't be able to use the place for rehearsals, but I will have a car and can meet up with people wherever rehearsals do happen.

Charles

jack · Post by **jack** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 6:55 pm

king arthur, are you planning on coming one or both nights? just curious, as if you only plan on coming one night, let me know what you prefer, as it will need to be considered scheduling wise.

same goes for you stuyebjamsters. i assume you'd rather play saturday as you guys get here friday?

Rabid Garfunkel · Post by **Rabid Garfunkel** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:02 pm

Primitive Screwheads (Albatross, Rabid Garfunkel, Freudian Slip) are at the Watsonville Motel 6 Friday & Saturday. So either night is groovy by us, we'll be around, heh.

jack · Post by **jack** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:23 pm

cool. watsonville is just a short jaunt on highway 1. king arthur will drive right by you.

stueym · Post by **stueym** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:09 pm

deep breath and breaks self imposed silence

Greetings chaps!

As Bjam said through the miracle of hard won air-miles and hotel/AMEX points Bjam, stueym and Mrs stueym (Sarah) will be making the journey. Will have a rental car for the whole time so we are good to get around and provide limited transportation.

We arrive around noon on the Thursday into SFO and I plan to stay that night at the Doubletree near the airport. That way I can take Bjam and Sarah to see SF that evening and we will do the bridge, fisherman's wharf, look at the Rock and admire smelly sea-lions and then head over to the Moscone to eat noodles at the wild Sony centre.

Friday we will breakfast early and drive across SF to come down the PCH towards Santa Cruz and will be there from mid morning I would guess. We are then available and wide awake in EDT time. Staying at the Hilton Scottâ€™s Valley on La Madrona Drive Friday and Saturday night. That puts us available for SF fun in the sun for both the Friday and Saturday with Sunday morning Bruch available before we head back to SF.

Again we will be resting at the Doubletree near SFO airport before leaving to head back to Philly on USAirways 11am Monday.

Bjam · Post by **Bjam** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:12 pm

Ah, I just went to post, and he already had.

Personally, I'd rather play on the Saturday night as I'll hopefully be less shy after meeting you all the night before(and I'll get a chance to practice with any possibly collabers), but I can do whatever the schedule allows.

Btw, are there any plans for stuff to do during the day, or is it just a do as you want thing?

jack · Post by **jack** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 9:04 pm

hey stu, sounds like you guys have a good plan. scotts valley is a very close and easy drive to santa cruz, maybe 15 minutes away.

if you go to san francisco, and you go to the metreon (the sony place as you say), the noodle place is good, but the buckhorn grill, which is in that same foodcourt is good too. one of my favorite places to eat when i go to the city actually, as it's quick and tasty. but the noodle place is good too.

also, there's a good noodle place on haight street (citrus club), which is right across the street from arguably america's greatest record store (amoeba). plus it's always fun to hang out in the haight. or you could have a burrito or fish tacos at el balazo.

also, i have some bad news about your drive down highway 1 from SF to santa cruz. it's closed at devil's slide due to the road slipping away, and it's gonna be closed until the fall. you can still do most of the drive but what you need to do is take highway 280 south to highway 92 west (towards half moon bay). this will take you to highway 1 past where the slide is. it's still worth doing so i recommend still doing it, just don't try to get on highway 1 from san francisco. you have to pick it up in half moon bay.

any questions....PM me.

king_arthur · Post by **king_arthur** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 9:51 pm

Jack -

I intend to be there both nights of the hoo-hah, and also around and available for rehearsals a couple days beforehand. I'll be staying with relatives, but I'm there for songfight!

Charles

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 10:07 pm

as with Spud I will be arriving Wednesday PM and leaving Sunday.

jack · Post by **jack** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 10:18 pm

fluffy wrote:What happened to the idea of collectively renting a couple houses for the week?

this place looks good if anyone is interested

jack · Post by **jack** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 10:26 pm

$600 for a weekend. you could sleep 6-8 in this place.

Caravan Ray · Post by **Caravan Ray** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 10:53 pm

stueym wrote: Will have a rental car for the whole time so we are good to get around and provide limited transportation.

hey Stuey - your probably a good bloke to ask - what's driving in the USA like? I am planning on hiring a car for 2 weeks and driving around Calif. - but I'm a bit unsure about the driving on the wrong-side-of-the-road thing.

The only time I've ever done it was driving around New Caledonia - and I'm guessing that Californian traffic may be a little heavier than that found on small Pacific islands

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 11:18 pm

the driving on the wrong-side-of-the-road thing.

No, we drive on the <em>right</em> side.

stueym · Post by **stueym** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 5:14 am

Jack, Thanks for the heads up on driving and local color on eateries. My son loved the Metreon and on a Friday night it will be nice a busy with lots of locals milling around. I am really glad we were able to make it

stueym · Post by **stueym** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 6:07 am

fluffy wrote:No, we drive on the right side.

Not according to the majority of the world's population. Although more countries drive on the RIGHT, thanks to Japan, India and China (plus my antipodean friends, Ireland and the motherland) almost 70% of the worlds population drive on the left. God Bless global imperialism! For educational explanations check out - http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/beyond/f ... og3c.shtml

Caravan Ray wrote: hey Stuey - your probably a good bloke to ask - what's driving in the USA like? I am planning on hiring a car for 2 weeks and driving around Calif. - but I'm a bit unsure about the driving on the wrong-side-of-the-road thing.

Automatics rule here, if you drive one already then you have already have half the battle won. Only exotics and weirdo's drive "shift" (manual) here. For rentals, larger is better from a comfort point of view. Many of the compact, intermediate and standard cars are pretty small and cheap models with trim and engines to match. Fine for commutes and short runs around town and occasional long runs, but for 2 weeks of touring try and pitch for the best you can get or try to sweet talk the rental agent into giving you and upgrade. Try to get a premium size car or look for specials on SUV's or Minivan's for more space and a higher driving position.

Traffic in CA cities compared to other places is just like any populous city. In the cities at commuter times is ugly, but mostly moves along. Outside commuter time highways are pretty good except in LA/SoCal. If you do any driving there, be prepared for the weirdest traffic congestion. Worst traffic jam I ever experienced was at 2 a.m. because of construction. I was amazed and wondered where the hell all these people were going at that time on a Tuesday night.

The highways are all designed to be pretty smooth moving. Speed limits are lower but CA has more 65mph (105 kph) highways than other parts of the country. Away from cities and population centers highways are great and never busy compared to the UK. Oh but in town watch the speed limits. There are no global local speed limits. You can switch from 45mph-35mph-25mph-45mph in the space of a quarter mile. Watch cos some local police see this a a legitimate way to "tax" unsuspecting out of towners. I know our local police do this for the township towards the end of a budget quarter if the books are out of balance.

Local driving is interesting. They have almost no roundabout's (traffic circles as they call them). What they do have is other weird things like:

Right turn on red light....you are allowed to turn right on a red light unless there is a sign that specifically says you cannot. Be prepared to be sat at a red light and have some dickhead blast his horn because you don't know this and they are in a hurry. It seems counter intuitive and scary at first but as long as it is "safe to proceed" you can turn right on a red.

Four way stops. They use a "lot" of the octagonal red STOP signs at intersections that dont have traffic lights. At a cross roads, even in residential areas, they have lot's of 4-way stops We have a 5 way stop 200 yards from our house and I have even seen a 6 way stop in Florida. Protocol is supposed to be give way to the car on the right but in reality you have to watch and see who arrived first and they get away before you then its your turn but if it's busy you have to watch the three other roads

When it is done with courtesy people wait and take their turn, when done at commuter time or near a high school with lot's of new drivers prepare for them to be dicks, but drive with confidence and don't be bullied.

Oh and be prepared for the "California" stop. At a stop sign you are supposed to stop completely at the line in the road or level with the sign if there is no line and count 1-2-3 then either ease forward to check the way is clear or just drive off. CA is famous for the rolling stop. They will slow down just enough to look if it's clear then breeze on through. Many CA cops tolerate this unlike in the anal NE where a cop will ding you for it.

Turning left (at a light normally) onto a multi lane highway. Okay this is a weird one, but I have been pulled over for it. If you are turning left onto a 4 lane highway you must turn into the lane nearest to you, then when safe move over to the right hand lane (nearest the kerb/sidewalk). Makes sense really but it is a moving violation (ticket) if you breeze straight into that far lane.

Final warning.....almost no US drivers receive anything like the drivers education we do in the UK and Australia. The test to get your drivers licence at age 16 is a joke and takes around 15 mins with 5 mins focussed on parallel parking. Driving is seen by the vast majority as a right not a privilege. Accordingly be prepared for all kinds of stupid driving.

After a few days you will have seen enough of it to understand. They cut lanes all the times, have no problem with undertaking you on the inside lanes and often at speed. Biggest warning in CA they don't understand rain changes road conditions and get it so infrequently they have no idea how to handle. If it rains during your trip turn on your idiot detector in your head. be prepared to be more defensive in your driving.

I still curse most times I go out the house but the vast majority of folks are nice considerate drivers as long as you blend in chameleon like.

My US cousins can now chime in with their hints tips and whiny counters to my critique

Caravan Ray · Post by **Caravan Ray** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 6:35 am

stueym wrote:stuff...

Thanks - that is enourmously helpful! None of those rules sound too weird (go to New Zealand if you want weird road rules)
Still though - the whole right-hand drive stuff freaks me out.

Paco Del Stinko · Post by **Paco Del Stinko** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 6:46 am

Hi - Roundabouts are called rotarys here in New Engalnd, but the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts is somewhat phasing them out as people insist on not knowing in how to drive on them.

Just assume that every car on the road is out to get you and you'll be fine. Good luck!

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 9:57 am

stueym wrote:
fluffy wrote:No, we drive on the right side.
Not according to the majority of the world's population. Although more countries drive on the RIGHT, thanks to Japan, India and China (plus my antipodean friends, Ireland and the motherland) almost 70% of the worlds population drive on the left. God Bless global imperialism! For educational explanations check out - http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/beyond/f ... og3c.shtml

IT WAS A PUN.

Anyway. The majority isn't always <a href="http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3 ... ">right</a>.

(Anyway. Cars made to drive on the left side mean you have to shift with your left hand. For 90% of the world's population, this is cumbersome in an automatic, but downright dangerous in a manual transmission.)

jack · Post by **jack** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:00 am

stu, your driving synopsis seriously cracked me up. that was awesome.

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:05 am

(Oh but yeah, the rest of your post was spot-on. Driving on the right side is the least of your worries if you've never driven here before. ESPECIALLY in California. Though the Santa Cruz is a lot better than LA at least.)