Sorry I'm so late with this, but it's the first time I've had to sit down and reflect on this year's FC... Overall, it was another great time there in San Jose. And after 2 years of weather issues driving down from Portland, finally we had a smooth drive caravaning with Orwin. All together in our group besides myself were my navigator, Mousepaws and with Orwin in his car was Frizbee, DannyWolf, and Brandon. We had a good time driving both down and back from FC (which helped combat the PCDs on the long drive back)..
As I feared, I overslept a little and we were 30 minutes late leaving from Mousepaw's place but it was okay. We stopped at a Fred Meyer in Grants Pass for some breakfast and picked up some snacks to have in the room for the con, and later on stopped in Redding at the first In-N-Out Burger on I-5 going south (we also stopped at one in Vacaville on our way back, so that really satisfied our In-N-Out cravings, since we don't have them up here). I suggested that we take a different route into the Bay Area to avoid most of the rush-hour traffic, so we continued down the 5 to Stockton and then went west on 205/580 into where we catch the 680 going into San Jose. Big Mistake. We encountered as much, or maybe more traffic going thru Sacremento and Stockton, plus it was 30 miles longer going that way, too. Needless to say, we didn't go back that way, even if we didn't avoid taking a toll bridge. So we finally made it to the Doubletree by around 7:30. Luckily, Orwin and I were both able to find a place to park without too much searching around, especially since they put up the "parking lot full" sign up, but they let us in anyway.
It was fun meeting up with everyone again, and getting invited to some cool parties. One was on the first night, a tropical-themed party with margaritas for everyone (over 21 with ID). The next night, Pepe hosted another plushie party (it was great that it was on the fursuit floor, right across the hall from our room).
Whoever was organizing the rooms on the fursuit floor did a really great job...everyone who was aquainted with each other seemed to get rooms next to one another, which helped make things alot more festive!
The surfing theme was a really great one for this year...I was prepared this time with some leis and tropical shirts to wear with my fursuits. Except for my Ninja Turtle suit, which I wore for the first time at FC. It was quite a challenge trying to get around the con in it, especially in crowded areas due to limited vision in the head (all I can see is the ground, thru the mouth). I did encounter a Turtle fan in the Dealer's Den and she got a pic with both Michaelangelo and Raphael (at different times).
I finally got to wear Aubie in Critterlympics this year, since he missed out last year due to the weather and things went alright. Next time I'm at FC, I think I might just be a fursuited spectator however. The events seem to go the same way every year and they're getting a little too physical for my fursuits (and me).
It was great getting a good seat to shoot video of both the Masquarade and Furry Nite Live this year. It never ceases to amaze me all the new suits people come up with...extremely inovative, especially that last one, Wolflink (?). And every year FNL seems to improve on the previous year...great job, Jimmy, especially with the bug you were fighting on putting together a fabulous cavalcade of furry talent (without belly dancers!).
Monday came all too soon again and of course, we had the nicest weather of the con when we were leaving. At least all the sunny weather made the trip back north easier...as was having the company of everyone that we drove down with.
As for next year, I didn't pre-reg for FC 2010 at the con as I'm not sure we'll be going. The new hotel for the con looks fabulous, but there are still some questions I have about whether it will be affordable and if parking will be available. When I went to AFF in Spokane last year, the valet parking was already full at the hotel (and we arrived there at noon) and we scrambled to empty the car on the street and then I had to find a nearby garage to parking in. I don't really want to go thru that again at FC. I'd like to take advantage of the valet parking, but with no guarantee that it will be available by the time we drive all the way down there...I don't know. Plus, how hard will it be just to get there into downtown San Jose and what exit/freeway will be the best to take? So many questions.... It might be a good idea to take a year off from FC to see how it goes and instead either go to a different con (or maybe Disneyland!).
Hugs and thank to everyone that I got to see...Super Jayhawk, Ultra Gor (great job customizing my FC 2008 shirt!), Scruff E., Plushlover, Pepe, Dagget, MikeYote, Grant, GamerWolf, Bradhound, Axelroo, Thumper (how did you get into my video?),TH Squirrel (glad you could make it!), Pika, Thrash, the members of "The Eclectic Oddballs", and everyone else I wish I could remember...and I hope to see you again soon!
- Location:work
- Mood:
PCDs
Back to normal....can't wait for FC!
So, there will be NO void in activity this January...I will be at FC!! And the holidays will be merry again!!
<Now I just need to make sure I've got the $ needed, again>
- Mood:
excited
Sorry I won't be able to see any of my California furriends..perhaps we'll meet up somewhere later on in the year. I hope everyone has a good time this year. I think they chose a fun theme for 2009...I wish I could be there to share the fun.
- Mood: gloomy
I wonder if this could be used as a "side dish" for Thanksgiving? *Thinking out loud*
- Mood: hungry
- Mood: depressed
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yiffybluemouse) and I drove up to British Columbia, first, taking the ferry over to Victoria to visit his uncle, who happened to have a couple of free passes to the spectacular Butchart Gardens, where I used up my camera's memory taking pics of all the colorful (or is it colourful) flowers there. The next day, we took the ferry back over to the mainland and made our way into Vancouver and met raqoon and another furry friend (sorry...I forgot his name) for dinner at Elephant & Castle's english pub for some Fish 'n Chips (YUM). Afterward, I followed Orwin and mousepaws (riding in Orwin's cool convertible) back to the raqoon's new place in Maple Ridge, a really nice townhouse! The next day, Orwin took me and the mouse out towards Hope, BC, to check out the Bridal Veil Falls where we had a picnic lunch (after a stop at Subway) and then we explored some old railroad tunnels near the beginning of the Coqahalla Highway (spoooky). Next, we stopped by Harrison Hot Springs on the way back where it was very busy with tourists. We took a nice walk along the shore and saw where the source of the hot springs was.
A very full and active time up north...Thanks to Orwin for showing us a very fun time! And to mousepaws for bringing me along to meet some of his relatives up north!
- Mood: exhausted
- Mood: excited
Then, yesterday, just east of where I had the first encounter, another pigeon flew across the freeway right in front of me so low that it struck my wind shield, but I think this one made it out okay because I saw something fly away in my rear-view mirror. But, it did leave a bit of a smudge on the glass.
I guess these birds must be nesting around the freeway, under the bridges or whereever. I hope this doesn't continue to happen.
- Mood:
nervous
It took over a week to move everything that I could move myself before the furniture moving guys came on Sunday and took the stuff I couldn't handle. So, now I'm in the new place...alot nicer than the old one. Alot cleaner and more space in the apartment, although you wouldn't know it right now. I think I'll be spending more time getting things organized than it took to clean out the old place. Is that the way its supposed to work?
I'd better get home then...I don't know when I'll get my computer set up..hopefully this weekend I'll have time. I just need to keep thinking how nice things will look when its all finished.
- Mood: tired
Come join in the patriotic fun!
dagz for letting yiffybluemouse and myself use some of his sleep space for the "Arcata Weekend", as well as for hosting our gathering, along with mikecoyote and redxix. There was much furriness and alot of foodiness all weekend (I haven't yet checked the scale to see how much damage I've done to my "diet"). I think every type of BBQ food was covered, from Hot Links to Tri-tip and chicken! Kyreeth was a master on the BBQ...It was wonderful to see all the furs that turned out for the gathering and hope to see you all again soon! (One of these years, there's going to be a t-shirt issued for this!)
yiffybluemouse is out of town at Califur. That leaves me with nothing much going on...I guess I'll change the oil in my car...tkcom!!
redxix!! See you soon!Any way, mousepaws and I had a nice, 5 1/2 hour drive (stopping for a rib-sticking breakfast at Cousin's in The Dalles) through the Gorge, then up thru the Tri-Cities to I-90 at Ritzville, WA and over to Spokane. It was really nice that it was all freeway the whole distance, except for a short distance through Kennewick before you got to the bridge crossing the Columbia. Everything went smoothly, until we arrived at the Ridpath Hotel. Things went sort of "downhill" from there. The valet parking at the hotel was full already (and it wasn't even noon yet, when we got there). So I found a metered parking space and filled the meter for the 30-minute maximum (with all the dimes I could find). I checked into the hotel and mousepaws found a luggage cart that we could unload our gear onto so I could go find a parking garage to park in. Another hitch: The hotel has two elevators, but only one was working...and that one just broke down. So we're directed to the freight elevator, but....being that the hotel was designed in the early 1900's (and never brought up to date), the door leading to the frieght elevator was too narrow to bring a luggage cart through. So, mousepaws took a few bags by hand up to our room (luckily only on the 4th floor) while I watched the rest of them. After a few trips, the car got unloaded...and right when the 30 minutes on the meter expired. There was a parking garage in the next block available to park in for the duration of the stay so parked and secured the car and mouse and I took what remained that needed to go inside and walked back over to the hotel. By this time, we found that taking the stairs up to the fourth floor was the quickest way to get there. And so another "StairCon" begins...
Actually, the con itself was very well run, considering the facilities they had to work with. Registration went smoothly as I was already pre-reg'd and I just needed to give them ID and sign the release form and I was all set. There wasn't too many panels on Friday that I had a chance to see. It was nice that they had a dinner break to give everyone a chance to get some foodage and not miss any events.
Mousepaws and I met up with our third fur in our room,
michelmephit and we had a great time with him, helping him get in and out of his fursuit, Travis. We also encountered some of our furry friends from Seattle, Michael and Drew, and Axelroo. Considering all the furs the couldn't make it that weekend, it still seemed like a good crowd. Saturday brought Axelroo's Fursuit Performance panel, where he used his Clifford suit to demonstrate what's involved in wearing a fursuit for the first time. Following the panel, we rushed up to the room to get suited up for the Fursuit Parade. I put on Aubie, mousepaws and Michel had their suits on and we found some fursuiters went outside the hotel's back entrance to wave at passing cars. This was one of the few times that the temperature felt perfect for fursuiting because it was around 35 degrees and trying to SNOW! Even though we were in Spokane, it was unusual weather for late April. With all the fursuits pretty much lining up for the parade there on the sidewalk, we marched thru the hotel lobby (to the delight of the hotel staff) and around the dealer's den and into the main event room for a group photo op.
After Saturday night's dance (where I tried out my ninja turtle suit for the first time in a con setting), everyone got a good sleep into mid-Sunday morning. Mousepaws and I got breakfast over at the Satalite Cafe, as it was again trying to snow, when the sun was out, too! I found a parking spot on the street next to the hotel (the meters were free on Sunday) where we could load up our suits and gear before checking out of the room. Then we hung around the hotel until they had the closing ceremonies and the con's feedback session. Most of the comments about the con itself were good, although most of the negative comments were about the hotel. The AFF staff assured that they would be seeking a different hotel for next year's con.
And after saying good-byes to all our furry friends, mousepaws and I headed back west toward Portland, not without going thru an April snowstorm that was nearly "white out" conditions for a few miles before we started heading south on Hwy. 395. Then it was a nicer drive back, some rain going thru the Gorge and back to Portland.
Now, finally starting to feel better after a bout with "Con Crud"...its back to the usual day-to-day...
northing! Enjoy your day!
