Day One:
Unlike most of the people I met, I didn't have a very long trip to/from the Gathering. I was still really, really excited, though.
I dropped my car off at the shop Wednesday night so they could check out a noise. I took Thursday off but had an exam in my Forensic Psychology class that morning. WMU students can ride Kalamazoo's bus system for free, so I enjoyed a nice walk to/from the various bus stops. After my exam, which I aced, I got a call from the shop - the repairs were only $200. While waiting for the bus home, I realized I had voice mail from my boss - she had called to tell me my request to move to part-time had been approved. I'll now be working three days per week, and I get to keep all of my benefits. I can also move back to full-time whenever I want. (This is a very long story, which I might expand upon on Facebook.) So, all in all, the weekend was off to a great start.
I got home, packed up the last few things, and then started to walk to KAL. I live a half-mile from the train station, so I get to enjoy the sound of the Blue Water and Wolverine several times per day. I was pretty early, but I didn't want to sit around at home anymore. It started to pour, so I stopped at the ghetto McDonald's next to the train station and had some coffee until the weather cleared. Then I hung out at the train station, figuring I'd just read a book and relax.
Haha, no.
While walking there, I saw the train parked near my house. There's a bustitution between Jackson (?) and Kalamazoo due to the track work between Kalamazoo and Dearborn. From what I imagine, the train runs east to KAL and then moves back into my neighborhood and parks until it's time to head west back to CHI. It's really cool to see it sitting there, and I thought about walking up to take pictures of it. It sits there for about an hour before backing into the station to do the KAL to CHI run.
Anyway, I should have realized that the quiet station was about to turn into a madhouse. Sure enough, the bus carrying everyone from the east side of the state showed up, and it. was. insane. I have never seen that many people inside the station. It was noisy and awful, and it had started pouring again, so we were all stuck inside.
Most of the passengers were a group of what I imagine were foreign college students on some kind of trip to Chicago. They all had their passports out and were trying to figure out how to board the train and such. The ticket agent was very nice and patient, but she was starting to get that glassy look to her eyes. I tried to figure out which language they were speaking, but I didn't recognize it. I love foreign languages and usually try to listen to them to see if I can pick up words, but this was completely unfamiliar.
The Wolverine backed into the station at 2:10, and we were scheduled to depart at 2:25. They opened one door for boarding, and it was like Black Friday at Wal-Mart. All of those students starting pushing, shoving, and blocking the path of pretty much anyone, including senior citizens. It was a crazy mob scene. I ended up grabbing a lady who started wobbling and almost went down with her cane and suitcase. Another guy tried to hold them back with his umbrella.
To make matters worse, they only had one door open on the train. So now we had those pushy students versus seniors, families, and us thirtysomethings who were standing back, staring, trying to figure out what on earth had happened to our nice, peaceful station.
Finally, a second conductor yelled, "If you're going to Chicago, come down to this door." Since the mob didn't speak English, they didn't catch on right away, so a few of us were able to get down there and claim some seats before it turned into the Party Train.
Now, there's the Party Train our AU members took, but I doubt it was like this. Once everyone got on, the girls started throwing their sunglasses around to try them on and model for selfies. One girl started throwing Fritos at another. Another girl was giving her boyfriend a lap dance while they shared earbuds. The other pax looked horrified and annoyed. One conductor started yelling at everyone to sit down and shut up so she could take their tickets, and the other conductor came through to help speed the process along.
Eventually, the conductors realized the Quiet Car was empty, save for a few students making out, so they kicked the lovers into our car and moved the five of us not in that group back into the Quiet Car. We spread waaaaaaaaay out, so it was like I had my own, private car.
It was wonderful. Nobody spoke. Everyone settled in with their book or knitting or what-have-you and enjoyed the fall colors all the way into CHI.
(Crossing the Dan Ryan)
We got to CHI a few minutes early, and I went to the Metra area to get my Ventra 3-day pass and my weekend Metra pass. It only took a few minutes. The Metra counter agents were really efficient, and the Ventra machines were easy to use. I was charged the $5 fee for my 3-day pass, but I had the option of registering the card and using it as a regular transit card (in which case, the $5 becomes fare credit - you can also use the card as a debit card). I opted not to register it, as the site is still having mega issues. I also used it enough times over the weekend that the $5 isn't a big deal. I used much, much more than $25 worth of transit fare.
After I got all of my cards, I took the bus to the Holiday Inn next to the Merchandise Mart. I get a discount through work, and I love staying there. It has nice views of the skyline and river; plus, you can see the Brown/Purple Line and sometimes the Pink/Green line, depending on which corner you're near. It also has a pedestrian walkway into the Merch Mart, so you can walk through the building to get to the Brown/Purple L stop.
I dropped my stuff off and then took the Brown Line to Adams/Wabash, where I walked a block to The Berghoff. This German restaurant has been around since 1898 and has been featured on the Food Network. I was not disappointed. I felt like I was eating in my grandmother's kitchen, and the decor was traditional dark German without looking like a tourist stop. It was classy but not stuffy. It's a great place for a family meal or meeting with friends.
After I ate, I went back to my hotel to work on homework, but I ended up being too jittery to concentrate. I put on "Law & Order: SVU", typed up a few notes for a paper, and then decided to go to bed and just stare out the window at the view of the city at night. I didn't fall asleep until nearly 2:00 AM. I was too nervous/excited about meeting everyone.
Unlike most of the people I met, I didn't have a very long trip to/from the Gathering. I was still really, really excited, though.
I dropped my car off at the shop Wednesday night so they could check out a noise. I took Thursday off but had an exam in my Forensic Psychology class that morning. WMU students can ride Kalamazoo's bus system for free, so I enjoyed a nice walk to/from the various bus stops. After my exam, which I aced, I got a call from the shop - the repairs were only $200. While waiting for the bus home, I realized I had voice mail from my boss - she had called to tell me my request to move to part-time had been approved. I'll now be working three days per week, and I get to keep all of my benefits. I can also move back to full-time whenever I want. (This is a very long story, which I might expand upon on Facebook.) So, all in all, the weekend was off to a great start.
I got home, packed up the last few things, and then started to walk to KAL. I live a half-mile from the train station, so I get to enjoy the sound of the Blue Water and Wolverine several times per day. I was pretty early, but I didn't want to sit around at home anymore. It started to pour, so I stopped at the ghetto McDonald's next to the train station and had some coffee until the weather cleared. Then I hung out at the train station, figuring I'd just read a book and relax.
Haha, no.
While walking there, I saw the train parked near my house. There's a bustitution between Jackson (?) and Kalamazoo due to the track work between Kalamazoo and Dearborn. From what I imagine, the train runs east to KAL and then moves back into my neighborhood and parks until it's time to head west back to CHI. It's really cool to see it sitting there, and I thought about walking up to take pictures of it. It sits there for about an hour before backing into the station to do the KAL to CHI run.
Anyway, I should have realized that the quiet station was about to turn into a madhouse. Sure enough, the bus carrying everyone from the east side of the state showed up, and it. was. insane. I have never seen that many people inside the station. It was noisy and awful, and it had started pouring again, so we were all stuck inside.
Most of the passengers were a group of what I imagine were foreign college students on some kind of trip to Chicago. They all had their passports out and were trying to figure out how to board the train and such. The ticket agent was very nice and patient, but she was starting to get that glassy look to her eyes. I tried to figure out which language they were speaking, but I didn't recognize it. I love foreign languages and usually try to listen to them to see if I can pick up words, but this was completely unfamiliar.
The Wolverine backed into the station at 2:10, and we were scheduled to depart at 2:25. They opened one door for boarding, and it was like Black Friday at Wal-Mart. All of those students starting pushing, shoving, and blocking the path of pretty much anyone, including senior citizens. It was a crazy mob scene. I ended up grabbing a lady who started wobbling and almost went down with her cane and suitcase. Another guy tried to hold them back with his umbrella.
To make matters worse, they only had one door open on the train. So now we had those pushy students versus seniors, families, and us thirtysomethings who were standing back, staring, trying to figure out what on earth had happened to our nice, peaceful station.
Finally, a second conductor yelled, "If you're going to Chicago, come down to this door." Since the mob didn't speak English, they didn't catch on right away, so a few of us were able to get down there and claim some seats before it turned into the Party Train.
Now, there's the Party Train our AU members took, but I doubt it was like this. Once everyone got on, the girls started throwing their sunglasses around to try them on and model for selfies. One girl started throwing Fritos at another. Another girl was giving her boyfriend a lap dance while they shared earbuds. The other pax looked horrified and annoyed. One conductor started yelling at everyone to sit down and shut up so she could take their tickets, and the other conductor came through to help speed the process along.
Eventually, the conductors realized the Quiet Car was empty, save for a few students making out, so they kicked the lovers into our car and moved the five of us not in that group back into the Quiet Car. We spread waaaaaaaaay out, so it was like I had my own, private car.
It was wonderful. Nobody spoke. Everyone settled in with their book or knitting or what-have-you and enjoyed the fall colors all the way into CHI.
(Crossing the Dan Ryan)
We got to CHI a few minutes early, and I went to the Metra area to get my Ventra 3-day pass and my weekend Metra pass. It only took a few minutes. The Metra counter agents were really efficient, and the Ventra machines were easy to use. I was charged the $5 fee for my 3-day pass, but I had the option of registering the card and using it as a regular transit card (in which case, the $5 becomes fare credit - you can also use the card as a debit card). I opted not to register it, as the site is still having mega issues. I also used it enough times over the weekend that the $5 isn't a big deal. I used much, much more than $25 worth of transit fare.
After I got all of my cards, I took the bus to the Holiday Inn next to the Merchandise Mart. I get a discount through work, and I love staying there. It has nice views of the skyline and river; plus, you can see the Brown/Purple Line and sometimes the Pink/Green line, depending on which corner you're near. It also has a pedestrian walkway into the Merch Mart, so you can walk through the building to get to the Brown/Purple L stop.
I dropped my stuff off and then took the Brown Line to Adams/Wabash, where I walked a block to The Berghoff. This German restaurant has been around since 1898 and has been featured on the Food Network. I was not disappointed. I felt like I was eating in my grandmother's kitchen, and the decor was traditional dark German without looking like a tourist stop. It was classy but not stuffy. It's a great place for a family meal or meeting with friends.
After I ate, I went back to my hotel to work on homework, but I ended up being too jittery to concentrate. I put on "Law & Order: SVU", typed up a few notes for a paper, and then decided to go to bed and just stare out the window at the view of the city at night. I didn't fall asleep until nearly 2:00 AM. I was too nervous/excited about meeting everyone.
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