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In which we arrive
Awoke at 5 a.m.-ish upon the train, heading in a southerly direction. It was dark outside. Got ourselves together and wandered one car up for breakfast, where we were but two of six early rising diners. It was still dark. Finished breakfast and came back to the roomette and it was still dark. Finally, along about 7:30 a.m., the sun began to peek, all shy oranges and pinks over the horizon.
At 8:15, we detrained at Atlanta, which began several hours of comedy, starting with the fact that the Atlanta train station is arranged with genius to utterly get in its own way. The detraining passengers arrive in a goose necked area and it is exactly there that the baggage, when it arrives, which it won't for another 20-30 minutes will manifest. Which means that the folks who have gotten off the train with all of their luggage in hand, must fight for their lives through the milling mob. Also! When the checked luggage does arrive, two railroad employees take them off of the belt one by one and call out the check-ticket number. Think door-prize drawing at the neighborhood Christmas Fair.
Our baggage, having been first onto the train, thanks to the good offices of Super Redcap Charlie Maccianno, was -- anyone? Yes, thank you. Our baggage was last off the train.
Also! Our travel agent had arranged for us to pick up a car at Atlanta (because, ironically, there doesn't seem to be a passenger train to Chattanooga), and had said that we would just go to the Hertz phone in the Amtrak station, and the Hertz folk would drive our car to us, or, alternatively, we could take a taxi to the Hertz location, and the Hertz folk would reimburse us our taxi fare.
Except?
There was no Hertz phone in the Atlanta Amtrak station and, according to the person on the counter, hasn't been for years. Nor did we have a phone number for the Hertz place from which our car was reserved. And? There are a zillion Hertz places in the Greater Atlanta Area.
We called the travel agent in Maine, they located the phone number (but not the address -- we're to take a taxi, remember?) of the Hertz place. We called the Hertz place, got voice mail. Left a message. Heard nothing back. Called again. Got the guy on the desk, who allowed us to know that our car had been reserved for yesterday, but! that he could let us have it today if we still wanted it. We did.
We did not so much find a taxi as a taxi found us, and drove us, conservatively, to Mars, where we picked up our car and, with a few wrong turns while the cellphone GPS caught up with things were on the road.
We arrived in Chattanooga, found the Choo-Choo with no trouble at all, located our room and Lee, who delivered my scooter -- it is red and I shall call her Ruby Thursday -- discover the Very Best Gift Basket Ever! awaiting us inside the room; got the luggage in and went off in search of lunch.
During this quest, we found Regina Kirby and Artist GOH John Picacio, and Regina guided us to ...the Terminal Brewery, I believe, where a wonderful lunch and good conversation was had, and so eventually back to the room to unpack and settle in.
We have seen to wave at Lee Martindale, and we have heard rumors of the arrival of fellow lit'rary type GOHs Laura Anne Gilman and Rachel Caine, and we are promised Mark van Name, later.
Soon, I shall mount Ruby Thursday and Steve and I will go over to the Big Dome to see who else might have arrived.
Our first Official Scheduled Item is at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, for Opening Ceremonies. Immediately after, in the room next door (Gallery A&B) there will be a Meet the Pros reception.
We have not yet scoped out the on-site restaurants for the best FOL Breakfast venue. More news there as we have it.
...and that's all the news that's fit to print. If you're coming to the con, do introduce yourselves, and remember to ask for a Happy Birthday, Theo! ribbon (Saturday is Theo Waitley's birthday).
At 8:15, we detrained at Atlanta, which began several hours of comedy, starting with the fact that the Atlanta train station is arranged with genius to utterly get in its own way. The detraining passengers arrive in a goose necked area and it is exactly there that the baggage, when it arrives, which it won't for another 20-30 minutes will manifest. Which means that the folks who have gotten off the train with all of their luggage in hand, must fight for their lives through the milling mob. Also! When the checked luggage does arrive, two railroad employees take them off of the belt one by one and call out the check-ticket number. Think door-prize drawing at the neighborhood Christmas Fair.
Our baggage, having been first onto the train, thanks to the good offices of Super Redcap Charlie Maccianno, was -- anyone? Yes, thank you. Our baggage was last off the train.
Also! Our travel agent had arranged for us to pick up a car at Atlanta (because, ironically, there doesn't seem to be a passenger train to Chattanooga), and had said that we would just go to the Hertz phone in the Amtrak station, and the Hertz folk would drive our car to us, or, alternatively, we could take a taxi to the Hertz location, and the Hertz folk would reimburse us our taxi fare.
Except?
There was no Hertz phone in the Atlanta Amtrak station and, according to the person on the counter, hasn't been for years. Nor did we have a phone number for the Hertz place from which our car was reserved. And? There are a zillion Hertz places in the Greater Atlanta Area.
We called the travel agent in Maine, they located the phone number (but not the address -- we're to take a taxi, remember?) of the Hertz place. We called the Hertz place, got voice mail. Left a message. Heard nothing back. Called again. Got the guy on the desk, who allowed us to know that our car had been reserved for yesterday, but! that he could let us have it today if we still wanted it. We did.
We did not so much find a taxi as a taxi found us, and drove us, conservatively, to Mars, where we picked up our car and, with a few wrong turns while the cellphone GPS caught up with things were on the road.
We arrived in Chattanooga, found the Choo-Choo with no trouble at all, located our room and Lee, who delivered my scooter -- it is red and I shall call her Ruby Thursday -- discover the Very Best Gift Basket Ever! awaiting us inside the room; got the luggage in and went off in search of lunch.
During this quest, we found Regina Kirby and Artist GOH John Picacio, and Regina guided us to ...the Terminal Brewery, I believe, where a wonderful lunch and good conversation was had, and so eventually back to the room to unpack and settle in.
We have seen to wave at Lee Martindale, and we have heard rumors of the arrival of fellow lit'rary type GOHs Laura Anne Gilman and Rachel Caine, and we are promised Mark van Name, later.
Soon, I shall mount Ruby Thursday and Steve and I will go over to the Big Dome to see who else might have arrived.
Our first Official Scheduled Item is at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, for Opening Ceremonies. Immediately after, in the room next door (Gallery A&B) there will be a Meet the Pros reception.
We have not yet scoped out the on-site restaurants for the best FOL Breakfast venue. More news there as we have it.
...and that's all the news that's fit to print. If you're coming to the con, do introduce yourselves, and remember to ask for a Happy Birthday, Theo! ribbon (Saturday is Theo Waitley's birthday).