drive the car around the world
Felix has decided that His Place To Relax is now on my desk, right next to my mousepad. These two sentences have taken me almost three full minutes to write, because Felix keeps rubbing his face against my hand, standing on my keyboard (he just opened 17 terminal windows) and showing me that either a) he loves me or b) he wants me to get away from my desk so he can go back to sleep.
I'm inclined to think it's b).
So we're back from vacation. 2200 miles of road trip, one book signing, several tourist traps, and not a single comfortable bed later, we're home.
The trip was mostly wonderful. We drove all the way to Portland, with some stops along the way to visit family and friends . . . and The Oregon Vortex -- the original Tourist Trap. It was silly, but fun.
Also on the way to Portland, we stopped in Brownsville, which is the town where I filmed Stand By Me in 1985. It was AMAZING! Hardly anything has changed in this tiny town, and the local historical society even has a map of "Stand By Me Locations" that we were able to visit. We had lunch in this rockin' pizza cafe, and the owner told us that hundreds of tourists come there from all over the world to see our old locations. He said that busloads of Japanese kids come over and want to see the treehouse (which is gone, but the tree is still there.) I took lots of pictures, which I'll add to the gallery once I get some time.
The day after we got to Portland, I had my reading and signing at Powells Technical Annex. It was also amazing (I'm going to need a thesaurus pretty soon, since most of this trip was . . . well, amazing.) There were about 150 people there, and they seemed to enjoy the selections I read. See, here's the thing: I have read stuff from Dancing Barefoot so much, I know where the laughs are, I know where the slow parts that pay off later are, and I know how audiences generally react to it . . . but until Powells, I had only read one small bit to an audience, and that was at the Star Trek convention, which has a very unique crowd. So I was terrified that I was going to suck, or I would go on too long, or not long enough . . . basically, The Voice of Self Doubt was in full-effect.
Luckily, it went very well, and I had a lot of fun while I was there. Amber from Powells told me that the next time I go up there, she's going to put me in the main store, because I keep drawing such huge crowds! So an epic Thank You to everyone who came to Portland (I know some of you drove from Eugene or Seattle to be there) and supported me. It wouldn't matter how good I did if there wasn't an audience, and I am really grateful to everyone who showed up.
After Powells, I was officially On Vacation for the next week. We went to Mount St. Helens and The Columbia River Gorge, and I spent lots of time each night playing Hold'Em with Nolan. He's turning into an incredible Hold'Em player, because he combines incredible memory ("I threw that hand away because the last time you raised like that you had kings") with his great math skills ("I couldn't call because the pot odds weren't correct.") Keep in mind that he's 13 on Thursday, and hasn't ever cracked open a poker book. Everything he knows he's learned from playing with me, and watching poker on TV. I made two TERRIBLE plays when I was on WPT, and I know he's going to be severely disappointed in me when he sees them.
From Portland, we drove down to Southern Oregon and spent the night with Anne's grandparents. Some readers may recall that Anne's Grandmother is in the early stages of Alzheimer's, and I guess it's good to report that she was the same as when we visited them back in October of last year. Actually, both of them seemed happy and in good health (considering that they're 1000 years old, of course) and I'm looking forward to visiting them again in Spring.
We took Interstate 5 up to Portland, so on the way back we crossed 80 through the North Bay and San Francisco, down through San Jose (with a stop at the Winchester Mystery House), and across the 17 to Santa Cruz. Anne and I had both been to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk when we were younger, and we were really excited to take the kids there . . . but it was very different than I remember it. I don't know if I've gotten too suburban, or too old, or whatever, but the whole place felt so skanky, I couldn't wait to leave. It was like a traveling carnival had set up on Venice beach. Anne and I were really bummed out. In an effort to find the half of the glass that was full, we rode The Giant Dipper (it's been there for 80 years!) . . . and the whole thing was worth it. We had so much fun on that ride, screaming and laughing in equal parts terror and delight, all the skanky carnies and pan handlers didn't matter. We also walked down the boardwalk to this big arcade that my parents wouldn't let me go into when I was last there 18 years ago, and it was just as awesome as I'd imagined it would be: shooting gallery, lazer tag, all sorts of games of chance, and I got to play Robotron and Q*Bert!
We ended our day with dinner at some spiffy Italian restaurant in Downtown, and got up early the next day to drive to Monterey, which has always been one of my favorite cities in the world.
The Montery Bay Aquarium is known to lots of people at "That Place Where Mr Spock Did The Vulcan Mind Meld With The Whale In Star Trek VIV (I know Roman numerals, I swears it, precious!)" It's best known to me as "That Place Where I Spent Most Of An Afternoon Watching An Octopus Swim Around And Change Colors When I Was 14." Now, it's "That Place I Want To Go Back And Visit Right Away."
I've always loved the ocean, and I've always loved marine mammals. In fact, when I was a little kid, I wanted to be a marine biologist when I grew up, so I could understand whales (especially Blue Whales) and somehow convince people to stop hunting them. So it's like The Monterey Bay Aquarium was specially built just for me (okay, I know it wasn't, but leave me with my dream, dammit!) Since I was last there, it's been significantly expanded, and modernized . . . but it still feels like a small, private aquarium, run by volunteers who truly care about conservation and love the ocean as much as I do -- probably because that's exactly what it is.
We went to the Aquarium on the second-to-last day of our trip (I'd say "penultimate day," but that probably sounds like I'm trying to impress you . . . did it work?) We were all tired, and starting to get on each other's nerves a little bit, (which, I observed many times at many stops, is pretty common on long family vacations ;) but the aquarium was so beautiful, and so soothing, we all relaxed and simply basked in the beauty and serenity of huge aquariums, filled with fish schooling and swimming. When we left, I vowed (as I always do) to one day have a salt water aquarium in my house so big it covers one full wall, and requires a full-time marine biologist to care for it. Take that, MTV Cribs!
Oh, and in one large exhibit, which featured fish you could expect to see in the deep water near the outer bay? I saw a turtle.
We drove home the next day, down highway 1. We did the 17-mile drive, then went all along California's incredibly beautiful coastline through Big Sur and Morro Bay. At San Luis Obispo, we crossed onto the 101, and took it all the way home.
Overall, it was a great time. The kids are not quite at an age where they can appreciate just seeing cool stuff from the car, but they *did* appreciate the Jelly Belly factory tour, and Nolan *did* get excited about driving over the Golden Gate Bridge when it was covered in fog. To their credit, they didn't do nearly as much "are we there yet?" as my brother and sister and I did when we were their ages, and when I really wanted to share something with them, like Brownsville, Oregon, they put down their books and turned off their music, and paid attention. If I had it all to do again, I'd shorten the trip by two days (one in each direction) and plan to spend less time on the road, and more time in the hotel swimming pool, so there was more of a balance . . . but that's part of the on the job training that all parents go through, I guess.
I'm really happy to be back home. I missed my dogs a LOT, and I really missed sleeping in my own bed. I thought I wouldn't miss my website, since I haven't really taken a major vacation in years, but I did. I kept a hand-written journal while we were on the road, sort like a luddite blog, I guess. After years of putting most of my thoughts here for anyone to read, it was cool to have a place to record them without any intention of sharing them with anyone.
Anyway, I'm sure there's stuff I've forgotten, but I've been here for a long time, and Felix is getting pissed.
Comments
We were so excited to get to see you in Portland - it was a great and totally amazing experience to hear you read again, and thanks for signing our Stand by Me DVD. My husband can't stop showing it to people!
Glad you had a good trip and nice to see you back on the web.
Posted by: Harmony | August 17, 2004 12:41 PM
Welcome back. I visited Monterey a few times for science conferences but never made it to the aquarium. I think I could spend about four hours watching octopi changing colours, and highway 1, for an easterner is a crazy-beautiful-amazing thing.
Posted by: jessica | August 17, 2004 12:42 PM
Glad you're home safe. Thank you for Portland. You rock.
geoster
Posted by: Geoff M | August 17, 2004 12:50 PM
reading that made me want to visit lots of places.... by the time ive saved up enough to visit the states ill have like a thousand places to visit!!!! its great that you enjoyed the holiday though, and its great to see you back... you just need to head england bound now ya know... ;-)
sara
Posted by: sara | August 17, 2004 12:50 PM
Welcome back! Glad the book signing was a success! Sure sounds like you guys had mucho fun on your road trip. Looking forward to the pictures. Thanks for the descriptions of places! I travel vicariously throught others' vacation pictures, tales, etc. since there isn't much opportunity for me to actually leave this place.
P.S.
Tell Felix 'thank you' for letting you type your blog entry. :^)
Posted by: clara | August 17, 2004 12:57 PM
Welcome home, Wil! You have been missed.
Posted by: Rosemary | August 17, 2004 12:57 PM
Er, before the hoarde of locusts decends upon you, it was in ST IV that Spock got in touch with Gracie the humpback. As I just got back from a 3500 mi. driving trip where only five people came out to hear me discuss my latest book, you still pwn me. (Granted, the five were university professors, and the book is a dissertation on thin-film magnetism. I also will get an ISBN, and I thought of you.) But I did see baleen whales on the On Vacation part of my trip, so that makes up for it.
Posted by: Bryan | August 17, 2004 01:02 PM
Mmm, West Coast. wonder what that's like.
-- Draken
Posted by: Draken | August 17, 2004 01:02 PM
Welcome home! Sounds like a great trip.
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk was skanky the whole time I lived there for college (96-2000). It's too bad, too, because it could be so much better. The large rides are fine, but the atmosphere kinda sucks.
Posted by: Michael Doss | August 17, 2004 01:03 PM
Welcome back Wil. Sounds like a kickass trip. Now, let's play some hold 'em!
Posted by: shane | August 17, 2004 01:11 PM
I share your fascination with octopi. I volunteer at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre and in our wet lab we had a container in one of the touch pools that had baby octopi. Usually they would hide in shells but occationally they would take a little swim and it was so neat to see them change colour when they rubbed up against the rocks and shells. The babies are tiny and probably one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
Posted by: Courtney | August 17, 2004 01:12 PM
Wil,
It was such a pleasure to hear you read and meet you in person. Glad you're back. :-)
Posted by: moonkiss | August 17, 2004 01:14 PM
Welcome back
Posted by: Fiona | August 17, 2004 01:14 PM
Star Trek IV, Wil. Not Star Trek V, Star Trek IV.
It's not that I'm anal about little details like that, I just have never been the first guy to point out a Star Trek mistake to a Trek cast member before. What can I say, it brings a little joy to my day.
Posted by: Ilsoap | August 17, 2004 01:16 PM
It sounds like you got exactly what you needed out of this vacation, that is awesome.. I am still stuck on the fact that you got to play Q*bert! I am so jealous :P
Welcome back Wil :)
Posted by: Neph | August 17, 2004 01:16 PM
Next time you're in this neck of the woods, you might want to check out the Oregon Coast Aquarium, it's pretty cool, especially the behind the scenes tour.
The Hatfield Marine Science center is next door, and you can spend some quality time interacting directly with a GPO*.
If you want a fish-nerd as a guide, I'd be happy to volunteer, and I promise not to be a gushing fanbody. L.E. Modesitt and Joe Haldeman can vouch for me. ;)
Didn't know you were going to Powells, that would have been worth the trip from Eugene.
*Giant Pacific Octopus, the fellow I met, liked to hold hands.
Posted by: biomekanic | August 17, 2004 01:17 PM
It was wonderful listening to you read, a bit mind-boggling to realize we're the same age... and then I went home and actually read the book. Ended up crying some, it's a timely sort of message for me.
And don't worry... I won't tell the Irish about the little name mix up, if you won't ;)
Posted by: Eleri | August 17, 2004 01:17 PM
Thanks for coming to Portland Wil! My wife and I really enjoyed the readings. I'm half way through JAG and loving it. I was proud to represent in my WWDN shirt. Posse on........
Posted by: Jeff | August 17, 2004 01:18 PM
Welcome back! Reading your account of San Francisco down to Big Sur really brought back memories ... in June of 2001 my SO and I took an amazing :) vacation and did exactly what you did, up to and including the Winchester Mystery House. We stayed in the redwoods near Santa Cruz in the Brookdale Lodge, which is supposedly haunted but sadly we never saw anything. And I want a Monterey Bay Aquarium in my house, too.
Posted by: Meredith | August 17, 2004 01:19 PM
Welcome Back!
Posted by: Drew | August 17, 2004 01:19 PM
Oh, and one more thing. Daaaaaamn, your wife is Super Hot in person. And I mean that in a happily-married-guy-admiring-another-man's-wife kind of way.
Posted by: Jeff | August 17, 2004 01:22 PM
While you were in Monterey, you should have taken a hike through Point Lobos State Park. It's an incredibly beautiful place, on the coast just south of Carmel-By-The-Sea. A gorgeous redwood grove runs right up to the shoreline, where the Pacific crashes dramtically against the rocks.
It's something for you to do next time you're in town.
Posted by: Mike Sperry | August 17, 2004 01:24 PM
Welcome back, Wil! Glad you had a great time!
Wesley said to tell Felix "meow" for him! =^..^=
Posted by: Sue | August 17, 2004 01:27 PM
Ahh yes, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I think any Bay Area native can recall the excitement of going there and the disappointment of arriving. Yuck.
Posted by: Alex | August 17, 2004 01:29 PM
Sounds like you had a great time and came back rested up!I am looking forward to the pictures
Posted by: Dan L | August 17, 2004 01:33 PM
I pass by the Winchester Mystery House almost every day, because I live about 2 miles away from it. And the Monterey Bay Aquarium has become one of my favorite places recently...I could just sit in front of the reef tank (where you probably saw the turtle) for hours. :)
Posted by: Emy | August 17, 2004 01:36 PM
Sadly, all of the comments regarding the Boardwalk are true. It's like a permanent county fair atmosphere with creaky, unsafe rides and scary teeth-optional patrons. At least they still have a Sky Glider ride that enables you to literally and figuratively rise above the huddled masses and the wretched refuse.
Posted by: ToddCommish | August 17, 2004 01:40 PM
It's nice to have you back Wil.
Posted by: Fodd | August 17, 2004 01:55 PM
I'm glad to hear the book signing went well! If you ever come out to the DC area, I trust you'll let us know. I'll be there!
Posted by: Meredith | August 17, 2004 02:09 PM
Hi Will! Glad you made it back safe and sound. This is my first visit to your website since I first heard about it on Live Journal Syndicate. Anyway, funny thing about being your kids age, you don't quite appreciate the good things in life until you are an adult. Same way how I feel when my father was stationed in England. We visited a lot of places including St. Pauls Cathedral in London (Where Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married). Oh man what I give to go back there and share the same experiences with my wife.
Some of the places I did visit which was mention in your journal was the Golden Gate Bridge. I dont' know if you experienced this but if I can recall, the bridge on one end, ends in a tunnel and everytime we drove through there, I could not figure out why people would sound their horns, as if we were in New York. LOL! The drive down the 101 is breath taking. Much better drive then the I-5 where there is nothing but farmland. Just make sure you have cruise in your car when taking that route. :)
Anyway, glad you are back and I hope to read more of your many adventures.
Take care,
Dave
Posted by: David | August 17, 2004 02:11 PM
I wanted to move to San Jose a few years ago to become a tour guide at the Winchester Mystery House. I knew the history backwards and forwards, so it's very cool to hear you guys stopped there. I hope you had fun!
Posted by: Amber | August 17, 2004 02:12 PM
Welcome home. We would have loved to see you in Portland, but we were there just a couple of weeks ago, and it's an annoying drive from north of Seattle. Maybe next time....
Give Felix a rub and let him have his space. You can try again tomorrow! :)
Posted by: Kirsten | August 17, 2004 02:13 PM
The Jelly Belly factory is cool -- it's really eerie to see the Church to the Republican Icons it's become. The large picture of Reagan made entirely out of jelly bellies is... amazing. Penultimate only to the massive collections of Elvis jelly belly portraits, of course.
Good to see you back -- I've been clicking every day since the 10th in waitful anticipation (waitful -- is that a word? I somehow doubt it). But it's good that you got a chance to refill the well like that. Now you'll have lots of new material for the blog.
BTW: Have you seen any advanced copies of Gurps 4th edition yet?
Posted by: Joshua | August 17, 2004 02:15 PM
Author, actor, and screenwriter Pamela Ribon has a different take on the book reading/signing at her blog: http://pamie.com/blog/2004_08_15_archive.html#109261847618766013
Take note her response to the discussion in the post comments.
"Okay, everybody, calm down. I have nothing against Wil Wheaton. It was just funny that I was there when he was there, and I was signing copies of my book and he had just done a big ol' reading. It was purely coincidental, and we were sitting next to each other and I thought it was funny that I knew who he was but he has probably never heard of me."
Posted by: Anna | August 17, 2004 02:19 PM
Hi Wil,
My wife and I had a blast at your powell's signing. There are a couple of pics from it on my wife's blog (Wil speaking, and the super nifty Jane White postcart he autographed for us).
http://homepage.mac.com/jessicabeck/iblog/
We also wanted to thank your wife for taking a moment to talk to us after the reading.
You guys rock.
Oh and as we just moved to Portland from Santa Cruz, I completely understand about the boardwalk. It's sad really.
Posted by: Matt | August 17, 2004 02:20 PM
I'm so glad you had a good time on your vacation, we all missed you...
Posted by: Sweet Chuck | August 17, 2004 02:33 PM
Glad to hear that the trip went well. Exstatic that your back writing. I was feeling silly visiting the site every day, only to be greated by the talking Moose.
Give Felix and extra scratch behind the ears for me.
Posted by: Onryou | August 17, 2004 02:44 PM
save the whales baby!!
Posted by: Andrew Punch | August 17, 2004 02:46 PM
Glad you are back...can't wait until the 21st.
Posted by: ze-mag | August 17, 2004 02:46 PM
Wil, Welcome back!
I have to admit I was "jonsing" to read your stuff again... and was happy to see the bloglines notification of your newest entry (even if I am new to your stuff... it is addicting).
Glad you got the chance to take a break.. now never do it again!
;-)
Posted by: KEEME | August 17, 2004 02:50 PM
My family and I just went to Jelly Belly yesterday! My daughter(7) loved the jelly bean paintings and jelly bean duck and my son(2 1/2) couldn't get enough of the robot arms in the warehouse! He didn't want to continue with the rest of the tour. And then there were the free jelly beans... Can't beat that. Family trips, they're either the best or the worst!
Posted by: Beverly | August 17, 2004 03:10 PM
Glad to see you back Wil. I hadn't realized that I'd gotten so addicted to your site until you weren't posting for this vacation. :)
Posted by: Apeculiardaisy | August 17, 2004 03:16 PM
Pictures I took from said event for Wil and Anne are at .
Wil, you should have visited both the Oregon Vortex and the Santa Cruz Mystery Spot in one trip, and then compared them objectively!
Posted by: Randal L. Schwartz | August 17, 2004 03:28 PM
Now I understand why there's a preview button.
The pictures of Wil's signing at Powell's (with pictures of Anne and me as well) are at http://www.stonehenge.com/merlyn/Pictures/Friends/04-08-Wil-At-Powells/.
Posted by: Randal L. Schwartz | August 17, 2004 03:29 PM
Ah, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk... my Dad used to hang out there when he was a kid, so did I. My 13 year old son LOVES the season pass we gave him in June when he graduated middle school.
Some of the rides are fun, some of it is really disgusting. The best, hands down, is the Giant Dipper. The hover bumper cars are a blast too.
In the Boardwalk's defense, think of all the seaside amusement parks that no longer exist. And although the Boardwalk owns most of the land around their site, they haven't been allowed to develop any of it by the city. Reading in the local rags, the Boardwalk wants to modernize and expand, but they can't get approval to tear out the Beach Flats shacks around the area.
Great trip Wil, welcome home!
p.s. - a little traveling tip -it might make a difference. We each take our top pillow to sleep on; it makes the difference between a horrible night's sleep, and one that's merely "not quite home". Yeah, it takes up a little room, but it's worth it. That's the time to put the zebra stripe pillow cases on; so you won't leave your precious personal pillow behind when you leave the hotel.
Posted by: Gardyloo | August 17, 2004 03:43 PM
It's great to have you back!
We had a great time having you for your reading/signing at the Borders in Hollywood on Sunday! It was a great success!
Speaking of your trip, my husband and I actually just moved down to LA from Santa Cruz about a year ago, and I actually used to work at the Monterey Bay Aquarium! It was really the coolest place ever to work, I can't wait to visit again.
The boardwalk, however, unless visited on Mondays and Tuesdays during the summer (rides and certain concessions are only 60 cents) is really disappointing....
Posted by: Julie V. | August 17, 2004 03:47 PM
Hey Wil,
I wholeheartedly echo your sentiments regarding the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I've been visiting it regularly (every year or so) since my elementary school days, and it just never gets old, partly because they update their exhibits so often, and partly because there really is no other place like the Monterey Bay, and the Aquarium captures the spirit of the Bay as well as it captures its wildlife. The Outer Bay exhibit, in particular, leaves me utterly speechless every time I see it- a million gallon tank stocked with rarely-seen open-ocean species, including those turtles you liked. ;)
-Peter
Posted by: Peter | August 17, 2004 03:50 PM
I'm sure your Italian dinner in Santa Cruz was awesome (esp. if it was at Zoccoli's), but you truly missed out on the finest of SC's culinary prowess by not having a Mike's Mess scramble at Zachary's on Pacific Ave (Downtown SC). next time you go through there, if you ever go back (heh), you positively must try it.
regardless ... welcome back! missed ya!
Posted by: courtney p. | August 17, 2004 03:54 PM
Welcome back. I'm glad it went well, and looking forward to the pictures!
Posted by: ionicus | August 17, 2004 03:58 PM
Hi wil.I only found this web site when i decided to look you up on the net a few days ago.I really loved reading some of the things you wrote and well done with what you have achieved.I look forward to reading more about you.
Posted by: Anna(uk) | August 17, 2004 04:00 PM
I was at the Monterey Bay Aquarium once about ten years ago and I discovered that five hours is not enough to spend there.
Welcome back, Wil! Glad you and your lovely family had a great time!
Posted by: Carol | August 17, 2004 04:27 PM
Missed ya Wil!
Posted by: Colleen S | August 17, 2004 04:28 PM
Oh, I just took my visiting in-laws and best friend to the Winchester House on Friday! It was more interesting than I expected. Haven't done the Monterey Bay Aquarium yet (we opted for the closer California Academy of Sciences in SF, which is going to ROCK, o science geeks, when it fully re-opens in 2008).
Anyway, even though I know you must be really busy catching up. you should definitely read this entry by m_cat, which is a cat-based Livejournal humor blog:
http://www.livejournal.com/~m_cat/72578.html
The entry's about you. Kind of.
(Reading back a few entries at http://m_cat.livejournal.com/ might give you some context.)
Keep up the good writing...
Posted by: Clarissa Smith | August 17, 2004 04:31 PM
Welcome back Wil !! I've missed you terribly. I'm glad you and your family are home safe and sound. Yeah, the poor old SC Boardwalk. It's a pretty sad place. I haven't been there in years and only go to ride the Giant Dipper anyway. I grew up and live near the Winchester Mystery house and had never seen it until a few years ago. You need to take the "Friday the 13th Flashlight Tour". The Monterey Bay Aquarium is awesome. Give Felix a scritch for me. Now get back to work, we need more reading material !!!!
Lorraine
Posted by: Lorraine | August 17, 2004 04:43 PM
Hey Will,
Just wanted to say that I thought the picture you've taken of Big Sur looks absolutely gorgeous, and I hope you don't mind but I've put it on my desktop.
Glad to have you back,
Chris.
Posted by: Chris | August 17, 2004 05:02 PM
Welcome back. Just wanted to let you know that I've been reading a book about the Ig-Nobel prizes (I started it after I finished JAG) and found an interesting item. The 2000 Ig-Nobel Computer Science prize was won for a product called PawSense. After reading this post, I've decided that it's a bit of software you might find useful. Check it out at:
http://www.bitboost.com/BB_Welcome.html
(My own blog is sporadic and not-too-interesting, compared to yours. But I plan on reviewing your book, soon. Feel free to stop by and say, "Hello."
Posted by: Mister Lizard | August 17, 2004 05:51 PM
Finally! (kidding) Man you crack me up sometimes - luddite blog? Holy toledo. I wanted to make it to Portland, but had to write. It's the trade-offs in life that piss me off. Glad to see you back on the blog again. Very glad.
e
Posted by: Eric Grey | August 17, 2004 06:03 PM
Wil,
So glad to have you home; I am sure you had a wonderful vacation. You should take a picture of Felix by your computer and call it "Cat and Mouse." My cat does the same thing. I had to look up "skanky" in a thesaurus--it is actually a word.
Thanks again for sharing your life with us and welcome home.
Freeman :)
Posted by: Freeman in Louisiana | August 17, 2004 06:23 PM
Sounds like you spent a fair amount of time on my old stomping grounds - I grew up in Monterey, and from when it opened (in, ummmmm...1983? Summer before I hit seventh grade, anyhow.) until I turned 18, our family had a pass which meant I could go in there whenever I wanted. Many was the Saturday where I would kill $5 in quarters at the arcade down the street, and then kill a couple hours at the Aquarium, before calling Mom for a ride home. :)
Sad to hear that the Boardwalk has gone downhill...that's another happy memory of my childhood...and as great as you thought the Big Arcade was...it used to be _better_. That arcade used to be famous as the place where Old Arcade Games Went To Die...you could play games there you simply couldn't FIND anyplace else anymore, and they always seemed to have one or two of those games that were in such limited release (The Adventures Of Major Havoc) comes to mind, that theme parks were the only places that had them.
Between that and the girls running around in swimwear, it was a good place to be an adolescent male. ;)
Posted by: Chris Lemon | August 17, 2004 06:35 PM
Hey Wil,
Hopefully next time you'll head to Edmonton,Alberta, Canada for a book signing - we are all dying to hear you read up here!
Glad you had a great trip. Do you actually feel relaxed after all that DRIVING? LOL! I believe there's a difference between refreshed and relaxed and I hope you're both.
Posted by: 1cutebird | August 17, 2004 06:39 PM
Welcome back wil!! we all missed you!
Posted by: ~~~Angel~~~ | August 17, 2004 06:47 PM
Do you draw huge crowds just walking around? I'm going to Gen Con tomorrow, and I can only imagine the mayhem!
I love going back now, and doing things that I couldn't do when I was a kid. Being able to explore, or eat stuff that's bad for me. Sometimes it's a mixed bag, because it's not as fantastic or filled with magic as it was when I was younger. Sometimes though, it has its own kind of grown up magic.
Posted by: Autumn | August 17, 2004 07:04 PM
Hey, Wil, Welcome back! Glad to hear that the vaction turned out so well. It sounds like fun. My parents live in Portland so one of these times I'll try to be there when you are. My cats are always walking across my keyboard and then sitting on my hand when it is resting on the mouse. It sure makes typing interesting. Give Felix a scratch for me.
Posted by: Lenora | August 17, 2004 07:23 PM
I saw Wil @ Powells. He did not suck. I did though. To be sure he remembered me I pitched myself on the floor at his feet. Wouldn't you know it?
(www.knightwriter.blogdrive.com)
Why is it when you want to be cool, you are a complete idiot?
Wil you rock. even if we didn't get that picture.
*GGG*
Posted by: Shalagh | August 17, 2004 07:57 PM
Dammit, how did I not here that you were in Portland? I went to the Vortex on a road trip to San Diego once, but we got there after they'd closed. Hope you had better luck!
Posted by: Sarah | August 17, 2004 08:30 PM
Hey Wil... sounds like a wonderful time with your family and for your authoring career.
I'm the guy that missed the entire Hollywood signing on Sunday. Thanks for bein' cool, as I knew you would be, when I came up to you on the patio sometime after it was all done. [I actually drank some sort of mocha thing to kill time whilst you ate a late lunch. Coffee... it's okay. I guess. LMAO]
So glad Border's had a few signed copies for us late comers. And thank you for signing some in advance for the tard[y]s, like me.
Mostly bummed to have missed your readings! I sure hope an O.C. signing gets set up like you mentioned it might.
Laters... and just Tivo past the two bad plays you made on WPT!
Posted by: EdwoodCA | August 17, 2004 08:44 PM
It was great seeing you in Portland, Wil! Thanks for signing my girlfriend's book. I definitely got a few punch holes on our relationship card. I'm sure I'll get a free sandwich soon.
Posted by: Sho | August 17, 2004 09:00 PM
The SC Boardwalk has actually improved over the last couple years... the kid's section (under the log ride) was totally revamped in the last couple years and looks much better than it did before. We always stuck to the arcade when we went, there's a great South Park pinball machine in there (and a ST - TNG one too!) The beach, though, is touristy and dirty... Twin Lakes on the other side of the harbor is a much more family friendly place & it has rings for bonfires too.
But take a look at "The Lost Boys" sometime, you'll see the people haven't changed much since that was filmed.
Posted by: Jerry Ann | August 17, 2004 09:09 PM
I had no idea that town had Stand By Me 'tours'!
Dammit...now I need to go. That will always be one of my favorite movies ever!
Posted by: Kristina | August 17, 2004 09:27 PM
Hey, Wil--
I hate to feed the Voice of Self-Doubt any more than it already feeds itself, but if you went to the aquarium on the second-to-last day of your trip it wasn't the penultimate day (which would be the last but one), but the antepenultimate day (two days before the last). Unless you're using "second-to-last" in the sense of "next-to-last."
(There. Have I confused the issue enough yet?)
Anyway, great to have you back again, glad that the trip was good. And give me a shout if you're ever going to be in or around Chicago doing a reading. Just a Geek absolutely rules, and I'd love to hear you read from it live.
Posted by: Michael | August 17, 2004 09:39 PM
Hey Wil!
Hope you had a good vacation, always kinda sucks for a vacation to be over, but always good to be back home in my experience. Saw you up in Portland at Powell's. Got there a bit late, but that's what you get when take the wrong exit and get caught in Portland's fantastic rush hour traffic when driving like a maniac from Eugene...lol. Really happy to see you dug the Prisoner sign I duplicated. Always wanted one myself, but knowing you were a fan I printed an extra for you. I didn't want to bring the line to a screeching halt while I told you all about how I made it, but I will say it was a trick tracking down the right picture. Once I loaded it all into Illustrator to add the text, it was a snap to finish.
Thanks again for the autographs on the books and I agree with the poster who says you and your family should visit the Oregon Coast Aquarium next trip up. Also, having lived for SEVERAL (read - too many) years in Southern Oregon (K-Falls), a good place for a hot summer day is Lake of the Woods. Lots of fond memories from there. I couldn't tell you to save my life how to get there now, but it's worth finding on a map. If you're in that part of the world, probably worth checking out too if you're visiting that part of Southern Oregon.
Hope the iBook gets back to you ASAP. Take care! Vote for Number Six! ;)
Brian
Posted by: Brian | August 17, 2004 10:08 PM
I have a great picture of an octopus attacking my arm while I was teaching a SCUBA class in S. Florida that I'll have to dig out now.
Posted by: Rob | August 17, 2004 10:20 PM
Welcome back, Wil! Glad you had fun... I can't wait to see the pics of Brownsville. Stand By Me is one of my favorite movies and it will be interesting to see what the town looks like now. :o)
Posted by: Kimberly | August 17, 2004 10:27 PM
Wow, you've been back for, like, five minutes and you've got 71 comments. Big show-off.
I haven't commented here before, but I thought I'd join the conversation today since it seemed to be the thing to do. Wil, glad you're back. I'd been tuning in recently and was slightly distressed to see you disappear. Very pleased you had such a great book-tour-slash-vacation.
My mom lives in McCloud, CA, and I do believe it was Engine 25 of the McCloud River Railroad that chased you and the boys across that trestle. On one of my trips there in 1994, my then-boyfriend and I drove out to visit the trestle. Went and stood in the middle of it and took pictures of each other there. (I'll have to scan and post those one of these days.) Have you visited there? A stop for your next west coast tour, perhaps.
Now, see, I feel like a total weirdo because my family and I LOVE Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. We love the skankiness of it, the whole bit. I spend the day assessing how much flesh can be bared before one crosses the line, counting tattoos, etc. It's fun!
Glad someone already posted the link to Pamie's blog entry about you. It's worth reading, both the post and the comments that follow.
Welcome home!
Posted by: Jen Z | August 17, 2004 10:32 PM
Dude,
What an awesomely fruitful and well-rounded trip that West Coast tour must have been!! I'm sure Corey Feldman never ventured further north than Ojai to yell at his agent nor further south than Dana Point to score heroin.
Hope your tour takes you to Brooklyn some time.
Posted by: Billy Reno | August 17, 2004 10:43 PM
BTW, Santa Cruz Boardwalk is always a great experience when you're tripping on a hit of high powered blotter acid recently purchased from one of the many dreadlocked, patchoulli soaked hippies downtown.
Posted by: Billy Reno | August 17, 2004 10:49 PM
Nice to read you again, Welcome back.
Posted by: Griff | August 17, 2004 11:15 PM
My favorite part of California on my last visit there was going down Highway 1. (A long time ago). I'm glad to see that others beside me appreciate it. Of course I was out having the time of my life, with to other equally broke Okies who turned a college road trip into a memory of a lifetime. I hope to share that drive with my daughter before she goes off to college, but not the same circumstances.
Posted by: amadeusmax | August 17, 2004 11:56 PM
Welcome back, Wil! I'm so glad you had a good time on your vacation.
The comments for this entry are very interesting! So many people from your Portland signing and so many people familiar with Monterey.
Now, what about an East Coast signing tour? 8-)
Posted by: loretta652 | August 18, 2004 12:15 AM
Welcome back wil. Glad you had a great vacation.
Now when are you going to do a reading in AZ?
Posted by: karek | August 18, 2004 01:02 AM
Re the Oregon Vortex. There is exactly the same thing in Santa Cruz: http://www.mysteryspot.com
It is a tourist trap but very entertaining. Been there a couple of times already.
Posted by: Oliver | August 18, 2004 01:11 AM
Allright dangit, I've waited long enough. WHERE IS FISH ON PART 3? I mean you can't stop at the end of two. You are going to the poker room and thinking about your game and then you get there and...
And another thing...I'm NOT taking the bait on "I saw a turtle." No way.
Forget it.
Seriously.
It's been done.
Posted by: phriedom | August 18, 2004 01:11 AM
Hi Will ! Great you'r back again. Sounds like you guys had a great time. Any chance you'd be visiting Europe (The Netherlands)in the near future ? Keep on writing dude, you realy rock.
Leon
Posted by: Leon | August 18, 2004 01:40 AM
Hey Wil, welcome back!
Damn, you came to San Jose? Went to the Winchester Mystery House? I've lived in San Jose eight years and still haven't gone inside, although I have looked around the grounds there.
I have, however, been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium at least six or seven times. That place is incredible. It's really cool to be there with a group of kids who have never seen fish beyond a small tank.
Now you've made me want to go back there ASAP.
Posted by: Sara E. | August 18, 2004 01:53 AM
god, what i waited for our writer to come back telling us all about the trip!! i made your site my starting page and yeah, reading that you're still on vacation wasn't much news... nevertheless you deserved it - can't wait for mine, so i know the feeling... anyways - glad you're back!!
Posted by: jay | August 18, 2004 03:15 AM
yayyyyyyy wil saw a turtle :-)
Posted by: tim | August 18, 2004 04:35 AM
Road trip tip:
If you want to make sleeping in uncomfortable beds a bit less uncomfortable, bring your own pillows. It's amazing how much a difference it makes.
Joel
Posted by: plexxer | August 18, 2004 04:41 AM
Hey, Ignore "The Voice of Self Doubt" when it come to the readings. You perform quite well. Welcome back!
Posted by: jerry | August 18, 2004 05:23 AM
There are quite a few places around the states that have similar strange-oddities like the Oregon Vortex.
Here is NY, there is a place where items (cars in particular) roll UPHILL.
What would be nifty is if there was a tour of all these places for us curious folk.
Browser Hijacker Remover
Posted by: Browser Hijacker Remover | August 18, 2004 05:40 AM
welcome back
Posted by: not him | August 18, 2004 05:43 AM
Welcome back Will! You were missed. (BTW, I can identify with a cat and the keyboard. Jake the Wonder cat does the same thing to me)
Andrea
Posted by: Andrea | August 18, 2004 05:48 AM
I'm so glad to see you back at "work" because you're one of my daily stops in my morning Internet rituals and I was seriously going through a case of Wheaton-withdrawal.
I just wanted to let you know (if you haven't seen it already) that the little blurb from you is in the latest issue of Wizard, the celebrity issue. It's right next to the really sexy ST:TNG Crusher pic, and I forget what page number it's on. Thanks for helping me score another freelance paycheck. ^_^
Posted by: Trisha Lynn | August 18, 2004 06:33 AM
Welcome back! Kudos to you for saying you were going to be gone too.
Last month, we drove highway 1 from San Fran to beyond Santa Cruz for the first time. It was a spectacular view, and I'm glad you got to share it with your family as well.
Posted by: Almost Lucid (Brad) | August 18, 2004 07:06 AM
I spent a long afternoon at the Montery Bay Aquarium once playing with a Cryptochiton stelleri (http://oceanlink.island.net/oinfo/biodiversity/gumboot/gumboot.html), oogling the jellies, and petting the rays. It's an amazing place and I was only a little disappointed there wasn't a huge empty whale tank on the bayside for George and Gracie. ;)
And Santa Cruz (Santa Carla for Lost Boys fans) was pretty seedy too, but the tacos were memorable.
Posted by: Rob Raisch | August 18, 2004 07:41 AM
Welcome back, Wil...I missed your blog more than I thought I would. Thanks for sharing your family vacation memories with us. And when are you gonna come to Chicago?! ;-)
Posted by: Winona | August 18, 2004 07:46 AM
Happily surprised
again a new dawn shines on
bees visit the flowers
Posted by: dr.nik | August 18, 2004 07:56 AM
It's about time that Powell's figured out that you need to be in the main store! I was saying that to my friend who works at Powells...
Glad you had a great vacation and thanks for coming to Portland to see us :)
Mari (The one in the Candy Striper Uniform)
Posted by: Mari | August 18, 2004 08:00 AM
Glad to see you back, Wil.
Didn't see it in your post, but did you happen to catch They Might Be Giants at the Bite of Oregon in Portland on Friday the 13th? It was a rockin' show. Their new drummer rules. :D
Posted by: Nicholas Wolf | August 18, 2004 08:24 AM
Hey Wil,
Welcome back.
After reading yourlatest post, I have to say:
"Do it man, get a salt water fish tank"
I have one. A bit more work that a freshwater tank, but totally worth the effort. The boys will love it. So will you.
So do it. Just don't get one that big. 100Gallon would be perfect.
Rick
Posted by: rick | August 18, 2004 08:42 AM
Welcome back, Wil! Sounds like you had a wonderful time.
Posted by: Jen | August 18, 2004 09:59 AM
Reading about your adventure in Northern California gives me envy. I'll be going to San Jose in two weeks. I grew up there, and lived there untill 2000. Every year I went to Santa Cruz, and yes, the boardwalk has changed a lot in its feel in the last 20 years.
I'm glad your back, and that you had a great time with your family!
Posted by: Seth-Aaron | August 18, 2004 10:30 AM
WELCOME BACK!
Missed you but survived! Glad you had a great time!
so when do we start the hypnosis for you to stop being afraid to fly so you can come to the UK and see the sites and do a con!?
i dont know... all that time in space and you wont get on a plane! *snicker*
Andrea x
Posted by: Andrea | August 18, 2004 10:31 AM
How is it my two favorite bloggers (you and Neil Gaiman) go on vacation the same time and return to the web on the same day? I'm beginning to get suspicious. I just can't decide if you are alter egos of the same person, or are secretly working on some diabolical project.
Posted by: ross | August 18, 2004 10:49 AM
Come on Wil, get yourself over to England!! It's about time those o'reilly people paid for some action over here, after all, I have been bigging you up for years and now and people are starting to talk good things about you!. Plus, we Brits are alot more open minded about star trek and everyone I know LOVED Wesley, you were hot stuff for my age group!
And I still have my Riv an' Wil (my friend Sarah was the River Phoenix nut), scrap book with lots of pictures of your good selve lookin moody that I need you to sign!
Glad you're back
Posted by: Caroline | August 18, 2004 11:15 AM
Wil, if you and your family haven't walked across the Golden Gate, I strongly recommend it! Killer views and an up-close-and-personal experience with an Historical Landmark. Well worth doing!
Posted by: M. Douglas Wray | August 18, 2004 11:22 AM
Welcome back, Wil!
We haven't been properly introduced yet, but I'm a One Assed Monkey over at the SoapBox, and just wanted to let you know that I'm loving every minute of posting on the boards :)
I just got back from vacation myself, went up the mountains for a week. It was nice, but I'm glad to be home again.
Glad to hear you had a good time, and that you're all at home safe and sound.
Posted by: Danyiel | August 18, 2004 11:23 AM
Yeah, I live not too far from Brownsville and it never changes. Small towns are really cool like that. I was freaking out when I first saw "Stand by Me" because I was all like, "OMG. Is that Brownsville?" It's a neat little place--it's loads of fun whenever I go there.
I missed you at the book signing. =( I was up in Portland and I would have gone but I had to go to a friend's birthday party that evening, so I had to leave early. Next time 'round, though!
I think I've beeen to every place you mentioned in your post, Wil--I think you may have put together the ultimate Left Coast vacation! Except you missed the Space Needle, but I won't tell anybody.
Posted by: David Wright | August 18, 2004 11:34 AM
I saw a turtle! (sorry)
Posted by: Toriko | August 18, 2004 11:52 AM
I live in the East Bay Area and have been to all the Bay Area places you mentioned. Especially the Monterey Aquarium! My husband and I practically live there. We used to work at the Long Beach Aquarium before we moved up north. We also bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge every three weeks. Everytime we do, I'm reminded of how lucky I am to be able to live in the Bay Area. Glad you had a wonderful time here!
By the way (& I don't get to visit your site often, so you may have already said this), what type of breed of dogs do you have? I work at an animal shelter and always ask people who have pets.
Posted by: Amy | August 18, 2004 02:07 PM
Abusive comment from 63.198.141.158 deleted.
Posted by: Michael Jackson | August 18, 2004 02:08 PM
"loser"??? who can't even spell Wil's name right when trying to slag him? You're an idiot.
Posted by: edwoodca | August 18, 2004 02:19 PM
I had plans to come see you in Portland from eastern Oregon but had to have salivary gland removal surgery that day. Guess which one I would have preferred?
Posted by: Rohan the Thunder Chick | August 18, 2004 02:45 PM
I wanted to be a marine biologist as a child, too. Must be a California thing. I'm heartsick that I know live 150 miles inland. :(
Posted by: Lawless1 | August 18, 2004 02:53 PM
I could have sworn I read that Stand By Me was filmed in my town of Cottage Grove, OR. I feel really stupid now. I've been bragging that up to my family since I moved here a year ago. Ooops. Oh well, at least I know for a fact that Animal House was filmed here. I'll always have that ;)
Posted by: Laura | August 18, 2004 03:05 PM
Laura: we did film a lot of the train track sequences in and around Cottage Grove. Matter of fact, the bridge we all first walk over near the very beginning of the film is right off I-5, and I stopped there and took pictures when we were on our way up. I loved Cottage Grove. It was really beautiful and quiet when we were there.
Posted by: wil | August 18, 2004 03:11 PM
A friend of mine is a sysadmin for Powells. She said they're really snobby about who gets to read at the main store.. anyone they think might be too geeky gets booked at a different store. So you must have impressed someone and gained some Cool Points, for what that's worth.
Posted by: Kris | August 18, 2004 04:11 PM
Glad you're back! And, thanks for mentioning Wyoming at "Earnest Borg 9." Yep! We were there. Our first con just because of you!
You're absolutely right, Star Trek con attendees are distinctive(??!!)...Darn! Why did i forget my camara! Oh Well, we got the most important (and only) photo & autograph...yours, of course!!
Posted by: Sharon | August 18, 2004 04:43 PM
Wil: First time comment-maker... pardon if you've already covered this elsewhere, but are you planning any Washington DC area signings / readings? Thanks. Love the books, btw.
Posted by: Kim | August 18, 2004 07:03 PM