Chasing The San Antonian Dream
by LatinD on Aug 4, 2009 9:58 PM CDT
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So the Spurs' schedule was finally published, and I now have all the data I need to prepare my own schedule for my 2010 Pounding the Rock Latin_D Conquers Dallas trip.
For those not in the know, I've been planning to travel to the US (all the way from Argentina) to watch the Spurs live... for over a year now, maybe more. I can watch the games on TV as many times as I want, and comment about them on this blog, but I still wouldn't forgive myself if I couldn't see the Big Three play live once in my life.
I've never been to the States, and the conversion rate between Argentinian pesos and dollars means that my budget will be tight. One of my plans is to meet as many of the regular posters here as humanly possible, and just drink in as much of the countryside as possible. If I can visit some hot tourist spots along the way, well, it'd be a big plus.
So I need your help. This post is for those willing to lend me a hand in choosing where to go, when to go, and how to go. I promise to reciprocate whenever you come to Argentina, and there'll be plenty of alfajores for you in return. Jump in!
Boundary Conditions
And no, that doesn't mean I'll travel illegally.
- I will probably have three weeks for the trip. More days would be impossible - in fact, I will only have three weeks after some negotiations that will come in the near future. Wish me luck.
- My budget, as I said above, is laughable (4 pesos = 1 dollar, ouch). Cheap is good. Cheap is holy.
- I can drive, and plan to get an international license. I thought that driving through the country would lend itself to some touristic stops along the way, but the distances are intimidating so it might not be feasible to go by car the entire trip. Plus, it's probably pretty expensive - I need to find out.
- I want to visit the Grand Canyon at some point. Can't miss that, and SiMA should be nearby.
- I plan to get good seats whenever possible - there's no point in going all the way there to watch the Spurs through my newly-purchased binoculars. I'll be checking the prices for the tickets tomorrow.
- I have no idea what's worth visiting and what's not, beyond the Canyon. Think of me as an empty canvas.
- We want to organize one or several get-togethers, and I'd really like to get to meet you in person. Check your own schedules and see when you're free.
The Plan (?) So Far
I had a chat with ATS today, and I told him I wanted to see some home games, and some away games - those would be the perfect excuse to get out and know the USA. He recommended picking the last few home games before the Rodeo trip, and then follow the team until the All-Star Game. The schedule:
- Mon, Jan 25 vs Chicago
- Wed, Jan 27 vs Atlanta
- Fri, Jan 29 vs Memphis
- Sun, Jan 31 vs Denver
- Wed, Feb 3 at Sacramento
- Thu, Feb 4 at Portland
- Sat, Feb 6 at Los Angeles Clippers
- Mon, Feb 8 at Los Angeles Lakers
- Thu, Feb 11 at Denver
- Sun, Feb 14 - All Star Game in Dallas, Texas
4 home games, 5 away, and one ASG. Can you say "Hell to the yeah"? At first glance this seems like the perfect time for me, but I'm more than open to suggestions. I just put together a hasty map of the stops I'd have to make. Check it out:
Again, I don't know what the scale of this map is, but I'm not sure travelling by car from San Antonio to Sacramento is a good idea. I could either skip the first leg and go directly to Portland, or skip Portland (it's the next day of the Sacramento game - can it be done?) and go to Los Angeles. I know SiMA lives in Denver and rikkido is in Phoenix. I could meet Hipuks in Los Angeles if I can get him away from his aquarium for a few minutes, and then hang out with CMoney in Dallas. Where're the rest of you?
Anyway, this was just an introduction. Any and all suggestions would really help this widdle lil' 26-year-old have the time of his life a la Borat. I promise to take pictures and videos and share the experience with all the foreign Spurs fans who would love to be able to go, but can't for some reason.
Oh, I forgot. If anyone wants to join me for part of the (or the entire) trip, you're more than welcome. These roadtrips are always better when you have someone to share it with, and I'll be travelling alone.
That's all for now. Now go cool the beers for February.
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OK, so I have a tradition that started out unintentionally, and is moving on to the intentional phase. Every year for the last 3 years, I’ve spent the beginning of February in the Pacific Northwest. This year, it was Portland. I think you can see where this is going – I want to go see the Portland game. My plans, however, are fluid, so… don’t count on it too much.
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Hey guys. I live in Portland and I will be going to that game too. LatinD, I would skip Sacramento instead of Portland. The Blazers will actually be good and the city of Portland is way cooler than Excremento.
You might want to fly from San Antionio to Portland. Then if I were you I’d skip the Clippers game and stop in San Francisco on the way south. That is an incredible city with lots of great sites, restaurants etc. Maybe you could take the train (Amtrak) down from Portland to San Fran and onward to LA? I am not sure about the cost, but it is a pleasant way to travel.
Denver will be fun, but keep in mind that it could be very cold and snowy there at that time of year. Driving from the west could take a long time due to the weather. Coming up through New Mexico (take a left at Alb-ah-coiky) could take a long time if Raton pass is experiencing a snow storm. Even outside of the pass, that whole passage up I-25 could potentially be snowy. Another plane flight would be advised there.
"The evolution has been good, and I am much more tranquil now in the face of what comes next,"--Manu Ginobili
Skipping Sacramento and going to Portland sounds good, VWolf, and I’m going to compare prices between amtrak and renting a car this weekend for the Portland/Sacramento – San Francisco – LA leg. Thanks.
The reason I wanted to travel by car from Los Angeles to Denver was visiting the Gran Canyon, etc. etc., and I think I would miss that if I traveled through Albuquerque. Am I right? If I’m going to miss it then I might as well travel by plane and just rent a car in Denver, and go from there.
I need to find out the distances between Denver and all those spots I can’t miss… I’ll ask SiMA later.
Thanks for the help, man. Want to meet in Portland to watch the Blazers get WHOOPED?
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In wintertime, I would recommend going through New Mexico, unless the weather over the Rockies is clear. If it’s clear, you could go from the grandcanyon up thru Utah, then western Colorado.
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I guess I can decide that on the spot, depending on the weather at that moment.
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We’ll definitely maybe win. :)
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There will definitely be victory, maybe.
From under the radar to hanging in the rafters - Big50
5 in 10
that one gets me every time.
"He's Manu Ginobili"
by the little o on Aug 10, 2009 2:10 PM CDT up reply actions
Honestly, LD, if you’re willing to drive a lot, you could probably do this. SA to Sacramento is ~1800 mi, but you could see the Grand Canyon, Sierra Nevadas, Death Valley, Vegas, etc. Redwoods and wine country are in No. California. LA to Denver is ~1000 mi, and Arches National Park is in Utah, plus the variety of stuff to see in CO. Denver to Dallas is ~900 mi, but there’s not much in between those two, unless you’re interested in roadside attractions. You’re crazy ambitious, but have fun planning.
My people call it "sarcasm." - Lauri
Let me clarify that I’m not suggesting you do this, as you’d probably go insane, but I was just pointing out the possibilities. I would definitely fly from Denver to Dallas – it’s a short, cheap trip and there really is nothing worthwhile seeing in between. You could also fly from SA to Sacramento and spend several days in Northern California. You will need a car in LA – public transportation is not good.
My people call it "sarcasm." - Lauri
Yeah, it seems impossible. I’ll guess I’ll try to find good, cheap plane tickets and eliminate at least legs 1, 4 and 5. As I said, I had no idea of the scale, and in my mind it was just 10 cms, not 1800 miles…
Thanks for the help, Cap.
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Nothing worthwhile in between Dallas and Denver? I beg to differ unless you are talking about Oklahoma and Kansas. New Mexico is beautiful. I bet LatinD would enjoy Santa Fe.
"The evolution has been good, and I am much more tranquil now in the face of what comes next,"--Manu Ginobili
LD, that is a pretty intense road trip. I think you’d spend a vast majority of your trip driving. With how valuable your time is here, I’d definitely look into flying. Gas and a car rental wouldn’t be that cheap anyways.
It’s probably arguable, but I don’t think much of the southwest is very scenic. California would probably be really scenic though. I went to Yosemite north of San Fransisco about 2 years ago, and it was pretty amazing. Texas is awful to drive through.
You probably already know this, but I am in SA where it seems you’ll be for a good week of your trip. 4 Spurs games is awesome but I’m not sure what else I would recommend for your off days. You could do a day trip up to Austin if a Toros game fits. Taking in a UT basketball game could be cool too.
Sequoia National Park is quite the awesome place too.
Also, I’m going to agree with BlaseE about the southwest: it sucks. Here’s a nice summary:
Re-sign Bruce Bowen!
He’s right on with that 2nd pic; you’d better get used to hours and hours and hours and hours (with no radio signals either, FYI) of this if you’re cruising through many of those areas.
The 1st pic’s cool. In Colorado we call that view “Outside.”
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 4, 2009 11:24 PM CDT up reply actions
Where’s Sequoia National Park, though?
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Central California, between Sacramento and LA. And yea, it would be a good idea to go see San Fran while you’re in Cali. Lots of fun stuff to do out there.
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Ah, yes, I keep hearing that. I’ll have to go to Sequoia NP and find out what SF has to offer. :)
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Is that westTexas?
There is a lot of beautiful country in the southwest outside of Texas.
"The evolution has been good, and I am much more tranquil now in the face of what comes next,"--Manu Ginobili
That’s northwestern New Mexico, on the incredibly long road between Durango, CO and Albuquerque. Took that about 5 years ago.
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North of San Francisco? So it’d be near Sacramento, right? I could go to Sacramento, skip Portland (it’s the next day) and use those two free days to visit San Fran and Yosemite Park. I’ll have to locate it on a map first, though.
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Yosemite is huge. We were staying in San Fransisco and took a day bus tour up to it but you barely even enter it. I think the sequoias are deeper in the park. One problem for Yosemite is that you’ll be here in the winter and everything will be snow there I think. I spent a week in San Fransisco and there is an insane amount of stuff to do. As an engineer, the Golden Gate Bridge was mighty impressive. We took a boat tour around it and it is just mind blowingly huge.
Well, I don’t mind the snow… I just won’t be doing much hiking. If anything I’ll take in the sights, spend a day there and move onto San Francisco.
And yeah, it’d be great to see the Golden Gate.
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Don’t skip Portland for Excremento. That town is a dump and their team sucks.
"The evolution has been good, and I am much more tranquil now in the face of what comes next,"--Manu Ginobili
That’s a good point. If it’s between skipping Sacramento or Portland, I should pick Portland.
Pros: Better team, better city (?)
Cons: Farther away from LA, more expensive tickets (?)
But I’m almost sold.
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Portland, you mean? Really? Sounds great, then, can’t miss it.
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yep. I haven’t been to Denver, but I’ve been nearby, so I have a pretty good idea. Look up “cascade range” on wikipedia.
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Oh, Denver. I was comparing Portland and Sacramento, not Denver. I’m definitely going to Denver, if only to see SiMA’s ugly mug.
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No, Portland is the most scenic. I’m just saying I’m not an expert on Denver. Utah’s pretty scenic, too… but the Spurs don’t play there during your trip.
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Hey Latin, I’m a Portland homer, so I’m a bit biased… but the Portland area is just stunning. Do you like hiking? If you take I-84 East about 30-45 minutes (up the Columbia River Gorge), there are some great waterfalls and scenery to look at.
optimism ftw
Hell yes. Columbia River Gorge.
I went there on my trip this past February, and it was AMAZINE. Also, there’s the Oregon coast about a 90 minute drive from downtown, which is incredible. I’ll share some photos when I get home later.
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there is Long Beach which is about 90 minutes north and the Oregon Coast which is about 1.5-2 hours… both are gorgeous.
I don’t think you can oversell how pretty the gorge is…… if you go on the right day, it’s just spectacular.
optimism ftw
On my trip, it was Cannon Beach… like 70-something miles from downtown PDX. Ecola state park, to be more precise. Stunning place, even in the less-than-perfect weather that day. And the day I arrived, I was coming from the east, and it was a clear day, hence my “hell yes” reaction on the gorge. : )
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Columbia River Gorge is great. The Bonneville Dam spans the Columbia River along part of the Gorge and not far from Portland by car. And they do tours if you know anybody who likes that sort of thing. (Not sure if it is a engineering marvel or maybe you want a break from that sort of thing.)
In Portland, or all along the way really, have an alternative in your back pocket in case you run into bad weather that you don’t feel like going out & driving in – like a museum or brewery tour (with free samples of course) or whatever.
Haters beware: Kobe's drive for 5 starts now!-SLAM Magazine
by olf on Aug 5, 2009 7:00 PM CDT up reply actions
Here’s the most well-known spot in the gorge, Multnomah Falls:
And the Oregon coast:
Going back(to live there, hopefully) is a big priority for me.
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I like the pics Rik. Brings back memories. Did you do the hike up to the falls? We went to the bridge but turned round because it was getting dark.
Great pic of the coast too. Brrrr looks cold though. Plus, since Portland is so far north it gets dark extra early winter I think.
Haters beware: Kobe's drive for 5 starts now!-SLAM Magazine
by olf on Aug 6, 2009 1:16 AM CDT up reply actions
Eh, no hiking for me… that was on the tail-end of a 24-hour drive from Phoenix. I was tempted, though. I suppose I could share a bit more.
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Cool pics. I’ll have to remember to check out Snoqualmie Falls next time I’m in the Seattle area. That looks like fun too.
Damn, this whole thread has put me in the mood for a road trip.
Haters beware: Kobe's drive for 5 starts now!-SLAM Magazine
by olf on Aug 7, 2009 3:45 PM CDT up reply actions
ecola1 and ecola6-2 are especially incredible. If you don’t mind, I’m saving those to my desktop. You really need to investigate at least a hobby of selling prints; you clearly have a talent for it.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 7, 2009 3:52 PM CDT up reply actions
Thanks, Cablin, I’ll make a note of that.
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Are you kidding me? You don’t think much of the Southwest if very scenic? Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico are all otstandingly beautiful. Still I do think he should fly to limit the time spent driving.
"The evolution has been good, and I am much more tranquil now in the face of what comes next,"--Manu Ginobili
You’re insane. Hopped up American redneck truck drivers don’t pull schedules like this in three-week spans.
I’d almost recommend using somewhere central, like CO, as a hub and driving from there to the West coast. You could fly into South Texas and live it up as Dahveed, Texas Ranger; then fly up to Denver (you’re missing nothing by driving from TX to AZ or CO) and drive west from there. You see the Rockies, the Grand Canyon, El Valley de Death, etc; and you have a car to go up the Pacific Coast Highway. Or maybe even on the back leg, you drive back through or something. If you book now and go with flexible dates, the flights shouldn’t be as bad (especially since Southwest and Frontier, the lowest fares, go all over these areas). Maybe fly back to Dallas (CMoney’s petri dish) from CA or Portland, and you’ll save a hella lot of time and energy. Probably not much different in cost either. The driving is fun for awhile, but when you’re only getting to spend a day at a time in one specific location because you’re hurrying to get on with that next 22 hour leg of driving, nobody wins.
Whatever, you need to shout at me and firm up some things when you get a chance. ATS and I were just talking about this, and we’re all really excited for you to come out.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
You talk to me as if I weren’t an Argentine gaucho that failed geography in 2nd grade.
I’ll be flying either directly to San Antonio (difficult from Argentina) or more likely to Dallas and then to SA. I mean, it only makes sense since there’ll be 4 home games I can attend to. The roadtrip plan has already been scratched – I really had no idea what I was getting myself into when I wrote this last night – and I do need to follow the team if I want to watch the games.
I’m thinking of going to Denver around the time the Spurs play there. I’ll probably have three days there that I can use to sightsee, and hopefully you’ll be able to point me in the right direction. If I drive from LA to Denver, would I pass through those places you mentioned (Rockies, Grand Canyon, Valley of Death, etc.)?
I will definitely be e-mailing you soon. I want to have my schedule complete by the end of the month, so I can buy the tickets early. Thanks for the help.
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LD, I live in the east coast which doesnt seem to be the focus of your trip. In any case I think is awesome that your doing this and Im sure you will have a great time. I think Colorado is a must stop, I just came back from there and it was a beautiful place. I thought Denver was going to be awful (its amazing what certain sports team can do to your perception of a city) but in reality it is a very nice city.
Let me know if there is anything I can do to make your stay better, although Im way out of the way.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
The next time I’ll go East. :)
Thanks a lot, LE.
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Hello..
I’m a new poster to PTR, however, I had been following this forum for a while now and I’m impressed by the enthusiasm and knowledge shown by posters. I’m a huge spurs fan from Los angeles and am planning to take the plunge into the world of PTR.
I think the timing of the trip is perfect as you can enjoy some spurs home cooking before you set out for your expedition. Denver game is on Jan 31st and the SAC game is on 3rd Feb, you have 2 days in the middle and given the distance between SA and SAC, I would suggest you fly to Sac on Jan 31st and you have 2 days to do some trips near SAC. You can cover San Francisco, Yosemite and all the neighboring tourist spots.
After the game in Sac on 3rd, I would skip Portland game and drive down to LA. You could enjoy the drive via pacific coast highway and cover the local attractions like hollywood, san diego, universal studios,etc..
Then, you could drive to Denver from LA and fly to dallas from there..I’m sure there are some good tourist spots in and around denver to cover.
Hope this helps and good luck planning. And oh yeah, by the way, For domestic flight bookings, southwest airlines and frontier are the cheapest bet. Cheers.
Welcome, Heman.
Thanks a lot for the advice. That’s more or less the plan that’s slowly forming in my mind after reading what you guys have to say. I guess I’ll see Oden in the ASG (just kidding). :)
I already made a note of checking Southwest and Frontier. Thanks again for the tips. I’ll be writing another post when the schedule’s ready, so maybe we can meet in LA and go watch the Clippers/Lakers games?
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Holy crap. Your going to get to watch 10 games !?!
Ugh.I am envious. You must do very well for yourself, indeed !
He’s dam successful, that’s for sure.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 5, 2009 1:54 AM CDT up reply actions
You mean because of the tickets I’ll have to buy? Yeeah…. I’m not sure I’ll be able to. I need to start crunching the numbers. But if it helps, everything is 4 times as expensive to me. :)
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Just some things to consider.
Yosemite (and Sequoia) is kick-ass but in February it can be deep in snow – or not so deep too. (It is also very beautiful in snow too but can be hard to get in and out of.) Plus the pass from the east is ALWAYS closed in winter.
Denver in Jan & Feb? – I think they invented snow. (Others can be more specific as I ain’t from there.) But just plan that in. Plus do you ski or snowboard?
If you do go to Sacramento, it is a 2-3 hour trip by car to San Francisco. San Fran. is a MUCH better travel destination than Sacto. Can be fogged-in but still much more to see & do.
If you do go to Portland, you might consider checking the train schedules for the trip back south. (www.amtrak.com) It would not fit from Sacto TO Portland. But maybe on the way back you could grab an overnight train from Portland to Sacto ($70.ish) – do a day trip to San Fran or longer trip to Yosemite, wine country, whatever and then return to Sacto for a flight to LAX ($60+). (Leaving Port 2:30 PM gets you to Sacto at 6:15 AM) About the same price as a flight and while you don’t see much in the dark it saves a hotel & breaks up driving and may help with sightseeing. (Warning: taking a train from Sacto to LA will likely get you stuck on a bus for part of the trip – not good.)
By the way, I’m sure you probably know the Portland you want is in the state of Oregon. There’s also a Portland in Maine which is way up in the Northeast US.
Just some things to consider. Have fun.
Oh yeah, Hipuks can obviously fill you in but 7:30PM game at Staples = traffic – even on Sat. And Hollywood can be fun for a club, restaurant, movie or something. But can be kind of dumpy if you don’t know where to go.
If you don’t drive down the California coast from Sacto or San Francisco you can drive north from L A to Santa Barbara (or south to San Diego as mentioned above.)
Lastly, a site www.tripadvisor.com can give you lots of reviews, rankings & tips about a spot. For example: Portland OR
Haters beware: Kobe's drive for 5 starts now!-SLAM Magazine
- Yosemite is obviously a must-visit at this point, but I’ll take snow into account and check with the local tours whether it’s available in those days. If it’s not possible, I’ll move onto the next thing.
- I’ve skied only once in my life, and I sucked at it. But hey, I wouldn’t mind strapping on a snowboard and learning the ropes. They say it’s easier to use a snowboard than skis.
- San Francisco, here I come.
- Thanks for the warning, but I think I’m scratching Portland off the list. I need to save some money, and the I don’t want to come back exhausted from my vacations. I’ll use those days to calmly go to LA. Maybe I can take a train from LA to Denver, though?
- I had no idea there was another Portland, but I think I got it right in my map.
- I don’t know what kind of guide Hipuks will be. Probably a sarcastic one.
- I think I’ll be driving from Sacramento to LA. I’m sure there’ll be stuff to see. I’ll still ask for recommendations when the schedule is set. :)
- Thanks for the link. I might make it my homepage for the next couple of weeks.
olf, seriously, thanks a lot. Owe you.
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You should seriously reconsider scratching Portland off the list. Sacramento is a wretched little city. My apologies to anyone who lives there.
Also, Yosemite is beautiful, as are all of our national parks, but if I were you I would not consider it a must visit unless it is on the way. As olf mentioned, the snow there could be a problem. With your time schedule I would not plan on driving anywhere that there is snow. Also, I am not sure of your experience in driving in snow, but if you don’t have any, then avoid it. You don’t want to end up in a wreck or stranded in a snowbank somewhere (it happens).
"The evolution has been good, and I am much more tranquil now in the face of what comes next,"--Manu Ginobili
I’ve driven with chains in Europe, but only twice. So yeah, snow could be a problem…
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With Colorado, and Cap will attest to this, there’s really no predicting the weather. It’s as likely to be 85 degrees as it’s likely to have 2 feet of snow on the ground. That is typically a snowy time, but it melts fast and isn’t bad; you just plan for it and work around it. News reports that show stranded cars in snowbanks are profiling Brazillians and Californians, not your average rational driver. Don’t fret.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 5, 2009 11:57 AM CDT up reply actions
Those Brazilians wouldn’t recognize snow if it froze their gonads.
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So true – especially concerning CA drivers. The notion that CO is all snow and cold in the winter is bunk. The Midwest has worse winters. Actually, the odds of having a 60 degree, sunny day in CO in February are just as good as it being 20 degrees and snowy. As long as you’re flexible with timing/route, the trip from LA to Denver should be fine. There are several routes you can take through CO dependent on the weather.
My people call it "sarcasm." - Lauri
By the way, you’re making tons of friends in Sacramento,VWolf. :)
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What I have seen of your schedule I can guarantee that you are going back to Argentina exhausted.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
Haha if you plan on going to all those games with good seats (especially the all star game), you betta plan on spending a fortune
AKA: Linix129
by sw12 on Aug 5, 2009 7:09 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
What kind of money are we speaking of? I plan on getting good seats for some of the games, at least one or two. Not necessarily all of them, no. I was thinking that $200 to $300 would get me a good seat in one game. For the rest I’ll get the cheap-o seats and squint.
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The at&t center is awesome. You can get good seats cheap, but just don’t overpay to sit behind a basket if you are going to spend $200-300.
With the way the economy is, I was able to get tickets on stubhub for like $6-10 a seat for the final games. $20 for Dallas playoff games. They were up high but more or less center. None of those home games are against the big 4 (Orlando, Boston, Cleveland, or LA) so I don’t see you having to pay too much for any game. At the $6-15 range, we can get an entire row for a PTR night or something. You get rowdier home fans and more opponent fans up top too so its more fun in my opinion. The Memphis game would probably be the weakest draw and the best game to be up top. Plus its on a Friday so we should be able to get some Austinites down after work.
I’ve never looked at Staples Center prices but I’m going to guess that LA-San Antonio will not be a cheap ticket.
Yeah, I’m leaving that part of the get-together planning to the San Antonians and Austinians(?) out there. Whatever price range they pick, I’ll be fine with. I do want to get a really good seat for at least one of the games, maybe the game in Sacramento. (Can’t be expensive, right? C’mon, Maloof bros…)
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I’ve never looked at other stadiums but in general SA is lower incomes and lower cost of living to a lot of the other cities/states. I’m guessing the average salary and house price in Sacramento is a good amount higher than SA. I’ve always just assumed that because of this, we had some of the cheapest seats. Maybe some other people can give us some insight. Tickets are a luxury item though and usually luxury items transcend average incomes. We have good attendance too so that should bring them up.
If you’re going to LA, I suggest you sit high…very hight
AKA: Linix129
by sw12 on Aug 5, 2009 9:40 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Maybe you can get ATS press pass. You would have to look a lot older but you can probably pull it off.
Alternative you can email Manu and tell him he owes you for the way he answered your very sincere question. That my score you a couple of tickets and a ride on the team jet.
Am I being to hopeful here?
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
Alternative you can email Manu and tell him he owes you for the way he answered your very sincere question.
That’s actually not a bad idea – he might be able to hook you up, even.
Re-sign Bruce Bowen!
first, what very sincere question was it?
second, I’m sure if you email him and tell him about PtR, and everyone here sort of does an E-signature somehow, we can convince him to grant us a PtR wish of hooking you up. You’d have to suck up and write a really revering post, about how he is the son of the FSM, and we’d all have to comment the same way (wait, we already do this). Okay if you got him to even glance at PtR, i’m sure he’ll consider it. Hopefully he can grant us a wish every year. I would certainly try that though LatinD, you being a fellow country men of him and all, it’ll definitely help. Write him two letters a week mr. dufresne, and you shall get your library.
"He's Manu Ginobili"
Heh. I already think he’s the son of the FSM, so that’s done and done.
I will write to him in his forum. Who know, he might answer. :)
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oh dammit. I forgot to mention that if you play your cards right, you might convince him to hide you in his big luggage case (manu’s a big guy). That way, he can fly you around to whichever city he goes to play, and you’ll be able to sleep in his closet. Of course, all of us here at PtR will bother you and say, LatinD, get out of Manu’s closet already (is there anything wrong with that?), but we’d all secretly/openly be jealous of you.
If that doesn’t work, ATS might be able to convince Yawn to let him bring you around in his luggage (he’s a much bigger guy).
I’m upset that you won’t be visiting NY, but I’m glad that you’ll have the chance to see the spurs play regardless, specially for as many games as you are. Anyways, maybe some other year. Please try to post your travel pics, thoughts and events, but remember not to be consumed by only Spurs and PtR, since you’re also taking a vacation. Otherwise, you might lose 10 years of your life like ATS did at the summer league.
"He's Manu Ginobili"
I could probably hide in one of Yawn’s shoes, remember them?
No New York for me this time around, but if it helps I finished watching How I Met Your Mother last weekend, so that’s the next best thing. And thanks for the advice, but I think this trip is going to be mostly about the Spurs and PTR. I’ll take the time to sightsee a little in between games, but still.
That is, unless I meet a hot lady that wants to join me as I travel through the country. Then all bets are off.
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Looking as ATS? That’d involve bleaching my skin somehow, using contact lenses, dyeing my hair and glaring at anyone who wants to take a picture of me…
Somehow I don’t think Manu has the time for that.
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$200-$300?
Depends on what you mean by “good seats”. Again it depends on the team that’s playing. $200-$300 might get you decent seats in the Lakers games, but again, seats are ridiculously expensive at Staples when the Lakers are playing, so you’ll want to weigh your wallet against seeing a possible Western Conference Finals matchup. If you want at least one of your good seats to be at AT&T Center, then the Memphis game might be a good bet (if they suck as they are projected to) since all seats will be cheaper, and you might be able to get a good seat for less.
Poor Man's GM @ poormansgm.blogspot.com
Fundamentally Sound: Much Ado About the Spurs @ fundamentally-sound.blogspot.com
I guess I can’t decide without checking all the prices… But watching LA/SA with good seats sounds awesome. Probably the best basketball I’ll watch.
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Don’t buy any for the Denver game, as depending on number needed, I might be able to hook you up with free lower bowl tickets.
My people call it "sarcasm." - Lauri
So long as Jolly and fam don’t tag along, the numbers should be manageable. It’d be hard to secure an entire section for all the Wilcos.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 5, 2009 7:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Wow, thanks, Cap. I’ll check the prices anyway just in case, but won’t buy any yet. A free ticket would help me keep McDonald’s at bay, but you don’t have to if it’s too much trouble.
Thanks for offering. There’ll be one of these for you:
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You know what, I think our little Argentine restaurant here in town makes a better looking alfajore than this one.
We specialize in misinformation around here. Facts and stats just get in the way.
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Aug 6, 2009 7:27 AM CDT up reply actions
Are you referring to Buenos Aires Cafe on South First? I’ve been wanting to try that place.
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. --Andy Dufresne
They also have one on East Sixth. That’s the one I go to. I’ve heard it is better though I’m not really sure how they could be that different.
We specialize in misinformation around here. Facts and stats just get in the way.
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Aug 6, 2009 9:32 AM CDT up reply actions
Shows how much you know about alfajores.
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It shows you what exceptional taste I have. They are made my an Argentinean pastry chef.
We specialize in misinformation around here. Facts and stats just get in the way.
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Aug 6, 2009 9:33 AM CDT up reply actions
my => by
We specialize in misinformation around here. Facts and stats just get in the way.
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Aug 6, 2009 9:33 AM CDT up reply actions
Meh. Taste them, then we’ll talk.
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How do people eat alfajores in Argentina? I mean I understand I have only eaten the ones that come out of a box, but do people get them at bakeries or locally made?
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
There are all kinds of alfajores. Mass produced, made at bakeries… they’re very common.
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i don’t see australia on that map. that mean you’re not making it down here?
free george hill!
by sleep research facility on Aug 5, 2009 7:30 AM CDT reply actions
Maybe you could make it up there, instead, hmmm?
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unfortunately around that time i’ll be in sunny old england, tally-ho, what what.
and my plan to make it to north america will probably see me there…outside the season. yes, i know, awesome timing.
free george hill!
by sleep research facility on Aug 5, 2009 8:37 AM CDT up reply actions
Time to change your plans and hop on the awesome train.
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Well LD, if that first chicago game is fixed, I will get game tickets too and fly up there. My best buddy is up there as well(casual nba fan). Also any get-togethers etc, am always down.
Am up here in Virginia and your visit span is right when the semester begins, so I doubt I could get too far away. I mostly do roadtrips coz I always prefer to roam around with my dog.
There’s not much to recommend up here in VA. The New River Valley is the main feature I suppose. It pretty much stretches north to south in the state and has couple of national parks in there somewhere. Its the second oldest river valley after the Nile I believe. Anyone more knowledgeable feel free to correct or enlighten me pls. It is beautiful, but if yer already visiting other national parks, there’s only so many you wanna see in one trip :P
Either ways, once your itinerary is fixed, I will see where,if possible, I can catch up with you.
I’ll confirm my itinerary in a few months, but for the moment yeah, I’ll be at that game.
Looking forward to meeting you. I need more young people, or I’ll be surrounded by old farts.
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Depending on how important the All-Star Game is to you...
Which granted, is a pretty awesome way to cap off your trip, I would look at maybe instead hitting the stretch of away games that precede that homestand.
Fri, Jan 15 at Charlotte
Sat, Jan 16 at Memphis
Mon, Jan 18 at New Orleans
Wed, Jan 20 vs Utah
Fri, Jan 22 vs Houston
Mon, Jan 25 vs Chicago
Wed, Jan 27 vs Atlanta
Fri, Jan 29 vs Memphis
Sun, Jan 31 vs Denver
If you flew into Charlotte, you could then travel from there to San Antonio, and unlike the road games you were looking at where you would have to repeatedly criss-cross the country, going from Charlotte to Memphis to New Orleans would take you in a natural progression towards San Antonio, where you could then just chill out and enjoy a whole slew of home games. I live in South Carolina, so I would definitely see about helping you out with the game in Charlotte. From a pure basketball standpoint, I would think the home games would be more fun, although as I said, I live in South Carolina, so I’ve never gotten to go to a home game. I always go to the Spurs games in Charlotte and Atlanta, but I’ve always been jealous of people who live in Texas and get to go games where the whole crowd is pulling for the Spurs. I would think the atmosphere and experience would be a lot more fun. At the same time, I can also see how the whole road tripping to see America thing would be a blast. At any rate, this stretch of the schedule just struck me as producing an easier trip that wouldn’t leave you dead from constantly driving or broke from constantly flying. Also, Memphis and New Orleans would be fun cities to go to, and the drive would be pretty scenic. Here’s a map of what your route would look like.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Charlotte,NC&daddr=Memphis,TN+to:New+Orleans,+LA+to:San+Antonio,+TX&geocode=FaqWGQId72Mu-w%3B%3B%3B&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=33.082337,-85.693359&sspn=8.775989,14.084473&ie=UTF8&ll=32.805745,-89.648437&spn=17.574392,28.168945&z=5
GO SPURS GO!
5 IN '10!
WillyD, first of all, thanks for the help. I’ll have to think about this, because I was really excited about going to the ASG, and the teams and the cities on the East seem more interesting than Houston (no Yao), Charlotte, Memphis and NO. It does make sense mileage-wise…
Thanks for taking the time to draw the Google map. I didn’t know it could be used like that… I know, I know, I’m such a noob. I’m gonna have to play with that feature. (I loved that they showed you the photos of the crossroads).
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I plan to get good seats whenever possible – there’s no point in going all the way there to watch the Spurs through my newly-purchased binoculars. I’ll be checking the prices for the tickets tomorrow.
I think the mid-court “nose bleed” seats are some of the best at the AT&T center (and I’ve sat a section back from the court). It really is a beautifully designed stadium. I’ve never had a complaint on seating for any event I’ve attended there.
As someone who has traveled quite a bit and does a ton of driving (ex: I have driven roughly 1,500 miles since Saturday) I would suggest looking into flight deals/packages (I use Orbitz for long trips).
Travel note/opinion: Denver is in a beautiful part of the country but the city itself is rather disappointing.
"We suck on 'D. Both individually and team-wise, we suck. We're pretty consistent that way. I don't know if I have an answer to that. If I did, we wouldn't suck quite so bad." - Popovich
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Aug 5, 2009 9:26 AM CDT reply actions
I have to ask: Why are they called “nose bleed” seats?
Orbitz, you say? Thanks for the tip. I’ll google and try to get a good deal. Apparently I’m looking at 3 or 4 flights…
Thanks, Hirschof.
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high elevations are known to cause nose bleeds in people…either the change in pressure or the dryer air
There are usually some good seats available in the lower level of the AT&T Center on row 14 and above on the baselines. I think these are around $85 when bought from the Spurs – they are the lowest priced seats in the lower level of the arena and offer a great view. I sit on row 9 on the baseline near the Spurs bench and love my seat. As soon as you have your plans set, let me know through Manu’s Forum & the private messages. I post there regularly under the same name. I’d love to meet you when you are in SA.
Cool, janieannie, I’ll definitely do so. We’ll have some sort of get-together for sure. And thanks for the info. :)
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Tell us when you’ll be in SA or Dallas and I’ll be there, if at all possible.
LD, you have NO idea how jealous of you so many of us are. This is a dream trip like I would have done in my college days. Do it right for all of us.
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." - Mark Twain
That’s great, spurchief. I’ll definitely write another post when my itinerary and schedule are set in stone.
I can do this trip now because:
a) I’m single.
b) I have no kids.
c) I have a relatively good job.
I know it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I intend to make the most of it. I’ll try to write posts as I travel so that you can all enjoy it vicariously through me. :)
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LZ, please don’t insult LD. He’s always the most interesting man in the world.
5 in 10
I want my Manu o;—-)
Your ’chop muscles have atrophied.
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For what its worth I know I can find week of events to keep yourself busy in San Antonio. A lot of people don’t realize there is actually a lot of sites to see and stuff to take in. And yeah if there isn’t, Austin is a busy place with tons of stuff.
I’m also making a road trip to Dallas for the ASG.
Good question. I’ll be in San Antonio for a week, so any suggestions will welcome. I actually received a free travel guide after one of the PTR gals suggested that I signed to the tourism dept. mailing list, so at least I have maps and some suggestions. But someone who lives there probably knows many more great spots I could go to.
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Things to do in SA:
1) Downtown (Riverwalk/Alamo/Tower of the Americas)
2) Eat the best Tex-mex food on Earth
3) The old Spanish missions(if you’re into history like me)
4) I’m sure there’s more, but I’m at work and tired.
Re-sign Bruce Bowen!
Things to do in Phoenix:
1) Leave.
Re-sign Bruce Bowen!
by Tim C. on Aug 5, 2009 2:09 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
That’s hilarious. +1 to rikkido.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 5, 2009 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions
- Eat at in-n-out
- Watch ass kickings of the suns
- Eat at cheesecake factory
- Eat at waffle house
- Leave
That usually looks like my itinerary when I go watch the Spurs in Phoenix
Don’t forget about visiting their Cracker Barrel on Camelback.
Always a must-see.
From under the radar to hanging in the rafters - Big50
5 in 10
Plus, there’s the traditional “Wear my Bowen or Horry jerseys all over town” while there also.
Other than that, yeah, phx is a cesspool.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 10, 2009 12:53 PM CDT up reply actions
Ginobili jerseys are pretty popular too ;) Gotta love the trash talking that goes on during those games. So much fun! :D
@JRW – I only enjoy Cracker Barrel for breakfast and since we got a couple of those in town, I don’t make it a point to go there.
heh. Yeah, it’s OK to go places during basketball season. But try living here in August… UGH
Camelback’s a little off the beaten path for me, but we have a Cracker Barrel at Chandler Blvd and I-10 that’s much closer, lol.
Re-sign Bruce Bowen!
I wasn’t even sure whether there WAS a CB on Camelback, but I figured my chances were good since that road’s like 35 miles long. (I tried to exaggerate, but I now I’m not so sure I did.)
From under the radar to hanging in the rafters - Big50
5 in 10
I honestly have no idea if there is one. I stick to the Tempe/Chandler area when I leave home. Plus, CB isn’t exactly my kind of place.
ACLs are like crutches. They’re only for the weaklings who can’t get along without them. -jollyrogerwilco
Nope, nor mine. I guess it’s just for SiMA and ATS, then.
From under the radar to hanging in the rafters - Big50
5 in 10
CBs are like crutches. They’re only for the weaklings who can’t get along without them.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 11, 2009 4:08 PM CDT up reply actions
Definitely not. I was referring to ATS and his insatiable love for CB.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 11, 2009 5:26 PM CDT up reply actions
Didn’t someone here post a pic of Manu at a CB? Are you calling Manu a weakling?
ACLs are like crutches. They’re only for the weaklings who can’t get along without them. -jollyrogerwilco
Lord Manu doesn’t eat at Cracker Barrel because they don’t serve the souls of NBA guards, and that’s all he eats for breakfast.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 11, 2009 6:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Well there’s the Riverwalk/Rivercenter Mall, The Alamo, The Tower Of Americas, and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum all located downtown. All those places are really cool.
You could spend a day at Fiesta Texas (a six flags theme park) even though it’s kind of expensive and kind of far from downtown it’s really really fun. I go there with my friends all the time. Also, there is Sea World right across from Fiesta Texas which is alright but not as good as Fiesta Texas in my opinion.
Then there’s the San Antonio Zoo which is pretty amazing. You could spend alot of time at the Zoo, and at restaurants and places on a street nearby called Broadway. The Japanese Tea Gardens and all of Brackenridge Park is right there by the zoo too, you should take some time and walk around there.
There’s a cool place called the Quarry which is this huge area that has a giant movie theater, shops, restaurants, and other places in it – this is another place I go to alot with my friends. If you were gonna look it up for directions it’s officially called “The Alamo Quarry Market” and its right off of 281-N.
Of course you’re coming in Jan. and Feb. so I don’t know how much of the outdoors stuff will even be open when you visit. Hope that helps.
Hill Country is an hour north of San Antonio. I love Gruene, TX.
"We suck on 'D. Both individually and team-wise, we suck. We're pretty consistent that way. I don't know if I have an answer to that. If I did, we wouldn't suck quite so bad." - Popovich
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Aug 5, 2009 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions
"We suck on 'D. Both individually and team-wise, we suck. We're pretty consistent that way. I don't know if I have an answer to that. If I did, we wouldn't suck quite so bad." - Popovich
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Aug 5, 2009 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum? Sounds mysterious.
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Believe it or not, you’re going to pay like $5000 for a ticket into this place. It’s horribly overpriced, like most things downtown touristy SA.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 5, 2009 3:37 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah, that place is a ripoff. If I had blown my life savings to fly to the US for a few weeks, I wouldn’t waste 15 minutes at Ripley’s.
I much prefer Sea World to Fiesta Texas as well, but I guess that depends on whether you’d rather have more variety in rides or watch flipping dolphins.
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. --Andy Dufresne
I think I’ll just stroll around San Antonio and save my money to buy jerseys. :)
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It helps a lot. I’ll probably spend a lot of time indoors typing away, I’m afraid. :)
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Well, sounds like a plan. I’d love to go to a game sometime, but I’ll be up in Seattle by then, from where Clay Bennet stole the NBA, and I’ll be in school, so the Portland game might not be a possibility for me to go down to, bah. However, I agree that skipping Sac and hitting Portland instead is a good idea. If you’re going to go to California, I’d venture about 50-60 miles south of Sacramento and visit San Francisco, Stampler is pretty close to there if you’d want to try to root him out. Too bad there are no Warriors games, games at the Oracle are usually pretty fun. As a note, you’ll want to remember that games against good teams (Portland, Lakers, etc…) will probably be more expensive than games against scrub teams (Grizzlies, Kings), so you’ll want to be picky on which teams you want to watch play. Depending on how much you want to see Kobe and Co, Lakers tickets (especially good ones) are usually pretty ridiculously expensive from what I hear from my LA friends. As for mode of transportation, you’d have to check gas prices and rental rates, if you can find a good deal then it might be worth it. Amtrak actually isn’t significantly cheaper than flying domestic, keep an eye out for cheap tickets from Southwest Airlines or JetBlue or Virgin America or something. Those would be my recs.
Poor Man's GM @ poormansgm.blogspot.com
Fundamentally Sound: Much Ado About the Spurs @ fundamentally-sound.blogspot.com
Thanks, Jaceman. I’ve written down your tips, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for those cheap tickets.
I know watching the Kobeshow is more expensive, but it’d also be ten times more memorable than watching the Grizzlies or the Kings. I watched Nocioni when he was younger, too, so I prefer to skip his hellish team and use the money to get a better ticket for the Lakers.
Too bad you can’t make it. There’s still time, though, so who knows. Oh, and Stampler, are you in the neighborhood?
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You should get Stampler to drive out somewhere and meet you.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 5, 2009 1:40 PM CDT up reply actions
I'd probably only drive on the last leg of the trip...
From LA to Colorado and then down to Dallas. Everything else I think you’d want to fly.
Poor Man's GM @ poormansgm.blogspot.com
Fundamentally Sound: Much Ado About the Spurs @ fundamentally-sound.blogspot.com
Or maybe even just drive to Colorado.
And fly to Dallas. I think if you map accordingly, you can hit most of it the big stuff and be in CO in time for the game.
Poor Man's GM @ poormansgm.blogspot.com
Fundamentally Sound: Much Ado About the Spurs @ fundamentally-sound.blogspot.com
Yep, that’s what I’m learning towards right now.
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OK. Just so you know L A to Denver is 15 hours of driving according to google maps without any side trips or weather delays. The quickest route would take you through Las Vegas which has plenty to see & do if that’s your thing.
Also, I have never rented a car one-way so I don’t know how much extra they charge for that.
Haters beware: Kobe's drive for 5 starts now!-SLAM Magazine
by olf on Aug 5, 2009 1:46 PM CDT up reply actions
It’s pretty expensive. You’re better off flying one way on one of the discount carriers like Southwest or Frontier—I bet you could get each ticket for ~$200 or less, so you’d be paying a total of around $800-1000 or less to fly to all the games. Not cheap, but you’d pay at least that for one-way car rentals.
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. --Andy Dufresne
I’ll have to check, but that’s incredibly expensive. The other option is fly to Denver, then find SiMA, rent a car and have him show me those wonders of nature. :)
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Renting a car one way is really pricey as well—in the neighborhood of $100+ per day, which would cost you several thousand by the time you were done. You can get rates closer to $30 or $40 per day if you return it to the same city, but that would be tough for you, and it would still be a lot more expensive than getting bargain flights. Plus, you have to factor in motel stays in the vast stretches of nothingness between some of the places you plan to visit.
It’s unfortunate there’s nothing akin to the EuroRail in the US. You might want to check out traveling by bus, which would totally suck, but would at least be cheaper than flying everywhere. I would guess your best bet would be to travel by plane for the longer trips, bus for the shorter ones, and try to conserve cash by a) crashing with friendly PtR folks and b) not going out for breakfast (packing granola bars, bagels, or whatever) if possible.
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. --Andy Dufresne
Some short airplane trips on southwest can be had for less than $100.00. Need to find direct flights between main southwest hubs though.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
All your trips destinations are a little too confusing for me to wrap my head around, but since yer booking everything so early, a lot of southwest flights can be had for around $60-$80. Also, am not sure how much luggage you will be packing, but a lot of the economy airlines need you to pay extra($15) for checking in luggage. Southwest still is free upto two bags I think. Keep that in mind while booking.
Like tomasito said, lack of something akin to eurorail sucks bad.
I guess I’m in for some hardcore googling… Thanks for the tips, guys. You people really need an eurorail. But we do, too, so it’s okay. :)
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You could look into taking Amtrak from LA to Sacramento to Denver, but I have no idea how long the trip is.
My people call it "sarcasm." - Lauri
The last time I looked into trains, I was disgusted by the scheduling issues (waiting days in between available departures) cost (75% to 120% the cost of air) and circuitous routes (from Austin, to Dallas, to Chicago, in order to get to Colorado) to the point that I wondered how they even stay in business.
From under the radar to hanging in the rafters - Big50
5 in 10
Trip
You should probably fly to most of your destinations or you will spend most of your time in the car driving. Since you’re staying in the South, the weather should be ok for you except for maybe the away game at Denver. You will freeze your ass off for that. Besides that, seems like you picked a good stretch of games to see-top rivals and the all-star game.
by Spursin99030507 on Aug 5, 2009 12:54 PM CDT reply actions
Yeah, the guys who made the schedule really worked in my favor. I think I’ll do what you say, and thanks for the input.
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San Antonio to SACTO
That’s probably around 24 hours of driving time..might be best to fly into a West Coast City first, take in some away games and the get some of the post ASG home games. Personally, I’d start with the Portland game.
HEY DAVID CAN I HIDE IN YOUR BAGS? IM ARGENTINEAN ALSO AND I LOVE MANU GINOBILI AND FANGIO BUT MY MONEY IS SHORTER THAN EARL BOYKINS SO I WOULD BE THRILLED TO GET A FREE TRIP TO THE COUNTRY THAT DOESNT RESPECT ARGENTINA BECAUSE THEY ARE ENVIOUS OF OUR SUPERIOR ATLHETES
"Rock and Roll angels bring that HardRock Hallelujah"
I wish Argentinasaurus777 or whatever his name was would come back and comment some more. Ah well, his spirit lives on at PtR.
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. --Andy Dufresne
Can’t make it, Chilai? I’d love to help you, but I’m having trouble saving the money for my own tickets… We’ll talk again in a few months, seriously.
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in all seriousness, I dont have ANY hope of watching the Big three while they can make a layup. right now im having trouble to get some money for a trip to Buenos Aires. SO I guess it will be in another life (cue sad music)
"Rock and Roll angels bring that HardRock Hallelujah"
You should participate in Manu’s marathon. One of the prizes is a trip to SA to watch the Spurs.
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Che, you gotta bring me the mini torta from Aguila…
David, I live in Utah, where the Spurs play on Nov. 5 and Dec. 7. If your schedule changes at all and you make your trip earlier in the season, you might consider stopping by that neck of the woods (it’s not too far from Denver, so if we play the Nuggs on the road around that time, that would be another possible destination). If you miss the Argentine food while you’re in the States, I could even cook up a mean milanesa napolitana.
Did you hear that knock on your front door? You better go answer it. It’s a hungry ATS and he wants his mean milanesa napolitana. Damn that sounds good.
We specialize in misinformation around here. Facts and stats just get in the way.
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Aug 5, 2009 11:08 PM CDT up reply actions
You don’t want Havannas? Because I’m taking several boxes with me. I can do that mini torta, though.
Thanks for the offer, Gino. If things change or you can do a little trip of your own, I’d love to have some milanesa napolitana. (How do you say that in English, anyway?) :)
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1) I would take any brand, and I know the Havannas are quite pricy. I think at the Ezeiza airport they were “only” $2.50 about 6 years ago for one! Luckily, there are some shops/bakeries where I live that sell alfajores, but the selection is limited and I rarely buy them.
2) In English, the closest name might be “veal parmagiana,” but that’s too Italian, eh? “Country fried steak” is another term familiar to Americans, but that doesn’t do milanesa justice. Plus it doesn’t have the sauce and cheese.
3) ATS, that explains why my door is breaking down!
My 2 cents
Alright, I’m glad you’re going to get to visit our great country LD! I’ve seen a bunch of the country you’re talking about seeing and all of it has some beauty one way or another. Oregon and Northern California are extremely beautiful. Arizona has some really cool things to see, I don’t know if anybody has mentioned the Petrified Forest, but it’s pretty cool. West Texas has some really cool stuff as well, but if you’re planning on flying around it’s pretty hard to get out here.
I think you’ll really enjoy San Antonio. It is one of my all time favorite cities. There’s lots to do, including the Alamo which is a must, and the people are great. If you’d like I can email you a list of good places to eat in SA along with a few good bars. Dallas has fun things to do as well. I hope you have a great trip!!
holy smokes LD, that trip would be quite an adventure. i will chime in more when i get a chance to pour over all of this better
let me know if you opt to drive between chicago and atlanta for some reason. that trip might well take you thru Cincinnati, Ohio where i could put you up for a night on your way (i am about 4+ hours drive from chicago and probably 5+ to atlanta). heck, i might even try to get motivated and try to get to one of those if you do – hard to say this far out.
anyway, i hope you can make it to see the boys in person – several times – and it looks like you will be hitting several of the hotspots. would defintely +1 to the recs about hitting portland rather than sacto……
otherwise, i think i will be locked into being in SA late march so i prolly wont see you then(approx 26th vs. cleve thru apr 4 vs orlando at the moment).
Thanks a lot for the offer, bones. It would be great if you could make it during that stretch of games, though, because at this point I don’t see my schedule changing all that much. The allure of the ASG, for all that I complain about it when I watch it on TV, is just too much.
If you do end up going in March, well… take photos and show us how things went. :)
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You know, I was just reading through all the comments and can’t help but feel a theme-
“It’s gonna be gawdawful expensive for you.”
Kindof a downer, we are. Don’t worry or get the wrong idea, LD. Booking things early will keep things affordable, you’ll have a plethora of PtRers offering up lodging to save you money there, American girls love foreigners and you should generally be able to score free food along your trip. I hope we haven’t been negative or given you any doubt about the trip; you’re gonna be fine and have a blast. Planning this thing far ahead of time and having help along the way will keep this expedition at record-setting efficiency and value.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
southwest.com
Southwest Airlines will be super cheap if you can download their “ding” service and get good sales. That’ll help keep things a bit more cheap.
+1, but...
…keep in mind the 4:1 exchange rate our man is dealing with. I mean, is this gonna be a “fork over a year’s salary trip?” Maybe
Plus, half the people on this site, including LD, are engineers, so there’s no doubt this expedition will be carried out with the utmost precision and efficiency.
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. --Andy Dufresne
Agreed²
The efficiency is a given: it’s a trip by an engineer.
The value is understood: it’s a Spurs trip, after all.
The expedition will be a success: it’s PtR-related.
From under the radar to hanging in the rafters - Big50
5 in 10
by J.R. Wilco on Aug 6, 2009 1:22 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Heh. Thanks, SiMA. I was only the tiniest bit worried, but I guess I’ll know more this weekend when I do the math, but I’m hopeful. And if everything else fails, I’ll brandish my credit cards and dive gallantly into a life of debt. :)
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Welcome to the US; you’re already assimilating well.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 6, 2009 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions
Trip Cost
If available, you should try to get a credit card offering free airline miles and/or hotel points. Just by signing up for them-you earn enough for at least 1 free airline ticket and free night stay in a hotel. By the time your trip is done, you will have probably earned enough miles/points for a free return trip to the states to see the Spurs take game 7 in the finals against Boston this June. Just a thought.
by Spursin99030507 on Aug 6, 2009 1:13 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
That is a tremendous suggestion. The problem with those airline miles cards is that most people don’t fly often enough to make it worth their while, but your whirlwind trip won’t have that issue. You’d be leaving $100s on the table if you don’t sign up for one.
I wonder if there’s a Spurs or NBA credit card that might accrue value from buying tickets. I don’t know if they have all the different types of cards in Argentina, but in the US, there are different cards that pay you back based on different types of purchases.
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. --Andy Dufresne
Thanks for the suggestions, guys, but I have no idea if that exists over here… I’ll have to check, I guess.
I already have a credit card, VISA, with the HSBC bank. I guess I could look into getting another.
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Heck. Thats so true. LD, you really should get one somehow with all the miles yer gonna cover. And usually they link to car rentals and hotel stays too. So you accrue on all of it.
I’ll visit my bank tomorrow, see if they offer anything like this…
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You might also want to try the office of an American Airlines (not only American but one of them). Unfortunately your best bet for miles are going to be American, Delta, United, etc… and not the cheapest airlines for your purposes Southwest, etc… That said, if Panama has miles programs with credit cards there is no doubt that Argentina will too. They will probably not be as sweet as the deals they offer in the US though, like those described Spursin…
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
Cheap Entertainment
LatinD,
Not sure what your into other than basketball, but there are lots of fun day trips around San Antonio that you could take advantage on the days between the home games. I have mixed feelings about BlasE and Rikkido’s opinion of the South West, true there isn’t much to see for very long stretches and much of it is desert (I’m one of those who finds the desert beautiful), but there are a number gems to be found…
You would be remiss to spend so much time in San Antonio and not see the Texas hill country just northwest of SA, they aren’t mountains, but are beautiful in their own right. The highlight of the Hill Country for me is Enchanted Rock, its an easy 80mile drive from San Antonio, $6 for park admission (I don’t think much more to camp overnight). There are lots of hiking trails and if you’re into rock-climbing its probably some of the best you’ll find in Texas.
Also, you’ll pass through Fredericksburg which has lots of places to taste some free local wine, and on the way back, my favorite detour is the very small town of Willow City. This place IS small town Texas, there’s two businesses in the entire town, one’s a bar/burger place, the other is Harry’s BBQ on the Loop (also a bar) and is often ranked in the top 5 of Texas BBQ and is far from a common tourist spot (most natives don’t know about this place).
Austin is also a must see day/night trip, only an hour drive from town and definitely the place to party and maybe catch a Toros game
Lastly, don’t be afraid of cheaper tickets for the games your less interested in, most modern NBA arenas and certainly the ATT Center are built so that you won’t need binoculars, as a frequent patron of the upper level, I can tell you its not that bad and its where the real rowdy fans sit.
You totally stole this from my ideas list. This is what I was going to suggest to LD for an outdoor venture near Austin.
We specialize in misinformation around here. Facts and stats just get in the way.
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Aug 6, 2009 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions
RamblingSpur, first of all welcome, because I don’t think I’d seen you commenting before. I’m glad you decided to join us – do come to the game threads, man. :)
Thanks a lot for the suggestions. You guys are giving me a lot of ideas, and although I don’t think I’ll be able to visit half of those places, at least it gives me options. I like hiking (to a point), but rock climbing is beyond me. Enchanted Rock does look beautiful, though. Oh, and I’m not a wine person, either. BBQs, though? That sounds great.
I want to visit Austin at some point. Wayne’s there, so I’m sure there’ll be an opportunity. It’d be nice to see the Toros, but at some point it might just be too much basketball, you know? I do think the road trips were a midsummer’s dream at this point. I’ll have to pick places that can be visited from the cities I fly to, within the day. It’s sad, but that’s all I can do with the money and time I have.
I’m not afraid of cheap tickets, but I really would like to watch at least one game from near courtside. I want to be able to look up to those guys, you know? So I might just splurge for one ticket, if I can, and ready my camera.
Anyway, thanks again.
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Ticket Prices
How are the tickets at the ATT center? I live in Chicago and catch the Spurs here, Indianapolis and Milwaukee. Indy and Milwaukee are cheap but Chicago is ridiculous. Just wondering how the tickets are at home?
Would you recommend to LatinD to buy these game tickets in advance of try to scalp at the door? Obviously, the ASG will need to be bought in advance but the others he might be able to purchase a nose-bleed seat and then move down closer when people don’t show-What does everyone think?
I’m not sure about buying a nose bleed and getting to the lower level. Plus if you’re caught they probably throw you out which is pretty risky if you came all the way from Argentina. I recommend the Spurs ticket exchange or stubhub over scalping. Stubhub is very good about letting you get the exact seats you want as there is a ton of selection. Plus on stubhub with the bad economy, most tickets are sold below face value and get slightly above it with shipping fees. It can also be good for getting weird numbers of seats like 5 or 8.
You can get an upper seat in the center sections for $10-20 per game. $30-40 will get you a good seat in the balcony. I think you need to pay in the 100’s to get something not behind the basket in the lower section.
One of our entourage from the PtR roadt trip used upper level tickets to get into the lower level. They got caught trying to move closer and weren’t thrown out. They merely went back to their high corner lower level seats.
We specialize in misinformation around here. Facts and stats just get in the way.
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Aug 6, 2009 4:25 PM CDT up reply actions
That’s good. I’m just saying that if I came to Argentina, I would NOT want to risk being thrown out for anything.
Sounds dangerous for an Obama-lookalike.
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LatinD-
What you’re attempting is pretty incredible-You should try sending your trip plans in a letter to Ginoboli (fellow countryman), Spurs front office, San Antonio newspapers, etc. You never know, maybe if you chronical your journey, you could get the PR people in the Spurs front office to help you out. Meet the players, free tickets, Spurs gear, something
Definitely a good idea. Playing on the collective brotherhood angle is always low risk, and it’s likely to work with the SPURS.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 6, 2009 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions
Holy smokes
Spursin990350710111213 is on fire! Another great idea! They would TOTALLY eat that stuff up—I remember a feature on the news back in the Robinson era (IIRC) about a Japanese guy who had come to the US to do pretty much exactly what you are doing.
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. --Andy Dufresne
Heh. You really are on fire. :)
I’ve been told this, actually, but I’m not sure how interesting I can make this. I am going to chronicle the trip for PTR, of course, but I don’t know about doing it for other sites… It’d feel weird, and honestly, I’m not sure my English is up to it.
I guess we’ll see – there’s still time.
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His written English literally is OTSTANDING.
From under the radar to hanging in the rafters - Big50
5 in 10
Just a theory, but I think there’s going to be a lot of people that Dahveed punches in the face when he gets to the US.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 7, 2009 1:01 AM CDT up reply actions
I’m inventing a machine to stab people through the web. It’ll make me rich.
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It doesnt matter. It probably sounds just like Manu’s when he first came. Different enough to be sexy but good enough for people to understand. Your spoken English can only help you.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
If it’s too sexy Mrs ATS won’t let me take him out on the town.
We specialize in misinformation around here. Facts and stats just get in the way.
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Aug 7, 2009 7:55 AM CDT up reply actions
Maybe Mrs ATS will go with you as a chaperon
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
I wouldn’t worry about your English. If you talk as well as you write, you’re in better shape than most of the U.S. population. Plus, with the destinations you’re planning to visit (mostly in California & Texas)-English is the 2nd langauge anyway.
by Spursin99030507 on Aug 7, 2009 10:34 AM CDT reply actions
That’s the problem: I don’t talk as well as I write.
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Maybe you will meet Manu, and he will offer his services as a translator since he is going your way anyways.
In the western US, you can usually find someone that speaks Spanish wherever you are. Portland’s the only place on your list that might be a challenge.
Re-sign Bruce Bowen!
I think you are confusing Spanish with ARGENTINIAN. Any Spanish speaking person not from Argentina will need at least 10 minutes of conversation with an Argentina to start understanding. Their Spanish is so polished and sophisticated : )
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
Well, you could always bring a pen and some paper if you think you’re going to have a really hard time. I think you may be exaggerating or underestimating though.
We’ll see. It’s mostly lack of practice. I won’t get lost unable to communicate with people around me, but they might cringe at my accent.
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Yeah, well, we cringe at some of our native accents too.
I may have already told this story, but it is worth retelling. When I worked in a restaurant many of our cooks were Mexican. Several of them had worked in the restaurant, or elsewhere in the States, for many years and spoke English very well. We also had a couple of Country Girls working there as waitresses.
One day, one of the Country Girls goes up to the kitchen window and says, “Kiko, I need something something something in a heavy twangy accent that puts multiple syllables on words like ‘out’ and ‘side’.” He says, “What?” She says it again. He says, “You speak English or what? Fuck!”
We specialize in misinformation around here. Facts and stats just get in the way.
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Aug 7, 2009 3:30 PM CDT up reply actions
Was that a Cracker Barrel?
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 7, 2009 3:33 PM CDT up reply actions
No, but I will be terribly disappointed if LD doesn’t get to use that line on his trip.
We specialize in misinformation around here. Facts and stats just get in the way.
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Aug 7, 2009 3:58 PM CDT up reply actions
I’m sure I’ll work it in somewhere.
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LD, this post is running soooooooopppppeeeeerrrrrrrr slow on my computer so you should write another one summing up what you have learned from this one and what you are thinking now so we can move the comments to that one….just a thought
You don’t use IE, do you?
We specialize in misinformation around here. Facts and stats just get in the way.
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Aug 7, 2009 3:59 PM CDT up reply actions
I’ll write another when my schedule is more set… Right now I wouldn’t want to waste any more of your time. I have to take a day off (probably not this weekend) and start checking out the prices for every option listed in the thread.
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David, I’m thinking of driving from Austin to Vancouver and back this fall (before the NBA season starts, naturally). If I do, I’ll let you know approximately how much cheap trucker speed it took me to make the whole trip.
WWTD?
Awesome, Lauri. You own a truck? Badass!
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I envy you the road trip… it sounds like it’ll be a great tour.
I can not emphasize strongly enough, the need for unsalted sesame seeds (in shell) on road trip excursions. And an empty paper cup or bag.
Something about the mechanics of the shelling process keeps your brain working and busy instead of zoning out staring at the endless stretch of concrete lanes.
Have fun!
Superman wears Manu Ginobili pajamas to bed. - CMoney
I don't like chatty. I don't do chatty. I like quiet. Quiet and mean. Those are my people. - Nurse Jackie
Thank you, bella!
(I’m thinking you meant sunflower seeds, although I can see how trying to shell sesame seeds with your mouth would require enormous concentration.)
WWTD?
You’re more than welcome to crash on my couch when you roll through Dallas. At the very least, we need to meet up at the All Star game and hit up Downtown that weekend. I’ve seen your taste in women, I know just the place to take you.
Superman wears Manu Ginobili pajamas to bed.
Hey LD- if penicillin is cheaper in South America, you might want to go ahead and just bring some with you.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 10, 2009 5:53 PM CDT up reply actions
Holy shizats, that sounds scary. Remember that ATS will be there, so try not to give the old man a heart attack or something when you show us around.
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Oh, do tell. Different how exactly?
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Let’s just say the PtR rules don’t always apply to real life. If I say any more, I might get in trouble. :)
Re-sign Bruce Bowen!
I hate to be contrary. (Oh, who the hell am I kidding? I live to be contrary).
Are you certain we’re all talking about the same guy?
Superman wears Manu Ginobili pajamas to bed. - CMoney
I don't like chatty. I don't do chatty. I like quiet. Quiet and mean. Those are my people. - Nurse Jackie
Hey, I don’t think I like what’s going on here.
We specialize in misinformation around here. Facts and stats just get in the way.
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Aug 11, 2009 6:55 PM CDT up reply actions
Since when do you care what happens in this house, she replied, defiant.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
by LasEspuelas on Aug 11, 2009 8:13 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Have you ever couchsurfed?
LD, I’m not sure if this has been suggested yet. I’ve been trying to read through all 300+ posts without my boss catching me, but it’s getting tedious.
When I travel I use couchsurfing.com to find people to stay with so that I don’t have to pay for hotels. A lot of the time, the people I stay with have good suggestions for stuff to do around town, cheaper ways to get around, etc. Anyway, I think you should check out the site and see if looks like your kind of thing before you make any firm plans for housing.
I'm comfortable winning -- Emmanuel Ginobili
I’ve heard about couchsurfing… I’m not sure it’s my kind of thing, but I’ll check it anyway. Who knows?
Thanks a lot for the suggestion, pollackj. How’re things going in the East?
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They are going. My wife and I are moving back to the US in December (in time to see the Spurs a couple of times, when they visit Memphis and maybe Oklahoma City).
I'm comfortable winning -- Emmanuel Ginobili
Pollackj, is the move a good thing? I know it’ll bake it easier to follow the Spurs, but I know you’ve been doing some good work over there too.
From under the radar to hanging in the rafters - Big50
5 in 10
It is a good thing. I love living here, but my wife and I are expecting our second child next month (and our first is only 16 months old, we’ll catch up to you yet) and we want to live closer to our families.
I'm comfortable winning -- Emmanuel Ginobili
Any particular part of the US you’re headed to?
ACLs are like crutches. They’re only for the weaklings who can’t get along without them. -jollyrogerwilco
I’ll be in Little Rock, AR. My folks live there and I think I have a job lined up.
I'm comfortable winning -- Emmanuel Ginobili
Little Rock — the Austin of Arkansas!
WWTD?
by Lauri on Aug 17, 2009 9:35 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
That sounds waaaaaay too easy and creepy for me to mock. I’m sitting this one out.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 13, 2009 10:21 AM CDT up reply actions
I know it’s probably not your thing Sima. I have you pegged as a pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps kind of guy. Anything that’s called a “collective” probably sends you screaming to the nearest cracker barrel to drown your fears in watered-down coffee.
However, I still think you should check it out, just in case.
I'm comfortable winning -- Emmanuel Ginobili
I love the CouchSurfing phenomenon, pollackj, and I’m even registered as an official host. :)
CouchSurfing worldwide network
WWTD?
I enjoy it. We have people stay with us all the time. There are a real lack of inexpensive lodging options in Palestine, so a lot of people couchsurf when they stay here.
I’ve got a couple of university students from Liverpool sitting in my living room right now, actually. They keep doing the dishes and buying me beer, it’s great.
I'm comfortable winning -- Emmanuel Ginobili
SiMA,
How does it feel that a man you have never met and lives on the other side of the planet so totally nailed you? Minus the coffee part of course. You drink good coffee and watered-down beer.
We specialize in misinformation around here. Facts and stats just get in the way.
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Aug 14, 2009 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions
Your points are retarded and mischaracterized. We drink the same beer, and it’s not a leap for someone to say I’m “a pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps kind of guy.” Probably not a stretch to assume that I don’t roam the country as a hobo would, with a bag tied to a stick and slung over my shoulder, randomly finding rest on complete strangers’ sofas. Neither of you stumbled upon some nugget of brilliance that I’ve been secretly hoping no one discovers. Yes, “collective” is generally not a concept I’m comfortable with. But even that preference is due more to the absolute stupidity of society than it is to my crankiness or hermit-bias.
I don’t know why I’m even addressing your points; It’s hard to put any credibility into the words of a man who doesn’t know what a “sopapilla” is.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 14, 2009 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Aug 14, 2009 9:27 PM CDT up reply actions
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