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Oct 11, 2010 16:27

I need to get better about doing these things so I don't forget them.



While it poured rain Thursday when we left I got lucky and the rain broke for just long enough for me to run to the metro, granted it was still so humid I ended up soaked anyways but it wasn't nearly as bad as the pouring rain. Got to the train station way early walked around for a bit before choosing a random location and sitting down. Had a old ex-hippie now college lecturer sit down near me and strike up a conversation about the world and what's wrong with it. I'm not sure why crazy people want to talk to me but it happens. Wasn't a bad conversation to be honest but she was definitely more interested in talking that listening, at least she wasn't a complete dick about it like some people are.

Eventually Ransim showed we snagged some food and got to our gate just as they called our section to board.We opted for the two person sleeping car, it games us two seats facing each other and two bunk beds, all told it's about the size of an average couch but a bit wider and a little over 6ft high. Not a lot of room but if you are comfortable with the person you are traveling with it's plenty of space.

While the sky gods blessed me with a dry run to the metro they cursed us when it came time to traveling. The train stayed at the station for almsot an hour waiting on another delayed train to arrive so that connecting people weren't screwed. Even once we left we had to travel at a slower speed because of flood warnings and late that night ended up stopped for over an hour in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania because a train somewhere in front of us had an emergency. Considering the delay's Ran and I had when to took the train to Boston you'd think we where cursed.

However, traveling by train is so nice that delay's don't bother us at all. You are in a comfy seat (even in coach) and you aren't trapped you can get up and walk around, move to another car, there are ton's of people to talk to, you can bring your own food, there's a snack car and a dining car (at least on sleeper trains there's a dining car.) It's a much more relaxed atmosphere than flying, I fucking hate flying, if we'd been stuck on a plane for an hour waiting for a connecting flight I know Ran and I would have gone crazy.

We spent the entire trip up and back, watching Season 2 of Sons of Anarchy, Ran is now almost caught up. It was weird to watch so much tv in a single sitting, that's not something I can usually handle. Honestly after around 2 hours of any show now matter how much I like it I start getting bored but thankfully that wasn't an issue.

Buying a sleeping car berth means your food is included and my gods was the food good. On the way to Chicago we had this amazing steak that not only would not have been out of place at a restaurant but put many other resturants steak's to shame with how good it was. There was a pork loin on the way bad that was damn good but wasn't nearly as good as that steak. But all of the food was good, service was slow but :shrugs: meh, it's not like I was in a hurry to go anywhere :) It is community seating (you and however many other people it takes to fill the table) which meant Ran and I had some interesting dining companions and I'm not sure why but the people we ate with on the way to Chicago where much cooler and more interesting than the people on the way back to DC.

We made it to Chicago late but with plenty of time, hoofed it to the Hotel Blake to see if we could check it. We found that not only could we but we'd been declared their "guest of the day" and given a suite ! was that alright? Ffffuuuuck yes it was. The suite was bigger than our apartment, if it a tv, a huge L shaped comfy couch, chars, a glass table with seats for 6, more comfy chairs, a big tub, a huge shower and a decent sized bedroom area. This was the kind of place I'd love to have to something like, PAX and invite people over to play games.

Hooked up with Ran's friend Russ that lives in town and set off to find food and entertain ourselves. As always, going anywhere that isn't DC reminds me how much DC sucks. The CTA blows Metro out of the water with its awesomeness, we picked up a pair of 24 hour passes for $6 each and repeatedly hopped trains to all over the place checking out cool and awesome stores. Even managed to find a wallet while Ran picked up an original Emperor Paplatine.

After a hurried dinner at The Custom House attached to the hotel Ran and I took off for the club.

We contemplated death while we where forced to listen to the DJ's choice of music, because after all, being a DJ he knew best. Obviously a large crowed gathered to hear Atari Teenage Riot has no musical taste and must be regaled with the awesomeness of whatever shitty emo rock band was his favorite this month. The crowd should have thanked him, as a DJ it is his sole purpose to try and save us mere mortals by forcing us to listen to true music.

Ran wanted to go up to him hand him her Zune and tell him to "play something that dosen't suck."

After an interminable wait Caustic went on and he fucking nailed it. I've seen him three times now and this was without a doubt the best show I've seen. Ran changed her mind saying "I thought Caustic was a different band you listened to, this guy's good."

There was a second band but I didn't get their name of they were pretty bad, the guy was a decent DJ and his girl could kind of sing but they went together like ice cream and micro wave.

Finally, it was time for the main act. I don't even know what to say, from the second they stepped onto the stage until they finally left it was nonstop energy and awesome. A giant pit opened in the crowd, I spent almost the entire night in it or next to it, screaming, shouting, pumping my fist in the air and slamming against anyone that I came across.

I don't know how to describe it to someone else, the closest I think I can come is that pits are like a religious experience for me. It's just... I don't know, it's not for everyone but to me it's some special.

Sadly, about two-thirds of the way through the show I torqued my knee and had to hop out and grab on to random people to ensure that I didn't fall. I had to finish watching the show from the table Ran had been camping since we got there. I can not tell you how frustrating it was to have to watch the show from a chair, but it was better than not being there so that's something.

Sadly all good things must end and when the house lights finally came up, I found myself wanting more yet satisfied (though I will admit I was certain they would play Kids are United) it was a good night and the entire trip was worth it. A tipsy Ran led us from the club into the pouring rain and while I limped back to the train station she ran with the effortlessness of a kid in a candy store all the while needling me for not drinking me. Because if I had I wouldn't be feeling the pain ... women. Walking wasn't to painful but hurrying was and stairs the worst, of course the train tracks in Chicago are elevated in most places so hoping up wooden stairs in the rain was pretty fun.

Made our way back to the hotel and after a good soak in the giant tub we crawled into bed.

Saturday was spent hanging out with Russ some more before catching the train home. Knee is still a little sore but only when I put all of my weight on it and stairs aren't a pain. Honestly I would gladly put up with worse and still felt it was worthwhile. There's a combichrist show in a few weeks and I know it's going to be awesome but it won't top ATR.
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