Westercon 76 Road Trip Day 2: Elko to SLC
Jul. 3rd, 2024 09:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kevin_standleeI worked a half day (5:30 to 9:30 AM) today to preserve my dwindling supply of paid time off. However, it took longer than expected to deal with messages coming, repacking the room, and getting some (non-perishable) groceries in Elko, and we didn't get on the road until around 11:30 AM. Here was the planned route:
We made fewer stops than I expected, the first of which was to refuel at Wendover before crossing into Utah and heading for the SLC Airport Doubletree Hotel, site of Westercon 76. That doesn't count where Lisa decided she was unfit to drive anymore shortly before Silver Zone Pass and pulled off for us to trade drivers. I drove the rest of the way to SLC.
The Pilot in West Wendover was where we refueled.
My phone was buzzing at me once we left Wendover, so we briefly stopped at the Bonneville Salt Flats rest area. Then it was a fast run across the roughly 50 miles to the next rest area on the far side of the flats.
Initially we figured on stopping in Toole for fuel again, but it didn't look like we needed to do so, so we pressed on. I'd forgotten to get the exit number for the hotel, but when we dropped off I-80 to take a couple of pictures of the Stadler Rail plant and the Caltrain electric trains sitting in their yard, I realized that this was the exit we wanted for the Doubletree, even though the hotel unhelpfully did not include their hotel on the freeway "lodging next exit" signs.
We got to the hotel about 5:30 PM.
The room is pretty comfortable looking and has a lot of room.
Once again, our request for a room with a shower/tub combo was honored.
It took us about an hour to unload the Astro and mostly unpack.
I discovered after getting the computer up and running that the Westercon 76 program schedule is finally online, and the registration opens at 9:30 tomorrow morning.
By this time, Lisa and I were famished and worn out from the drive from Elko. Unfortunately, the area around this hotel has nothing other than the hotel restaurant. There are no sidewalks, so even if there was something nearby, we'd have to drive, and we did not feel like doing any more driving today. We went to the restaurant and ate tasty, but quite salty, fish and chips.
Returning to the room, Lisa collapsed into bed while I finished unpacking my stuff. I then went down to the lobby and sat around talking with some of the people who arrived early. However, I didn't get much sleep myself last night, so I needed to turn in as well. Fortunately, I don't have to be up at 5 AM tomorrow, so an 8:30 AM breakfast (as I currently plan to get) is "sleeping in" for me.
Westercon 76 is going to be small, but it is happening.
We made fewer stops than I expected, the first of which was to refuel at Wendover before crossing into Utah and heading for the SLC Airport Doubletree Hotel, site of Westercon 76. That doesn't count where Lisa decided she was unfit to drive anymore shortly before Silver Zone Pass and pulled off for us to trade drivers. I drove the rest of the way to SLC.
The Pilot in West Wendover was where we refueled.
My phone was buzzing at me once we left Wendover, so we briefly stopped at the Bonneville Salt Flats rest area. Then it was a fast run across the roughly 50 miles to the next rest area on the far side of the flats.
Initially we figured on stopping in Toole for fuel again, but it didn't look like we needed to do so, so we pressed on. I'd forgotten to get the exit number for the hotel, but when we dropped off I-80 to take a couple of pictures of the Stadler Rail plant and the Caltrain electric trains sitting in their yard, I realized that this was the exit we wanted for the Doubletree, even though the hotel unhelpfully did not include their hotel on the freeway "lodging next exit" signs.
We got to the hotel about 5:30 PM.
The room is pretty comfortable looking and has a lot of room.
Once again, our request for a room with a shower/tub combo was honored.
It took us about an hour to unload the Astro and mostly unpack.
I discovered after getting the computer up and running that the Westercon 76 program schedule is finally online, and the registration opens at 9:30 tomorrow morning.
By this time, Lisa and I were famished and worn out from the drive from Elko. Unfortunately, the area around this hotel has nothing other than the hotel restaurant. There are no sidewalks, so even if there was something nearby, we'd have to drive, and we did not feel like doing any more driving today. We went to the restaurant and ate tasty, but quite salty, fish and chips.
Returning to the room, Lisa collapsed into bed while I finished unpacking my stuff. I then went down to the lobby and sat around talking with some of the people who arrived early. However, I didn't get much sleep myself last night, so I needed to turn in as well. Fortunately, I don't have to be up at 5 AM tomorrow, so an 8:30 AM breakfast (as I currently plan to get) is "sleeping in" for me.
Westercon 76 is going to be small, but it is happening.
