NYC 2024/Happy birthday to me

[GORDON]

Had to lock down a plan, originally it was going to be train in, arrive in evening, spend the next morning and afternoon walking around, train out. Then I decided that if the train was late, I could literally only have a few hours........ so I decided to give it 1 full day, and 2 nights. Now train arrives in evening, I have entire next day, then the morning after that train out.

Guess which 2 days I'll be in NYC hiking around Manhattan Island:

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I had planned on hiking everywhere for two days. The entire island is 2 miles wide, and the interesting parts are in the lower 6-ish miles. Also, studying the map, I see there's like 20 blocks in the mile between my hotel and Central Park, for example. I don't know what it will look like, but if I have to wait for a WALK symbol every intersection, that's going to make a mile take a long ass time. And if it's going to rain a lot, that can make some miserable hiking. So I have decided to study the subway system, and be prepared for a bit of that, for the A-B-C, etc.

Downloaded the MTA app.

Which is currently down because of that global IT fuckup.

Anyway, I'll be taking poncho (covers a backpack as well as my body), and may be spending a good part of the day in the MET looking like a homeless person, if the rain is pissing all day where I am.

Will keep you informed. Leaving Toledo train station at 3am, July 22.

[TheCatt]

Looks a bit warm.

When we were there you had to walk very fast to make lots of consecutive lights going north-south (short blocks). east-west (long blocks) never did enough to find the rhythm.

Parts of Broadway are a walking/pedestrian zone, iirc, but that's the middle of the island, not the outskirts.

[TheCatt]

Flying to Ireland today, so Happy early Birthday!

[GORDON]

Weird wrinkle 1:

Upgrading to a private cabin was stupid expensive, and very much not worth the extra cost, like $800. But then yesterday Amtrak sent me a thing, "Hey there are open cabins, you can bid on them. We suggest starting the bidding at $500." But then the slider went down as low as like $150, so I said fuckit. Didn't really need it, but took the slider all the way down.

Won it. Now I have a private cabin, bed, and all food is now free.

So they sent me an updated itinerary, with my assigned car and cabin number...... and also informed me the trip was going to take 63 hours, and not the 15 I had planned around. It actually had me arriving in NYC after my return train. I figure that has to be a mistake, so I just did their auto chat line.

Gave "Kaitlyn" my reservation number, she confirmed I was me, and says "I see you doing *times I originally booked.* Is that correct?" I said yes, that should be correct, but why did I get this email that said "*63 hour trip info?*"

She said "thanks glad i could help bye," and chat was done.

I'd say "good custserv amtrak" but honestly is that worse than the airline?

I dunno. I just hope it doesn't take me 63 hours to get there.

[TheCatt]

Good luck

[GORDON]

This is my first trip by train in about 20 years. First out of Toledo.

In other words, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

I was in the station twenty seconds before some sketch dude started talking to me.

This place is full of peeps with tats, half sleeping.

[GORDON]

Leaving at 3am seemed like a lot more fun when it wasn't 3 am.

Trains out of Toledo in every direction have really shitty arrival and departure times

[TheCatt]

3am? God damn. I was hoping your weird ass timestamps were just cuz I was in Europe

[Leisher]

This is my first trip by train in about 20 years.

He's had trains run on him a lot over those 20 years though.

[GORDON]

ON a train, not IN a train.

Day 35 of The Train. Passenger mood is tense as food supplies run low. I fear the uneasy truce we achieved will break soon, plunging us into chaos. We've secretly barricaded ourselves from the savages in the steerage section, but I fear they will not hold when they rise up in hunger and body odor.

[GORDON]

Presently in Albany, they are cutting the train in half. Half going to Boston, my half to NYC.

I walked through Coach on the way to the snack car. Goddam those people looked miserable. Except for the dancing, it was like the steerage scene on Titanic. I heard no English conversations. People had built tents around their seat sections. Small brown children running in the aisles. Every adult looked at me angrily as I came forward.

Also a bunch of Amish/Mennonites.

Now I kind of wish I had bid more for the upgrade. Has been nice having a private cabin for two. I had a bed to sleep on, and even had a little nap this afternoon, horizontal.

[GORDON]

Holy damn, I'm in NYC. Stepped out if the train station, and it was a cliche: people loitering, food carts, taxis everywhere honking.

I've literally not been in the city since the 90s. There was a cooler WTC then.

Walked three blocks to my hotel trying to pretend I wasn't following Google maps on the phone in my hand. Didn't get mugged, good start.

[Leisher]

Have fun.

Carry a little cash in case you want a water or something from a street vendor. Their stuff is cheaper than the stores.

[GORDON]

The overnight was interesting. It's a cheap little hostel, with quiet hours. A little into quiet hours, manager told someone to take their phone call into the stairwell, as per the rules. Phone dude stomped over and squared off wanting to fight about it.

Ah, youth.

Anyway, rain fell off the forecast for today.... Ha. Started with umbrella, moved on the full poncho. I hiked to central park by mid morning, the rain meant I mostly had it to myself. That was pretty cool.

Bought Met tickets online, and hiked here, mostly down 5th avenue. I was so busy navigating, sight seeing, and not making eye contact, I wonder how many celebrities I passed.

Anyway, sitting in the Met for a minute combobulating myself. I bought tickets online in 30 seconds and walked in, I don't know why these yahoos are standing in the 20 minutes ticket line.

Contemplating walking to ESB after this, and stopping for food randomly along the way.

[GORDON]

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[GORDON]

I won the "private room upgrade" auction again, for the train ride back. After seeing the mad Max hellscape that is coach class, I think it's a worthy spend for a 15 hour trip.

Since I bid the bare minimum possible, that is.

[GORDON]

I don't know why every vehicle on Manhattan isn't an EV. They would dominate in this environment.

[GORDON]

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My view while I eat a couple slices. That is ESB caddycorner.

[GORDON]

Successfully navigated the subway this morning. A pretty girl was more than happy to help me find the correct stop. (My blue eyes are devastating, sometimes).

But I did the pilgrimage, and now I feel it in my heart, I know Who I Would Call (pbut)

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[GORDON]

Hiked 3 miles from WTC, to the train station. No problem.

Did I mention I won the room upgrade auction for the ride back? That means I get to use the Amtrak lounge in NYC, it turns out. And this place is noice. All clean with free food and drinks and such. So that was a nice surprise I didn't expect.

What I also didn't expect was.... I didn't leave Manhattan, but every single new yoker with whom I interacted was incredibly kind and polite. There was maybe a dozen. I had left my heavy pack at the hostel while I explored this morning, and picked it up on the way to the train station. I asked if it was cool if I used the restroom real quick before I went.... And they said of course, I can rest as long as I need, and did I need food? How about a free T-shirt?

Then I got the praying hands/head nod thing as I left.

So yeah, maybe it's different out in the borroughs, but my image of the rude new Yorker is shot.