Travel to multple conventions

[Michael Hopcroft]

One of the major anime conventions, FanimeCon in Santa Clara, has asked me to help with their game programming (this happened at DunDraCon).  All fine and dandy, but it poses a problem. Santa Clara is some ways away, not very accessible by air, and I have Origins the next weekend in even more distant Columbus. Plus a month later I have GenCon.

Theoretically I can take care of the matter by buying a Greyhound Ameripass that's good for 60 days starting on June 15. However, there are practical problems involved with that. Bus travel is not very comfrtable over long distances, as I found out at last year's Origins, and while I'm traveling I can't work, either at my company, a day job or school. On the other hand, flying to all three conventions would consume a massive amount of money.

All three cons have the potential to be very beneficial to my business. GenCon is essential, of course, and I plan to share the Forge table and release HeartQuest D20 there. Origins will be a great opportunity to promote my product line. And Fanime is one of the big anime cons, where several of the anime companies will be represented and a lot of people interested in my product will be. I can benefit heavily from doing all three. I want to do it economically, I want to do it successfully, and I want to do so in relative comfort and security. And I want to have a home to come back to when I return....

It's a major dilemma. I want to have a solution by the time GTS rolls around and my tax refunds come in, since they are probably what I'll use to pay for my transportation.

[talysman]

One of the major anime conventions, FanimeCon in Santa Clara, has asked me to help with their game programming (this happened at DunDraCon).  All fine and dandy, but it poses a problem. Santa Clara is some ways away, not very accessible by air, and I have Origins the next weekend in even more distant Columbus. Plus a month later I have GenCon.

hi, Michael,

santa clara may not be very accessible by air, but san jose should be... and there's public transport between san jose and santa clara, via the santa clara valley transportation authority http://www.vta.org/. they have a literail system. and if san jose's air access isn't up to your standards, the VTA has connecting bus routes to fremont and thus to BART, so you could fly into SFO and take public transit to santa clara. that doesn't exactly solve your issues with the expenses, but it might be helpful to consider.

[Matt Gwinn]

Theoretically I can take care of the matter by buying a Greyhound Ameripass that's good for 60 days starting on June 15. However, there are practical problems involved with that. Bus travel is not very comfrtable over long distances, as I found out at last year's Origins, and while I'm traveling I can't work, either at my company, a day job or school. On the other hand, flying to all three conventions would consume a massive amount of money.

Have you considered taking a train?  I'm not sure if it will take longer than a bus (it depends on the number of stops), but its far more comfortable than riding the bus and you can work on gaming stuff or even watch TV in the lounge car.  I'm pretty sure it's more expensive though.

You also have the option of renting a car, though driving from Portland to Columbus is some serious miles - try getting something with unlimited miles.  It might aso help to find a couple guys that want to go to Origins and share the expense.

,Matt G.

[Michael Hopcroft]

Were I able to buy the tickets today (which I'm not) I could fly to all three conventions for $710. I hope the price doesn't go up by late March when I'll have the money.

Flying would be a very good idea because I've just been admitted to Devry Business School (if you get a 3.3 GPA you are automatically admitted to their MBA program after you graduate). It turns out that if I fly the timing of the first convention would be just after my first finals. The next term would be questionable, but we'll look at that when we know my schedule.

[talysman]

Were I able to buy the tickets today (which I'm not) I could fly to all three conventions for $710. I hope the price doesn't go up by late March when I'll have the money.

did you say the convention itself is in june?

the best time to buy will probably be april, but you can always aim for march, if you feel more comfortable. airline prices tend to go down when you purchase your tickets in advance, but not too far in advance.

[Michael Hopcroft]

I think I may have no choice but to go for the Ameripass. My other bills are starting to come in and I don't like the looks of them.

My last ultra-long-distance Greyhound trip was very uncomfortable. The problem is that I'm too big to fit in a standard seatconfortably on a crowded bus. Trains and planes aren't much better.

I don't have a driver's license, so driving is not an option. If I had a car, of course, it would be little trouble. I could drive from con to con with books in the trunk and be very happy. Of course, I'd have to stop at a motel every twelve hours, as opposed to the bus where I could ride 24/7.

Fortunately, by then I'll have my student discount card and the pass will be even cheaper. it's DESIGNED for students spending their summer break on the road. So financially it looks like a very good deal.

I have other concerns, of course, like lodging for Oregins and Fanime. Assuming I even get into Fanime (I haven't heard back from them yet after DunDraCon).