I will be taking my final road trip as an unemployed loser this week. Here is the plan.

8/24 Wednesday, 9:30 am: Depart Washington, DC
8/24 Wednesday, 1:30 pm: Arrive State College, PA
8/26 Friday, 1 pm: Depart State College, PA
8/26 Friday, 4:30 pm: Arrive Pittsburgh, PA
8/29 Monday, 9:30 am: Depart Pittsburgh, PA
8/29 Monday, 1:30 pm: Arrive Columbus, OH
8/31 Wednesday, 9:30 am: Depart Columbus, OH
8/31 Wednesday, 5:00 pm: Arrive Charlottesville, VA
9/01 Thursday, 7:00 pm: Depart Charlottesville, VA
9/01 Thursday, 8:00 pm: Arrive Mechanicsville, VA
9/02 Friday, 2:00 pm: Depart Mechanicsville, VA
9/02 Friday, 4:00 pm: Arrive Washington, DC

The end.

After waking up around 7 am on Saturday, we managed to concoct a strategy for getting the most out of the city. Breakfast burritos were made, mushrooms were debated, and then the kitchen was cleaned. Dave, our tour guide, drove his car to the Sam Adams Brewery around 11:30 that morning so that we might partake of the tour. Mirroring our earlier tour of the Brooklyn Brewery, there was a general discussion of the history of brewing and then a sampling.

We next went to some bar that Dave swore by. I had a burger. It was filling. Driving around the city after that was an exercise in futility. Parking is difficult, and mass transit is not a convenience. We returned home to search for mexican food. We found all we were looking for in a place called Rudy's, although the seating arrangement left something to be desires. I won't get specific here.

The evening ended with team Mason-Dixon winning a game of Taboo, although it was only because I was willing to loudly call a spade a spade. No one else had the commitment needed to speak up, I suppose.

Boston is warmer than expected. Got here about 6:45 PM, took their subway out to Cambridge and found Dave Click in the night. As of right now, I have eaten at an Irish restaurant and walked around Cambridge. Some people didn't weather our cheap trip as well as I did. How do you like THESE apples?

We will see what tomorrow holds.

I have a vague memory of being driven up by my parents. Humorously, everyone met that morning at the Best Western not two miles from my house to carpool up to the airport. Except, I only remember one other car being there. The carpool itself did not work out very well, but everyone made it to the airport before anything bad happened. I believe my parents drove up to the airport and someone else drove me home, but I really cannot remember.

I knew several people on the trip very well before we left. Monita, Derick, Nate, Jennifer, and Roshell were all my friends for some reason or another. I do not remember the names of the other people, but I suppose I could look through a yearbook or something. Maybe later

Overview

GSGIS Spanish Club Tour

13 thru 20 June 1997
Estimated Distance: 1000 miles off the tip of Florida

Nations Inducded: USA

Overview

Our Plan as Late May 1997 (As proposed by Senora Santiago)
June 13, 1997

- 9:10 AM - Depart from Dulles International Airport

- 3:05 PM - Arrival at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport

- Old San Juan Tour, Dinner as Escambron Beach Club

June 14, 1997

- Tour El Yunque Rain Forest, Luquillo Beach, Santiago Family Farm

June 15, 1997

- Visit Old San Juan, Touring La Fortaleza (Governor's Mansion), La Plaza del Quinto Centenario, La Iglesia de San Jose, La Calle Del Cristo, La perta de San Juan, La Catedral de San Juan, El paseo de La Princesa

- San German City tour, Beach, Tour of Phosphorescent Bay

- Tour of the City of Ponce, Visit Taino Indians Ceremonial Grounds

- Snorkeling, horseback riding

- Underground Caverns - Camuy, Swimming at Cerromar Beach Hotel

- Sightseeing in San Juan

- 3:50 PM - Depature from Luis Munoz Mann International Airport

- 10:00 PM - Arrival at Dulles International Airport

Where we slept
1. Friday, June 13 - Hotel Tanama Princess
2. Saturday, June 14 - Hotel Tanama Princess

3. Sunday, June 15 - Hotel Tanama Princess

4. Monday, June 16 - Villa Parguera Hotel

5. Tuesday, June 17 - Villa Parguera Hotel

6. Wednesday, June 18 - Villa Parguera Hotel

7. Thursday, June 19 - Hotel Tanama Princess

8. Friday, June 20 - Mechanicsville, VA

Problems overcome:
I did not speak Spanish, I got bad sunburn when snorkeling

Things packed:
Other than the camera and my dorky high school clothes, I have no clue what else I brought. I must have travelled light.

Best use of the internet:
Actually, it is funny that I should mention that in my Great Midwest Trip. I do recall seeing a sign advertising dial up internet connection for some amount of money. This was back in the day where you both connected to the internet with a modem, and sometimes would just connect to a local BBS because you could not think of anything better to do. I am sure that I worried about my LoRD score and TW2002 planets while we were on this trip.

Best website devoted to this trip:
You are looking at it.

Quick Notes

The trip was done on the cheap. The trip appears to have been randomly put together by our teacher, but my mother was amazed at her plans for us. Our days were packed, as I recall, and very little went wrong. Since PR is a semi-state, we always had access to the post office or whatever other things you take for granted.