Monday, July 27, 2009

BlogHer ‘10 could it happen?

It’ll be in NYC next year.  That is the right coast,

New York City is a mere 7ish hours away by car. Straight up I95, once I get to I95. Driving past at least 3 major metropolitan areas to then have to find my way around a 4th one does not thrill me but could be done.  I find tall buildings very distracting. Nothing for 60 miles in any direction is bigger than 4 stories. In fact you have to go about 30 to find one over 3. At that point you hit strip mall & housing development heaven – which, while densely settled, is not particularly tall.  I can’t help staring at anything over about 8 stories.

And the busiest road I am used to driving on is a 4 lane all access divided highway – 2 lanes in each direction, some stoplights and you can turn left at frequent spots. Where I live having three cars in front of you at the stop light or having to wait 7 seconds to turn left in the median is sufficient justification for you to say “My God! The traffic is horrible today!”

I lived in northern Virginia for several years. I know about traffic. I can, with practice, cope well with it. I’m out of practice by about 15 years. I only ever experience it once a year, in Florida.  Driving to NYC and then finding the hotel will stress me out, but not in any deal breaker sort of way. Driving could be done.

Flying is right out.

That leaves the bus and Amtrak. I have never taken a bus any great distance apart from school & Girl Scout field trips. I was always able to carpool. Which is an idea. I could meet other BlogHer attendees in DC or Baltimore & we could go together. Which would have the added benefit of having an immediate group & therefore not being alone.

I’d have to drive an hour south or east to catch a bus anyway. Greyhound goes right around where I live in a wide arc.

Amtrak will take me there & back for a little under $200, assuming I am willing to leave at 6am both ways. Closer to $300 if I would prefer a more civilized 10am. Much to my surprise it is a direct trip from the station 20 minutes away. Last time I looked I would have to hang out in Penn Station for about 3 hours between trains.

So.

I could actually GET to BlogHer ‘10.

hhmmmm….

Any DC area bloggers want to carpool next year? Or catch the same train?

6 comments:

The Four Week Vegan said...

Yippee, with this much time to plan, it sounds like you will make it next year!!!

Lena said...

I think you'll do fine :)

I have read that Amtrak is making a comeback because people enjoy the leisure of not being behind the wheel, but can have some amenities that a Greyhound wouldn't provide.

I hope you get to go !~

TragedyScrapinAnne said...

I love NYC and go twice a yr with my aunt....


Happy Scrapin' Kat

Eli's Lids said...

You are way closer to NY than me!! I'm still not too sure I want to go... can I even say that without getting kicked out of the blogsphere?!?!?

Creative Junkie said...

I've heard enough about BlogHer to want to attend next year. I'm in upstate NY but still at least a six hour drive and I do NOT want to drive in NYC so I'm hoping to carpool.

I'd love to meet you there!

Jennifer Wilson said...

I'm toying with the idea. I'd love to go with the security of know I've got some great digiscrap peeps there.

Just for S&G, I checked the Amtrak from east-central IL... price only < $400.... but it would take 24 hours to get there. It's only $300 and 5 hours to fly!