The Great Train Escape!

Southern California Wrimos will take over an entire Amtrak train car on the Coast Starlight, from San Diego to Oakland, and invade San Francisco write-ins, conquer the Night of Writing Dangerously, and break loose at Alcatraz.

Dates:
Nov. 18, Friday - All day train ride! That's 11 hours of devoted writing time for LA Wrimos. (14 hrs from San Diego!)
Nov. 19, Saturday - Enjoy San Francisco, SoCal vs NoCal word wars and a spooky evening tour of Alcatraz.
Nov. 20, Sunday - The Night of Writing Dangerously, or an alternative all night write-in if you didn't fundraise enough.
Nov. 21, Monday - All day train ride home. More words!!

That should give you 15,000 - 20,000 words in ONE WEEKEND!!

Nanomail smcbride with your normal email if you would like a tri-fold brochure (.pdf) to pass out at your write-ins. (We can't send attachments in nanomail.)

Check out this nifty google doc for further information and hotel recommendations:
https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dckdt4sb_0d2zdnjd7&interval=10
or
Great Train Escape Info

I tried to recommend other hotels that Sarah Mackey doesn't already have listed in the Out of Towner guide.
http://www.nanowrimo.org/files/main/out_of_towner_guide.pdf
or
Out of Towner Guide

The Julia Morgan Ballroom only seats 250 and over 50 seats are already reserved! So start fundraising now!

This thread is for questions, San Fran activity planning, hotel suggestions, roommate coordination and anything else you need. But there is another roommate coordination thread - so it's best to post there for roommates.

Best - Sara McBride (smcbride)
Los Angeles Co-ML

This is great. I wish I saw it before I bought my plane tickets from LAX to San Fran.

I realize this is a SoCal gathering, but are you open at all to others joining you for excursions such as the Sunrise Walk Across the Bridge? I'd like to do it with a group, but I'm guessing my dad might not be up for such a long walk. Just curious!

i'm so jealous. california, i've got yer number, you been doing cool shit without me for YEARS.

Rumor has it there will be a Saturday evening OLL staff meet & greet, probably from 7 - 10 pm.

There may also be an ML afternoon tea.

Sarah Mackey is trying to get the details ironed out soon. So don't buy your Alcatraz tickets yet. We may choose a different tour time.

I'd love to get together with as many people for group events as I can afford. I'm flying in from the east coast though, and still not sure where to stay. I want to make sure it's a room of all girls, as well.

Oh, you guys will enjoy the Starlight! Unfortunately I don't think my schedule will let me go this year. :( but don't let that stop you! The scenery is fantastic both ways. If you can go, do it!!!!

I am so pissed I'm too broke to participate in this. Don't mind me while I sit here and weep about it...

Omg so jealous. Sounds like fun!

Here's a little something useful for getting around during the weekend:

Muni Passports
They're good on Muni trains, buses, and cable cars.

1-day's are $14, 3-day's are $21. Seems like a pretty good deal to me, for a single cable-car fare is $6. There's a location to purchase at Market/Powell, which is really close to where a lot of us are staying, but it's only open 8a-8p. The Where To Buy link shows more places as well.

WHERE TO MEET IN LOS ANGELES UNION STATION:

If you are coming in to LA Union Station on the Pacific Surliner or a connecting MetroLink, look for me and Jennie (AthenaKTT) wearing our NaNoWriMo hoody sweatshirts standing in front of Wetzel Pretzel near the rail boarding entrance tunnel.

The Coast Starlight departs at 10:20pm. If you purchased your ticket online, don't forget to scan in your paper print-out at the automated ticket stand so you can obtain your official ticket.

I'll hang Nanowrimo signs in our car. (Assuming the conductor doesn't get angry...)

It's the only train, so don't miss it!

Woohoo - Writers on Rails Unite!
-Sara