March 1, 2000

Vacation vacation vacation...

Planning a vacation is like making out a template or outline. The rest you fill in later.

I first made reservations for the team and its hangers on at Motel 711 on Cerrillos Road in Sante Fe. I could previsualize Santa Fe a bit, as I've been there a few times, but I'd never been to a Motel 711 and never to NM with a cache of 11-year old girls (and the Carol factor).

This trip promises to be an adventure.

There was a bit of room changing that had to occur due to previous bookings which made the whole thing a big headache in the making. But seeing how I didn't have concrete dates yet anyway, the whole arrangement was merely an exercise for the real wheeling and dealing to follow.

After receiving the packet from CYO (Catholic Youth Organization, Central-West Division - always loved that title) including the tournament dates, times, xerox forms, maps, and other assorted illegible fax pages that we weren't sure what to do with, I was free to get down with the real trip planning.

First I called an assortment of other motels and hotels in the Santa Fe area, throwing my hands up then finally settling on a fairly high-profile ritzy one right there on the plaza. Seems it's off-peak season (barely) and the owner has a girl who plays softball. Who knows, maybe he just likes young girls. At any rate he gave a steal of a deal. (I won't plug his establishment due to that crack about young girls, which is pretty funny.) I made reservations for 20 girls, 3 adults, one Carol: 8 rooms with 5 girls/room, 2 female adults in one room, one Bruce and one Carol in two adjoining rooms.

Let's hope that a Catholic education and being in the city of Holy Faith doesn't spark the outbreak of young incendiary midnight lesbian orgies. (Oh, the scandal of it all) Accomadations came out to a total of 24 room-nights costing $1164, or 48.50 per room-night, plus tax.

With the hotel booked and paid for now I'm getting excited about this trip.

Air Jordan, a small airline based in Chicago, (Okay, I'm making that up - the airline didn't give good enough a deal to plug) gave the best airfare quote. I won't bore you with the nitty gritty (price), but here's the itinerary:

	OAK JDN 5150X  8:15 a.m. Fri Apr 07, 2000  
	ABQ           11:20 a.m.

	ABQ JDN 415J   7:30 p.m. Mon Apr 10, 2000
	OAK            8:55 p.m.

I chartered a bus both from Big Blue to OAK and from ABQ to the hotel in Santa Fe (not the same bus) to ensure that everyone gets to their destination safe and intact, or at least as intact as when they left.

I'm excited. Carol's excited. The girls are all so very excited.