Becoming a Stiff
We arrived...
Acting Commander catcop Newself: I hope that's not you earning double snoring miles! -- COMMANDER CATCOP!
Commander, it's Catman. Please let me continue...
We arrived as Newself said “fashionably late” for the STIFFS dinner at the Arizona Inn and Old Gold and Blonde Bomber were waiting outside to greet us. Old Gold said we weren’t late at all and I think they explained to the hosts why.
It was a nice collection of Flyertalkers: it was great to see Dgolds and AnnaS and Indurian (sorry Alice could not be there) and Travel Weary again, catching up with Terry and Cathy (the wives of BlondeBomber and Old Gold) talking with Travel Weary’s very sweet daughter (who shared my love of Cats) and finally Jerry A from Alaska. Mr. Limo and Mr. Key came in with the vivacious MissyDarling and Koko who was wearing her earring. (I didn’t attempt to ask why.) Punki and Joe and Peragrine Jan az would join us after dinner, happy her Diamondbacks beat the **** Yankees, but sad Arizona state lost in football I guess (I know miles, not sports!)
Old Gold made an excellent choice of restaurants, Four Paws up. Those who had chicken had an immense serving. The beef was very good, although I was not used to not having it not well done. The company was first rate. Koko provided some entertainment by attempting to talk French and playing with a stuffed sheep (it was too shocking for me to describe.) We toasted our hosts and PremEx and all the other Flyertalkers who could not be there.
And the Rudi Goes to
During the dinner, Old Gold came over to say he was sorry PremEx was not feeling well and announced that the winner of the third Rudi award is… PremEx! J That was happy news and I accepted it on his behalf. It probably would be the best medicine for him.
Dinner was served fast and friendly. Of course being a Flyertalk gathering everyone spent most of the time talking about just about everything from Anna’s new home to Induran getting a new home and Jerry talking about working as a firefighter and living in a firehouse in Juneau and Newself and me talking about life and other things, and Larry U talking of his “battle of the breakfast” and Mr. Key encouraging me to finally get to the Caribbean and how the Catman Do trios was the highlight of the night and several people asking if I decided on Quadtro (stay tuned!). We all got a chance to talk to Essxjay and tell her we all missed her and hope to see her soon.
After two hours or even more of talking and people laughing at KOKO’s antics, I wanted to call it a night. Dgolds and AnnaS and I decided to take a chance at going to the Kartcher Caverns tomorrow so we made arrangements to meet up early in the morning. BlondeBomber announced dinner at El Dorado Mexican restaurant Sunday night.
Old Gold then said everyone who attended the dinner and came to Tuscon was officially a STIFF. He told me I was from winning the RUDI last year… but now it’s confirmed! I was honored! J
After a lot of hugs and so longs we went our own ways.
Dgolds drove me back to the Sheraton and we stopped so he could get a nail clipper. He also picked up some Lays Limon flavored crisps (later he gave them a Hairball: saying they tasted horrible.) The idea of lemon and lime favored chips frightened me.
Back at the Sheraton PremEx happily accepted his STIFFS AWARD and I think he was kind of shocked on winning. I sensed it was good medicine for him. But for all he’s done for so many, a PURRFECT CHOICE!
Lots of Life in Tombstone
PremEx decided to talk the morning off and told me to go ahead with Dgolds and AnnaS to the Karatcher Caverns. We arrived at the ticket center and luckily were able to get in on a later tour. Magic, Indurian and Larry U got an earlier tour and with lots of time to kill decided to drive to Tombstone for lunch.
I thought Tombstone was just like a national park with a small museum, but did not realize that people lived there, it had a newspaper and even a Bank of America ATM. We ended up at this saloon with the push in doors called Sadie’s. Anna, Magic and Indurian had sasbarilla (SP?) and I had chicken wings better than TGI Friday’s. The waitresses were dressed in gaudy old west gear, and there were men sitting at the bar drinking Buds in 1880’s styled duds.
After lunch we walked around the town a bit (just a few blocks of western styled buildings) and AnnaS was looking for a card for her digital camera (I think she found it) I bought a Powerball ticket: hey, $45 million will buy a lot of Sam Adams and PEPSI! J
Magic, Larry U and Indurian went off on their tour while Dgolds, AnnaS and I toured the nice museum at the old Courthouse. I went on some saddle for Anna to get a goofy picture of me, and had problems getting off. What else is new, Flyertalk’s Lucy Ricardo.
Mother Nature’s Artistry, Underground.
We got back to the caverns just in time for our tour. We had a trainee tour guide who admitted he was still learning the ropes, and I admired him for his hard work and efforts to walk us through the caverns.
I was kind of worried about having to hike to the Caverns entrance through the deserts with SNAKES ABOUT! I DON'T LIKE SPIDERS AND SNAKES, ESPECIALLY THE ONES WITH THE RATTLES THAT COULD BITE ME AND KILL ME. Fortunately a nice mini tram came like the at Disneyland and we were reminded like at that part to keep all our bodily parts inside the cars.
And oh what caverns: a whole collage of statites and Staglamites (SP again) and as light was shown the different colors and testures all made from dirt and sand and water. The soda straw structures were very thin and would make great things to sip PEPSI with. There was also the Throne room named for Kubla Khan and as we sat and viewed the theme song to a recent Delta commercial (Aerriorn or Oh doe ah oh me) Dgolds, help me with the song’s title.
You can’t describe these caverns. You MUST GO there! It’s incredible and it makes you appreciate the simple things that Mother Nature can do with water and sand.
The caverns were discovered by two amateur cave explorers in 1967 and they worked to preserve the beautiful. No bats inside thankfully – our tour guide said they were in Mexico. I joked that they could not get immigration clearance to come to Arizona!
The tour was only an hour and I’d wished we had more time. After visiting the museum and watching a short video on the cavern’s discovery we headed back to our hotels.
Old Gold: excellent choice of a place to go in Tuscon. That also made this this special!
Very Generous Mexican Food and a Generous Friend
Having a 7am flight I could not bare for PremEx to drive me to the airport. Packed my stuff and he sent me off telling me he would be fine and we’ll see each other soon, healthier and happier. It is always wonderful to be with you Big Bruddar in sickness and in health!
Old Gold chose “El Dorado” as the last night’s dinner place. PremEx could not come (but did say the STIFFS award made him feel a little better) so Dgolds drove me to the restaurant. We got a little lost and it gave us time to catch up on things.
The restaurant looks like a Mexican cantina. The beautiful and always fun Ling arrived and gave me a wonderful hug and an awesome mug with a cool Cat on it, and a lamb for PremEx I promised to give him later. As usual, lots of good talk, great Negra Modelo beer and food portions that would feed a family. The prices are excellent and you can get a great meal for under 20 dollars! I could not finish my chicken chequessida (must learn to spell!) but it was wonderful.
Again, we said our goodbyes which after sharing more mileage tips took another 20 minutes. Magic was driving me back to the Embassy Suites so we had to get thing going. Thanks for being my chauffer Magic and you too Dgolds. One of these decades I’ll get a drivers license and drive you all around.
Larry U was to be my roomie for tonight at the Embassy Suites. He told me of how he had to change rooms FOUR TIMES because of air condition problems. He finally got a fan (guess the hotel knew him by now) and my “Embassy Touch” amenity kit of cookies, chips, Nutra Grain bar and two bottles of water. I probably would have not pushed for the kit, but thanks Larry for the better room and for not taking no for an answer.
Larry also happily took the couch, saying that the person who reserves the room gets the bed. I guess that's one Flyertalk rule I was aware of. (although I would give up my bed for just about anyone!
)
EXCEPT SNAKES!
Ling was also staying at the Embassy Suites so after Magic drove us back we stopped at the bar where Ling had delicious chocolate cake and me a Dos X’s.
That’s the great thing about smaller sized Flyertalk dos like Old Gold’s: we all got to talk to each other, I got to finally meet Missy, Jan and Jerry and get to talk more with other Flyers I couldn’t at the larger Catman Do Trois.
Hope you make STIFFS an annual tradition Old Gold! Thanks again!
NEXT: SOME CLOSING TALES
[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 10-29-2001).]
[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 10-29-2001).]