Bonny
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Post by Bonny on Apr 2, 2014 14:43:29 GMT -5
Glad it all worked out.
ETA: And when are YOU coming out again?
Are the friends that are coming on Friday DH's childhood friend?
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Works4me
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Post by Works4me on Apr 2, 2014 14:53:51 GMT -5
Good job Debt2
I think 3.5 hours on the ground at LAX is just about right - don't want him missing his connection due to flight delays and it will also give him a chance to walk around after 9 hours on a plane from Paris. Plus in case of issues, LAX probably has the most flights to Sacramento.
California has many things going for it but quality public transportation is not one off them.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 15:30:03 GMT -5
Sarah thank you, you made me feel much better about that LOL! I thought 3.5h is probably excessive but figured better to be safe than sorry. We had just over 2 hours at SFO the summer before last and we very nearly missed our connecting flight to Palm Springs. I wouldn't want that to happen to DS3 on his own. Bonny, very close! It's their 25YO son, and his long-term GF. It's funny because in fact the parents (DH's childhood friend and his wife) were indeed supposed to come here this spring. But DH's friend was laid off last year, and he recently started a new business that is doing incredibly well, so they can't travel right now. Trust me I would LOVE to go back out to CA, but unfortunately that's not in the cards right now. ETA: I am also relieved because DS3 will be old enough by then to finally have a real credit card (you have to be 16 here, he'll turn 16 next month). That means he won't have to carry much cash and he can pay for a meal if he needs to. It's a relief to me given that he's traveling on his own.
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Bonny
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Post by Bonny on Apr 2, 2014 15:41:03 GMT -5
California has many things going for it but quality public transportation is not one off them.
!
You remember who I worked for right? LOL!
Actually in some parts it's actually quite good. And I think that even if one was to make a similar journey in France; i.e. Fly into CDG and try to make it to a location like Normandy it would be tough especially if you were jet-lagged.
Debt never consults my schedule, LOL, but I would have been fine putting up either of her kids at my house for an evening and then sending them on their way. Those darn kids come during the summer when I'm busy in So. CA turning my rentals.
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Bonny
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Post by Bonny on Apr 2, 2014 15:43:55 GMT -5
Bonny, very close! It's their 25YO son, and his long-term GF. It's funny because in fact the parents (DH's childhood friend and his wife) were indeed supposed to come here this spring. But DH's friend was laid off last year, and he recently started a new business that is doing incredibly well, so they can't travel right now. Trust me I would LOVE to go back out to CA, but unfortunately that's not in the cards right now. Well once you that PITA rental you will be out of excuses. The cabin is less than an hour from your friend's town and we can all meet up for a Sunday BBQ.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 15:44:19 GMT -5
Another question:
Is LAX relatively easy to negotiate? DS3 will arrive at Terminal B, then he will have to clear customs and get his bag, and then he will need to get to Terminal 5 for his flight to Sac.
Is that walking distance, or will he need to take some sort of airport bus or train or shuttle?
I'm not worried, I'm sure he'll be fine. But if I can explain what he'll need to do beforehand, that would be even better. (I won't do it now though, I'll do it before he leaves).
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 15:45:51 GMT -5
Aww Bonny that is so sweet! But those two are still in school, so they have to travel during the summer LOL.
Yes, hopefully if we that rental things will be better financially, but I still don't think it will be on the cards for this summer. Those friends have a "mountain cabin" too, I'm betting it's not far from yours. I'll ask their son about it when he comes, now I'm curious.
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t-dog
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Post by t-dog on Apr 2, 2014 15:47:55 GMT -5
Debt - I live in Sacramento - One can take the super shuttle from SFO to Sacramento. Amtrack is MUCH cheaper, but doesn't leave directly from the airport.
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Works4me
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Post by Works4me on Apr 2, 2014 15:51:42 GMT -5
Bonny - then you know where of I speak. I did not mean that in a judgmental way - just factual. One also has to look at the fact that as liberal as the Left Coast is, when it comes to transportation, convenience combined with short term costs win every time. No one short of God could fix it and even He would be voted out next election - kwim?
IMHO, the biggest issues is that this state and even this country is so spread out, especially when compared to Europe. The only places with good quality public transportation are the larger cities and the East Coast. My father did a lot of the design work on Bart which is great but could have been so much more. For example the South Bay was allowed to vote itself out of it - imagine if Bart looped all the way around to San Jose or even Morgan Hill/Gilroy.
ETA - LAX is huge and can be overwhelming but a 16 year old used to navigating European public transit will be just fine. Especially with a 3.5 hour layover. Nothing like PHX which has a famous loop that one must jog, often with 45 minute connection time.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 15:53:26 GMT -5
Ah, t-dog, thank you, but I've already booked the flights now! I'll keep that in mind for another time.
That's exactly what I was looking for, ground transport that left from the airport. So too late for this trip, but thanks!
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t-dog
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Post by t-dog on Apr 2, 2014 16:01:36 GMT -5
Debt - for next time also check out Mega Bus - I haven't looked into it personally but they recently started service in Sac. and I see the buses on 80 heading to SF all the time.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 16:10:28 GMT -5
Anne, thanks so much! That is great! I've emailed it to DH and DS3, but I will flag it for later.
T-bird, I will if he's invited back next summer. Thanks again!
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Bonny
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Post by Bonny on Apr 2, 2014 17:10:17 GMT -5
My father did a lot of the design work on Bart which is great but could have been so much more. For example the South Bay was allowed to vote itself out of it - imagine if Bart looped all the way around to San Jose or even Morgan Hill/Gilroy. LOL, San Mateo County did too.
You know because of those criminal elements are going to burglarize your house and jump on public transit with your big screen TV
One of the great ironies was that one of my big public projects was getting a 153 unit at market priced apartment building approved next to the Colma BART station. The former owners were in a condemnation suit (eminent domain with BART) trying to argue that the BART station was going devalue their property value. My agency settled with them, we took it through the County Planning process and tripled the value.
They could have done the same thing but were too short sighted to see it. Their loss!
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Works4me
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Post by Works4me on Apr 2, 2014 17:57:29 GMT -5
Grew up there and asked my parents about it in the late 1980's - iirc it was also a tax issue too - Santa Clara County and San Mateo did not want to pay for something for "The City."
The house I grew up in is less than 5 minutes from the Hwy 85 expansion that finished in the 1990's - 30 years earlier people purchasing homes had to sign waivers and many still fought it being built. Yet that factor of easy freeway access when combined with noise dampening technology and Cupertino schools have combined to make certain neighborhoods more even more desirable.
IMHO, it is that type narrow minded, short-sighted thinking that created and continues to sustain the mass transit problems here in California and even the USA. Cars are faster and easier - cost and the environment be damned.
Looking to possibly relocate within the next 2 years and until this thread had not added good, safe public transit to my list of desired attributes along with international airport nearby - even considering selling out down here and returning there as being used to California prices I am willing to go smaller for cost control. Also, don't want to be solely responsible for a big place - Bonny's MIL is living my worst dream of having to have help for the upkeep of a large house and yard.
It will be interesting o see what happens in this country as the expense of private cars continues to take larger chunks of our budgets.
ETA - Bonny - more of your type of works is sorely needed to solve the mass transit issues but it almost seems as if the bureaucracy drives out people who can make a difference. Same thing in other areas of public service like teaching and social work.
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Bonny
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Post by Bonny on Apr 2, 2014 18:19:18 GMT -5
Works4me,
The bureaucracy just means job security.
Prices are what tends to drive people out of the area. A major reason MIL won't move down here and downsize is cost. She actually has the money to buy; probably $700k for a "cherry" 3/2 1500 house but her ego can't stomach selling her 3000' home for $525k in a prime Portland suburb to our blue collar town. Her maintenance costs would certainly go down; she's paying over $500/mth for lawn and pond maintenance along with the electricity and water to go with it. She also wouldn't need A/C or to spend so much to heat her home but she can't make that compromise either.
I agree it would be my nightmare as well but she's happy being miserable. I just get pissy because she expects us to "help her out" aka give her some money because DH's cousins help out their parents. Given that her income this year is going to be nearly twice ours, that's not going happen.
There's lots of documentation now that shows that a "transit friendly" and walkable location has about a 20% premium.
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Works4me
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Post by Works4me on Apr 2, 2014 18:37:44 GMT -5
Bonny - maybe give her a $20 and then ask for $100 the next day? LOL
Debt - sorry to have hijacked your thread!
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Apr 3, 2014 18:41:09 GMT -5
Bonny, The two times I have been in San Fran in the last 10 years, I relied on BART to get me where I needed to go and it got me everywhere. A friend did pick me up at my hotel and cooked dinner for me. Otherwise, on both trips, I could either walk for food or take BART where I needed to go. Compared to what Denver had and is continuing to build, BART is great. Boulder County is last on the list for light rail the voters approved some years ago. Now Boulder County is getting a toll road from Boulder to Denver.
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Bonny
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Post by Bonny on Apr 3, 2014 18:56:46 GMT -5
Bonny, The two times I have been in San Fran in the last 10 years, I relied on BART to get me where I needed to go and it got me everywhere. A friend ;Ddid pick me up at my hotel and cooked dinner for me. Otherwise, on both trips, I could either walk for food or take BART where I needed to go. Compared to what Denver had and is continuing to build, BART is great. Boulder County is last on the list for light rail the voters approved some years ago. Now Boulder County is getting a toll road from Boulder to Denver. TheO,
I actually worked for Caltrain (technically the San Mateo County Transit District) which is the system's manager. Caltrain and its predecessors have run commuter rail service on the SF Peninsula continuously for 150 years!
We take BART into the City just about all the time. Prior to working for Caltrain I used to work for Southern Pacific Trans Co (the originators of Caltrain) and commuted to work via BART.
It's a good system and sure beats driving into the City and paying an arm and leg for parking!
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Baby Fawkes
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Post by Baby Fawkes on Apr 4, 2014 1:30:43 GMT -5
+1 (says the guy on the BART on the way home after a great night with friends in the city )
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moneyminded
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Post by moneyminded on Apr 5, 2014 10:08:07 GMT -5
Debt- to answer your question, LAX is easy to negotiate. Your DS will have no problem. I have been there many times. (Actually, my first ever flight was into LAX) and arrived at my gate easily as I asked for directions. Employees are very friendly and have no problem helping you out. Don't worry, your son will be fine.
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