In those days there were oceans of light and cities in the skies and wild flying beasts of bronze ..

[pyat]

It was 11 years ago. Almost to the day. Something very special happened.

I just happened across the photo recording the event while scanning old pics for my big sister's upcoming wedding.



In September of 1997, I went on my first fandom-inspired roadtrip! I was at a friend's wedding, and we took a couple of days to drive around. We drove from Vancouver, B.C., to Seattle, WA, where I interviewed Steve Gallacci for Realms magazine. Later, this experience would be parlayed into a sideline career writing furry roleplaying games with normanrafferty. Now I have more furry RPG writing credits than Paul Kidd! A questionable legacy, maybe, but one I treasure. ;) Of course, Kidd also wrote a bunch of D&D stuff, including novels. Yeah, I'm workin' on it.

Someday, Mr. Kidd, someday! Watch your back!

I recall describing Washington in my article as "like Endor after the Imperials moved in and built strip malls." Along the way we visited comic shops, game stores, used book stores and the like. My friend Dave introduced me to Art Bell's radio show late one night while we were driving his 1980 VW Rabbit through midnight mountains.

I have photos of Gallacci and photos of me wandering around in Vancouver, and later at a camp near Mount Rainier. The pics I just found aren't nearly as interesting.

See? A Denny's! We didn't have any of them in Canada! Not that I knew of, anyway. I had breakfast at midnight. Glee!


Look! A sign for a local towing company!

Comments

[doc-mystery.livejournal.com]

They tow trees in Washington state?!?

::B::

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Hmm? No, no. The tree is the towing company.

[doc-mystery.livejournal.com]

Aha! A Pacific Coast Treant hard on his luck!

::B::

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Hoom hoom! Long ages has your Lexus been parked in the handicapped space!

[bandersnitch.livejournal.com]

In Canada we just call trees "not road" and leave it at that.

No need to tow them or let them do the towing. They typically do the "stopping" lol

[momentrabbit.livejournal.com]

We can't stop here! This is batter country!

Still, neat. You've matured well. n.n

[athelind.livejournal.com]

He's AGED well. Has he really MATURED?

[pyat.livejournal.com]

I think it's more a matter of looking like I was 35 from the age of 18 onward.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Ah, but we did have to stop, because we were entering "bladder country!"

[summerfields.livejournal.com]

I totally forgot you were in our old neck of the woods!
I miss Washington state...but then I miss Canada more!

[pyat.livejournal.com]

And I forgot you lived there!

[paka.livejournal.com]

Jeez. I don't even remember whether I was a furry fan in 1997. I think so. Not entirely sure.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

What's a "furry?"

[dagoski.livejournal.com]

If memory serves, you were making off color puns about Erma Felna back in 97. That makes you a Furry. Besides, were you not part of the Midnight Howl?

[zenten.livejournal.com]

There's a Dennis at the South Keys plaza in Ottawa.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

*nods* The post is written in the past tense. So far as I knew in 1997, there were no Denny'ses in Canada.