I knew before I set foot in the Rose Garden Arena on Tuesday, February 20, that I would be on my feet, walking on concrete all over the arena which, I just read online, encloses over 785,000 square feet on eight levels, five of which are open to the public. I knew that I didn't want to be rushed. Ha, to tell you the truth, I knew that I couldn't rush myself. So, I planned ahead and took two hours of vacation, left work at 3 p.m., caught the Portland Streetcar north on SE Grand Avenue from my building, at East Burnside caught the 12 bus east to home, walked into the apartment and put only what I wanted to have with me in my backpack, changed one of my layers from a light sweater to a warm sweatshirt to wear beneath my raincoat, put on my never-been-worn-before-checkered-flag-design visor (A present to my little Mama from our friends Milton and Kay--they picked up two of them for her one year at NASCAR's Talladega Superspeedway--I wear the other one all the time to keep rain off my glasses and my hood outta my face, which has made it worn and stained, couldn't have that in case I got a picture taken of myself, now could I?), pulled up my raincoat hood against the sprinkling rain, locked the door, and walked back outside and headed for the bus stop.
I got off the bus at NE 47th and Sandy Blvd., walked into the Killer Burger and felt at peace with my plan for a proper pre-event meal. Greeting me at the counter, a nice young woman who's helped me plenty of times before, smiling and saying, "I haven't seen you in a hot minute!" She remembered by last name, too, for my order! Which tickled me, just as the nice young man making burgers and who's helped me plenty of times before saw me, grinned and said, "Hi!" Before I knew it, I had the burger and fries you see in the photo sitting on the table in front of me, along with a small cup of Barq's Root Beer. I knew that I had time to eat but not to dilly-dally, so I got going. I didn't eat every single bit of the burger and fries, but I ate enough to hold me for hours--more than three since Player Palooza was scheduled from 5-8 p.m. and I'd also spend some time getting back home afterwards.
Outside, I sat at the bus stop, waiting 10 minutes for the 12 bus. Downtown at SW 5th and Pine, I got off the bus and walked a block west to catch the 4 bus north to the Rose Garden. Then I walked from the south end of the building to the north end which is where we season ticket holders who had RSVPed were instructed to enter. Fun ensued. My energy held out. Happy Trail Blazer season ticket holder here.