2008: A Good Year

Amtrak's Coast Starlight, the final train #11 for 2008, departs Salinas on December 31 . . . as GE no. 505 does her best Alco impression.

What a year. Fall 2008 can pretty much be summed up by the book's arrival, book sales, book PR, and the holidays (oh yeah, and those pesky PR clients). Many people are all-too-happy to shove 2008 out the airlock -- understandably so, for those beaten down by the financial collapse -- but I'll always look fondly on the year that Route 66 Railway finally came to life. Thanks to everyone who gave R66R such a warm welcome, and for helping make the past three months truly special.

The final photo of the year: the moon and Venus, seen from Aromas, Cal., on New Year's Eve.

I'm off to a "First Fridays" reception tonight at Salinas' restored Railway Express Building. In the next few days I'll post favorite photos from the past year. And maybe I can settle into a regular posting schedule for 2009 (we'll see).

Happy Birthday, Route 66

It’s been a very good day.

But first things first: Happy birthday, Route 66! Today is the 82nd anniversary of the Mother Road’s commissioning, which took place on November 11, 1926. To duly celebrate the occasion, I pulled out my Old Smoky’s 66 mug (purchased in Williams, Arizona, a favorite Mother Road town) for the first cup of joe.

We’ve had a good run these past five days. On Friday, one of my greatest evenings ever took place when I gave an author’s talk and book signing at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. As part of the city’s “First Fridays Art Walk,” the Steinbeck was kind enough to host a “premiere reception” for Route 66 Railway. Attendance was much bigger than expected – nearly 100 people showed up through the evening! After speaking about the book, its messages and how it came to be (sprinkled with a few stories, including the infamous “reservation tale”), the crowd kept things going with another 30 minutes of questions. The Steinbeck’s supply sold out well before the talk was done, and we all had a grand time sharing memories of the Mother Road and its railway companion.

El does his best George Plimpton . . . hey, the crowd is still awake. (Kathryn Lawrence photos)

Today, with the Steinbeck rush still palpable, today’s agenda included a meeting at our “neighborhood” Borders, 20-something miles away in Sand City, near Monterey. Unfortunately, while Salinas is John Steinbeck's boyhood home, we have only a mall-encrusted B. Dalton to serve as the town’s chief bookseller. (Our other literary refuge is the Steinbeck Center bookstore, of course.)

At Borders I met with buyer Gail Larson and showed her a copy of R66R. Happily, she loved the book and is placing an order for 10 copies. We checked out the “travel narrative” section, where she plans to display the books (showcasing the “local author” angle, of course). It’s an important breakthrough into the mainstream bookseller market, and hopefully the first of many major locations. In an act of divine providence, Laura was off work for Veterans’ Day, and got to share in the success (after all, she did write a mean neon sidebar).

If that wasn’t enough, today Tim Lincecum—our favorite flame-throwing pitcher for the Giants and the salvation of a tough 2008 season—won the Cy Young Award!

Finally, just when I thought the day couldn’t get better, TrekMovie and Entertainment Weekly debuted the first image of the redesigned U.S.S. Enterprise for next year’s Star Trek movie (coming to theaters May 2009). What. A. Beauty. Gotta catch the trailer this weekend with Bond.

Every once in a while life fires on all cylinders, and a perfect day needs to be savored because we don’t know when the next will arrive.

Today was one of those.

They're Here

I'm happy to say that Route 66 Railway has arrived.

Ten advance copies reached Los Angeles on October 2, and LARHF overnighted a copy to Lawrence Manor, arriving Oct. 4. The big shipment arrived at the Port of LA last weekend, not a moment too soon. This Friday, we'll drive down to the LARHF offices to make a major pick-up. On Sunday, we'll have the first signing party in Redlands, debuting the book to family, friends and members of the community. LARHF has updated their website and orders are now being taken at the online store, HERE.

It's hard to describe the feelings of the last few weeks . . . "surreal" is a commonly heard word these days. What matters most, of course, is that Tien Wah Press did a fantastic job. The books look beautiful, as good as I'd hoped. So far, our lone copy has racked up some serious "show-off" mileage!

For those who live in or near Central California, you're invited to a signing reception on Friday evening, November 7 at the National Steinbeck Center in Oldtown Salinas. I couldn't think of a better setting for a book with a chapter titled "The Ghost of Tom Joad." See http://www.66rails.com/ for details.

Oh, and to those who have read this at the 66rails blog . . . sorry for the double post, but it's big news! :-)

A sample page spread, from the opening of the New Mexico chapter.

Book Signings, Laura's Blog and Our Night with Omar

A sample from Route 66 Railway: The opening page spread for the history chapter, with images from Gordon Glattenberg (right) and Howard Ande (left).

THE BOOK: It's just come off the presses, and I should see a set of completed pages this Monday to approve. The dust jacket showed up last week and is dazzling. We're so close! Advance copies are to be shipped from Singapore on Sept. 25 (cross your fingers), and the bulk shipment is scheduled (cross them again) to arrive at LARHF in mid October. For more info, check out the book site at http://www.66rails.com/ and read the author's shameless blog.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: If you live near Central California or the Bay Area, the first big signing event will be at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas on Friday, November 7, from 5 to 8 p.m. It's part of the Oldtown Salinas First Fridays Art Walk, and the center will be open to tour.

Omar Vizquel, future Hall of Fame shortstop and art star.

LAURA's RX: My wife debuted her new blog, "Prescription for Fun," and the latest post is about a grand evening we had in San Francisco on September 4. Caldwell Snyder Gallery held a reception for Giants shortstop Omar Vizquel, and during the course of the evening, we met and took pictures with Omar, Rich Aurilia, Peter McGowan, Brian Sabean, and best of all, broadcaster Mike Krukow. Plus Laura and I were interviewed for a Giants pre-game show, which should run this coming week. Check out the photos at her new blog, HERE.

El hangs with broadcaster/former pitcher Mike Krukow at the reception.

THANKS, BUT NO THANKS: For those who recall the accident last December, Costco sent us a membership renewal. Uh, we'll pass.

Remembering September 11

Interfaith healing service, San Jose, 9/14/01

How many Americans stopped to watch the news this morning? How many went to work, spent the day in meetings, kept tabs on Wall Street . . . how many gave the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks a passing glance, then went back to life as usual? Of course the country can't grind to a halt, but why is there no real pause? People seem all too willing to push this terrible date out of our minds.

We were at a "back-to-school" event at Monte Vista Christian last night, where we made the rounds of all Kat's classrooms, following her daily schedule. (Of course the periods were a LOT shorter, but we still had to hurry between bells!) When we arrived at Mr. Gott's Social Studies classroom, rows of huge black and white September 11 photos were laid out on the long tables. As we sat, the image that faced me was of a lone man against one of the towers, falling to his death. He had a graceful pose . . . one leg straight, the other knee bent, almost like a dancer. I couldn't stop staring.

Mr. Gott asked us not to reveal what we saw to the kids. When they walked into class this morning, they were greeted by those images posted across the walls; black velvet draped the door and the areas not covered by photographs. It turns out Kat was transfixed by the same image that held my gaze last night. But all the images are powerful. They speak of a moment we never expected, and will never forget. Thankfully no major attacks have happened since (for that we should thank our government, politics aside). But we know it's a matter of time before it happens again.

Watching the news today, and reading anniversary stories in the LA Times and elsewhere, caused me to think back to when it all happened. I pulled out a few slides I'd shot on the day of the attacks, back when I worked for the San Jose Downtown Association. That morning, as Dan Rather's radio voice told us the World Trade Center was no more, I arrived at Gilroy and hopped on a northbound Caltrain. I should have driven home instead, but by the time sanity prevailed it was too late. During lunch we walked around downtown in a daze, and picked up an extra edition of the Mercury News (remember extras?). I don't remember taking the photo of the newspaper carrier, but I bought a paper.

Three days later, San Jose held a midday inter-faith service that brought people together in a way I'd never seen before. A row of patriotic ladies caught my eye (top), and I was able to snap a few pictures while trying not to be crass. The day's Mercury News also captured the feeling of the week (look, a newspaper selling for 35 cents!).

Today Kat, Laura and I talked about 9/11/01, and Kat told us what she recalled from seeing that day as a six-year old. We talked about the towers, the people that jumped, the Pentagon attack, and the sacrifice of the NYPD, NYFD and Flight 93. We did our best to keep the memories alive of the Americans who were lost seven years ago. I hope others did too. As I write this, we're watching a History Channel special that is flooding us with memories. Footage from 9/11 should be required viewing every year, so we never forget. We owe that much to those who lost everything.

Labor Day Steam in Niles Canyon

If you're a Southern Pacific steam fan, or just dig vintage trains, the Niles Canyon Railway near Fremont is running three days of steam excursions on Labor Day Weekend with 4-6-2 No. 2472, one of the classiest engines in California. Owned and operated by the Golden Gate RR Museum, this handsome Pacific is completely at home in Niles, where she and her sisters used to roam in Espee passenger days. Saturday, August 30 will see a photographer's special with matching Harimann passenger cars, a typical SP consist through the canyon during the 1920s, 30s and 40s.

I was lucky enough to ride the Memorial Day photo train on May 24 (above), and it was a blast. This short canyon is Disneyland for railfans: there are places where the views are unchanged from 100 years ago. An added bonus: the line runs over the original right-of-way of the first transcontinental route, dating back to pre-Central Pacific days . . . some bridge abutments and culverts were completed in 1866 by the first Western Pacific Railroad.

Trains are running Saturday, Sunday and Monday. 2472 will be under steam all three days, but is running on Saturday and Monday only. On Sunday, she'll be on display with a short train next to the Sunol depot while the regular Niles Canyon train operates. For more information or to buy tickets, click HERE.

Putting a (Dark) Smile on Our Faces

"Whatever doesn't kill you . . . simply makes you stranger."

Like the great white star of Jaws, a theme announces his arrival . . . a noisy, steadily ascending blare, not unlike an air raid siren or an airplane free-falling to earth. When he's on screen, he dominates The Dark Knight. Batman's greatest villian has truly come to life.

Hannibal Lector. Norman Bates. Colonel Kurtz. Darth Vader. The Joker has joined them in the pantheon of Hollywood's all-time greatest villians.

I'll admit when the name Heath Ledger first crossed the newswires as the latest actor to play the Clown Prince of Crime, I was seriously concerned. Who? That was summer 2006, and he was best known for Brokeback Mountain. Cruel "Jokeback Mountain" jokes ensued. But we Batman Begins fans kept the faith, buoyed by director Chris Nolan and star Christian Bale, who'd brought us back from the bat-nippled abyss of Batman and Robin.

Then the first teaser photos appeared, followed by snippets of dialogue, and finally the Dark Knight trailers in all their glory. The critics were silenced, and July 18, 2008 was circled on the calendar.

The Bat-pod: I gotta get me one of those (Warner Bros. pic)

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen . . . we are tonight's entertainment."

It's been nearly a week since Kat, Jack and I stood in line for our first-ever midnight movie. All I can say is The Dark Knight was worth three years of waiting, three hours in line, and three hours of sleep the next day. In a world where "amazing" and "spectacular" have lost some of their impact, this one deserves the accolades: it's more like a crime thriller and psychological drama than a superhero movie, examining the blurry line between good and evil and the price of heroism. Those of us who grew up with Batman finally have a movie that returns Bruce Wayne to his noir roots, and gets the Joker-Batman relationship right (nothing against Jack Nicholson's portrayal, which we still love, but this is the real deal). And oh yeah, it's a two-hour, 30-minute thrill ride.

The breathless news media want you to believe that Knight's box office records are the result of morbid curiosity for a young actor who left us too soon, but it couldn't be farther from the truth. Of course, Heath Ledger's death tinges the film with sadness (especially during his final scenes with Bale), but we've been waiting for this performance long before the bad news broke. Heath's Joker is a character for the ages . . . it's a tour de force of twisted fun. Plus he does a mean disappearing pen trick.

All that's left is to buy the soundtrack, a thrilling piece of work by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard (starting with the Joker's theme, with its single-note structure twisted and transformed like it was pressed through a Nine Inch Nails filter). Next we need a roadtrip to San Francisco and catch an IMAX show . . . six action scenes were filmed with the giant cameras, including a jaw-dropping chase scene that involves a SWAT truck, a semi, and Batman's Tumbler.

Mainly, I just need to see it again.

Jack who? (WB pic)

The Road to Portland

It's been a busy few weeks . . . round three of page proofing for the book is now done; Route 66 Railway has officially been put to bed! Final corrections were sent back Monday morning. This came on the heels of a week reviewing nearly 250+ final images and returning them to the printer with our comments (riveting examples include "slightly less magenta" and "jackrabbit should be grey"). Once I approve the redone proofs, we're on our way to a September release.

This post began Saturday evening. I'd planned to finish it up Sunday, but Tim Lincecum and the Giants finally gave us an exhilarating (and sorely needed) win. On Monday we saw The Police in concert and Tuesday night was consumed by a 15-inning All-Star Game (with the same sadly predictable outcome -- God, I hate the AL!). As I write this Wednesday evening, we're just 24 hours away from a midnight screening of The Dark Knight. Man, I have waited years for this! Heath Ledger's passing has made the event bittersweet, but I hope to set that aside for two-plus hours when the lights dim at 12:01 a.m.

So before any more time passes, here are some photos from our first vacation in some time: a train ride to Portland, Oregon in late June/early July. The Lawrence family traveled north from Salinas on Amtrak's Coast Starlight, and later flew back [insert 'tired arms' joke]. How fun to jump on a train less than 15 minutes from home, with no security lines . . . no pushy people . . . no need to slip off our shoes . . . and no coach seating. The added bonus: train no. 14 carried a 1956 ex-Santa Fe Hi-level lounge, recently refurbished by Amtrak and looking damn sharp with cushy seats, a nice lunch menu and afternoon wine tasting. Without further rambling:









California is burning, but man, that's some cool lighting along Elkhorn Slough.

Soaking up those Santa Fe vibes.

More wine, Midge? (*yes, it's an inside joke)

We were treated to a two-hour delay in the Cascade Mountains when a UP freight encountered problems. Yes, treated. Unlike flying, falling behind schedule on a train means more train time. And that's always cool. After waiting 40 minutes, our crew decided to back us to a clearing where smokers could be unloaded, not to mention two railfans who needed some Cascade air . . . below is Kat with a snowball on June 26.

More to come soon. Tomorrow, to quote the newest Clown Prince of Crime, it's time to "put a smile on that face."

There Goes the Neighborhood

California and the nation are sinking into a sea of foreclosures and auction signs, and Salinas is no exception. A casual drive around our neighborhood reveals dozens of "For Sale" signs, empty houses and dead lawns. It's starting to feel like a ghost town . . . our generation's version of places like Bodie and Ludlow.

When we moved to Salinas in July 2001, fairly-new homes were fetching up to $400,000; at the height of the boom, people were asking for more than $700K! So we rented. For years friends told us to buy now, before prices went completely out of reach. Boy, we're glad we waited. Laura once said that the only way we'd be able to buy would be by "capitalizing on someone else's misery." She was thinking more along the lines of a major earthquake, though, not the collapse of the entire housing market.

Our first real estate venture wasn't entirely successful -- we bought in San Bernardino at the height of the market in 1989, and within a year and a half our home lost 25 percent of its value. We perservered, and 10 years later we were happy to sell for $6,000 more than we originally paid. Perhaps the real estate fairy will smile on us this time. There's something to be said for patience.

The Atlantic, one of my favorite magazines, recently ran an article about America's next slums. They won't be in the inner cities, the writer said; they'll be in the suburbs. During the past decade, urban subdivisions sprawled across the Southwest with little thought to the future. Today, driving past clusters of auction signs, I'd say the future has arrived.

Back in Action

After the scary events of last December, and the "winter of our discontent" (see here) . . . it was an immensely happy moment to watch Laura cross the finish line in the Big Sur International Marathon on April 27. OK, she was actually part of a relay team, joining her fellow Monterey County planning managers, but it was still a great achievement. Her approximate time was just over an hour for the 4.2 mile segment.

Where's Laura? Crossing the finish line on Highway 1, of course! Another barrier broken.

Above, the relay team poses for a portrait in Carmel. From left: Jacqueline Onciano, Carl Holm, Mike Novo, and Laura. Below, mementos mark the occasion . . . if the timing works out, she'll be back next year.