Almost Mexico

Those of you who have been paying attention know that this will be my 3rd conference in San Diego in less than a year. And it isn't that I mind San Diego so much, but it would be nice to change things up a little. How about sending me back to San Francisco? Austin? Sheesh.

THINGS SAN DIEGO HAS GOING FOR IT:
•The airport is right downtown. More so than any other biggish city, access to the aiport here is outstanding. AND, the airport is small and fast. Getting off the plane and into a cab takes about 10 minutes.
•The Gaslamp District. Gaslamp is like Pioneer Square but clean. It isn't much on funky joints and unique dives, but there are a lot of great restaurants and nice bars to hang out in, even if the whole joint seems to be overrun by Trust Fund 20 somethings.
•Weather. The forecast here is always the same: 70 degrees and mostly sunny. I couldn't really live in that sort of climate, but as a visitor it makes it very, very easy to take.
•Trails. The entire downtown and Harbor Island waterfront is linked by a nice wide sidewalk system. Perfect for running.
•Boats. From my hotel balcony last night I watched as the local yacht club ran a series of match races. You can see the action from right on shore and can hear the crews swearing at each other. It does make me wonder what people would think if they could hear Krumm's tirades onboard the Lion...

THINGS ABOUT SAN DIEGO THAT SUCK:
•Cost. This place is terribly overpriced in all senses of the word. Hotel rooms are outrageous ($350 a night for the Marriott? Really?), meals are pricey, and if god forbid you decided to live here, housing is completely out of reach.
•Sports. San Diego Padres fans are a pain in the ass. Especially after their team loses a home playoff game to the Cardinals.
•The War Machine. The views toward the ocean here are totally blighted by the massive military presence in the bay. Destroyers take up the waterway, helicopters rumble around burning fuel for no reason, and jets shake the damn foundations all the time.
•Those Who Work for the War Machine. I'm all for the "support our troops" thing, especially if that means recognizing that they are doing a job they probably don't want to be doing and acknowledging that they are underpaid and mistreated. But the attitude these "sailors" carry with them through the streets of San Diego is just plain maddening. For example, why do you dudes have to walk 5 abreast down a crowded sidewalk? Oh yeah, to make people get out of your way.

I did a nice easy 4 yesterday (8:54 pace). Today is a 10, which is the longest I've done since mid-summer.

More later. Four more days here before I get to head back home. Home! No longer homeless! More on that later...