Posted by: wifiguy on 05/26/2004 21:02:25

After a scenic drive up Highway 101, around the Olympic National Forest and up to Port Angeles, I steered my craft toward Seattle. Around 11 p.m., I saw signs that asked me to make a few decisions on which route for which ferryboat. I was tired and guessed, and got lucky. So, around 11:30 I caught the last ferry from Kingston, Wash., to Edmonds, just north of Seattle.

A ferry ride has been on my to-do list since I planned this trip, especially the Wi-Fi perspective. There have been a lot of press stories about Wi-Fi for the commuters who cross the water. But, this particular boat did not have Wi-Fi. The crew told me it was on the way soon. Not to worry! Here in the land of T-Mobile, I pulled out my Sierra Wireless AirCard and powered up the laptop on the top level of the ship. It was just me and the stars and my HP laptop. (Editor’s note: this blog has been posted out of sequence and the content predates the computer crash.

So as the boat splashed through the calm waves, and a cool breeze swept by, I was able to e-mail. Isn’t technology wonderful? It seemed appropriate to send a really cool e-mail, so I attached a photo from San Francisco’s NextFest, featuring a high-tech Mona Lisa. Off she went.

The next day, I traveled again by land, found a parking spot near Third & Virginia. No lie … about 5 steps through the parking lot, what did I see, but a used hypodermic. “Oh how perfectly grunge-like, I thought.” I beat the urge to take an edgy tourist photo of the syringe and moved on. Some of the locals told me there is quite a needle exchange program.

Now, for the record, let me say immediately that I love the city. I only report the needle thing because it happened … no reflection on the city. It is what it is.

But, on a similar point, nearby is the famous Space Needle and ironically it is also the vicinity of another popular needle. Back in the Vegas blog I mentioned some people I met at the Safe Piercing Convention. Their tattoo and piercing shop — Slave To The Needle — is near the Space Needle. I thought it was a clever name before I realized the proximity pun.

(When I first read about the Safe Piercing convention, a few months back … it just stuck with me. I think that probably inspired the ongoing rating system of the Wi-Fi Guy tour … the body piercings … on a 1 to 7 scale …)

By this time … I needed a fix. Coffee that is. There was no choice. I walked over to Pike Place Market to see Starbucks #001. But, just outside the place … how perfect! … was a skiffle band playing “Lord I was born a rambling man.” (Allman Brothers, of course …) That pretty much summed up my last 5,000 miles.

The store still has the original Starbucks logo with the mermaid and everything. And the Wi-Fi signal is strong. But, there are no seats. But, here is a good example of customer service. One of the barristas cleared a place on a cabinet top, and allowed me to plug in and log on. Pretty cool, for a Wi-Fi-slinging, coffee-sippin traveling nerd.

A few blocks away was Safeco Field and the Seattle Seahawks stadium. I didn’t have the opportunity to tour, so this is conjecture on my part … but it appears the two share one roof. I’m sure the sports nuts of the world know the details. I have only a vague knowledge of Seattle sports — Griffey, Largent and Buhner … over the years. But, I am guessing the one roof can move on some type of gigantic track, and cover whichever sporting event is in season. That is, in the unlikely event that it rains in Seattle … wink, wink. Very cool engineering. Efficient too!

One of my favorite places in Seattle didn’t have Wi-Fi, but I have to give it 5 body piercings on a scale of 7. Anyone who names there restaurant after a hideous monster is okay in my books. So, I went back to The Cyclops Cafe on two evenings. Good food, friendly service. Lots of funky art, ranging from Elvis shrines to lava lamps and buddhas … With a rusty iron, abstract, full-scale skeleton. Over in the corner is a huge mosaic portrait of Malcolm X. I didn’t get close enough to touch, but the locals tell me it is made of those square plastic things, used to seal the wrapper on a loaf of bread. Now that’s my kinda recycling!

Having already walked on the hallowed Starbucks ground (coffee pun) I headed to another shop, seeking signal. I pulled out the PCTEL sniffer and located a strong signal from a coffee shop called Zeitgeist. Very cool. The cafe is huge and decorated with old ornate metal, huge raw wooden beams, and funky second-hand furniture. The signal was free and the coffee plentiful. In all honesty, the counter folk were not quite as friendly as some … so I give ZG 5 body piercings on a scaled of 7.

Outside Zeitgeist, I tried to barter with a street vendor. He was pushing leather bound and Vegan books. Isn’t there a conflict there? The books were filled with poetry and other written musings … and then there were also empty journals. (Hmm … books with nothing in them, finally, I have found someone whose content is less interesting than mine … wink.) www.differentfish.com

Earlier, I blogged from a great shop — Tully’s — lamenting their impeding loss of Wi-Fi, with the impending demise of Cometa. While I blogged, hours on end at Tully’s, I met two of my favorite people from the trip. Shondee and Tracy were having a latte before they headed out house shopping. Great ambassador’s for the city. In fact, we exchanged numbers and met up later at Cyclops. Interesting conversation — Wi-Fi, music, politics, religions. Shondee is from the Four Corners area of the Southwest, born in the homelands of the Navajo nation. Tracy is from Hawaii. They seem to love the city they have chosen. I feel lucky to have met them and I must point out … it is that coffee shop-Wi-Fi thing again. We struck up a polite conversation, eventually were talking laptops and hotspots and the discussion grew from there. Very cool.

Earlier, on the road to Seattle, I receive an introductory e-mail from Konrad Roeder … another new friend in Seattle. Actually, he works across the bridge in Bellevue for T-Mobile. He is not an official spokesman, but a knowledgeable Wi-Fi guru all the same. He played a role in the huge cloud at San Francisco International Airport (see San Francisco blog). In addition, Konrad has a book on Wi-Fi, on a major press, distributed nationally. (I love my job!) This was interesting … we had lunch at a funky little Thai place. There were T-Mobile ID badges at every table. I think we looked like the nerdiest of the nerds, as we both pulled out PCTEL Wi-Fi seekers. The restaurant didn’t have Wi-Fi, but there was plenty around. For whatever reason, there are two … count ’em two Starbucks in the same shopping center. I think that is a new Wi-Fi guy Starbucks with Wi-Fi per capita record. Strategically centered between the two coffee shops is the flagship T-Mobile retail store. If it is T-Mobile, you can find it there … “excepting” Ms. Zeta-Jones. (Editor’s note: Konrad agreed to an interview, regarding his book and his thoughts on Wi-Fi, prior to the HP meltdown … more on that later …)

The Bellevue area was new, clean, maybe too clean but still cool. Best of all … easy to park! I gave it 4 body piercings out of 7.

The view of the water around Mercer Island is “beautiful” … I need another word … going to wear it out in Seattle. It is so green! Speaking of green … they tell me Bill Gates lives a few miles away.

It is absolutely un-American to go to Seattle and miss seeing live music. No one is more disappointed than I. …Just ran out of time. Once again, there were major acts coming to town, right after my trip … including Primus. Bummed, I am.

There is a deal in Pioneer Square which allows you to see several bans in several bars for one cover charge.

I did a morning interview with John Cook of The Seattle Post Intelligencer. Great guy. He has a lot of questions and turned me on to some leads, too. Did the PI have Wi-Fi? No, surprisingly. But, I guess I can understand that the huge infrastructure/investment for a newspaper’s computer system probably doesn’t allow change over night. There was, however, a weak signal seeping through the building from one of the neighbors.

Next stop — Fremont. I think Mira, from Cyclops (a very cool New Mexican transplant to Seattle) first told me about Fremont. It is near the Queen Anne area, and is what I call Seattle’s little Haight. There seems to be an abundance of cool, artsy attitude … a peace sign here and there … and a huge troll sculpture, tucked away under an overpass bridge.

The Sunday Fremont Market (I think that is the name referring to the area) has quite a competitive thing going. Lots of coffee shops. My favorites: Fremont Coffee and Caffé Ladro, (voted “Best Coffeehouse” by Seattle Weekly readers.) The two are almost directly across the street from each other. The difference? One has an economical Wi-Fi provider, Telerama Wireless — as low as $4.95 per day, and even a student rate — http://www.caffeladro.com. The price at Fremont coffee is an “economical free.” A local aficionado tells me the coffee is better at one. I couldn’t distinguish, but that is coming from a guy who thinks all Mexican food tastes exactly the same.

At Ladro, I met a former staff attorney for Microsoft. I hope to post that interview in the near future, as well. Have I said it is amazing who you can run into at a hotspot?

Elsewhere in Seattle, it seemed I was always suspect. One afternoon I simply walked into a huge train station, looking for a restroom. Apparently, the station has been retired and now hosts special events. How was I supposed to know, I asked the policeman who quickly ushered me out of the empty banquet facility? Oops, my bad!

Oh, I was asked to leave the new Seattle library as well. Apparently, the grand opening festivities were over. I walked in through an open door, which the staff was using. They too, escorted me out. I went peacefully. I wasn’t looking for trouble, just looking for Wi-Fi. I didn’t detect the signal … hmmm? It is an awesome new structure.

Last, but not least, the Space Needle, remnant of The World’s Fair (if memory serves) and the Pacific Science Center. The PSC could be described as a cool tourist shop, mixed with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Memorabilia celebrating the guitarist is everywhere. The center also has what was at one time the world’s largest video screen. There is also is a computer lab, free of charge, but no Wi-Fi!?! And of course, there is the monorail above … and the acclaimed, amphibious tour bus “ducks” across the street.

Earlier in a blog, I mentioned that I would love to have all the cover versions ever recorded of “Summertime.” Next on the list would be Hendrix’s “Little Wing.” A few years back, I was at a street festival and it was raining, so no one showed up. One of the local bands, Killbilly, was playing its collective hearts out … to an empty street in the rain. They were doing all of the edgy/punk/bluegrass stuff they were known for … then all of the sudden they broke into a very wild, hard edged version of “Little Wing.” It was just such a cool moment — illustrating that the band could play anything they wanted, but for whatever reason, chose bluegrass — way before “Brother Where Art Thou-mania.” Man I miss that Killbilly bunch! I wonder if the producers of “Kill Bill” ever heard of the band name.

To be continued …