Steve's Thunder Travelogue: Extended Stay In San Francisco

 I flew into San Francisco last Wednesday (late afternoon) and the view was incredible. I had a window seat on the left side of the plane and once we hit California, we tracked north right up the coast. We flew past the San Francisco airport and circled back around, so the view got even better; the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, plenty to see down there.

Upon arrival at the airport, I searched for a free cart for my luggage. I usually have more than enough time since the wait for luggage to come out can be slow. I do not travel lightly, so from time to time, I need a cart for my luggage. I would say 4 out of 10 times I am able to find a free-be nearby. Bingo! Found one, and saved the company $8 dollars. 

I stayed 5 nights in San Francisco. The first two nights were at Fisherman’s Wharf to avoid the APEC Summit that was taking place downtown. Lucky me, the sea lions were spending time together at the Pier, a sight worth seeing. They’re called “Sea-lebrities”, very fitting because they do draw a crowd. They can get loud, and the smell isn’t the best, but a must-see.

The extra time in San Franciso allowed me to walk up Lombard Street for a couple of blocks. I was walking to Planet Fitness; my workout was done by the time I got there. The views at the top of Lombard Street are priceless. If you have to live in downtown San Francisco and can afford it, being on or near Lombard Street may be too good to pass up.

On the day of the game (Thursday), I moved closer to the Chase Center and ended up staying right in the thick of the APEC Summit. Drop-off and pick-up were about 2 blocks at least from my hotel. Security was super tight with President Joe Biden nearby and all the world-wide dignitaries. The President of South Korea stayed at my hotel, so I think the Secret Service outweighed travelers like me. The streets were blocked off and 10-foot fences were put up.

Oklahoma City won twice at Golden State, two amazing wins, so now it’s off to Portland.

The trip north was a quick one on Sunday morning. I’ll bet I was in Portland for maybe 18 hours.

Not much free time in Portland, but I did manage to grab lunch at MOD Pizza on Sunday afternoon, probably my favorite stop in Portland.

I also stayed at the Hilton downtown; the last time I stayed there I was in 8th grade. I spent 5 nights there with my parents while they were at a convention, so I took a trip down memory lane. Back in 8th grade to help pass the time away, I walked several blocks to watch the Portland Beavers (AAA) play baseball at least 4 times now that baseball stadium is home to professional soccer in Portland.

Great road trip for the Thunder, winning all three games. They’re back home (finally) to play Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night at Paycom Center.