WHAT A F%&#ED UP WEEK!!!

Greetings again!
So I knew there would end up being complications on this epic journey, and this week was filled with them.
I left Tucson on Thursday, headed for Madison, WI for the StarCityGames Open event there. I had been wavering on whether to go to Madison or not, being that I would be coming back down to Texas the following weekend for PTQ in San Antonio, and I was originally going just to play in the event. I received an email on Thursday morning stating that there was staff availability for Madison, so I looked at the bus schedule, saw that I could make it for staffing Sunday, and emailed back stating that I would do my best to get there by Saturday night to work the event on Sunday. I guess the Magic Gods had other ideas, because this journey took a vicious turn for the worst as I started my trip to Madison.
I jump the bus on Thursday night leaving Tucson headed towards Dallas for a transfer, no problems at all...until I had a change in El Paso.
New bus, new driver, new attitudes. I re board, look around, and realize I am the only "melanin-challenged" individual on the bus. not too big of a deal, put my headphones in, and ignore everyone...seems good.
We stop at a truck stop for a break, I go in and order my snack, then head outside for a smoke. I re-enter, and catch some serious attitude from the bus driver. He snaps at me to "hurry the fuck up" and that "we don't have all day". I calmly respond that I have already ordered, and am simply waiting for my order number to be called. He huffs at me storms off toward the bus. My order finally comes, and I have to sprint to the bus, fully expecting this guy to leave without me. I make it to the door, and he says "its about time" I say sorry, even though I had not done anything wrong. Under his breath he says "pinche wedo" which due to my years of bouncing, I know means "f#$%ing white boy! I smile and say, "lo siento por las molestias" sorry for the inconvenience. He doesn't say anything or look at me for the rest of the trip to Abilene. LOL
My new driver in Abilene is amazing, no problems whatsoever, but we arrive 45 minutes late due to some vicious traffic coming through DAFW because of the Rangers game that night. I miss my connecting bus to Madison by 10 minutes...10 F$%&ING MINUTES!?!?! just my luck. I go to the counter and ask when the next one is, and the guy says it would be 8:30 am (it is 7:45 pm) GREAT. I ask when that one arrives in Madison, and he says 10:30 am Mothers Day. GREAT. I have to be in Madison at 8am for the tournament, so now it is pointless. I email the judge organizer for Madison, and apologize for not being able to make it, and he says it is fine...I didn't think it was going to be a problem since I wasn't originally scheduled to be there.
So now what do I do? I quite literally don't have anything to do or anywhere to be until the following Friday. I call up my buddy Combs who lives in Dallas, and he shows me a couple places go while in Dallas, so we depart.
He tells me of an awesome pizza place, Zini's Pizzeria, and I love pizza so I agree to check this place out.

ZINI'S PIZZERIA3611-A GREENVILLE AVE.
DALLAS, TX 75206
(214) 821-PIZZA
www.zinispizza.com
HOURS:
SUN-THUR 11am-2am
FRI & SAT 11am-3am

As I step in, the smell attacks my senses, ah the smells of a great pizzeria. I see a "BEST OF CITYSEARCH" sign right at the front counter...always a good sign. My buddy Combs says that this is the best pizza in Dallas, and me being the fatbody that I am, I love to eat the best.

BRETT...EPIC BEARD!!!

We are greeted by Brett, who is very friendly, not just with Combs and I, but with everyone who came in during our visit. He asks what we will have, and I say, what do you recommend? They have recommendations on the menu, but he says that the owner picks those, he would suggest the GARLIC CHEEZI BREAD and the CHICKEN ALFREDO PIZZA. That sounds amazing, so I order a large pie, the bread, and 2 Mexican COCA COLAS (I absolutely love places that serve Mexican soda, such a great flavor!!!)



　

GARLIC CHEEZI BREAD

Our CHEEZI BREAD arrives, I ask for a side of marinara, I gotta try the marinara, and since my pie is Alfredo, this is a good way to test it. Combs orders a side of Alfredo, it will be nice to try this sauce away from the pizza.

There is a TON of cheese on this bread, which I love, but the garlic spread is butter and garlic granules, kinda wish it was fresh garlic. It was tasty, I think they have a secret ingredient in the CHEEZI BREAD, maybe an additional cheese, goat cheese or bleu cheese, unsure, it had a pungent aftertone, not unpleasant, just unexpected.

The marinara is quite nice, almost a salsa fresca, with big chunks of tomato and basil, with a slight kick at the end. The Alfredo tastes home-made, unsure if it is or not, but very thick and creamy.

CHICKEN ALFREDO PIZZA

Our pizza comes next, and it is really, really, HOT!! Just out of the oven, we have to let it cool a bit before we can dig in. There is a ton of sauce on it, a little hard to manage, but the minced roasted chicken is delicious. I do however wish that there was more on the pizza, there was great coverage, put more chicken would simply put it over the top as one of the best white-sauce pizzas I have had.

Good, but not AMAZING.
　

All in all this was a great pizza stop, the dining room was clean and in order, pretty good pizza, intriguing cheese bread, Mexican soda (YAY!!) and a very nice personable staff, I will come here again when I come back to Dallas.


I then checked out a couple other spots, nothing of significance, and head back to the bus terminal to see when the next bus is leaving. I decide to go visit my family in Tucumcari, NM, its close, and I literally have nowhere to be for a week. I reserve a seat on the next bus leaving, the 4:30 am bus, and head to a hotel to catch some mimis.
I check out of the hotel around 4am, and head back to the terminal, only to find out THEY SOLD MY DAMN SEAT!!! WTF!!!! I throw a mini tantrum, and the manager says she will try to get me on the next bus out of here. I was going to wait, but say screw it and head back to the hotel, I will catch a bus leaving in the morning.
When I get back to the hotel, however, the attendant says that I cannot check back in....F$%& MY LIFE!!! So I head back to the terminal, and the manager has good news...FINALLY!! so I catch a bus to Oklahoma City at 6:10 am, and then will transfer to a bus to Amarillo, then to Tucumcari.
I finally found my ability to sleep on the bus, and crashed out all the way to Oklahoma City. Now this bus is 2 hours late...GREAT. It's not that big of a deal to me, but everyone else is PISSED!
It finally gets to Oklahoma City, and we board. The driver announces that there is a problem with the bus, it cannot go over 63mph, and we will be changing buses in Amarillo. Another freaking delay. So after a 2 hour delay in Amarillo, I finally board and head towards Tucumcari, it will be good to visit my family and chill for a couple days.
So here I am in Tucumcari, hanging out with my family, cooking some food, you forget on these trips how amazing a home-cooked meal and family hospitality is, I awoke to my brother's wife asking if I wanted a breakfast burrito, she got it from my brother's work, and thought she ordered it the way she remembered I liked it..HOW SWEET!!!
So I am gonna chill here for a couple days, and then head to Austin, to meet up with Peter Golightly, the L2 that will be joining me on the adventure. We are on staff for the PTQ in San Antonio this Saturday, and I will post about the times to be had this weekend.
Now that I got the bad trip out of the way, hopefully the rest of the adventure will have minimal problems....I hope.
Until next time,
Michael