Perhaps the greatest part of the Y2KRTE has been all the neat people we've encountered, especially the ones we've had an opportunity to spend some time with and really get to know. Most of these people we were at least acquainted with, but in some cases, such as Texas, we had no idea what to expect.
When I told my uncle Al that we'd be going through the Dallas area, he immediately suggested we stay with his friend, John Ezell. We were told he was a good friend, an attorney, had a huge house all to himself, and after a call from my uncle, he was expecting us. We pulled up on day 18 to a driveway full of cars. As soon as a familiar name was mentioned, his house full of family and friends welcomed us in as if we had known each other for years. The enforcers were especially accommodating. Southern hospitality certainly begins in Texas.
We spent the night and half of the next day with John. We wanted to stay longer but duty called and DotComGuy (DCG) was anxiously awaiting our arrival. Located in an undisclosed Dallas location, the DotCompound has been the home of DCG for the past seven months. On January 1st at twelve noon he walked into the house with nothing but a laptop and the clothes on his back to demonstrate the power of the Internet. He will not leave the house until January 1, 2001, 366 days later.
We arrived at the DotCompound not really knowing what to expect. It is a pretty normal looking duplex in a typical residential neighborhood. The lovely Alissa (who, to our dismay, we did not get to meet) instructed us that we would need to visit the production facility adjacent to the Compound in order to get wired. Everything that goes on in the DotCompound is broadcast live on the Internet, our visit was no exception. So with microphones on our lapels, we knocked on DCG's door. The Internet has certainly done him well. The DotCompound is just what you would expect from a twenty-something's bachelor pad--except for all the cameras (although I can think of a few single twenty-something's that would kill for such a setup). From furniture to DotComDog, I'd have to say DCG is set. It was a pleasure to visit with him and the chat room guests that track his every move online. It might not be as captivating as the O.J. trial, but if you get a chance, see what DCG is up to. He's certainly more hospitable than Judge Ito.
After our visit to the Compound, we hit the road for Round Rock, TX and met Chris' friend Lauren at DoubleDave's, a local pizza joint and high school hangout. They were about to close so we had to eat in the parking lot. Lauren is one of the many young ladies whose acquaintance Chris has made over the years via the Internet, which I suppose is appropriate for our trip. However, since Lauren is so young, our entertainment options were somewhat limited and we ended up at the local bowling alley (which was also closing soon--not exactly a hoppin' nightlife in Round Rock).
