So Tell Me About Fresno, Ca

[suzzer99]

Never been to those. Tempting though.

I'm not sure if Visalia always smells like driving past the stinkiest dirt cow pen ever. But it sure did when I was there.

Me: "Um does it always smell like that?"
Local: "Like what?"

I guess that's my answer.

[Dayze]

yeah, between the cow poo, and rotten tomatoes on the ground, it can smell a little 'off' at times. lol

[the Talking Can]

congrats, william

[WilliamTheIrish]

One more question for the Central Valley. In order to stay on top of things politically I noticed there is high speed rail construction ready to start soon.

Why is there HSR being built in the Central Valley? Is it to move agricultural commerce? Are there that many people to move from the valley to SF, LA, SAC ?

I've been reading up on it and can't quite understand the need for it in this area.

[gblowfish]

I've never been to Fresno, but I spent the night in Barstow once. It smelled like Godzilla took a dump on the entire town. Terrible, awful place.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Thought I'd give you an update.

Been here five months today. This is a different place. I have never worked in a state that was this 'employee friendly". If you (claim) you didn't get your morning/afternoon break, the employee can claim a break penalty. A break penalty consists of 1 hour of OT paid.

If you don't punch out for lunch prior to the 6th hour? You get a "Missed meal" penalty: One hour of OT. I have never seen so many candyasses who try to claim this shit. It's an epidemic. And the sneakier types will try to claim them two or three days after the fact.

I've met a lot of great people. People who really care about what they do and how well they do it. Conversely, I've also met the not so nice people.

I was at a WalMart on a Saturday. Rode my bicycle there to get groceries. I get off the bike and, right next to mine, is fairly nice Canondale bike worth about 600$. As I'm getting ready to chain mine up, this big Mexican dude walks up with bolt cutters and pops the thick wire lock like it was kite string. He then picks up the bike and walks away. On a Saturday in broad daylight with a billion people walking around.

I was kind of stunned, but I realized what was happening and I turned and said: "Hey, you're a good union criminal". He turned back to me and said "I'll be back to get that one", gesturing to my bike. I hopped on my bike and rode away. He was serious as hell and I wasn't taking any chances. Plus he was bigger than me.

It's great to get the freshest, best fruit and vegetables I've ever had in my life. Even in the dead of winter I can find a non greenhouse tomato. And they are so ****ing good I eat them like they were apples. I had an orange from a coworkers tree in late January that was literally the best orange I've ever had. It's like the Garden of Eden here.

Cycling has been great. The winter was pretty mild and I rode my bike to work (28 miles round trip) every day. I'm happy that the time has changed and I can ride without it getting dark during the last 4 miles.

I've been up to Yosemite and to the central coast. I'm taking a bus tour to SF. They charge like 35$ and they drop you off and let you wander around the city for 6 or 8 hours and then return to the valley. I figure this is the best way to get a lay of the area before I drive into SF for a weekend. Good idea? Bad idea? I'm open to opinions.

The culture is, obviously, a little different. I'm white in a city that is 60% hispanic and black. So it's kinda weird. I can go ,ost of the day and rarely see another caucasion. I've met some great people. Lots of great Mexicans. It's funny because it shows just how small town I am. People are people. Most of the folks here want what I want. A good life. A better life for their kids. So they get up every day and go to work like I do. Like all of us do. It's been a good experience in that regard.

Of course there is also a large thug element here. Lots of bad dudes. They ran a headline here several weeks ago in the Fresno Bee detailing "The 10 Greatest Car Thieves Of Fresno". (Not kidding). Had their pictures and everything in the paper. The top guy had been arrested but not given a jail sentence because they had no place to put a "nonviolent offender" in the Fresno City Jail. If you google it, it's a funny - yet sad - read.

I'm a cheapskate about travel so I take the bus a lot. Saves on gas money. City bus travel is an adventure. The meth monkeys are everywhere. And they are entertaining. There are some real whacked out meth addled MF'ers out here. I had a bus driver stop the bus I was on in order to throw two meth monkeys off the bus who kept fighting with each other. The bus driver stopped the bus and said:

"Get OFF MY BUS" NOW!!!!!

They looked at each other and kept yakking. (one of them forgot a camera or a cracker and they were really bitching at each other about it). This time he said:

GET OFF MY BUS RIGHT NOW. (pneumatic doors open) GET OUT, OR WE CALL THE COPS AND YOU DON"T RIDE ANY BUS AGAIN! EVER!

I guess the Fresno transit system doesn't screw around. You **** up on the bus and they have to toss you, you get banned for a year. If you've already been in trouble, it's a lifetime ban. And they keep pictures of the banned people in the terminal. It was awesome.

There are more adventures to come I'm sure.

[HoneyBadger]

It is quite an interesting town. I lived there 18 years. If you want some good steaks and meat, try the Meat Market, it is near River Park.

[Chief_For_Life58]

I was between fresno and berkeley when the drugs began to take hold

[DaKCMan AP]

I enjoyed The Mad Duck on St. Patty's day. Check that place out.

[Buck]

The only thing I liked about Fresno in my short stay there was their baseball stadium. If I lived in Fresno, it would be somewhere near that stadium and I'd go to every game.

One of the things I hated was the clear drug dealing right outside my hotel room the entire time I was there.

[In58men]

Lots of esè's in Fresno. Lots of gang related bs, known as Bulldogs or Sur 14 lmao. Just wear red and you'll be alright.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by Inmem58

Lots of esè's in Fresno. Lots of gang related bs, known as Bulldogs or Sur 14 lmao. Just wear red and you'll be alright.

Yeah, anything north of Bakersfield is Red. ITs also Norte 14 not Sur they are 13. lol Yes, im mexican and i know. I was previously involved in all that stuff.


Anyways, glad William is enjoying it. Its not as bad as people say. He just hasnt been around for the Summer. He's going to ****ing hate it. Fresno gets insanely hot. We get dry heat and humid heat. He will find out soon. lol

[okcchief]

My wife is from there. You definitely want to live in Clovis if you move there. Fresno itself is a shit hole. Lots of stuff to do a few hours away though.

[Jawshco]

Originally Posted by okcchief

My wife is from there. You definitely want to live in Clovis if you move there. Fresno itself is a shit hole. Lots of stuff to do a few hours away though.

True. I live near Old Town Clovis, and it's far nicer and quieter on this side of town. I love the farmers market, and just walking around down there and hanging out with the statue of Festus.

I don't think about going to the Walmart on Kings Canyon. That place is scary, not East LA scary, but scary.

You're right, if it weren't for my family -I could probably go days without seeing a Caucasian. It's cool though, I like Mexican, Hmong, Filipino, and African people around me. They're all good people.

The gangs suck! When I first moved to Fresno, I got a job teaching at a continuation School where most of the students were about the same age I was and being watched by Parole officers. I wore a red Chiefs Polo once and immediately regretted it. I was adopte d into the ESF Bulldogs and dubbed "KC Bulldog," which helped me get fired for something I didn't want to get involved in the first place. Oh, well... don't really like teaching anyway.

[2bikemike]

Hey William glad to hear your adjusting. I don't know if you are interested in a CCW Permit, but Sherriff Mims is very understanding of the need. She believes the more law abiding citizens who carry will kinda chase the riff raff away. And it sounds like there is a lot of riff raff up there.