Holi Spring Festival - with Walk & Breakfast

OK. I am totally charged up about going to the Stanford Holi Celebration with all of our beloved Hikalite friends. Holi is the triumph of spring, good over evil ... and lots of painting your friends with colors. And water. And music. And food.

And because we're a hiking group, how about we meet early for a picnic breakfast (say 9am) and then walk over to where the festivities begin. Because it's springtime, we should all enjoy breakfast food that is round. As an example:
* Bagels are round.
* Cream cheese comes in round tubs.
* A thermos of (decaf) lattes or hot chai is round.
* Samosas, unfortunately, are triangular (NG).

STARTING PLACE AND PICNIC DETAILS:
We will meet at the Stanford Oval -- at the center near the big "S" (see map). At the Oval, you'll see a lot of parking spots with "Permit A" signs. These Permit A spots are not enforced on the weekend so you can park there for free. We can have our breakfast-picnic here too. For a hike, we can always head on over to Lake Lagunitas and then walk over to Sand Hill Fields when the Holi celebration starts.

DIRECTIONS:
Going North Interstate 280 from Santa Clara, Exit Page Mill Road. Turn right on Page Mill. Turn left on Junipero Serra Blvd. Turn Right on Campus Drive West (you'll first pass Campus Drive East). You'll pass the University Medical Center on your left. Continue on Campus Drive West. Turn Right on Roth Way. Turn Right on Palm Drive.

Going North 101 from San Jose, take exit 402 for Embarcadero Road. Follow signs for Embarcadero Rd W (Stanford University) and merge into Embarcadero Road. Continue on Galvez Street. Turn right at Arboretum Rd. Turn left at Palm Drive

MAP HAS BEEN UPLOADED TO THE FILES SECTION: 8:50PM, 04/03/08 - Map updated -- with possible hike route to Holi Site (page 2 of pdf file).

The Message Board thread is up and active with lots of great recommendations from our Holi veterans. Important topics you'll want to know include how to help wash these colors out before your next regularly scheduled work appearance.

If you're planning to enjoy Holi with all of us, here are a few helpful hints:

• You will get wet. Bring a change of clothes ... and maybe some big trash bags for waterproofing your car.
  
• Holi is a colorful festival. Plan on wearing clothes that can happily accommodate some new colors.
  
• This will be a lotta, lotta fun. Entrance to the festival is $15. Buy tickets directly from Asha here.
  
• I am told there is lots of music, so practice all your fancy outdoor dance moves.