gillinator.com	Part I	Part II	Part III	Part IV	Part V
Ah, it's good to be home! Well, it’s been four long years since I last came to this weekend-long spectacle of fitness, bodybuilding, and Arnold that takes place in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio. That was back in 2003, the year T3 heralded Arnold’s comeback to kick-ass action movies, or rather his last hurrah in them before deciding later that year to run for governor, which he then had to go and win, being the unstoppable Austrian Oak he is and all. I had considered going back sooner, but kept holding out until he got this governating thing out of his system and started making King Conan or True Lies 2. Then last November, he went and got re-elected even though Republicans everywhere were getting clobbered. I was feeling deep Arnold encounter withdraw, so I decided I must go back this year, so he knows the Gillinator is still a fan!				The Columbus Dispatch always has a creative cover. That's where my He-Man toy went!
Whenever I mentioned to someone that I was going so I could see Arnold, I got lots of surprised responses like, “You mean he still actually shows up there?” Come on, people, this is Arnold we’re talking about here! He has been present all 19 years of the Classic’s existence, and that’s not going to change just because of small things like governing a state. After all, he’s done it while shooting movies, which can be just as demanding a schedule, I’d imagine. Now he has cut back on some aspects of the weekend, like not doing the VIP photo op anymore, but that’s understandable since it would take up several hours of his time during the weekend when he couldn’t talk to people and see more events, or maybe just RELAX for a bit! However, it was mainly because of this change that I decided it was no longer worth it for me to get the $350 VIP package. The photo with Arnold was one of the two exclusive things to VIP ticket holders, the other being the VIP dinner/dance party following the finals on Saturday, and while Arnold does show up, eat, and make a quick speech, he’s roped off in a V-VIP section for most of it, the food is not that good, and after he leaves there’s no point in staying. So this year, I stuck to the essential tickets for a fan like me, who is coming there pretty much just to see Arnold: Expo tickets for each day, one for the Bodybuilding Finals Saturday night, and the most important one, for the Fitness Seminar on Sunday morning! In the past I’ve met up with Randy and Rene from TheArnoldFans.com, my brother, or other local friends, but this time it was just one solo Gillinator on a mission to see his idol Arnold, and just maybe get a chance to shake his hand or talk to him again.
This would be the opposite of what I drove. Big Yellow here says "I eat Chrysler Town and Countrys for breakfast!"		I fly in on Friday night, too late to do the Expo or anything, but I get to go see my brother Corey playing with 2 bands at a Columbus bar. He’s the drummer for both Josh Krajcik Band and Gran Bel Fisher, both are excellent up-and-coming rock bands made up of local Ohio boys that you will definitely be hearing about in the future. Sure I’m biased, but trust me, they’re good. Anyway, I am out pretty late grooving to tunes and having a few Jack & Cokes, but still wake up refreshed and ready for some Arnold action on Saturday! I suit up with a Governator t-shirt, shades, leather jacket, and both still and video cameras ready to roll. I realize I didn’t bring the camera charger with me (noooo!), but luckily the battery is pretty full and will hopefully make it through the weekend with judicious use. My ride of choice is the decidedly un-manly-or-bad-to-the-bone Chrysler minivan (more like bad-to-the-spleen), but for the cyborg on a budget, my parents’ old car does just fine.
Now that the Classic has blown up with so many events and booths, it has spread out to several venues around Columbus, but they do still provide excellent free shuttle service, so it actually works out great for parking. I am showing up on the busiest day for the expo at the convention center, but instead of fighting for expensive parking there, I pull into Vets Memorial where the finals would be that night, easily find a spot and hop a shuttle to the expo—no problemo! It’s always a rush just to see the sight of hordes of people pouring into the convention center halls, especially since many of them are guys and girls with necks the size of my torso! Man, I even did some pumping iron these past few weeks to get in the spirit, but any meat I gained was less than these guys eat in one burger! Anyway, being a twig does have its advantages here, namely, being able to nimbly slip through and around crowds as they press towards a spot where Arnold or someone else shows up. So I get my ticket and armband for the expo and enter the massive expo hall.				There's the banner waving proudly, beckoning me.
VIctor Martinez gets some attention, but not as much as Arnold would! See you at da pahty Victah!		All at once, it is both familiar yet brand new being there again. The oversized plastic bags, the bright lights, the flashy booths with very athletic, muscular, (I don't know about sleazy and demure) super-tan women handing out flyers for the latest supplement or training doo-dad, the crazy power-lifting events happening on the stage—yes, I am definitely back at Da Classic. I do a quick once-over lap around the hall just to see if Arnold was around, but alas no, none of the signs were present. Here’s what you look for to find Arnold: flashing cameras concentrated in one direction, security guards pushing people back or standing expectantly at one of the back doors, people pointing and saying “he just came through over there,” and of course, the mindless surge of people pressing in one direction to get close to him. Unfortunately, I see none of these things other than a small surge toward one of the bodybuilders posing at a booth, who I didn’t recognize (turns out it's Victor Martinez, who will win 1st place). From asking around some of the booths, I find out that Arnold had walked through about an hour before I arrived. Sonuvabitch. I walk the hall some more, slowing down and checking out the booths. In Part II of this journey, I’ll give you detailed files on the coolest booths from an Arnold fan’s perspective! >>>>
gillinator.com	Part I	Part II	Part III	Part IV	Part V