Health & Fitness
No. 20 at Route 66
It was a great morning at the Rendezvous, and not because of the cars. Because a little hockey made its way into San Bernardino.
It was a big morning for me and my family.
After four-plus years, we were finally able to get my son to meet the man who helped inspire his name: NHL Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille.
Of course, this was a bigger deal for momma and papa. Our boy much rather would have been riding the rides and playing on the inflatable slides than standing in a line.
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Robitaille, the legendary Kings left wing and now the team's president of business operations, was one of two sports celebrities signing autographs and meeting fans Saturday morning at the Route 66 Rendezvous in downtown San Bernardino. The other was Tanner Foust -- a three-time X Games gold medalist and a two-time Formula Drift champion -- a perfect person to have out for the car enthusiasts who made their way out early in the day.
But for all the talk of this area not being a hockey hot bed, all you had to do was look at the amount of people waiting in each of the lines. Robitaille's easily reached the planned 200 person cut off (a few more were able to get in), but there was still plenty of room and time for us to get back in line for Roust at the end.
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Fans were there with every era of Kings jersey, pucks, sticks, bobbleheads, hats and pictures for Robitaille to sign. Most everyone in Foust's line was getting the poster he brought along.
Part of the problem may have been promotion. The actual promotion of the celebrities was a small spot on the Rendezvous' website.
Not that we minded. By the time we got there, we were at about the halfway point in the line. Took us a little under an hour to get to the front and get our items signed and pictures taken. There was no rush, no problems and everyone was happy to have the time to a man who's as much the face of hockey in Southern California as Wayne Gretzky.
And it was a good morning to be out at the Rendezvous. The morning clouds hadn't quite burned off yet, so it wasn't oppressively hot (as it can be at this time of year). It was just a perfect day.
So, now off to other pursuits and other stories. But this one will be a good one to remember for a long time. Or, until the Kings win the Stanley Cup.
