We waited in an eager throng until one of the party organizers announced, "This is the train we are taking! All aboard!" We filled up car after car. The train ride was fun. The band played - not too loudly, as some people on the train were just commuting - and we stood and bopped, swayed, or just hung on. When one of the non-carnival passengers wanted to get off, people made an aisle and shouted, "Let her off... coming through!" And in this way I think we managed to avoid pissing off too many travelers.

As we entered one station in Brooklyn, I happened to look out at the platform to see my friend S. peering into the car muttering, "What the hell?"

"S! Get in the train! Don't ask any questions, just get in!" And she got in. The crowd cheered and patted her on the back, and she got (benignly) kidnapped by the party.

We left the train in Brooklyn, and walked to Red Hook Park. We had a police escort the whole way, but the police officers and organizers talked reasonably and there weren't any problems. The police did re-route us on our way to the park, but we got there.