I thought I would post the link to the sign up sheet for the Cincinnati Meet on a separate thread and hope more people sign up to come.

Come on Folks, support Laura's efforts and get signed up for that meet!

For those of you who are going, the tee-shirts are being done here in Amersfoort by the same company that did the tee shirts for the Amersfoort meet.

Do you happen to have a pic of what they are going to look like?

Encourage signups by sending copies of 3.0 to people who sign up

Ok, to encourage sign ups I will give you a list of some of the prizes and some possible prizes, I will mention later who donated what.

We have, a 80GB Travelstar drive, a black 303 fascia with black knob, Penguin mints (lots of them), greeting cards designed by Toby and for some possibilities, PCATS tuner, black sled and maybe, just maybe, an illuminated Mark2 . How is that for a list of prizes. I'll see what can be done about trophies also plus we will have tshirts this year.

I'm still working on the agenda for the meet but it will be similar to last year. Friday night will be pizzas and brownies. Saturday I hope will be spent at Brookville beach where we can have a picnic lunch and have the contest in the parking area there since it was pretty deserted last year, maybe boat rides again. Cookout on Saturday night and maybe a bonfire. Sunday after breakfast we will go on a treasure hunt will our GPS's. If anyone has any thoughts or ideas let me know.

Sounds rockin' Laura! You make me want to sign up right now (but I already have).

The beginning of the next week will also be spent at the Red River Gorge for anyone who is interested in rock climbing, hiking or camping. Details can be worked out at the meet itself, but if you would like to go let me know and I'll start tallying the roster. There are cabins available at the Red for those who would not like to sleep in a tent (but it is more fun in a tent anyway).

Friday night will be pizzas

Remind me I will need to bring an alternate dinner. I became lactose intolerant shortly after the meet last year, and won't be able to enjoy pizza again :-(

Also, made this thread sticky for a bit.

I'll make sure there is something you can eat. PM me with what you would like.

Also, made this thread sticky for a bit.

There seems to be something funky with the stickyness. If there's a new post in the forum, it also reports that there's a new thread.

That being said, I wish I could make it to the meet, but time and distance will get in the way.

Matthew

That happened to me in college. Quite suddenly. And I drank milk at least 2 meals a day my entire childhood. weird.

Mark, do you know how much camping is going to cost? I suppose it would cost me a bit more because I'd still have to buy a tent...

I have vacation time to burn, my only big question is whether I'll be in a crunch at work during the meet. Is there a list of people already signed up? I may be able to schedule this into a 1 week crazy-schedule Ohio trip. And fit in a day at Cedar Point when it's all over.

Drak, would you mind checking if I'm registered on Riocar? For the life of me I can't remember if I am, nor hat my password is if so. Duh.

Bruno

If you just want to camp at Hueston Woods I could let you borrow my tent (needs breaking in anyway) and I could check on the cost. Sharing a cabin wouldn't be all that expensive either depending on how many sleep in them.

Hi Bruno, the camping will cost anywhere from free, to $2 a night for tent camping, to $40-50 a night for a shared cabin, etc. I would prefer to hike out somewhere and camp for free, but a close second is camping at Miguel's, a climber hangout with good pizza and $2 per person camping fee. I guess it all depends on whoever is coming and what the group as a whole prefer.

Edit: I was thinking that you were talking about camping at the Red River Gorge on Monday-Tuesday-maybe Wed.

Looks like I won't be able to make it. I will be attending my cousin's wedding that weekend. D'oh. Looks like this is going to be an awesome meet too!

Tell them to get married some other time so you don't have to miss it. Or are cousins really that important?

Or are cousins really that important?

It depends. If you are from West Virginia...

Zing!

My wife was born in West Virginia. She points out she was conceived in Greensburg, PA.

Her passport, however, says West Virginia, USA. Ha ha.

(Actually, I like West Virginia)

I like West Virginia, too. There are lots of nice rocks to climb there and some nice whitewater to ride in some little boats.

And some nice trails to mountain bike!

-jk

For as much fun as I've made fun of West Virginia in the past, I have had fun every time I've visited. I've had fun skiing there, caving, climbing, etc. Its one of the few places left on the East coast that you can get away from it all and see all the stars in the Milky Way. Plus, it beats driving in PA!

Well, my old boss lives in West Virginia, so we were always naturally poking fun at him.

I can see the milky way from my front doorstep, and from just about anywhere in eastern Canada, except for Montreal and the Golden Horseshoe (Toronto area).

So there's still a few places left out east.

Cheers

You could have seen it in Switzerland, too, if you were not sleeping in the car...

cheers, Thomas

Plus, it beats driving in PA!

If you mean 68 is nicer than the PA Turnpike, I have to agree. The problem is staying on 70 (equals using the turnpike) ends up being more direct, and I just can't force myself to turn directly north from Morgantown... and there's no compelling option directly west.

I agree. 68 is much nicer than the turnpike. For some reason, there are these perpetual construction sites on the turnpike, yet nothing seems to ever be accomplished. It seems worth the extra distance (having to drive up 79) except for having to miss the Phantom fireworks off 70 just north of the PA/MD line.

I swear there are some potholes on some of the bridges in Pittsburgh that go right through to the river. But, I must admit, there are some nice places to eat and hang out in the strip district. It's a cool little area. Ever eat at the Harp and Fiddle?

I can see the milky way from my front doorstep, and from just about anywhere in eastern Canada

Good point. I perhaps should have defined the region I was referring to.

Excellent job on the docking station. I am very pleased with the work!

I swear there are some potholes on some of the bridges in Pittsburgh that go right through to the river.

It would be easier to count the local bridges over rivers that I haven't crossed recently, but the ones I have crossed have all been in acceptable to good shape. None had open holes in the decks, or anything I felt the need to swerve around, or hit hard enough to notice. The Trafford Viaduct, which I cross pretty much any time I go to or come from Pittsburgh, has some annoying recurring potholes, but none through the deck, and none deep enough to be more than an annoyance.

The state maintained roads around here are actually in as good or better shape than I can remember, the city-owned stuff is hit or miss, and the Allegheny County bridges, it depends when they were last reconstructed. The turnpike is a special case. If you pay attention to the mileposts of the projects, they're not reworking any sections, it's just taking them a long time on each section, and the sections aren't that big (10 miles or less per, on the 360 mile mainline). Unlike everything else, they have their own funds to play with.

ut, I must admit, there are some nice places to eat and hang out in the strip district. It's a cool little area. Ever eat at the Harp and Fiddle?

Not often, though I did have breakfast at Delucas in the strip this afternoon.

In the last 4 weeks I have crossed:
Monongahela River:
Fort Pitt (the only deck that's open)
Smithfield
Liberty
Birmingham
Hot Metal
Homestead High-Level
Rankin

Allegheny River:
Fort Duquesne (both decks)
6th
30th (to Washington's Landing)
31st
40th
62nd
Highland Park
Hulton
PA Turnpike Allegheny River

Ohio River:
West End
McKees Rocks
I-79 Ohio River
Sewickley
Monaca-East Rochester
Rochester-Monaca

Beaver River:
Bridge St Bridgewater-Rochester
PA51 Bridgewater-Rochester
Eastvale
New Brighton-Beaver Falls
PA Turnpike Beaver River

Bumping this thread up in hopes of getting more people to sign up!

Also I had a thought for next years meet, something I've always wanted to do but never had a group to do it with. How would people feel about renting a house boat next year on a lake somewhere? Or would you prefer the cabins?

Irrational paranoia about sinking would keep my empeg off the house boat, probably (maybe). But it sounds like a neat idea.

Irrational paranoia about sinking would keep my empeg off the house boat

As opposed to the rational paranoia about leaving it your car while you're out on the lake?

Hrmm.. sounds like a market for little Empeg-shaped lifejackets!