NERDS IV - B2B (back to basics) - Stowe, VT 8/18-21/2016

[Geezer]

Time is drawing near. We currently have 41 people saying they'll be there, and taking only 26 rooms. I blocked out 45 room based on past attendance, but I'm releasing all but a small few.
I warned people in the most congenial way that if you want a room you need to reserve it NOW!. If you snooze you lose and you have nobody to blame but yourself . I can not and will not screw over the establishment that has treated us so well over the years.

Fred, do you have a list of the people who have reserved or should I call the hotel to verify?

 

[PJ4863]

I should double check. I never got an email for the room.

 

[Fred W]

Time is drawing near. We currently have 41 people saying they'll be there, and taking only 26 rooms. I blocked out 45 room based on past attendance, but I'm releasing all but a small few.
I warned people in the most congenial way that if you want a room you need to reserve it NOW!. If you snooze you lose and you have nobody to blame but yourself . I can not and will not screw over the establishment that has treated us so well over the years.

Fred, do you have a list of the people who have reserved or should I call the hotel to verify?

I do have a list of names, Geezer, I do see you in there.

But do not know everyone else's real names.

Anyone else that would like to check can just PM me your real name and I will verify, or you can call the hotel to verify.

 

[Geezer]

Time is drawing near. We currently have 41 people saying they'll be there, and taking only 26 rooms. I blocked out 45 room based on past attendance, but I'm releasing all but a small few.
I warned people in the most congenial way that if you want a room you need to reserve it NOW!. If you snooze you lose and you have nobody to blame but yourself . I can not and will not screw over the establishment that has treated us so well over the years.

Fred, do you have a list of the people who have reserved or should I call the hotel to verify?

I do have a list of names, Geezer, I do see you in there.

But do not know everyone else's real names.

Anyone else that would like to check can just PM me your real name and I will verify, or you can call the hotel to verify.

Thanks Fred.

After I posted the question I realized that this being 'back to basics' I should have just called the hotel. Thank you for going the extra step.

 

[graytaz]

I be booked. Looking forward to matching up with everyone.

 

[FJRPittsburgh]

I'm in! Madmudder offered to share his room with me. I'm assuming there are 2 beds in his room or maybe he's up to his usual shenanigans.

. The only snag is I'm in between jobs. If something comes up, I could be out. Somehow I think I'll be fine though.

My plan is to meet up with KJ and our normal group of clowns and ride in with them. This is going to be a great trip!

 

[Fred W]

A little house keeping:

The proprietors at "The Commodores Inn" have asked that when we come down for our lavish Vermont Country breakfasts each morning that we take a moment to make a gross estimate of if and/or when we would like to eat dinner that evening, if you will be dining on premises. This is the same generally loose sign-up list that they have had in the past, but I've noticed quite a few new attendees this year, so thought I would regurgitate pass along that request. They will not hold you to your sign up. You can still arrive in the dining room earlier or later than your estimate if plans change, or you can bail out entirely with no penalty if you'd like to head out on the town. They would just like a rough estimate of how much chow they need to cook up to satisfy our ravenous group in the ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET, along with the wild guess they make for all the rest of their other guests.

FWIW - in the past most folks have opted for the on-site buffet rather than foraging out on the town, though there are many, many fine dining options out in the village. I think it has a lot to do with fully exercising the full "parking lot social" aspects of the gathering, prior to dinner, and the relaxed and reasonably priced dining experience, rather than anything particularly special or exclusive with the menu. It's good solid grub, and we have had very few complaints in the past, but you can get finer dining if you want (for more moolah) out on the town.

It's probably also time that I come clean and reveal that I won't actually be there that weekend.

Yes, it's true... the organizer of the event will not even be there to partake of the fruits of his own labors. How low key is that?

After I set things up, our 2nd daughter announced to us that she would be getting married on the exact same weekend as NERDS.

FAR BE IT FOR ME to suggest an alternate date.for their wedding. As any of you have been through this process before already know, that is NOT AN OPTION.

I'll be riding up to Stowe early that week and hooking up with any of the early arrivers, but I'll need to depart some time on Thursday afternoon to have time to pack and travel with the "mother of the bride" down to the Danbury, CT area, where the wedding is being held, in time for the rehearsal and dinner on Friday. I mean, I'd have loved to hang out with you'se mooks all weekend, but I think you'll probably get along just fine without me.

Professor ionbeam has graciously volunteered to be the "go to" person over the weekend in my absence, should you need any sort of an intermediary, but to be perfectly honest, there really has never been any problems in the past, and this year we are low-keying it so much, I really expect nothing of any significance this time either.

But, for those coming in late on Thursday (or later) I'm sorry that I'll miss you. Have yourselves a great weekend. I know you will. And I'll look forward to catching you at the next one. For those arriving earlier in the week, we can scout out some of the routes and leave some good intel for the later crowds.

Looking forward to a good time for everyone!

 

[08FJR4ME]

Yes I have been through the Daughter getting married thing several years back. All I can say it is one of my fondest memories that I will never forget. Your made the right choice. You can always meet up with us clowns at a later time.

See you on Wednesday,

Dave & Ann

 

[Geezer]

Fred, I am sorry that you and Josie will not be at NERDS, but that is just me being selfish because I enjoy your company. It goes without saying that the wedding is much more important. Have fun.

 

[FJRPittsburgh]

Fred,. All the best to you, Josie, your daughter and her hubby to be. Not being able to enjoy the fruits of your labor guarantees a redo for next year. I had 4 trips planned in 5 weeks earlier this year. I missed 2 of them as 2 new grandbabies were christened on 2 of those weekends. As always, family first and your FJR family 2nd. You and Josie will be missed. I'll look forward to seeing you both later, possibly at EOM. Here's to the new bride. Enjoy my friend.

 

[Mossyrocks13k]

I am in, made the reservation tonight, be there on Friday.

Glenn

 

[cota95]

Congrats Fred and Joise!. Marcia and I were planning on going but are going to have to bail. We have a reservation that we are going to cancel unless anyone needs it. I will wait until Tuesday so PM if you are in need.

George

 

[Fred W]

Sorry you won't make it George. Don't worry about the room cancelation. There are still about 6 or 8 left in the room block

 

[petey]

IN... reservations made

Bummer.... I have to take this trip off of my list....

 

[GinaMcD]

IN... reservations made Bummer.... I have to take this trip off of my list....[url=[/QUOTE]Petey, I'm going to miss seeing you next month! Almost as much as I'll miss seeing how that beautiful chick magnet of a bike is holding out after all the miles you've been putting on it...

 

[SacramentoMike]

Just a few days ago I noticed KJ's post about some folks getting together at his place and taking a ride across NYS and into Vermont. I usually don't look too closely at opposite-coast gatherings--why think about things you can't do, right? I didn't have another east coast ride anywhere on my radar at all, but this looked like a good time and it was a good time for me. So a little bit at a time I started to lean toward joining in.

And then tonight I see this year-old thread that I hadn't even looked at once, and kind of gradually came to realize that KJ's NY meeting was just to gather up and ride to this big NERDS rally together. Duh! In fall, 2014, I rode across and ended up in central NYS, then headed south before heading home. I was just a little early for one big gathering--I think in Ohio, and I don't even know which one it was--and then just a little bit late for the EOM in Maggie Valley in September or so. I had some hard dates with family I had to keep in New York.

Anyhow, now that I realize what a big deal I'm thinking about joining in on, it's really pushing the needle way over in the "definitely make it" direction. I'd just tie this in after NAFO with a slow route to KJ's, or maybe go see family again and meet up with that mob as they pass the Syracuse area. Either way, this is a chance NOT to miss out on a good meet with a bunch of you Easterners I haven't met, so I'm reeeal close to committing. And reserving. Sounds like the main hotel isn't completely booked yet, so maybe I have a bit more time. Anybody able to say for sure? And I suppose I might be asking about a room share, for that matter. Gotta decide pretty quick. There's only a couple weeks till NAFO departure time!

 

[Fred W]

I'm fairly sure we still have some rooms in the room block. Give 'em a call, Mike. They are nice people.

 

[Madmudder]

Mike just book it, you can always cancel but in the mean time you CYA. Be warned we are a very calm & boring group on the east coast. Early bed times and prune juice for breakfast to keep things running smoothly.

 

[ionbeam]

...Be warned we are a very calm & boring group on the east coast...

No traffic laws are ever broken and we always stay 100% focused on the road & traffic and never, ever look at the beautiful scenery.

Be prepared for the transition from the Gold Season at your home to the Green Season in New England (with real, naturally occurring water in volumes large enough to make rivers and lakes).

 

[Top_Speed1]

Just a few days ago I noticed KJ's post about some folks getting together at his place and taking a ride across NYS and into Vermont. I usually don't look too closely at opposite-coast gatherings--why think about things you can't do, right? I didn't have another east coast ride anywhere on my radar at all, but this looked like a good time and it was a good time for me. So a little bit at a time I started to lean toward joining in.
And then tonight I see this year-old thread that I hadn't even looked at once, and kind of gradually came to realize that KJ's NY meeting was just to gather up and ride to this big NERDS rally together. Duh! In fall, 2014, I rode across and ended up in central NYS, then headed south before heading home. I was just a little early for one big gathering--I think in Ohio, and I don't even know which one it was--and then just a little bit late for the EOM in Maggie Valley in September or so. I had some hard dates with family I had to keep in New York.

Anyhow, now that I realize what a big deal I'm thinking about joining in on, it's really pushing the needle way over in the "definitely make it" direction. I'd just tie this in after NAFO with a slow route to KJ's, or maybe go see family again and meet up with that mob as they pass the Syracuse area. Either way, this is a chance NOT to miss out on a good meet with a bunch of you Easterners I haven't met, so I'm reeeal close to committing. And reserving. Sounds like the main hotel isn't completely booked yet, so maybe I have a bit more time. Anybody able to say for sure? And I suppose I might be asking about a room share, for that matter. Gotta decide pretty quick. There's only a couple weeks till NAFO departure time!

Make it happen Mike. We have a fun pre-nite planned Weds, and a fun ride-in Thurs, Great bunch of dimwits incl myself

I can put you up at my house (somewhere), we have about 4 or 5 so far staying over weds nite.

@Fred, sorry to hear you have to bail, but for a good cause. Congrats on the daughter, it will be a very proud day for you, enjoy it!

(our gang will arrive around 4pm I'm thinking)