APUG UK Spring 2006 gathering

[Schlapp]

How about going to Amstel Gold instead @ easter Ailsa? Then you can ride the cyclosportive the day before

 

[Dave Miller]

Can I second the 25/26 March? Don't worry about the journey Frank; just get us there.

 

[Dave Miller]

Just a thought, is that a quiet weekend; that's one without one of those band thingies disturbing the silence.

 

[Leon]

I'm going to have to be a complete pain and say the 11/12 march or the 29/30th april. But if that doesnt fit in with everyone else ... I'll bow out again and say I'll be there for autumn '06.

 

[Ailsa]

How about going to Amstel Gold instead @ easter Ailsa? Then you can ride the cyclosportive the day before

Egads! Sounds horrendous! Besides, it's so much more fun just to watch those finely tuned muscle machines - er, I mean elite athletes - than it is to attempt to emulate one.

 

[Ailsa]

Just to add to the litany of obstacles, it's Mr Ailsa's birthday on 11th March, and a weekend spent carrying my tripod probably isn't on his present list. Honestly, men can just be so selfish.

 

[Les McLean]

I'm going to have to be a complete pain and say the 11/12 march or the 29/30th april. But if that doesnt fit in with everyone else ... I'll bow out again and say I'll be there for autumn '06.

Leon, you're right again. 4th/5th March is my birthday but I'll be in LA at the Silver Conference. 11th/12th March I'll still be in the US probably somewhere in the south and 29th/30th April I'll be either in Toronto or on the way to Toronto so it looks as though I'll have to miss this one.

 

[FrankB]

It's looking like we're not going to be able to get everybody around the table on this one unless we either go earlier (brass monkey weather and possibly treacherous road conditions on some very interesting roads) or later (more tourists, dawn held at an uncivilised hour, starting to encroach on the year's second meeting).

Okay, all I can think of doing is taking out the public holiday weekends (April 15/16 and April 29/30 (just too many tourists in the area)) and checking who can do which dates. The date with the most available people (subject to available accomodation, etc.) wins.

Here are the dates. If all interested parties could respond giving an Aye or Nay against each of the dates, I'd be obliged.

4/5 March
11/12 March
18/19 March
25/26 March
1/2 April
8/9 April
22/23 April

(If anyone's got a better approach to cracking this one, that'd be good too...)

 

[Dave Miller]

Just to add to the litany of obstacles, it's Mr Ailsa's birthday on 11th March, and a weekend spent carrying my tripod probably isn't on his present list. Honestly, men can just be so selfish.

Leave him behind; Frankb will carry your tripod - I would offer, but it's my birthday too.

 

[Dave Miller]

It's looking like we're not going to be able to get everybody around the table on this one unless we either go earlier (brass monkey weather and possibly treacherous road conditions on some very interesting roads) or later (more tourists, dawn held at an uncivilised hour, starting to encroach on the year's second meeting).

Okay, all I can think of doing is taking out the public holiday weekends (April 15/16 and April 29/30 (just too many tourists in the area)) and checking who can do which dates. The date with the most available people (subject to available accomodation, etc.) wins.

Here are the dates. If all interested parties could respond giving an Aye or Nay against each of the dates, I'd be obliged.

4/5 March
11/12 March
18/19 March
25/26 March
1/2 April
8/9 April
22/23 April

(If anyone's got a better approach to cracking this one, that'd be good too...)

I would prefer March, since April is getting too close to the summer hols! However we can fit in anytime.

 

[FrankB]

Either that or buy him his own tripod for his birthday (he might then get the hint! ).

Ta Dave!

 

[Dave Miller]

Either that or buy him his own tripod for his birthday (he might then get the hint! ).

Ta Dave!

That's ok Frank; I'll share the cheese cake with you. That's one of the two slices you are committed to buy me; or was it three.

 

[philldresser]

Dave

Go easy on the cheesecakes. Just remember that they help move easels.

Phill

 

[127]

All of these are OK-ish for me and the Mrs (now an APUG convert, and subscriber [MandyS have a peek at her gallery]. Either she had a good time last weekend, or she just recons we need kept an eye on).

The end of April might be a problem, and May is worse, so put us down as OK for:

4/5 March
11/12 March
18/19 March
25/26 March
1/2 April
8/9 April

I'd rather stay away from the first two as well if possible - I didn't attend last Spring - or should I say last Winter, but I didn't need to be there to learn a lesson.

Ian

 

[Dave Miller]

Dave

Go easy on the cheesecakes. Just remember that they help move easels.

Phill

Ok wise guy; there are some things that I don’t need reminding of; anyway that was before the cheesecake.
Given the pessimistic weather forecast for the coming winter, we may get snow in the Dales, that will be a pleasant change from the Lakes weekend.

 

[FrankB]

All of these are OK-ish for me and the Mrs (now an APUG convert, and subscriber [MandyS have a peek at her gallery]. Either she had a good time last weekend,

Hope so!

or she just recons we need kept an eye on).

Ah yes, that does seem more likely...!

I'd rather stay away from the first two as well if possible - I didn't attend last Spring - or should I say last Winter, but I didn't need to be there to learn a lesson.

Yes... When we said we'd lost Peter and Les we didn't mean that we'd lost Peter and Les, you know!

<Terribly-faked Hollywood macho accent>Not on my watch!</Terribly-faked Hollywood macho accent>

Given the pessimistic weather forecast for the coming winter, we may get snow in the Dales, that will be a pleasant change from the Lakes weekend.

...and the photographers came in four-by-fours, hurrah!

If you've a Landy handy then fair enough. I'm not that keen on taking my Focus around those roads in ice and snow, though. After Sedburgh it's not exactly dual-carriageway, you know...

(If anyone hasn't been round there before, take a look at the A684 between Sedbergh and Hawes on Multimap 1:25,000 scale and count the contour lines! :rolleyes: It's okay in good weather, though.)

 

[Leon]

Big Spanner in Works Time

What about meeting in May instead? No easter or other school hols - only 2 BH weekends to avoid, and the likelihood of slightly better weather ....

 

[FrankB]

Well, I wasn't going to call you a Big Spanner, but if you insist...

Okay, at Leon's suggestion (and with apologies to those who have already responded) I'll add those dates to the selection -

4/5 March
11/12 March
18/19 March
25/26 March
1/2 April
8/9 April
22/23 April
6/7 May (clashing with the APUG conference for Les and any other pond-hoppers)
13/14 May
20/21 May

Aye's and Nay's for each please.

 

[Leon]

I'll aye for:

22/23 April
13/14 may
21/22 may

 

[Ailsa]

I'll aye for:

22/23 April
13/14 may
21/22 may

I'll aye for those, too - and point out that Saturday 13th May is a full moon, so potential for night shots if it's clear...?

 

[Les McLean]

I'm afraid I'm out of the spring gathering I'll be in the US from the end of April until well into June

 

[FrankB]

Okay, the one weekend which most people reckon they can make (some more easily than others) is 22/23 April. It's also one of the few weekends in the period we're looking at when the Inn currently doesn't have a band booked, so I reckon that's going to have to be it.

The list (taken from my spreadsheet (yes, it really has got that complex!)) looks like this - Leon, Ailsa, BobF and yours truly with Dave Miller as 'not ideal but do-able' and 127 (Ian) & MandyS as 'not ideal but hopefully do-able'. AndyBax might also be able to make it, but won't know until closer to the time.

Andrea? How about yourself?

I've spoken to the Green Dragon (I should really have prog rock playing in the background when I say things like that, shouldn't I?!) and they currently have enough space for us all. (Mind you they also currently have a second waterfall in the bar! ) They do tend to book up quickly though so I wouldn't wait too long before booking.

Their number is 01969 667392, their address is Green Dragon Inn, Hardraw, North Yorkshire DL8 3LZ and their website is Dead Link Removed

Phew...!

Les - Gutted you won't be there, sir. If you find yourself passing J23 M6 one weekend then give me a bell and I'll buy you a pint in lieu of your birthday.

 

[Dave Miller]

Thank's for that Frank, you can go and have a lie down now.

 

[Schlapp]

I'd love to come. I think the previous w/e i'm in Holland with my Team of "finely tuned muscle machines" [Ailsa 2005] at the Amstel Gold. So, if I have survived the tasting of the sponsors wares, I hope to be there! Thanks for thinking of me. Most kind

 

[FrankB]

Bring some back for the rest of us! Man (and woman, come to think of it) does not live by emulsion alone!

Hopefully we can manage more of a natter this time around.