^ No need to worry about this group becoming anti-headphones, or heaven forbid, anti-music!

But to a great degree most of the Florida pack as well and the Team Florida traveling crew have 'been there, done that' in terms of gear, so I think the sentiment is that you needn't worry about schleping all of your gear along with you. Yet, if you want to bring some stuff, particularly something new and/or interesting, then by all means do!

I always get a kick out of the newbies who show up to the NY meets and stumble all over themselves with apologies about not bringing 'enough' gear with them. We don't seem to get too much of that in Florida, I guess because (after the first couple of years anyway), the gear thing has become less and less of the focus.

who should be in charge of making a custom t-shirt for the meet? the lower the quality the better

^ I think Matt is the President of the sorority. It should be his duty.

"Bring beer, not gear!"

Dark T-Shirt - CafePress

?

A cigar with a cocktail just sounds nasty.

No gear! ... ok.

A cigar with a cocktail just sounds nasty.

Really, a good martini should go well or perhaps a stinger or negroni.

Jim hope you can make it!

David since you posted flight info you gotta come out, Mike will have the sonic dac for you to listen to.

i want to go, but two factors which are no longer within my immediate control seem likely to determine my fate. i'll know better if i can seriously entertain the notion of going after the 19th of next month.

This is starting to look possible.

No Direct Flights from the bay area to TPA

However , as 909's link points out, Virgin America fly direct to MCO, and when you are travelling in the back, Virgin can be more pleasant than other carriers. Less time in the air helps.

Getting from MCO to TPA - or the hotel would require car rental, but thanks to Florida's tourist economy, it's not unreasonable. Even more so if the cost could be split via a share.

(could even do a 1 way and drop off at TPA or vice versa depending on how things work out)

Are there any other attendee's for whom MCO is a cheaper / easier flight than TPA?

what days would you be flying in / out?

Another advantage is we get another set of wheel's at our disposal.

With myself , Vicki , and CJ'? - that gives three non-drinking drivers for offsite excursions.

Thoughts?

I'm likely to follow the come early / stay late model, or at least aim for civilized flight times from the Bay Area. ( why suffer unnecessarily? )

This is starting to look possible.

No Direct Flights from the bay area to TPA

However , as 909's link points out, Virgin America fly direct to MCO, and when you are travelling in the back, Virgin can be more pleasant than other carriers. Less time in the air helps.

Getting from MCO to TPA - or the hotel would require car rental, but thanks to Florida's tourist economy, it's not unreasonable. Even more so if the cost could be split via a share.

(could even do a 1 way and drop off at TPA or vice versa depending on how things work out)

Are there any other attendee's for whom MCO is a cheaper / easier flight than TPA?

what days would you be flying in / out?

Another advantage is we get another set of wheel's at our disposal.

With myself , Vicki , and CJ'? - that gives three non-drinking drivers for offsite excursions.

Thoughts?

I'm likely to follow the come early / stay late model, or at least aim for civilized flight times from the Bay Area. ( why suffer unnecessarily? )

I'd certainly consider such a plan, Grahame, although I have not looked up the drive time from Orlando. The connections would probably take longer than direct flight + drive. Let's chat.

Orlando airport to Tampa airport is about a 45 minute drive, an hour at most.

Al,

Google puts the MCO -> TPA driving on the order of ~ 90 miles / 1 1/2 Hours one way. Off out now . talk later .

^ Wayne. Not everyone drives an Atom

^ Wayne. Not everyone drives an Atom

Oh!!! I don't think I've ever driven airport to airport as such, so perhaps it does take that long.

I decided that I can't miss this event, even though it probably means I'll miss Canjam11. Of course, who knows if Canjam11 will even take place. I just used the last of my flight miles to purchase tickets. I'll be coming in on 12/9 and leaving on 12/13. See you all in December.

Yay Ken!

kickass ken and grahame now if only wayne...

as for non drinking drivers, sign me up. i was hoping to "sample" (sip really) some choice stuff only because colin and fitz have me interested now in some mythical beer that my stomach might find agreeable. in the absence of such beverages, i shall remain dry.

Way to go Ken. You even have new travel phones!

as for non drinking drivers, sign me up. i was hoping to "sample" (sip really) some choice stuff only because colin and fitz have me interested now in some mythical beer that my stomach might find agreeable. in the absence of such beverages, i shall remain dry.

It's called everything at Cigar City buddy. If you're willing to sample you might as well give up on sobriety while you're there.

kickass ken and grahame now if only wayne...

Actually, I just found out that my mom is coming to Cayman on the 12th (I thought it was the 11th), so I might be able to make it for part of the weekend. I'll be there until the 6th anyway, so I might be able to reschedule my return flight and stay in Tampa for another week.

Hmmm... it's worth considering anyway. I could leave on Sunday morning and be there to pick her up at the airport in Cayman when she arrives a couple of hours later.

This would mean, however, that I wouldn't be able to book any Santa stuff until the 12th or later. Since everything I do is volunteer, missing something wouldn't "matter" (as such), but yet it does. I try to make myself as available as possible several key organizations (mostly grade schools) that like to book me every year.

There are 3 or 4 events that I really look forward to doing and don't like to miss them unless I absolutely have to. I'll make some calls this week to see if I can get some of those dates nailed down.

I'd certainly consider such a plan, Grahame, although I have not looked up the drive time from Orlando. The connections would probably take longer than direct flight + drive. Let's chat.

I could be down for this as well. Shoot me any relevant info you can. Thanks.

This will be epic!

The drive from Orlando to Tampa is easy as long as you don't hit traffic, which in Orlando can suck. Either way you will be there in under 2 hours and likely under 1.5 hours.