Travel plans and free (?) time

[greatbear]

Okay, so free time is not something I have much of. Free time for me is like that drawer everyone has in their kitchen that's too small and crammed with junk. Things get rearranged or the kitchen gets remodeled and now a bigger drawer is allocated to be the 'junk drawer' with the assumption that a larger drawer will not get so jam packed. Well, you know the outcome. The drawer will still be stuffed with junk till it's bursting, and there is simply more junk to contend with.

But I digress.

I have something resembling a schedule for the spring-summer which looks like it will be fun and also possiblities might be there to meet up with LJ folk:

Columbus, OH - April 8-10. Jeff has a foodie conference (ACF Northeast) he needs to attend. I'll be tagging along and trying to stir up trouble.

Fontana Village, NC - May 5-8. Mini Coopers at The Tail Of The Dragon! I am SO looking forward to this. I made a lot of new friends and got to drive like a total maniac (okay the last part is nothing new). It's shaping up to be more than 300 freaking cars and their owners and families in attendance. Last year's event was a highlight of my year.

Hillside Campgrounds, Gibson, PA - Bears Weekend 1, June 2-4. Bears Weekend 2, July 7-9. Wrestling/Car Show Weekend, July 21-23, and Bears Weekend 3, August 25-27. No explaining here, Jeff and I like camping, and if we can be surrounded by MEN (edit.), so much the better.

Something That Involves San Antonio, Texas - July 25-August 5. This is a free-for-all for the most part. Jeff has yet another big foodie conference (ACF National Conference) starting the 28th till the 31st. Again, while he's doing his thing, I will be exploring. The days before and after the conference will be used as a road trip to and from SA. Yep, we are driving. It's here that I am asking for suggestions on what to see and do, and who to visit along the way. It will be from MD to TX, roughly 1600 miles the way the crow flies. I am not averse to, in fact I encourage some extra traveling if it means seeing something neat or meeting cool people. This is where I will put it out to LJ. I'll be making more noises to this effect as time goes on, and I am open to any suggestions.

And here I said I have free time? Jeebus.

Comments

[manticore1977.livejournal.com]

aye Corumbus! Lets have a reunion tour! :-]

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

w00tage! I'm all for it!

[manticore1977.livejournal.com]

arrrrgh! I am on call next week! :( hmmm... I'll see if I can do anything...

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

*crossing fingers*

[baeritone.livejournal.com]

There is something else to keep in mind -

Next weekend is opening weekend at PKI. (!!!)

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

That would be total w00tage if I were driving. The Italian Job Stunt Coaster opens this year. Mini Cooper goodness!

[manticore1977.livejournal.com]

No explaining here, Jeff and I like camping, and if we can be surrounded by menses, so much the better.


menses? ew, what a mess!

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Not THAT menses!

[dencoartist.livejournal.com]

"surrounded by menses"

I thought the Lilith Fair was OVER.

eeewww.

I'm just sayin'.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Hillside Bear weekends are like Lilith Fair, except the folks attending are just (slightly) furrier and bulkier. Not as many Birkenstock or patchouli wearers though.

Columbus April 8/10

[champdaddy.livejournal.com]

would be great to meet you guys if your schedule permits!

Re: Columbus April 8/10

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Hell, I'll make time.

[texaspenguin.livejournal.com]

Depending on exactly what days you're in San Antonio, I may be there as well. I have a conference there from Aug 2-6, if my internship program permits such vacation time. It's a pharmacy school related conference, but since it's not directly related to the pharmacy itself for whom I'll be working this summer as an intern, I may not get the time off.

Do let me know if you two drive through Austin on the way or if you're going to go to Houston, then San Antonio. :)

Honestly, I think going through Austin is your best bet: Hit Dallas, take I-35 from Dallas to San Antonio, which happens to run right through Austin. :) I guess you COULD go from Dallas to Houston on I-45 and then to San Antonio on I-10 if you so desire to go through Houston instead, but I'm just sayin'... ;)

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

I'll be pulling out the road atlases and doing some planning when the time gets closer. I hear Austin is cool!

[book-of-daniel.livejournal.com]

Omilord! I might finally meet the infamous Bender....er....Greatbear in person?

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

If'n ya wanna...

[jeffinthebox.livejournal.com]

poop, we're supposed to go to Chicago the weekend you're in Columbus.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Blargh, figures. :-(

I was looking forward to seeing you guys too. So much for getting an autograph on my CDs. *sigh*

[jeffinthebox.livejournal.com]

let me see if I can change some plans.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Dont go changing to try and please me. lol

[beg1n.livejournal.com]

What? Nothing in CA?? :(

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

I want to make a trip especially to Cali and stay for quite a while. 2 weeks at least.

Mebbe next year!

[mhkrabat.livejournal.com]

Ayup, The Tail of the Dragon is mind-bending, teeth gritting, hair raising fun.

After my pal Michael and I dragged my 70 year old Dad to Virginia International Raceway last July for some Vintage Racing, we headed back home by way of this asphalt treat. I had no earthly idea. We were stopped for a break shortly before getting on the route when Mike handed me the keys to his very well sorted 1967 Volvo 123GT and said "this is my gift to you - and I'll ride with your dad in the Motor home". O H M Y G O D! I had no idea what was in store for me but soon got in the groove. There had been rain and it was late in the day on a weekday so the traffic was light.

318 turns, 11 miles, 1 totally geeked driver.

I want to go back...it's just that I want to do it in Lotus Super 7 or a Mini (old or new, I'm not particularly particular!)

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

If a road can be classified as curvy nirvana, the Dragon would be it IMO.

Darryl Cannon, aka Killboy maintains a blog of happenings around the Dragon as well at bike tracks he regularly attends and participates. Every week he posts new pictures of people's rides making noise on the Dragon's Tail. If it has wheels, he's taken pictures of it. Including me. Rare is the soon-to-be-released sports car or bike that hasnt been taken for a shakedown cruise there. Prototypes, crazy one-off machines, people's freaky purpose-built machines, and everyday vehicles. You name it. People are addicted to the horzontal rollercoaster that is US129.

[musicmanchicago.livejournal.com]

no chicago??? :(

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Not yet. It's in the works though.

[scorpiocub.livejournal.com]

Ummmmmmmm ewwwwwwwwwwwwww I am never going camping if there's menses around.

men·ses ( P ) Pronunciation Key (mnsz)
pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
The monthly flow of blood and cellular debris from the uterus that begins at puberty in women and the females of other primates. In women, menses ceases at menopause. Also called catamenia.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Okay okay okay... sheesh. I didnt think about the other meaning when I posted last night. lol

[e-ticket.livejournal.com]

Hey, not that it's all that close to Columbus -- but that weekend you're there, we're having our sneak-peek at THAT PROJECT I'M DOING *nudge nudge* in Cincinnati... I can get you in, if you want. :)

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

I will try, the thing is, I am not bringing my you-know that your shhh-shhh is based on. Waaaaah! :-(

[e-ticket.livejournal.com]

Darndarndarn.

Well, it would be great to see you, if by chance you can make it out. :)

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

I will see what I can do!

[xkot.livejournal.com]

San Antonio! There's not a whole lot to do here but we should at least grab dinner or something :)