Ocala Part 3

“It will be no prob to pick up anyone from OIA. I am off Fri, Sat and Sun so there will be no waiting at the airport. Let me know the time!”

“What a great opportunity.

OK, Tango, thanks. I'll be arriving 7 a.m. on Friday morning. I just took a 5-minute walk to the Melbourne Airport Terminal and made a reservation.

Wow, wait until I tell all the guys, "Tango is picking me up!" Will they be jealous!

Not, but LOL.”

“LOL”

“Great, Thanks NS, Tango, Coop. Coop I'm going to consider you busy enough, but thanks.

I'll book the flight today and post the times. Firm pick-up plans can wait til you all know your schedules. Don't fight about it now. :-)

WD - it will be good to hike with you again too!”

“cool that you're going, dhutch. but no shanedoggy. :-(”

“No shanedoggy on the airplane. Cause they won't let him sit on my lap.”

“Well hell, there was a time when I knew who all the female posters were.”

“"Well hell, there was a time when I knew who all the female posters were."
chili36
08:44:14 AM
12/04/03

who don't you know, chili?”

“This is gonna be an awesome trip. I can't wait!

I'm also planning on spending some extra time in the area but not sure yet what I'll do. I have some friends in the Ocala area so I'm sure I'll hook up with them.”

“I got the maps I ordered the other day! Very cool!

Can't wait either. I will be bringing along a buddy who has never hiked before. Well kinda. He was in the Marines so I am sure he has done this before. Best thing is that he lives in Jacksonville, only an hour away.”

“28 yes and 6 maybe.
Dang, that's a lot of cinnamon rolls.

Hmmmm....”

“""Well hell, there was a time when I knew who all the female posters were."
chili36
08:44:14 AM
12/04/03

who don't you know, chili?"
yam
10:17:42 AM
12/04/03


Well, obviously I was under the impression dhutch was not a female.


I am going to Phil's photo page and make sure I am up to speed here.”

“Whew, okay...I was thinking you didn't realize tango was female, and since you've met her, that would be really bad...”

“I climbed throught he eye of the needle with Tango,,,,I know she is female.”

“chili - I like the view while hiking behind women too, ha ha. ;)”

“Especially tango...lol...

yes I knew all that chili, which is why I was sooooo confused...lol...”

“LOL @ Chili, oh, I can't believe how naive I was. Chili pretended he couldn't get thru the needle so I went first! You devil! Ha Ha Ha!”

“bit you're killing me! ”

“It's official. I just booked my flight. I'm flying into Tampa Thurs afternoon Feb 5 where my ole buddy Artex will be picking me up in a limo driven by a naked anchorbabe.

Packing for this trip will be the fun part. I hope I have room for my ice axe, mountaineering boots, crampons and snowshoes. Will my zero down bag be warm enough?”

“So Artex's big canoe won out! LOL”

“Holy crap.... I just scrolled up and discovered that Tango isn't a dude. Arghhhh.... gotta call Travelocity and switch to Orlando pronto!”

“If Tango was a dude - would you want to ride with him?

Bring the 4-season tent too.”

“Tango,
You pretty hot looking for a guy.”

“Actually I have the big canoe. So I guess it really is how you paddle the boat and not the size of the canoe.

I'm crushed, but I take solace in the fact that Artex secretly wished he had a canoe as big as mine.”

“I didn't marry HPM for his canoe.

In fact, we hardly ever use it. It's been a few years since it went for a spin, so to speak.”

“Hey baby--it's X chromosomes all around for me! LOL @ Pennsy

WD you're cruisin'...

Sorry to hear that treebait!”

“~ahem~

We are talking about a boat aren't we?






Please say yes.”

“At least we aren't talking about a punt!”

“LOL @ both of ya!”

“Let's see 15 months plus 9 months is right at two years...”

“Canoe? CANOE?! That's like calling a guitar a fiddle. The noive!”

“Shaddup, Coop!”

“(back to the hike) change your status to definate on the trips page! Did you get my email?”

“I see that she is listed twice as a maybe. Don't 2 maybes make 1 confirmed?

Hey, I need flying advice. Yeah, I know... take a long step off a short pier..

Do you put your backpack in something bigger, like a duffel bag, or pack the bp as is and another suitcase?

Besides fuel, are there other things illegal to pack?

How big a pack/case can I carry onto the plane, and what items do you carry on with you?

How do I score with a hot flight attentant?

These are probably basic questions but I'm a newbie at this, considering I've only flown once, and that was over 20 years ago.”

“Yes I did. I have like a hockey bag and put my poles at the bottom. But I've read about others who have hooked their backpacks up and just tightened the hip belts and flown like that with no prob. I wouldn't do it but. I used my day pack as my carry on. I took my gorp on the plane and bought my MH food when I got there but that was only to save space in baggage. Call the airline you are flying Delta had no prob with lighters but AA did. I packed my pocket knife, no prob and my pocket rocket no prob.

Flight attendant up to you. Might want to tell them about Artex's thing.”

“Pennsy - When I flew to Denver this summer I checked one big suitcase and carried my GoLite Breeze onto the plane.
I had all my metal gear in the suitcase; trekking poles, cooking gear, EMPTY alcohol stove, EMPTY fuel container, knife, flashlights, tent poles, stakes, ect. It was a big suitcase and I packed it full.
I carried on my GoLite Breeze with my sleeping bag, coat, and a few small items of clothing. It was no bigger than the carry on bags the others had, but it must fit into one of those little boxes the airlines have at the counters.
If your pack has metal stays, you will need to check it or put it in the suitcase.
After landing at Denver, aussie picked me up and the only thing I needed to get was fuel and water. I went into a little store and bought a 12 oz. bottle of Heet in the yellow bottle and I was set.”

“Sorry if that is a little disjointed Penguins' game just started.”

“If I tell them about Artex's thing, I'll probably get tossed off the plane.

Thanks for the advice. I wonder if my Mountainsmith Ghost will work for a carry on. It doesn't have metal stays but it does have an aluminum hoop around the pack.

Penguins? Yeesh.... in my world, hockey ceased to exist the day Bobby Orr retired.”

“They are going to xray your carry on so I think they'll know what it is. Don't some suitcases have metal in them? Also don't send film in checked bags they use a stronger xray on those bags and it will hurt the film.”

“I've put my backpack in a big ole duffle purchased at WalMart. Prolly only $20-ish. Works like a dream!! I have a little room outside of the backpack to pack a few things not needed for the trip.
I did not take trekking poles, although I did last year when flying. I did not take Heet for the Pepsi can stove this last time. I mean, I don't think there's much wrong with it, but... why risk it? And then, in the freakin' south, we couldn't find any Heet!!! lol”

“When we checked our baby backpack at the Atlanta airport the guy at the counter put it into a big bag and taped it up. I think this gives all the little buckles some protection and is a slight theft deterrent (ant?).

Target has decent sized duffles for about $17 - not as big as a hockey bag though.”

“oh yeah, when I put my backpack in, I do have to take some things out of the top part, so it will fit in the duffle. Again, just pack that stuff around the outside of it, in the duffle. I just measured it. It's around 28", FYI.”

“Will change my status right after this post Tango. Yes, I received you're e-mail. I'm watching the fares go down to Tampa. Under $200 from Detroit now. As soon as I pull the trigger, I'll relay the flight info. Still shooting for the same arrival/departure times. Thanks again for offering the ride.

Re: flying. As long as the bag is checked you can bring anything but gas. Heck on the way back from Tetons this summer I forgot that bear spray was in my pack. Oh and we won't say anything about the Moose antlers that were wedged in my duffle. Sounds as if we've got several that will need fuel. Is anyone willng to take orders in advance. I'll gladly send the funds?

Can't wait to meet so many of you!”

“You're going to fly into Tampa now? OK. I'll meet you at the TH.”

“Ooops, sorry Tango, I'm confusing myself too. Orlando? They're both about the same fare now. Is that where you are located?”

“Pennsy I have a duffle bag you can use if you like. Fits all my stuff when I go camping so about 1/2 of yours will fit in it.”

“Yes Orlando. I thought maybe you were lured to Tampa to be the first to see Artex's thing!”

“LOL sirpete and Tango!”

“Well if Artex is going to reveal his thingy, then.....”

“No it's lizs thingy and it's pink- It's Artex's thing and I don't think color was ever discussed!”