Sierra Rendezvous 2005

“Geeze, I said, "Excuse me".





Didn't I?”

“Hey Phil, could you email me the spreadsheets again. My computer at home lost all of my mail.

mail it to ewker@yahoo.com

thanks”

“Hi Peppergod, enjoying this weather?”

“thanks jvz...i needed that...lol
time to start chopping... for an airplane ride~~~~”

“I'm with you om...getting ready to fly...woohoo!!!”

“hey tgirl...u heading out on thursday or friday?....”

“on Friday..15th...missed you at Ocala girl..”

“Ewker - You got mail”

“Phil, got it..thanks”

“yes, jvz, I am enjoying the weather. I gather we can expect rain next week though. (I just feel that I have to answer anyone who calls me peppergod!)”

“Well, I survived Strider's annual beachfest okay. Kinda nice down there this week actually. Now it's time for a bit of spring skiing at Whistler
:-))

At some point I'll have to drop by the work place and see what all of the fall-out is, on the vacation schedule thing”

“Hodgeman - OK. We are anxiously awaiting the "good" news.

Would have liked to visit you on the beach. Glad that strider has recovered enough to do it again.”

“And we shall have it :-))

My boss knows as well as I do that it really makes no difference when I take vacation. Evidently some people have a little problem with my autonomy around there. I told him tonight that "I'll consider it a done deal"

Now it just remains to be seen if I can pry out enough days to drive home, since we don't leave Lone Pine 'til Sunday. Might have to opt for the cheapy Seattle-Sac flight”

“Yeah, but you'll be there.

Major cool.”

“I hope to be there. You all get some practice in this year. LOL”

“Hodge - They could tell the "Force" was with you!!!

This trip is going to rock!”

“Practice? Firewalking? 8)

Go Hodge! I think I flunked autonomy in Biology so the heck with your co-workers..you da man.”

“Jai~~
hodge-eee baba! hodge-eee baba!


howz every little body doin' tanight? yo~~”

“that's great news Hodge!

I got my vacation confirmed the other day too! I knew I'd get it.”

“Great hikerchic...I can't put in for mine yet ( 2 months before) but I don't usually have any trouble getting it approved.Glad you are going..

THIS TRIP IS GONNA ROCK!!!!!!!!”

“I got mine approved by the boss...her name is Mrs. Phil.

Looking forward to backpacking with my brother for the first time ever! To protect myself I'll have to warn him to not believe anything he hears about me from the other TTers.”

“If we wait till the last day to "Initiate" him he won't be able to remember a thing he heard much less want to talk about anything. What happens at Wrights Lakes stays at Wrights Lakes.”

“Ummm.... you guys aren't sharing a tent are ya Phil? Might be the last time you backpack together LOL
;-))

ZZZzzzz”

“Hodge, if you do fly and it works better/is cheaper for you to fly into SF or Oakland, we could swing by and get you en route to the mountains. Or you could take a shuttle here ($26), spend the night, and head out with us in the morning.”

“Thanks wannabp. I'll be leaving that decision until closer to the date. I would prefer to drive.

If I flew out of Van, then SF is probably the best deal. However it usually works better to drive through customs and fly out of Sea-Tac for the best price.”

“Hogie - If you can get to Sactown by noon on Friday (or Thursday night) I will be able to work something out as far as pickup, place to sleep (if needed) and ride to the trailhead. It looks like Shamus and I will have Creekjumper and her daughter though so maybe it would work better for wannabp and landscaper to swing by Davis on their way to pick up songbyrd in Sacramento. Lots of logistics to work out but if you are forced to fly we will make it work.

Phil - what could anyone on TT possibly say about you that you wouldn't want your brother to hear?”

“geez hodge, you're a popular guy! Everyone wants you! :)

I'll make you a third offer. You can fly into the Reno airport and i'll pick you up and you can ride down with me. I'm driving down by myself so far. I'm not sure which way I'm driving there. I haven't mapped it out yet. But I was thinking that I'd take hwy 395 from Reno.”

“Looks as though i may drive down and ride in with JVZ instead of wannabp and Landscaper. That would free up a seat in their auto if others flying in need a space.”

“Hikerchic, I don't think there is any other way for you to get to Lone Pine.

Hodge, offer #4, if you're fiying. Check the prices to LAX. Might not be the best price...but then again. I'm picking up T-girl & ewker Friday noonish.”

“:-)) Jeez, I am a popular guy ! Hehehe. It's good to have friends in southern places. Thanks for the offers. It looks like I'd have lots of options.

Hikerchic - I hadn't thought of Reno. That's a popular destination out of Van. I could get a cheap flight with a bunch of gambling seniors LOL”

“Hehe Hodgeman, Just don't get too caught up in that there Senior gambling.... You just might miss the trail head. LOL”

“"gambling seniors" Are you worried you might fit in?”

“Hmmm...Geezer flights to Reno...What next?

pepper - Not sure what stories people might tell about me. They might make something up!!

Hodge - 5th offer. You can fly into Ontario International Airport (ONT).

Solitary - What are your flight plans?”

“Fly into Eugene and drive down with me. However, that might not save you any time as I'm still 8 hours out of Sacramento. Keep me posted on your plans. In the meantime, I'll keep the spot on the table cleared for the bottle of Canadian wine :-)

If Hodge flys down, I might drive down a day early and meet up with some of you Saco area peoples on Friday and drive in with you..

Rockman - My granddaughter turned one yesterday and I thought of you! We had her birthday party at Chuckeecheese!
last edited: 2/14/05 8:35:16 AM”

“Not sure what stories people might tell about me. They might make something up!!

Phil


"OREO"
I'm not maken' this stuff up!”

“Still haven't bought my ticket but the game plan is to fly United out of Charlotte NC on the same flight as Gemini to ONT or fly out of GPS on Delta to ONT. Delta cut their price but the Charlotte price is hard to beat. If all goes as planned either way I'd get there Thursday night. WLD offered me a ride up to the TH on Friday. I'd like to get there on Friday and camp at elevation to aclimate a little. I would leave late Sunday night (24th) or early Monday morning (25th).

Anyway that's how it's planned as of now. Things could change if I don't go ahead and buy the ticket!
last edited: 2/14/05 11:39:05 AM”

“navi, is it? oh ok! Then that's the way I'm going....unless we're going to have too many cars, then I guess I could drive to Lodi and drive with JVZ and songbyrd if he'll have me! Although I'm on the 1A list going to Whitney.

jvz and songbyrd are you guys starting on Sunday? I was planning on going there Saturday to the campsite to acclimate a day before.

hodge, You have lots of options there, don't you! you'd probably have a hell of a time with the seniors!”

“Well, I guess if I didn't show up you'd know that I was shanghaied by some sugar-mama grannie with a thing for black-jack and Canadian boys
;-))”

“He will have a hell of a time with the seniors -- the TT seniors!!!”

“I'm on Navi's permit to go in on Saturday. I'm going over on Friday and staying in a campground near trailhead that WLD arranged. Songbyrd is comming down here and leaving her car. Its shorter for you to catch 395 out of Reno than to come all the way down here. I hate to see you drive by yourself but maybe someone will take your invite to Reno airport. Anything can happen between now and then. You're welcome to ride with us tho if you want company so just say the word.”

“j, how are you going to get to the other side of the mountains?
Are you going down to Tehachapi, or are you using Hwy. 88 or 120?
88 or 120, could you meet hikerchic on 395? At Topaz? Lee Vining?
Just a thought.”

“It's a done deal. Went ahead and bought my ticket. I'm flying Delta to ONT on July 14th. Arrival time is late, 11:56 PM to be exact. WLD are you still willing to pick me up from the airport that late? It will be okay to let Gemini hang around the airport for 3 or 4 hours until I get in don't you think? I mean it's not like she'll be on the streets in East LA or Compton. The noobie initiation will be much worse. She'll survive. :)
last edited: 2/15/05 11:52:02 AM”

“You're such a gentleman.



8*)”

“dang southwest is still stuck on June 6th...grrrrrr”

“solitary hiker, I think my plane is delayed too. I should be in the same plane than you. lemme check....brb...

opps no, I arrive at 10:20PM. No biggy, I can bum around for an hour at the airport and grab a starbucks.
last edited: 2/15/05 12:38:00 PM”

“Alone in a strange airport, in a strange city.
What does Stalking 101 have to say about this?



STRANGE guy checking book.”

“Durn, I was hoping you'd have to fall asleep on an airport bench, pay outrageous prices for airport food, and maybe get mugged before I got there. It would all be good endurance training for you in prep for the initiation ritu ..... aaaah, I mean trail welcoming celebration.
>
And I'm not flying out of Charlotte so we can't be on the same plane. Delta lowered their prices some therefore I'm leaving out of GSP and coming home on Sunday night.”

“SH...aww...you lucky b...rd. :) I betcha I now would get a cheaper flight out of Columbia. Oh well, figures. LOL And keep mentioning the ritual...wanna scare me? tsss!! Hear me roarrrr!!!!

I don't think I would have a problem in a strange town/airport as I traveled to most countries of this world by myself.
last edited: 2/15/05 2:53:33 PM”

“I will be there for both of you so you do not have to hang around at the airport by yourself. You are flying into Ontario International Airport. Correct?”

“Who? Me? Yes, Ontario International. Waiting for an hour doesn't matter to me. I have to sit in Denver for at least 2 hours to wait for the connecting flight. No biggy.
last edited: 2/15/05 6:56:34 PM”