I mean for people who aren't there, we could have some kind of video from the meetup.

Niri, ask mikkowilson, he's the admin of the meetup site.

Like ustream.tv?

Well, strangely enough I had chatted with the Avatar Nation folks about it a while back. It is very much dependant on the hotel's band width and other technical stuff that flew over my head like an ikran being chased by a toruk.

But the event will certainly be videoed and also audio capture no doubt for an event video, uploading onto You Tube, and Avatar Nation podcasts. I'll also try and do what I did last time which is film some bits with my phone and upload them for people to watch each day.

Hope that helps. But yeah it would be really cool if we could live stream through places like the one you suggested Sempu.

Alan

Well, hopefully there would be enough bandwidth at a hotel :P; if not then I'm sure someone will have a mobile connection. Remember there's going to be mikkowilson, myself, and Eltu there, among others - we can work something out :P

Sorry Mika you will be missed

[[/QUOTE]

Yes I plan on getting a small van. I will get in the 13 and will be willing to give rides to and from. I will charge for a ride though. I'm not trying to make money, just pay for the gas and van rental.

This topic needs some new life. We are only a few weeks out now, things like food need to start to get worked out.

(also, remember to update your profile if you haven't recently, so we can have accurate numbers and food doesn't run out!)

- Mikko

I'm surprised food wasn't one of the first issues worked out, but I'm not really up to date about what's necessary. Is it possible people can be responsible for their own food, generally, if there's no food in the area, or is that a bad idea?

it's generally much cheaper, more economical and less wasteful (not to mention easier cooking) to organize group cooking.

- Mikko

It's going to be near impossible to do "own food" for those of us arriving straight from 10 hours on a plane with no chance to stop and get any too (and most food can't be brought into the country). I think the best bet is that people who are arriving there first can do some shopping and everyone contributes.

oh, no! not food, again! :shock:

Given the little interest to the food subject (until these recent posts)- and the fact that food is a survival necessity - I've been pondering & musing, & in the end contacted Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort re: the possibility of box meals :shock:

Here is their reply:

Quote:
I have spoken with our chef answer are good to go on box lunches. We will be putting together a list of items for your guests to choose from.

Each box lunch will come with:
•Sandwich (choice of bread, meat or veggie, and cheese)
•Chips or cold salad (macaroni, potato, etc.)
•Dessert
•Drink
•Piece of fruit

The cost on this version is 12.95 pp.

If you want us to work on that just let us know what price point you have in mind and we can go from there.
Unquote.

As they told me on the phone, we just need to place the order the day before - & then come & pick it up, bring it to the camping ground and... guess... yes, right! eat it! This way we can still have a group meal (without having to walk 0.5 mile to Sol Duc & sit at separate tables) - but we will save a lot of time & hassle.

This option is more expensive that 'our own camp made food' but the way I see it, it's 'more money - less hassle'. If they can arrange lunches AND suppers, too (or else we just order a double quantity of sandwiches & keep them in coolers ' or maybe they can store them) then we are saved from cooking.

If we choose this Box Meal option, then whoever comes to Seattle first AND has a car just needs to get breakfast stuff (cereals, milk, fruit...) - but no messing with pots, pans & gas stoves - thus liberating time for doing stuff. AFAIK from MOMS, he won't be renting a van (too expensive for what it can offer) so it must be someone with a car to pick up the breakfast stuff. Or to ask the shuttle driver to stop over, & buy things on the way, as Alan suggested in one conversation.

Basically, the advantage is less hassle, no need for cooking (effort + time + washing after), less gear (a mug & a spoon would be all a camper needs- ?).

The disadvantage is a higher price, & maybe a slightly boring menu (although, afaik, no one died yet because of eating the same food for two days).

As for our own food, it doesn't simply mean to bring & cook our own food. It means:
- getting the money from everybody in advance (a special account for that purpose?)
- buying food (people who arrive early with cars (how many?) / shuttle stopover) & bringing it to the camping ground;
-storing food (need additional items, like coolers, & space)
- handing food out (?? 'two pieces of bread, two potatoes, a glass of milk / juice (and no more) per camper! -someone will have to do it, right? who?)
- and if it's not eaten, dealing with left-over food... :S

The advantage is that this DIY option would be cheaper (according to Alan's calculations in one of earlier posts, a meal would be about $8 - but we should add milk, paper tissues, detergents, garbage bags, renting (?) gas stoves, buying gas... so it would be about $10 in the end (roughly speaking). The disadvantage is... hassle! the way I call it.

The way I see it, we Still will need to buy breakfast (but only cold stuff, not something that requires cooking). AND there was an idea about a BBQ, too! AFAIK LearnNa'vi had a BBQ in 2011, anybody knows anything? How did they do it?

bummar the RDA are on my tail! Back later...
These are only my considerations (plus suggestions from Alan & MOMS via skype). Whoever has other suggestions, please speak fast: Mikko is right, the time is running fast. I guess, since we started planning early, people are used to the idea that the Meetup 2012 is still sooooooo far away - but this is not true anymore. We have 1.5 months to go.

I think you covered it all there... it's down to input from people who will actually be there early / able to drive there now, I don't have much useful to add to that.

I shudder to think about the packaging of boxed lunches.


Camp cooking for a medium sized group isn't hard, it just takes a little planning.

- Mikko

Eeee...we must like round abouts coz we seem to keep going round in circles on this one! :facepalm:...:xD:



I guess there are four options:

1. Everyone fends for them self - not really the cheapest way or practical for those flying in. Probably a dead end really apart form maybe those on the backpacking trip.
2. Go with the Sol Duc facilities and just deal with breakfast - most convenient, but perhaps not the cheapest. Regarding the waste, we could always take our own re-useable food containers to eliminate the waste and maybe reduce the cost. win-win?
3. Go with clan meals - Potentially the cheapest way forward, but more hassle in getting and storing the food especially any chilled stuff, then cooking and cleaning.
4. Go with Sol Duc for hiking food and then clan breakfast and evening meal - Not as much hassle and means we can get away early without having to prep lunch before we go.

Any more options anyone can think of?

Would it be worth trying to get a direct email to everyone who is going on the camp or just decide right here?

Once we have actually made a decision (oooOOOoo scarey:shock:) I guess we can go foward with working out 'what' we are going to eat and if there are any special meal requirements.

Then we can work out the cost for everyone and then...

and then...

...work out how we are going to organise acquiring the "om, yom, yom":rolleyes:

So, what do folks think...or rather want to decide - we need to start deciding ;)...:D

My preference would be first; 2 (using our own food carriers), then 4, 3, 1.

Alan

I'd vote for option 3.

- Mikko