Albuquerque a2k roundup, May 14-19, 2008

11 wake up works well for people with OUT the energy bomb that is my daughter.

6 am and she is standing at my bedside, peeking over my pillow with her finger in my eye wondering what I am doing..

So , KNOW heheheh.. we will be there early.


Again.. I am now confused as to the places we want to go.

I remember.. being able to drive west on Central avenue, going under a bridge that was after University blvd.. then taking a left on either 2nd or 3rd street and then again about 3 blocks later taking a right on to Iron street and that would take me close to what I remember was the Zoo.

I am thinking the aquarium is CLOSE to that correct?

When I try to google it of course, I get no h elp but I will do it again for directions.

Sunday's park meeting location

There.
It is written in stone.

We will meet on Sunday morning / ish at this park . "ish" meaning that Ian, Jillian and myself will be there most of the morning.. YOU arrive when you want, but lets all try to arrive before 11? is that too early?
That way we can at least work our way into the same general place at the same time..

And here are some generic directions -

1: Start out going WEST on CANDELARIA RD NE/ NM-47 N toward NM-47 S. Continue to follow CANDELARIA RD NE. 0.2 mi

2: Turn LEFT onto 2ND ST NW. 1.0 mi

3:2ND ST NW becomes 3RD ST NW. 1.7 mi

4:Turn RIGHT onto LEAD AVE SW. 0.8 mi

5:LEAD AVE SW becomes ALCALDE PL SW.0.3 mi

6: Turn RIGHT onto TINGLEY DR SW. 0.3 mi

7:End at 1800 Tingley Dr SW Albuquerque, NM 87104-1670

Estimated Time: 11 minutes Estimated Distance: 4.26 miles


******* please be sure to bring *********

A chair , or pillows or something to SIT on.. as we will be there for a while and concrete HURTS.
Please bring your own lunch/snack food + enough to share with about 3 or 4 people. No need to spend a lot of money on extra food. If everyone brings just a little extra of their own stuff, there will be more then enough for everyone to snack on while we are there.
Bring WATER.
If this is the park I think I remember.. there are only a few water fountains scattered here and there..


am I forgetting anything.. ?

Oh
and if anyone wants to get a hold of me off the forum, just take my screen name and add @ yahoo dot com to it and you have me email address..

No. Im not very original.. ha

Our plans for the 16th, and again.. EVERYONE is more then welcome to come along!
Is to get in to the Zoo and the aquarium.

But doing some research I see that both are NOT as close together as I thought. So what we will do first is go to the Zoo.

That way we are there while it is still cool enough that we should see some 'maminals " as Bean calls them.

And.. now that I am looking even FURTHER.. I see that the zoo is right near the park we are meeting at on Sunday as well.

So now that I am officially side tracked once again.. let me post the visual for the map of the Sunday meeting .
Print this.. it will be helpful !

So back to my idea for the 16th.

We are going to be at the Zoo early morning/ish. They open as early as nine but I am willing to bet we wont be there until 10 .. possibly 11.

Call us if you would like to come with, or just show up and scream like a banshee.. I will hear you.

You can get a combination ticket to the Zoo and Aquarium for around 15 dollars acording to the web page.. but other then that it looks like general adult tickets are 7.00 a person.

You can also purchase tickets online here if that makes it easier

Directions can be printed through this Mapquest link

We will be close enough to the downtown happenings, that if there are any lunch plans or early dinner plans, the zoo area is only minutes away from MOST of the locations already mentioned on this thread.

I also have room in my car for one other person and their bag... so if someone does want to join, but does not have a car .. I have room

heheh -- a girl after my own heart. I'm still a 6 am energy bomb. It's all downhill from there.

I can spend the morning grocery shopping and be there by 11:00. It might be easier to get a list from folks on what they'd like to provide. I'll volunteer to be the designated shopper so that everyone doesn't have to make individual trips to the grocery store. There will be plenty of time on Friday/Saturday to get ideas from folks.

Sounds fun, shewolf. Great idea!

Ooohh.. I can get up early that day , leave Bean and Dad in the hotel and go with ya

Perfect!

I haven't stared at the website yet, but believing you about a need for pillows, I just happen to be a semi-mad throw pillow collector. I can stuff my car with some. Maybe the odd throw rug.

I'll bring a bunch of olives of different types. Not sure what else, have to think about it. How about some local green chile salsa? We'll see. Probably some other salsas. There are hundreds of salsas here.. (Someone else bring tortilla chips...)

Shewolf, is there any shade there? I was gardening today, and it's damn hot already. Of course I'm a melt in the heat type flower. (I still leave open the Rio Grande Nature Center, given it has a shelter, not sure if benches and tables. I still have to call them again. Manana.)

It is a pleasure to see Shewolf's post about the complexities of having a four year old along. It made us all think about the important, yet very simple idea of having a picnic.

One other thing I need to mention is this: If there are people who come to the roundup who have disagreements, I think that those disagreements should and can be left at home.

Dys and I consider our home our place of refuge and we like for it to be a refuge for our friends. The one rule we have is that anyone who comes here does not engage in any kind of negativity or make anyone else uncomfortable. If anything like that is done, you will be asked to leave.

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm a tough old bird who doesn't put up with any bullsh!t.

I find it odd... and sad.. that those kinds of things should be said.

Shade... ?

I truly do not remember when it comes to Tingley beach.

At the Zoo.. yes. There is shade, and even my super white, freckle covered, I burn in 50 degree weather husband, will do well there..

The park.. gosh.. it has been over 10 years since I have been there.. EASILY..
I seem to remember, closer to the water there are tables ( wooden ) under trees and close to open sandy areas.

But again.. I am not 100% certain.

I plan on going early and scouting the place out for the best available location. If it TRULY looks as though it will be an awful place to meet up, I will start making calls. But I doubt that will happen as it is a family friendly , picnic style park. I could not imagine it being very popular if it was nothing but glaring sun..

So if I burst out laughing and roll on the floor at the mention of the name Dennis Kuchinch, I will get tossed out the door?

The plan for Sunday sounds fantastic! I will take Osso up on the offer of a butt-cushion. I don't think my hotel would like my bringing one of their pillows. And I will accept JPB's idea of her going shopping for picnic stuff. I will be car-less and clue-less as to what to bring. I can certainly tote stuff.

I am very much a Ben Franklinite (Early to bed and early to rise). So I am thinking of the Botantical Garden when they open and perhaps the Aquariam later on on Sunday. I am not a big fan of zoos.

Do we want to try for a venue for Friday or Saturday evening? Or just let that be decided on the ground? My concern is that some folks will be getting in a bit earlier on those days and may not know where a bunch of us might be. I can certainly appreciate, though, that we may not want to over-manage this.

I've been to a few a2k get togethers. Mostly we already know what each other think, though not fully - but the interest is in the people behind the thoughts. We're just all people with some opinion that we let fly out there.
Maybe I missed stuff, but, if so, it was short.

It's a pleasure to meet with A2k in common.

I suppose it could happen that people get into religion/politics brawling, but I haven't seen it. I've barely heard either of those mentioned. Perhaps the odd quip or tee shirt. In any case, one can make terms in one's own space.

Shewolf, I'll call both places tomorrow.

Plus there's a park offshoot, up near Montano, that none of us posters have been to.

This might involve a drive.

(I did some online searching, no wiser.)

Gads. maybe we could all wear tee shirts with our affiliations. Snort. PDid does have good ones.

Me, finally a chance to wear a Wild Wednesday tee shirt reflecting some concerts my ex arranges/promotes in a California city. I haven't managed to toss it...

Or it could be my totally scrunge Venice tee. More likely that.

RealJohnBoy, if you mention Dennis Kucinich, Dys will know that you are a tue believer. He will always be for Dennis Kucinich no matter who is running.