Thanks, ehBeth. that's a help..
How about the Elena Gallegos Picnic Area? (or is the name of one of the areas you've already considered? I tried an A2K search on Gallegos... )
It looks gorgeous (and you can book a picnic area)
http://www.cabq.gov/openspace/elenagallegos.html
Quote:Seven covered picnic areas and two reservation areas with barbecue grills provide magnificent views to the east and the west. A network of multi-use trails offer challenges to hikers, bikers and equestrians. Hikers also enjoy two trails for foot traffic only and access to the Sandia Mountain Wilderness area. On the north boundary of the picnic area is the Cottonwood Springs Trail, a self-guiding trail accessible to all people, leading to a pond and wildlife blind. A special feature of the Cottonwood Springs Trail are the shaded rest stops with original art work by Margie O'Brien interpreting the surrounding environment.
I still like the idea of something in a park on Sunday from say around 11 am to say 2 pm as the core "window" of time. I am thinking that there might be too many people to have that at someone's house.
I see a certain consensus for The Flying Star on, as I read it, Friday afternoon/early evening. Some folks may not have arrived by then, though. And the Calico Cafe on Saturday morning popped up a few times.
That would still leave other times available for other get-togethers.
I will arriving in ALB at 12:30 pm or so on Wednesday 5/14 and will be staying at the Best Western Rio Grande. If anyone is around later that afternoon in the Old Town area, let me know. Given the 8 hours of flights and the time difference I will probably be worthless after about 7 pm local time.
I will pm Diane with details of what name I will be traveling under. I don't do the cell-phone thing but one of my employees says he will lend me one of his spare lap-tops.
realjohnboy wrote:I will arriving in ALB at 12:30 pm or so on Wednesday 5/14 and will be staying at the Best Western Rio Grande. If anyone is around later that afternoon in the Old Town area, let me know. Given the 8 hours of flights and the time difference I will probably be worthless after about 7 pm local time.
So that would be perfectly fine for meeting me .... 20 hours after leaving home, 8 hours time difference :wink:
Walter Hinteler wrote:
So that would be perfectly fine for meeting me .... 20 hours after leaving home, 8 hours time difference :wink:
Ouch! I envy the folks who can get on a plane and immediately fall asleep for the duration of the flight. Not me. I can't sleep sitting up. I may be going to Germany in the Fall, btw.
realjohnboy wrote:Ouch! I envy the folks who can get on a plane and immediately fall asleep for the duration of the flight. Not me. I can't sleep sitting up. I may be going to Germany in the Fall, btw.
I can't sleep sitting up neither - that's why I updated to business on the flight back.
We'll talk about your fall vacancy and make arrangements ... in less than two weeks :wink:
That looks really interesting, ehBeth. I'll look at it more when I get home.
For me it's a tough drive (I'm a chary driver now), 15 miles from my house, and similar miles for others, so it would depend on number of drivers available. On the other hand, it seems fabulous.
I can do transport for at least one, osso. Maybe three if I really clean out the clutter that ususally travels along with me on a trip.
Oh, good, Roger. Mame and JPB will have rental cars, I think, and I don't remember about Eva. Shewolfie will have her own. PDiddies will have their own, I'm guessing.
It's not that it's that far, just not quite as handy as the Rio Grande area places, for those of us posting so far. But re Beth's link, it looks super.
I want to doublecheck security too, re the three places. There was 'security' at Tingley when we stopped by, basically a good thing. I'm going to do some online searching.
I've not noticed 'security' at the Rio Grande Nature Center, but then I've never felt the whiff of a need the few times I've been there.
Albuquerque has become the new home, I hear, of some LA gangs. 'course, LA gangs were my old neighbors and I'm not all afeared, especially on a sunday in the park.
So, Johnboy, are Diane and Dys going to be the Repositor of Information? yourself as a backup?
Memories of the San Francisco meet - I had a scrap of paper with all the names and phone numbers...
I still plan to type up the most relevant restaurant addresses, with alternates, and picnic site addresses, bla bla, once zee fog gets a tad clearer - as concisely and usefully as I can muster.
ossobuco wrote:So, Johnboy, are Diane and Dys going to be the Repositor of Information? .
Let us know where yall want the info to be sent. Wherever works for me. No backup to Johnboy.
That little car list considered Diane saying they'd probably opt out and BBB will have accessibility issues that we don't know if we can work around yet... Those might change or not, re how it goes.
Plus, I may have forgotten someone obvious with a car.
If Asherman and Foxfyre will come, Gallegos park may be closer for them.
realjohnboy wrote:Let us know where yall want the info to be sent.
Shouldn't the travellers be co-ordinating with each other, not depending on locals who may not be available because of their own plans/health concerns?
<trying to simmer down from a huge semi-internal rant>
I know that the Chicago get-together was marvellous in part because of the great organizing efforts of at least one spectacular local - but expecting that kind of effort/input from other communities simply isn't fair.
<the rant is revving back up again>
Somewhat to the side of this discussion of the present meeting, I have always disagreed that we need a local to meet anywhere. I remember when people didn't want to go to Barcelona because no a2kers lived there. (what?) I've gone to many cities myself, cold re any connections, and had a great time. The SF meet was instigated by CI but planned at somewhat in retrospect by PDiddie and myself - we were the sloggers - with a lot of participant input. It was planned over 4 days but remained loosey goosey, which is what I wish for ABQ, loosey goosey.
I've also had people insist I visit them. Quite a kamfloogle, what the hell?
I was a beneficiary in Chicago of the generosity of the locals. It helped make my trip back there after fifty, gadzooks, years, a major milestone. Uh, I left at thirteen... Wonderful trip.
I have a personal lapse, in that I love travel so much, I don't get not getting involved. But then, I don't do that for a living, or have other reasons for not getting excited.
Back with more on Gallegos park, for consideration.
Ok, on the Gallegos park ---
links I hope you all look at -
http://expertrealestatetalk.com/blog/2007/12/01/elena-gallegos-picnic-area-albuquerque-nm/
http://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?uri=full=3100001~!321147!0#focus
And I gather there is accessability.
Well, I'm paying attention on that now. What do you all think?
Please don't hesitate to use us for the repository of phone numbers and hotels. I have asked before and haven't received any answers, but the time is getting close and we all need to have a way of contacting each other. Just PM me with your cell phone number and hotel and I will PM you back with our number and address.
Gallegos park sounds loverly. Dys can walk a short way with a cane, but BBB has a little cart that may or may not have batteries. If it is really accessible that would be fantastic. Shade is also a must and, as Jo said, it didn't look too promising at the part of Tingley that we saw.
How many will be here on Friday, by early evening? Those of us who are already here should plan on going to dinner somewhere Friday night. Maybe the Indigo Crow? It wouldn't be good for a large crowd, but fine for 8 or 10 at the most.
Has it been agreed to have breakfast at the Calico Cafe on Saturday am?
Bob and I will be there, then we will head for hom. Please drop in during the day for a visit--if possible, please call, but don't let it stop you from coming if you can't get to a phone. Knowing how Dys loves to talk, it might be me who will need to nap during the day :wink:
Don't forget--Pm me with phone or cell numbers. The time is getting short.
As a help to Osso who has been working herself too much,
here are links to a couple of the restaurants that have
been mentioned as definites:
Calico Cafe--link:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&
rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:2007-10,GGLJ:en&q=albuquerque%2c+calico+caf
e
===================
Flying Star link for the Rio Grande location and the one
on Corrales Road:
4026 Rio Grande:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=4026+Ri
o+Grande+Blvd+NW+Albuquerque,+NM+87107&fb=1&geocode=51676
53804526756521,35.137640,-106.668716&oi=manybox&ct=14&cd=
1&resnum=7
===================
Flying Star--- 10700 Corrales Rd. in Corrales, NM:
http://www.flyingstarcafe.com/LocCorrales.htm
===========================
There are other Flying Stars, here is a link to all of
them:
http://www.flyingstarcafe.com/locations.htm
I want a girls only night out
Friday night?
Saturday night?
I know of a few places we could go too
Gallegos sounds great. Reservations at Kiwanas site is an exhorbatant $125.00 on a weekend. I would be okay with a fair share of the other one at $50.00. Both have a $50.00 damage deposit. I need to recheck. There may be non reserved sites without a charge. I would surely not like to get stuck with the fee if we were rained out.
