MnGCA

s4xton · Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2005 8:56 pm Post subject: Lester Park Bash - 4 June 2005

GCN1BR Lester Park Bash

More details to come. I just wanted to get the word out about this event in Duluth we are hosting.

Discussion soon about:

* Overnight arrangements (camping or otherwise) for people outside the Duluth area that want to make a weekend out of it. The MnGCA will help with the organization of this. We may also have other activities that weekend. TBD.

* Hunts and Games. Nothing is in stone yet and we might be asking for feedback and suggestions.

* Food. Nothing is in the works in that department yet.

* Carpooling.

I was up at the park this weekend (amongst a few other parks we were considering) and while I have been there many times before, I never looked at it with the mindset of hosting an event there. It's a great venue, and the terrain is pretty similar to what the Minnehaha Falls event was. Very steep in some places, fairly flat in others, pretty well wooded a river or two, and a ton of space to explore with a lot of trails. We have the pavilion reserved from "10 to 3," but I believe we will be able to start before that. After 3pm I don't anticipate we'll need the pavilion.

More details to come...

-Aaron

towlebooth · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 8:11 am Post subject:

Looking forward to it! Thanks to the board for putting this together.

s4xton · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 10:38 am Post subject:

Does anyone have any opinions or experience on this place for camping:

Duluth Tent and Trailer Camp
(218) 525-1350
8411 Congdon Blvd
Duluth, MN 55804

It's about 3 miles northeast from the event, and it's right on the lake. Seems well established.

About 5 months ago I stayed right near the place, but it was too cold for camping.

Of course, being that it's early March, they aren't answering their phone yet.

-Aaron

rickrich · Geocacher Joined: 06 Jul 2003 Posts: 673

Woodall's

http://www.rkkda.com/tmp/dscn2258.jpg

TwentySeven · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 8:49 am Post subject:

s4xton · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 8:58 am Post subject:

Thanks for the url, 27. I've looked at a few, but I've never camped in Duluth before. South and north of Duluth, yes, but not in and around.

I'd like to get this squared away soon so the people that want to camp can be together. Every time I try to call the campground I listed above (which seems like a good location), the phone just rings and rings and rings.

Spirit Mountain has good camping (I toured around Spirit Mountain two weeks ago), but they are on the opposite end of Duluth from the park the event is in. That might, in the long run, not make much difference.

Does anyone have any experience camping in Duluth? As with 27, I'd like to get a location decided on soon. I just wish I could get ahold of some of these places that are closed for the season. Smile

-Aaron

Pear Head · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 8:00 pm Post subject:

2FarDeer · Geocacher Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 4 Location: BWCA

Any news on which campground has been selected?

s4xton · Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 6:55 am Post subject:

I'll be getting that finished up today.

Sorry for the delay.

-Aaron

s4xton · Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:00 am Post subject:

We have decided on Spirit Mountain, which is about 8-10 miles south of the event. The last time I was in Duluth I surveyed this area and it looks like a beautiful place to stay. The feedback I got from people about Spirit Mountain was very good as well. We did look into sites that were closer to the event, but they didn't seem very nice. Spirit Mountain looked to be better than State Park quality as well.

As all the reservations are done online, I was unable to "block off" a group of sites, but there is a cluster of sites that have not been claimed yet that would be good.

Here is a Camground Map. I reserved site 57 for myself for Friday and Saturday nights, and if you would like to camp with geocachers, I recommend reserving a site between 54 and 61. 52 and 64 are nearby pull-through sites if you have a large RV and want to stay near the group.

To reserve your site, go to this site.

You'll see that some are better for tents, and some are better for pop-ups... there should be something for everyone. We will determine a site soon to have a group bonfire - it will be in that corner of the campground.

$23 for most of the sites in that area. One tent, RV or Pop-Up maximum per site.

If you reserve a site, let us know which one! Hopefully we'll get a lot of people to camp with us.

Cheers,
-Aaron

Marsha and Silent Bob · Past MnGCA President Joined: 02 Sep 2003 Posts: 6261

Marsha and I (along with The Budster) have reserved site 61 for Friday and Saturday (6/3 and 6/4).
_________________
Sad state of affairs.

towlebooth · Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:32 pm Post subject:

Jillibean and I have reserved site 56. Great work s4xton - thanks!

TwentySeven · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 7:05 am Post subject:

I cant make it! I have Drill that weekend and can't get out of it!
We were really looking forward to going! My weekends are now pretty booked up. 1 for Army National Guard drill and 2 I work each month. So the odds are pretty poor that I will make events this summer Crying or Very sad

Have fun!
_________________
APRS: Combining Hamradio with a GPSr.
Where am I?

s4xton · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 7:22 am Post subject:

27-

It's too bad!!! Wish you could come.

Things are starting to come together on this event now. I'm working on getting a sponsor or two for prizes (hopefully my first choice on this will come through; waiting to hear back), Silent Bob's working on figuring out food, and I'll be spending the day tomorrow waypointing the park... after a bit more of this is set in stone, I'm going to switch to promoting the event to try to get as many people out as possible. (I started bugging the Wisconsin Geocachers yesterday, and we already have a few people from Missouri coming up for it.)

I'm excited for it already.

-Aaron

Marsha and Silent Bob · Past MnGCA President Joined: 02 Sep 2003 Posts: 6261

Oneied Cooky and I will be working on food. I'm going to see what I can do to get some donations. Right now we are thinking that the main stuff will be smoked and beer boiled brats with sauerkraut and ketchup/mustard. Chips, soft drinks, water, and some sort of treat will also be included.

If you are interested in joining us for lunch please let us know so we can build a rough estimate of how much food we will need to bring. If you aren't a brat fan you are welcome to bring whatever it is you would like to picnic with and eat along w/us!

edit: spelling
_________________
Sad state of affairs.