Food for thought re family get togethers an alternative kind of venue

Rob Keeble

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Location
GTA Ontario Canada
Hi All, a few days ago after returning from Burning Woods Carol wrote a post re family get togethers.

Well after this past weekend i want to add to this point with a difference.

I have no idea how many of you are "outdoor" types, RV'ers or campers or have visited any of the US State Parks.

But .....after having just done my first trip to Letchworth State Park I thought i would mention what went through my mind here and see what falls out the tree.

I was more than pleasantly impressed i might add and i have been to many Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Parks in Canada and will be writing them soon on some input i have to offer as a citizen that makes use of these facilities.

1) The park was inclusive of all tastes in accommodation. So you can hire a cabin, heck you can hire a house if you like, or you can stay at the Inn. But you can also sleep in a tent (something i gave up last year) , a Motor Home or a trailer as well.

2) Price is really cheap in my view. Too cheap i think. You can get a cabin from $30 thru to $115 per night .

3) There are group sites to be had (which we have here but try to hire one and oh boy i have. :crazy:) and even special rates.

4) Better than group sites is the facilities in terms of "community center or the facilities like Shelter buildings for events where should weather turn bad you can get decent protective shelter. Not bad thinking considering weather these days.

5) The place is geared kinda like a resort so in my view it caters to more than the purist naturalist that wishes to do the 24 mile hike. This in my view has to be a good thing in 2013. I would rather see the kids on a bike in the park staying in a cabin than on the couch at home with gameboy in hands. So for me its pragmatic approach to managing a park.

6) Swimming Pool that was huge with all sorts of facilities.

7) Dedicated state park police kitted out with motor launch.

Now i realize they probably are not all kitted to the same extent, as this one , (and i am trying to remove the attraction from the venue and focus on the amenities outside of the "camping thing. But there was a venue where one family held a baby shower at the park and rented one of the venues they have for this kind of occasion.

So the thought occurred to me ......why could we not pick a state park to hold our family get together's.

This would enable a vast array of locations and then need not be hosted at a persons home. It makes the whole accommodation issue way easier. Sure it does not have a shop for all too see but if i recall the BW 2013 we did not live in the shop and when we were its not as if we took Brents shop apart.

I don't know the USA well enough to offer suggestions re how the highways etc intersect versus State parks that are suitable but here is a low cost broad accommodation facility that surely offers lost of alternatives and huge group flexibility.

In this particular case there were also a variety of other accommodations and eateries a couple of minutes outside the park.

So we have venue
Low cost and convenience with as much flex as you desire and the ability to make it a family get away not just for Family Woodworking Members.

Thoughts????
 
Thats really not a half bad idea. I know some guys that are really into 'knapping' flint, that do camping type get togethers to collect flint, do seminars, etc...
 
we did have a few demos that needed a shop to work out of, but also not everyone is into camping. and the lodging may not be close.. in the one we had we had close lodging and could have put others up with electric hook up but again not everyone is into camping.. but one thing is certain is that we need to keep these meetings alive. our lives are to short to not have the chance and take it to meet new folk with like interests to share our input with.. one fine example was tonight where i dropped in on a couple and their friends that i met a couple weeks ago in a music festival.. they invited us to there place on friday for a another get together which could be fun as well.. we never know what we might be missing in this life if we dont take the next step..isnt that right tom B:)
 
Our homebrew club has at least one camp out meeting every year that I definitely look forward to. I do understand that some people (cough loml) are not happy campers (so to speak) so you might end up with a slightly different crowd. You could also definitely tailor the tutorials towards no power, there are a lot of things you can do with mostly hand tools in the woods, might be a somewhat different style of work :D
 
NO ALCOHOL IN FEDERAL PARKS or State Parks.

State parks vary widely by state and park. I know there are certainly state parks in this side of the country that allow alcohol (and that there are definitely some that don't). Actually looks like it varies widely in national parks as well - for instance the great smoky mountains parks allow it http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/campregs.htm whereas in most of pennsylvania and NJ its not allowed: http://www.nps.gov/DEWA/planyourvisit/alcoholpolicy.htm

I guess the short version is read up and plan before you pack up.
 
Well they allowed alcohol in the park i was in and to answer Larrys point there are cabins available which last i looked at the dictionary is not camping. :) And the cabins could be had at varying price depending on the style or size. All in all there was a choice for every pocket and way of living or sleeping. No sleeping on the bench though.

I dunno what America you guys live in but the one i just visited had an abundance of power and unbelievable facilities all the way up to 50 Amp outlets. I realize this may not be uniform but hey its one heck of a large country with many states. If a state dont suite us heck we pick another. :) We got enough to choose from. Then if a park within a state aint good we choose another.

Maybe i am easy going, never ever thought i was but you guys make me think so, especially since i seem to get on with your countrymen better than some of you seem to do. Folks i was camping with this past weekend were from all walks of life and cultures and there was not an issue at all. Noise was not a problem everyone respected that and neither was litter or animals.
Now go east to Nova Scotia and have a couple of Ontarians fly in and stay next door to you in a hotel or the night before a campsite and yeah you got problems. :)

So you could be in a hotel or campsite and have issues.


Oh and for you concerned city folk yup they had water and it was drinkable and the pool was clear and clean too. :) I think some of you have been way to spoilt or watching too many of my fellow redneck shows. :)
 
Ive spent enough time in cruddy cabins, enough time in mud in campgrounds to know that at this point in my life, I enjoy the comfort of real beds and climate controlled environments. Not to mention clean bathrooms and fresh towels.

but Im sure the idea of having a gathering in a public park/state land would appeal to people who enjoy the camping way of life.

I find it more personable when someone hosts in their home.

I was a bit surprised my offer to host didn't appeal to anyone. 45 minutes from the big apple, 15 minutes from some of the greatest beaches on earth, not to mention some of the finest eateries anywhere in the country.
I guess I need to change mouthwash or deodorant.
 
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Ive spent enough time in cruddy cabins, enough time in mud in campgrounds to know that at this point in my life, I enjoy the comfort of real beds and climate controlled environments. Not to mention clean bathrooms and fresh towels.

but Im sure the idea of having a gathering in a public park/state land would appeal to people who enjoy the camping way of life.

I find it more personable when someone hosts in their home.

I was a bit surprised my offer to host didn't appeal to anyone. 45 minutes from the big apple, 15 minutes from some of the greatest beaches on earth, not to mention some of the finest eateries anywhere in the country.
I guess I need to change mouthwash or deodorant.


Allen you aint off the hook yet. I am definitely making my way down your way. After all your descriptions of your backyard movies and the food you think i am gonna miss that.:eek: You and i still have a date coming to visit some NY delis and have some real NY pizza (just make sure its not pepperoni covered in heavy basil sauce or we gonna have words :deadhorse::rofl:

Plus i want to see your shop and have a tour of all your work you done. Manhattan can wait. :)

And just because we hit a state park dont mean you cannot stay at a local Marriot :)


Dave i am up for a fishing weekend but you gotta know where the fish are and convince me first. Flyfishing i hope is what you talking about?

Need to recover my knee first from wading this past weekend. Boy its killing me and i dont know what i did.
 
allen another vote for a drive by at least sometime soon:) its that traffic you keep telling us about that might be scaring folks away:) definitely isnt your mouth wash or your deodorant the food you mention is enough to make anyone overlook the worst of odors:)
 
allen another vote for a drive by at least sometime soon:) its that traffic you keep telling us about that might be scaring folks away:) definitely isnt your mouth wash or your deodorant the food you mention is enough to make anyone overlook the worst of odors:)

I am wondering about that term "ambassador" right now ;) I thought diplomacy went with the job :)


Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2
 
the traffic lately has been unbearable.
I went to Atlantic city last weekend. 2 hours 20 minutes normal ride for me. over 4 hours. coming home, almost 4 hours.
This is the season. beaches are open, up and down the coast, jersey shore, long island shore, college kids are home, the traffic is always a mess.
by third week august, things calm down.

rob, no more movie nights here, my son has taken all the equipment to his home, but if you want to see an outdoor movie, Ill get it back and we can set something up, movies under the stars.

and if you guys come, Ill have to park my car in the garage, so getting into my shop will be impossible. I need the room to park cars on the driveway.

Ive contacted 3 or 4 local fww members, from around NY state, so far 2 said they would 100% come if the date is good.
 
Morning on Pontiac Lake in Pembroke Canada, Awesome fishing. about $500.00 for the week with Room and board.


I could see about getting the farm house for a few days in Va.


WV awesome Trout and scenery





If I were not from the DC area I would have loved to have been raised in WV.
 
"Now that's what i am talking about" seeing that river. But i note you been cheating catching trout on that rig aint fair :) You gotta get with the fly man and make it a fair fight. Match the hatch. Not suck them out with worms. ;)
 
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