Realbeer "Convention" Get Together: Attendees

[Bruno_78]

Place: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Date: October 14, 15, and 16th

Everyone who is thinking of attending:

Please let me know within the next couple weeks how many you may have in your party. I will soon be making a scouting trip to Kalamazoo to look at possible hotels. On this trip I am going to see what we can get for group rates, so I need to know some numbers. So even if you have committed to going in the past, please reiterate again here so I can get a total count.


Thank you.

[danno]

I'll take a room...

[wortchillergoal]

At this point in time, my wife thinks I am better off coming by myself for this event.

[Bruno_78]

Ok, so Three rooms?

I know there are others of you who are thinking of joining us. Even if you haven't made up your mind for sure, Go ahead and let us know you're thinking about it.

[Jeff]

I'm thinking about it, but October will be a very busy month. The next weekend is my best friend's wedding, and the weekend after that I take my professional examination for licensing.

[BluesHarp]

I'm seriously thinking about it...it will either be two or four people.

I would say 75% certain at this early date...

I may have to research activities for the two "casual" beer drinkers. ;)

[staronstage]

I would really like to attend, but I'm only about 50% sure that Jinja and I are coming. I'm sure it would be a great time, but I need to get a better idea of what the "year" looks like.

[chazwicke]

I'll be there! Probably bring some other beer enthusiasts too. I know a few lurkers who have not posted yet.

[threecb]

I'm pretty sure I'll make it. 1 room would be needed.

[skahtboi]

I, too, am thinking about it. Though as I have stated in previous posts, October is not really a very good month for me. I will have to see how things shape up as the new school year gets underway. IF I am able to come, I would need one room.

[BluesHarp]

...just bringing this back to life...

A lot more people than this voted in the original poll.

Come on, beer geeks...UNITE!!!!!!

those of you who are dyslexic...UNTIE!! :D

[Wolf359]

Unfortunately I will be in New Zealand at the time. I can't be in two places at once. How does this always happen to me ?

[chazwicke]

Just reactivating this thread. Bruno Do you need any help researching lodging or contacting breweries? Anyone have connections that might assist in setting this up?

[wortchillergoal]

If it will help more people to commit to attending, I will promise not to crack all the bad jokes like i do here on the board.

[fretlessman71]

".... Don't go changin'.... to try to please me...." :)

You just be yourself - we wouldn't have you any other way!

[Bruno_78]

I'm going to visit kalamazoo here in the near future, as soon as I get a free weekend to visit some of these places. You're more than welcome to come along, chaz, if you want to fly out here. other than that, I don't know if there's much else to take care of now. I might enlist you in talking to breweries, though. You seem a little better at schmoozing than I am.

Now, the more people we have in attendance, the better deal we'll be able to get on rooms. So once again, if you're thinking about attending, post your intentions in this thread and I'll get my head count here.

[Jake]

I'm going to try to make it. If you can find accomodations with an indoor pool that would increase my chances of going. That would give wife and son something to enjoy while I did my thing. Is non-beer enthusiasts family members welcome?

[kevin]

Bruno,
I could offer assistance, I'm about an hour away from Kazoo

[adbachtell]

What is the nearest major airport? Would be coming from Alaska

[Bruno_78]

Detroit?

[steveh]

Isn't there a Gary, IN airport?

S.

[Stodbrew]

It all depends on my financial situation at the time. And whether or not I have a job by then. I'll keep you posted.

[steveh]

Originally posted by Stodbrew
And whether or not I have a job by then.

How's that goin' anyway? Any prospects? Fritz looking for a good, hands-on brewer or anything?

S.

[Stodbrew]

Originally posted by steveh
How's that goin' anyway? Any prospects? Fritz looking for a good, hands-on brewer or anything?

S.


Slowly. I have interviewed with a couple of places around here, now I'm just waiting to hear back. One of the places doesn't need anyone until around the end of March, so we'll see. Other than that, there just aren't that many breweries around here hiring at the moment. I might have to expand my horizons.

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by steveh
Isn't there a Gary, IN airport?

S.

Detroit or Gary...Detroit or Gary....hmmmm....kinda like staring into the beer cooler with a choice of only Mich Ultra and B-to-the-E :eek:

Pick your slum and have a Town Car waiting to whisk you away...quickly. I flew into Detriot a few years back - I think their airport got stuck in 1972 somehow. Worse than Boston's Logan Airport - never thought that was possible. Any Detroiters know if things have improved?

Cheers!

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by Bruno_78
Detroit?

Dude, your own town has a regional airport with some major airlines flying connections into it. And South Bend looks closer than Detroit or Gary. No love for the hometown?

http://www.sbnair.com/Passengers/Airlines.php

Cheers!

[steveh]

Originally posted by newportstorm
Detroit or Gary...Detroit or Gary....hmmmm....

I know, I know.

BTW - Bruno wasn't looking, Adbachtell from Alaska was. If I know Bruno, he's two-wheeling!

S.

[Bruno_78]

He did ask about major airports. Yes, ours has an airport. I have used it a few times, and I guess it would be better than Gary or Detroit. I just never think about it as a real airport.

I don't know, October might be a little late in the year for a road trip. And then there's the obstacle of strapping the cornies to the luggage rack!:D

[kevin]

there is a airport in Kazoo not a major the next one would be in Grand Rapids Gerald Ford Airport about an hour away Detroit would be a couple hours drive

[Jake]

I never been to a real beer get together or "Convention". This is something you would just leave the family at home and go yourself type of thing?

[steveh]

Originally posted by kevin
there is a airport in Kazoo

Isn't that the 'port with the aviation museum? I breezed through there on the way to a wedding a few years back, some great old planes.

S.

[Bruno_78]

Jake, I'm sure my significant other will be attending. As well, a couple other members have expressed interest in bringing guests. I see no problem with it, as long as they appreciate good beer!

[Beaver]

Originally posted by newportstorm
Detroit or Gary...Detroit or Gary....hmmmm....kinda like staring into the beer cooler with a choice of only Mich Ultra and B-to-the-E :eek:

Pick your slum and have a Town Car waiting to whisk you away...quickly. I flew into Detriot a few years back - I think their airport got stuck in 1972 somehow. Worse than Boston's Logan Airport - never thought that was possible. Any Detroiters know if things have improved?

Cheers!

Detoit built a new terminal a couple of years back. It's much better now.

[chazwicke]

Isn't Detroit a hub for NorthWest. I think I flw through there a couple of times. Hell I may drive and hit soembreweries along the trail.

Jake this is the first formal Realbeer get together. Lots of us have met up as individuals or small groups. This should be really fun. I've just returned about an hour ago from a breweriana convention that we put together 26 years ago and it is still growing and bigger than ever. I thinking by the time it is over Sunday probably 1,500 people will ahve come. possibly more. Besides the collectables, we have 55 kegs of micro brews all donated. Even beers from Great Lakes and Larry Bell. Hopefully the realbeer get together will be a success and grow too.

[Beaver]

Originally posted by chazwicke
Isn't Detroit a hub for NorthWest.

Yup.

[Jake]

Originally posted by Bruno_78
Jake, I'm sure my significant other will be attending. As well, a couple other members have expressed interest in bringing guests. I see no problem with it, as long as they appreciate good beer!


I will try to make this. I was thinking that maybe my wife who don't drink beer and my son who is just a youngster could enjoy some other attractions in Kalamazoo while I enjoyed beer and the fellowship of other real beer folks. Maybe that is not such a good idea for this event. Though that arrangement works while on vacation when I go golfing.

[chazwicke]

Bring them. By all means. Hopefully there will be an indoor pool. My wife does not drink either. But I might actually come with a buddy or two if she declines.

[steveh]

Originally posted by Beaver
Detoit built a new terminal a couple of years back. It's much better now.

Why, did they build it in Toledo? :D Sorry - just had to!

S.

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by Beaver
Detoit built a new terminal a couple of years back. It's much better now.

Good. It had nowhere to go but up.

[Bruno_78]

is it detroit that has that long illuminated tunnel that you have to walk to to get to the actual terminal?

[fretlessman71]

I know that Chicago O'Hare has this rainbow-lit tunnel that's like that, and DIA has something similar going to Concourse A. The other concourses can only be accessed by underground train.

[chazwicke]

Dulles has those rediculous shuttles that I hate!!!

[fretlessman71]

Are they underground, or just big vans?

[chazwicke]

They are unique. Kind of like cattle cars. They can rise and lower and were at one time designed to take you to your plane. But now they just shuttle you to the mid field terminals. They are also working on a tunnel. The last thing you want to do after getting off a long flight is to have to catch another shuttle.

[steveh]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
I know that Chicago O'Hare has this rainbow-lit tunnel that's like that,

That's only in the United terminal.

S.

[fretlessman71]

Aha! That rings a bell now... but I'll be damned if I can remember why I would have been there. Must have been flying into Philly back in '97 to play at a really strange club - Middle Eastern food on the bottom, and the top two floors had a band on each floor. Huge audience, though - and they dug us!

[chazwicke]

Was that with Wind Machine?

[fretlessman71]

Nope - a little band you never heard of called Liquid Playground. That's the same band I'm going to be hopefully playing with at Princeton Mem. Day weekend. I'll be the only non-Princeton grad - I feel like such a loser..... <*sob*>

[chazwicke]

I heard a Wind Machine song on a cable tv channel at Xmas i think. I'd like to hear more.

[fretlessman71]

Well, I was going to include some with your thank-you package, but I still need to know the proper address to send stuff to! :D

[chazwicke]

Check your PMS!!!

[chazwicke]

Check em again!

[fretlessman71]

I CHECKED 'em, I checked 'em already! :)

[chazwicke]

Good. Bout time.

[wortchillergoal]

I thought it time again tyo remind people to think about Oct. The quailty of people I have met so far from the realbeer community has me looking forward to this event. I believe that a better time will be hard to come by.

Please make plans and join us. At the very leaast you can see Bruno's human head.

[chazwicke]

LOL! I've seen it. But I can reveal no details. Everyone must see it for themselves.

[PFDarkside]

What's the overall plan, get together and drink good beer? Visit Kalamazoo Brewing? I'm sure I have at least one other person that would attend, but Saturday is a home gaome against Penn State, so I'd only be there Friday or after the game Saturday.

If you fly into Detroit Metro by Northwest (or codeshare partners like Continental), it's a really nice terminal (with the illuminated tunnel). If you fly in by AA, United, Delta, or SW it's the old terminal. Pretty old and nasty. I can't believe that they haven't updated it for the upcoming All-Star game and Superbowl. That's the "D" for you though.

[BluesHarp]

I'm thinking ferry boat from Milwaukee...

[chazwicke]

Do they have ferries? That might be a nice followup trip for me.

[steveh]

http://www.lake-express.com/

S.

[BluesHarp]

It is out getting extra stabilizers installed right now; a few people complained of sea sickness last year...should really smooth out the ride.