Marylanders, non-shooting get together! Anyone up for a picnic?

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chaim

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The weather is wonderful today, and we are getting to the time of year that it should be consistently nice (or at least warm). This weather got me to thinking- maybe we should have a MD THR picnic soon.

We could either look into meeting at one of the Patapsco State Park areas (the one on Marriotsville Rd may be nice, the one on Rt. 40 at the Howard/Baltimore County line is also nice and it is convenient). Another possibility is renting a picnic pavillion (or risking that one will be open and don't reserve it) at Centenial Park in Columbia. The boat rentals should start soon, so we could always rent a few canoes if anyone is interested, and fishing (well, sort of) could be part of it if there was any interest as well.

I think that would be a nice way to spend some Sunday afternoon. I figure maybe mid-May since it is already mid-April and it may take some planning (reserving picnic space at the park), though early May might work. Maybe we should set two dates (a primary and a fall-back) in case the date we pick is not available, and since it is an outdoor thing, maybe set a rain-date (maybe a week later).

What do you guys think? What Sundays would be good?
 
Food, Fun, Friends? Talking Guns all day? I'm all for it!

So often we all get together but hardly talk due to the volume of fire (hey a good double entendre). It would be nice to get to know those I shoot with. Spent a little time with gwag and Anapex today, but still didn't really get to talk.

I vote for Centinial Park since it is more central for our southern friends.

Maybe poll for the date?
 
I would love to make it and I'll keep an eye out for the dates!

I travel a lot so I never know what is going to happen to me.

Trying to make it to the "Friends of the NRA" banquet in Frederick in May.
Have to see.

I would love a BBQ or something simple that I could meet some of you and be able to talk toys with.

Take Care,
 
Are you guys thinking of making this a family event, or just a THR event? I'd love to bring my family and have the kids meet/play with some other kids.


And if you guys promise not to scare my semi-anti wife with talk of evil black rifles, etc, I might even bring her :neener:


Any of the parks mentioned are great with me.
 
Sounds good to me.....I'm bubbling with enthusiasm after the NRA Meeting.....:D
 
Are you guys thinking of making this a family event, or just a THR event? I'd love to bring my family and have the kids meet/play with some other kids.
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Making it a family friendly affair sounds good to me, though I won't have family to bring (still single, parents and brother are strongly anti).

If there isn't a strong preference for one of the Patapsco parks then I think Centenial Park it is- does everyone know where that is in Columbia?

Instead of a poll, since this thread is already open, lets do an informal poll on this thread. Post in this space which Sunday you'd prefer, May 16th or 23rd.

I'm happy with either. Unless people have a preference for the later day, my suggestion is to make the 16th the plan (unless someone has the picnic pavilions already reserved) and the 23rd the rain date. Depending upon how many people confirm we may or may not reserve a pavilion- I'm not sure what, if anything, it costs. If we only look like we'll have half a dozen people we can always take a gamble and if the pavilions are taken we can use one of the tables and if they too are taken we could always use blankets on one of the fields. Would anyone have a problem with that, or should I call the Columbia Association to see what to do to reserve a pavilion? If it does cost, should we reserve and then each pay however much, or go for the gamble that one will be open with the possibility of needing to use blankets on one of the fields?
 
Family sounds like a good idea, I know my kids love to get out and play.
 
What does everyone think of Memorial Day weekend? Maybe Saturday? Just a thought?
 
May 16th is best for us. We definetly can't come if its on the 23rd since I am playing hostess for my sister's bridal shower that weekend. Memorial Day weekend is also fine with us but it may be more crowded then and some people may have other plans then already.
 
What does everyone think of Memorial Day weekend? Maybe Saturday? Just a thought?
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If Memorial Day means more people can go (possible) then I'd be ok with it. However, as Girlwithagun mentioned it will be more crowded, and it is likely that all the pavilions are already reserved. Also, people tend to make family and out of town plans on that weekend so I'm not sure if it would actually mean more people can make it.

If more people can make it on Sat then making it Sat would be ok. The only thing is that if it is Sat I'd prefer someone else do the legwork (looking into reserving a pavilion) because I'd prefer not to do the work to set something up that I can't go to (plus, it is better if I don't organize a shabbos event in case a non-observant Jew who doesn't mind breaking shabbos goes- I'd rather not be responsible for someone else breaking shabbos). If it is on Sat I'd be sorry to miss it, but my religious requirements come first (our "restrictions" on shabbos are greater than Xtian sabbath requirements- it isn't just that we go to synagogue, we can't drive or even handle our car keys for just one thing that would keep me from going).
 
To clarify the Saturday remark earlier, I meant the Saturday during Memorial day weekend. I know a lot of folks travel that weekend also, so I was trying to set a date far enough out that people could plan, but I wasn't very clear :uhoh: Which is a common occurance for me :p

Anyway, before I start to ramble, May 16th isn't going to be good for me as it is my on-call weekend (but that is one vote) if it is good for the majority then I can maybe make arrangements to get a few on call hours covered.

As for preference of which weekend day I don't really have one. Sat or Sun is good for me.
 
OK, so far one can't do the 16th, and one can't do the 23rd. Hmm, I could look into Memorial Day if enough people will be in town, but I'm pretty sure it is likely to be too late already to get picnic space reserved- it would probably mean competing with others for picnic blanket space on one of the fields. If Memorial Day is already booked, what does the first weekend of June look like?

OK, guys, here are the voting options:
-Sun, May 16th
-Sun May 23rd
-Memorial Day (either on Memorial Day and we can try to do something to commemorate vets together, or on that Sunday), with the caveat that there is a good chance we won't be able to find the space.
-The first Sunday in June (the 6th).

Alternate option, if someone else wants to do the planning, and it means more people can make it, we (minus me) can do one of those Saturdays.

Please post here which works for you best, and worse, and we can try to find the day that would allow the largest number of us as possible to attend.
 
Hey....maybe somebody can get ahold of Ken Blanchard. He was working on some ideas for getting a bunch of gunners together to do non-shooting activities. This is sounding exactly like what he was trying to do.
 
OK, so everyone who has posted so far about it can do the 6th so lets make it official:

MD THR Picnic at Columbia MD's Centenial Park on Sunday, June 6th

I'll call CA tomorrow if I can to see about reserving space and then I'll post back if there is a fee to see if we want to pay it or take our chances. If there is no reservation for them the pavilions are first come first served, but if they are reserved you need to give them up when those with the reservations show. So if there is a charge we can gamble that no one will reserve them all, and then if needed move to one of the picnic tables if one is available or even to picnic blankets on one of the fields.

Now we just need to talk times. Since it is a picnic should we make it noon, or would something like 11:30, 12:30, 1pm or whatever be best? We could also make it a dinner picnic since daylight tends to go late that time of year (maybe around 3:30 or 4pm and start with games and just "hanging out" and start on the food a little later?). I'd be happy with either a lunch or dinner picnic, and meeting later would allow those of you who are churchgoers to go to church and not have any trouble. Probably 1pm for lunch or a ~4pm dinner picnic might be best so you guys can go to your churches if you want.


I guess we also need to discuss food. Should it be a bring what you eat event, or do we want to share? If we share, I guess since I keep kosher mine will be the most complicated so I'll see about picking up a disposable grill and I can bring the dogs and burgers (no cheeseburgers of course though since both my food and my cook surface needs to stay kosher and mixing dairy and meat is a big no-no). We can also do a bit of both: bring what you want to eat (that way we don't need to worry if someone doesn't show up, or if people show up unexpectedly) but a couple of us can bring grills and a few pounds of ground beef and hotdogs and do that communally.
 
We will try our best to make it. It will depend on whether Cslinger is still employed at his current job or has another one with more normalized hours. Please, keep your fingers crossed for him for any interviews. We should hopefully know more in the upcoming weeks.

If we come up, I will make some Russian salad which is like a really really really loaded potato salad (about 10-15 ingredients). Everyone always likes it.

And if you guys promise not to scare my semi-anti wife with talk of evil black rifles, etc, I might even bring her
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You never know, maybe when she is exposed to normal gun owners (Cslinger and myself, etc), she will reconsider her outlook on the subject. Oh, I forgot, she knows Cslinger. Never mind.

Really hope to see you guys there. Was great to meet some of you last time we were home.

Gwag... I love it.

Julie
 
Looking Good

Just a quick note of praise to you guys for getting this going.

Life is too short not to appreciate the people that believe in the same things you do and actually see and talk to them. Depending on when I get out of church, (I am a associate minister) I'll try to find you. Please save me a hotdog! FYI: I have a cruise I am working on next year (Nov 2005) I posted it in here somewhere :scrutiny Give it a look will ya. See you soon.

Kenn
www.itwm.org
 
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