Conference rdvax::grateful

    hmm, fwiw 4/26 is Earth Day at the hatch shell, too... 
    how about something in may when it's a bit warmer?

    
    26th is ok for me. anything to avoid those nasty bug bites.
    
    Cath

	uhoh...here comes the first alternative suggestion!!!

	how about the next weekend (May 3)...I think Pillsbury is
	far enough north that the black flies won't be out yet?

	(I have an early morning obligation April 27 - that's why
	I'm suggesting the next weekend)

	Debess

    May 3 could work for me, possibly 

      I would like to go on my 1st dechead camping trip...but I can't make
    it the weekend of the 26th...Andy burns (former dechead) is getting
     married on that day...may 3rd sounds good tho ....

    
         Let's see....the 26th.....nope, helping a friend move into
    their new home.......May 3rd....nope, going to my aunt's funeral...
    .....but I'm looking forward to "Slip into Summer" when ever that's
    going to be!!!  ;^)
    
    Allenhead
    

I can make the late April weekend, but not the May 3 weekend, if thats
the weekend of Mother's Day (going on a hike with a friend on M. Day).

 -Josh

	Andy Burns getting married?!!!  (oh yeah, now that I think about
	it, brush those cobweb off of the memory cells, I think I remember
	he introduced the woman he brought to Oktoberfest as his fiance)

	Allenhead - how do you know you're going to be at a funeral
	one month from now!

	Josh - Mother's Day is the May 11 (I couldn't make it then either)

	Debess

    
    No plans til July 4th.
    
    

    re: .8
         Debess,
    
         It's not that I have this preminition that she's GOING to die,
    it's just that she passed away 3 days before I found out that I had
    that heart problem (around Jan.1st this year) and we're just waiting
    for the ground to thaw....mom had a hard time with this...first, her
    sister dies of an apparent heart attack in her sleep and then her first
    born is diagnosed with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). But
    as always, she managed though it....
    
         Regarding the camp site at Pillbury S.P......I thought they opened
    from Memorial Day to Labor Day....or is that when the official vacation
    season starts and they open most of the time????
    
    Allenhead
    

I think may 3rd will yield bugs at pilsbury, but we could avoid that by
going further north, say to Big Rock or somewhere else along route 112.

i believe may 3 is ok for me.

lets make a decision folks.
jc

    I could prolly swing 5/3

>I think may 3rd will yield bugs at pilsbury, but we could avoid that by
>going further north, say to Big Rock or somewhere else along route 112.


	JC, I feel very confident in saying (given my 17 years experience
	living in southern NH, south of Pillsbury), black flies will not
	be a problem the 1st weekend of May.  I abhor those little critters
	myself, so I'm very aware of when they start making their appearance.
	Pretty consistently, they start buzzing around my yard that weekend,
	but they don't start biting until a little while later.  They
	may be a nuisance, like flying around our heads, but they won't be
	biting - you have my word on that! ;-)  Especially since Pillsbury
	is further north...

	(what was the date we went there last year - it was the weekend before
	SIS, right? - definately peak of the black fly season)

	Debess

re    <<< Note 566.13 by EVMS::OCTOBR::DEBESS "and the wind began to HOWL" >>>
                                  -< Bar Fly >-


having black flies buzz around me doesn't sound too fun!
lets do the 26th !!
:-)

or maybe we should have 2 w-ends????

	well...now that I have Dylan out of my system (HAH!), it's
	time to move on to the next party possibility.  I've been
	in touch with a few of our friends who don't work here anymore,
	and have heard that there's some interest out there too.
	So, we should probably make some decisions so we can let
	everyone know.  The 26th is like a week away...

	I can't make it the 26th, but if that's the date that's best
	for the majority of others, oh well...

	I'm trying to tell ya JC, I'm quite sure the blackflies are
	not going to be a problem at Pillsbury the first weekend in
	May - but if you're still concerned, well, why don't we head
	more north instead.

	but, let's decide!!!

	Debess

Theres a pretty good chance that there will still be snow on the ground
at Big Rock CG even in early May!  I drove the Kank this past weekend, still
lots of snow in the woods.

Josh

    
    April 26th will now not be good for me either.
    
    Quite frankly, black flies don't bother me none.  It's part of the
    outdoor experience.  Citronella and cigar smoke does a fine job of
    discouraging em.  A couple cheap Kmart screened in picnic tents will
    keep em away too.

    cigar smoke?
    
    yeahhhhhhhhhhhh
    cigar smoke
    
    that's it

well, whatever.

looks like the choice is May 3.
but it also looks like no one is really into this whole deal.
if i can go, i'll go... if i can't, well, have fun!

i'd prefer to go to Big Rock.
I have to hit Mt Cabot, which is 1:15 N of there, as my
last 4ker.

So, perhaps a signup list?

May 3rd, DECHEAD Camping Trip

JC & Deb	- maybe

	I'm interested...anyone else?

	Not related to the DEChead camping trip, but get this:
	the Mass Division of Forests and Parks has decided to BAN 
	all alcohol at all state campgrounds in mASS this year!!
	(according to an article in the Worcester T+G).

	Is this unreal or what ?   I'm so sick and tired of these
	BS rules and regulations, made by someone who thinks everyone
	ought to behave like they do... 
	
	Got a call into the director of the MDFP... wonder if he'll
	call back ?  

	/Ken

    The ban is probably caused by (as usual) those few who
    can't/won't be responsible and thereby screw it up for
    everybody...  
    
    /b

so you whip up a big ole batch o happy punch (grain alcohol, rum,
whatever tickles your pickle, plus assorted flavorite fruit juices)
in a mini-tub, cleverly conceal it, don't forget your punch-mugs,
and viola!  you've got a merry bunch of camping fools, dancin
nekid to some fine tunes by a camp-fire, chuggin down enough
happy punch to paralyze a herd o mooses - mr park ranger is none
the wiser

if this don't work, we hang at nh/vt parks anyways - no big deal ?


grate to be back ... sounds like everyone's arm-wrestlin over a
date for the camping trip ... this weekend sounds no good, might
be having a party w/e of may 10, so may 3 sounds cool ... depends
on conditions at tuckermans ... been looking forward to skiing it,
not sure whether snow conditions this year will have us consider
an early run (last year we hiked tucks in june and there was
PLENTY of snow ... found a web-site with updated daily pictures
of tuckermans, but it's tough to tell actual conditions ... check
it out: http://www.rsn.com/mdb/cams/conway/image/86165067611214.jpg
 
 arm 
 

    
    I can go any weekend in May most likely at least one night.
    
    S l o a n

    you mean like the DECheads???  remember that unruly bunch????
    the ones that were told not to come back to that campground
    in western mass due to the 4am parties and the damage to the restroom?
    
    unfortunately "they" *are* "us" sometimes......
    
    not that i agree with the ban, but, let's be honest...  we haven't 
    always been the most considerate campers in the world...  DEChead
    trips without ranger involvement have been few......
    
    					da ve_going_for_a_little_honesty

    oh, and have a blast on the 3rd...  i'll be thinkin' of ya in 
    New Orleans...  :^)  where loud music and drunken debauchery at 4 am
    is not only allowed, it's kind of like the law...  :^)

�    in western mass due to the 4am parties and the damage to the restroom?
                                                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    
    huh?
    

	DEChead Camping History 101 ;-) 

	this particular Trip, the drizzle had come down, the tents had
	been set up, the hammock had been hung, the inferno had been
	set, the turkey had been THOMPED, the wine jug 8-} had been passed,
	the kiddies had been put to bed....and the tunes were BLARING!
	I think if Mr. Ranger had come around at this point, and told
	us to turn it down/off so the other campers could, well, camp..
	all would have been good.  But, he never came!  Was he ascaaaaared?!?
	
	I guess, because of course I had nothing to do with it!, in the
	middle of the night, someone who was camped right next to the
	restrooms decided that the lights that were on in there were
	keeping him (or her! lets keep it gender neutral) from sleeping
	so he/she went in and tried to unscrew it, just to turn it off.
	(did it not have a switch!  guess not!)  but alas, one turn too
	many, and CrAsH - broken lightbulb all over the floor.

	I think Papa (Bbb) gave his name to the ranger to cover any
	damages the next day.  We were given stern looks by the other
	campers as they drove away bleary-eyed the next morning.  I
	believe we were told we were not welcome back there.

	I am not proud!  This is just the facts..
	

	I think they have the 'No Alcohol' rules in R.I. too - I
	camped at can't-remember-the-name-but-its-right-across-from-the-ocean
	a few years back, and they had this rule there.  The enforcers
	came around sneakily by bike to catch any infractions - I
	witnessed a ranger having some campers open their trunk, take
	out a case of beer and proceed to empty each and every one of
	the bottles out onto the ground.

    damage to the restrooms?? was the food that bad??
    
    ya know, ya'll oughta think about havin a party in the National Forest,
    where you can do anything you want that's safe and there are no
    "officials" to harras you. 
    
    I once complained to a Forest Ranger that the pay campground we were in
    had unusable toilets, undrinkable drinking water, and lousy sanitation.
    His answer..."if you don't want to use the facilities provided, go camp
    in the forest where you can do what you want." We haven't stayed in a
    campground since.
    
    rfb

	What will a DEChead camping Trip be, 
	without da ve, and Ger GEE?

	What pisses me off is that everyone gotta pay because a small
	miniroity infrequently screws up...  

	Sure there are workarounds to the alcohol thing, but that's
	not the point.  It's the ever increasing control some folks
	(our government and rule makers) want to have on everyone that
	gets me.  If I take my family camping in the Berkshires, I want
	to have a beer without being paranoid.
	
	
	/Ken

    DA VE
    you are only going to drink until 4 am in N'Awlins?
    
    how amateur
    
    
    :^)

    i will say nothing further regarding specific new orleans party
    activity planned...  well, except that i do plan on mooning the
    Bourbon Street Netcam on friday may 2nd...  
    
    ahhhh, the glory of it all...  my naked butt...  on the internet... 
    :^)  :^)  :^)
    
    					da ve

	RE: National Forests

	I think we got in trouble with them too (is Tripoli Rd Nat. Forest?)...
	they didn't like our parking jobs there ;-)

    well, i think the only obvious answer is for ya'll to come out to COlo 
     and have the party in our NAt Forest...
    
    rfb

Yea, At Tripoli Road Mr. Ranger came down twice (debess I think this is
a diff trip than one you went on).  But he was nice both times.  And I
really couldn't tell why he came down.  But I expect that from camping
at Tripoli Rd.  That's sort of like the bar they don't shut down because
it contains all the <rowdies/troublemakers/you nameit>  and if they did
shut it down they'd have to watch many places as opposed to one place.

As for Mass Campgrounds - Debess is right they already do this in RI.  
And of course everyone in the place runs around with blue/red/yellow
16oz cups (sort of like great woods).  But some don't; we watched the
"police" kick some folks out near 10 or 10:30.  

bob

    re .29
    
    I'm afraid I have to own up to this one.  Fog participated too, but
    here's not here to defend himself.  The bathroom had these glaring
    flourescent lights that were always ON (no switch).  We weren't camped
    that close and they were still most annoying.  Before sunset, and
    before we'd even started serious partying, we decided to tone them down
    a bit.  We successfully disengaged all but one of the lights and left
    it at that.  Sometime during the night, due to a slamming door or just
    plain entropy, one of the fixtures came apart and fell, smashing the
    bulb and the diffuser.  Offers to pay were made the next morning and
    the ranger took names, but nothing more was heard about it.  That is
    until Debess's note made me 'fess up in public again and relive that
    episode.
    
    Jamie

    bad jamie! no donut!!!

    Ah memories...  my first DEChead event...  
    
    MJ_rowdie
    
    

    i also recall a very pissed off Bbbbbbb coming back to the fire 
    around 4 am and shutting off his car stereo and taking the keys...
    i think it was down to just Mj, Christine, Ger and myself at that 
    point...
    
    i think Bbbb was more pissed than the ranger...  :^)
    
    					da ve

    i'm glad ya'll can get pisssed at each other and not hold grudges....
    me, i'm still pissed at MNELSON for ...what was that now????
    
    rfb

    
    I remember that day!!!
    
    I was backpacking up on Mt Greylock with my ex, Ulrika, and we 
    heard about some car break-in's so we bagged our plans to stay there
    and headed to the DEChead campout.
    
    We arrived 3 sheets to the wind and the festivities were just 
    beginning.  I was psyched we went over there...a good time was 
    had by both.

re: past trips

i always thought the fires some of us made are waaaay out of hand.
there is no reason to have a 8' fire, imo.  i recall in one case where
a bunch of wood (a huge pile!) was put on, then, 5 mins later, that
person headed off to bed.... 


So, we've had a lot of disucssion about past dechead camping trips, what
i want to know is are people willing to commit to going next weekend
(may 3) up to big rock or some other place faaar north away from the
black flies (which are now out in Mass) ??? 

i do know of one place in the white mtn nat'l forestc that is faaaar
away from anyone, but the drive from littleton is 3 hrs... maybe a little
less..  this place would be a place that we could really be rowdy...
if you want to consider this, let me know so i can dig up the maps
and try to remember where it is...

>So, we've had a lot of disucssion about past dechead camping trips, what
>i want to know is are people willing to commit to going next weekend
>(may 3) up to big rock or some other place faaar north away from the
>black flies (which are now out in Mass) ??? 

	no black flies at my place yet - it's not May.  Pillsbury is
	further north and higher in elevation (I think) - shouldn't
	be a problem there next weekend.  

	anyone in here been up to the Whites recently?  I'm hearing
	from someone who goes somewhere up north on weekends that there is 
	still quite a bit of snow on the ground (he was x-country skiing last
	weekend) - not too comfortable to sleep on (been there, done that)!

	Debess

	fwiw, black flies are rampant in Charlton MA...  as I peered up
	last night working in the garden, there must've been at least
	50 of em buzzing around my head.  Only 1 bit me though (I react
	to each and every bite).

	/Ken

Deano,
You were at Loon on Monday... was there snow in the valley?
JC

I drove the Kank (again) this past Sunday, on my way to/from Attatash.
Plenty of thick patches of snow still on the ground out by Big Rock CG.  
I'm going to Loon this weekend - NE1 interested?

 Josh

    
    Not much snow in the valley at around 1K.
    
    About 2' up around 3K in the conifers though.
    
    South facing hardwood slopes were bare all the way up to 3K.
    
    Big rock is most likely bare.
    
    
    

	...still no blackflies @ my house in southern NH

	...is this camping trip gonna happen?!?  

    just read in the Globe they will be there this weekend...just to throw
    gas on this fire.....%^)
    
    rfb

>    just to throw gas on this fire.....%^)
    
    rfb, have you been taking fire-making lessons from gerg?

      <<< Note 566.51 by EVMS::OCTOBR::DEBESS "black dirt live again!" >>>

>	...still no blackflies @ my house in southern NH
>	...is this camping trip gonna happen?!?  


Got em in Milford just a tad south of you....

    ain't no bugs on me, no
    ain't no bugs on me,
    might be bugs on ya'll New Englanders, but ain't no bugs on me....

    oh, black fly he fly high...
    black fly he fly low...
    ol' black fly lands on me,
    	he ain't gonna fly no mo'.....  :^)

	I'm definately in the mood for living outside this weekend...
	and so I'll be packing up the tent and gear on Friday and
	heading somewhere anyways.

	I'm definately in the mood for a DEChead party too...(I don't
	want to be pushy or anything ;-) ) ...just curious!  Anyone
	else into this?  I would love the company!

	I'm pushing for Pillsbury cause I think it will be a little
	"warmer" for sleeping than the Whites.  I am quite sure there
	will be no biting bugs there this weekend.  Nice place to canoe.
	
	I'm not asking again!!! ;-)

	Debess

	

    Saw the first black flies, wasps, and snakes on Sunday on
    the Wapack Trail in southern NH. The black flies weren't bad
    (yet)...

    I love snakes...always have...any reptile or amphibian is my buddy.
    I remember my mom chasing behind me when I was about 5 "Leave that
    snake alone!"
    I'll most likely get Lucy the Lizard back from Tiffany at the end of
    her school year. Lindsey is in the bottom of the GRand Canyon right
    now. I told her to think of me everytime she saw a lizard or snake. 
    Patty, on the other hand, HATES SNAKES!!!!, won't even look at a
    picture of one (that's why I don't have one as a "keeper", can't really
    say "pet" cause they are NOT good pets)..and the ads for the movie
    Anaconda..she leaves the room...
    
    rfb

Deb and I were wondering the same thing: is the DEChead trip going
to happen?  Looks like no.
I really would like to go to big rock so I can nail my last
4ker (Cabot, which is yet another 1:15 from Big Rock)...

looks like no one else but debess and i are interested?

          <<< Note 566.60 by LJSRV2::JC "No friends on powder days" >>>

6 inches on the Kanc Highway yesterday...
according to the weather lady.

    
    I'd probably show up Saturday night. Bizzee these days but it would be
    fun in the very least to head by and hang out for a bit if the weather
    is good, through a line in the water, etc.
    
    Cath
    
    

looks like i'll be heading down to providence fryday to
take in the fine  Percy Hill  show at the living room ...

but if we know where folks are hooking up, i'd be up for
taking a cruise up saturday (overnight?) and hangin with
the gang ... is big rock open yet ?

arm 
 

    does big rock close???  i've camped there in a few feet of snow...
    
    					da ve

Yeah, da ve is right: i don't think big rock closes.
but, someone should get a fix on the snow there.  a
call to the Nat'l forest svc should take care of that.

	I heard from DC - and he's interested in camping - just 
	needs details...

	is it Big Rock or Pillsbury?

    
    I liked Pillsbury last year. Nice spot near the water, etc. Rynborn
    is close by if someone feels like slipping away for some blues later
    too.
    
    Cathy

    
    I would love to go - but I'm moving to a new apt. this weekend...
    :-/
    
    /MJ

you guys decide... 
i don't wanna rocka da boat
if we feel like making it to pilsbury, we'll come otherwise
we'll do it next time... but please, don't choose big rock
on my account.  i've kinda lost interest in camping this
weekend.

	ok, JC if you don't care, Pillsbury it is then...

	hope you change your mind and come anyways (let Deb know!!! -
	cause I'd sure like to hang out with her if -she's- into 
	camping this weekend ;-) )

	Debess

Ok so it is thursday night.
I just installed the NT notes client on my
home pc and i'm tunneled in over the internet
into digital to do the notes thang!
rage!

anyways, pilsbury???
lets decide.

i think we'll be up on Saturday... pilsbury
will work better than big *ock since it is only 68 miles from
our pad in groton.

debess... if you're there, pls send me mail...
[email protected]

i'd be psyched to pahty up on Sat.

	JC, I don't work on Fridays, so I'm only seeing your message
	today...bummer!  but, Saturday wouldn't have been that great
	a day/night to camp anyways.

	I wish I had heard from you beforehand though, we coulda done
	it Friday - me and my 2 youngest did the camping thing Friday
	and Saturday morning until it started raining...

	Debess

Definitely next time Debess.  I did not know you
did not work on Fryday's.  Oh well!

after the brunt of the bugs have gone by, maybe we
can do a trip in mid July or Aug.... 

Saturday it did rain very hard, at least in Groton!  I
had aggressive outdoor projects to do on Sat and I hadda
do other stuff... still got the lawn mowed and fertilized!