2008 Camp Swank

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

Don't take the helm of a group plan then bow out and fu<k thening up for everyone else.

Huh? What are you talking about? It's an add-on. Subtracting one day that I (and very few others) would have been at Kings Canyon for 2 days at Yosemite. Arriving at Kings Canyon on the very same day that the vast majority do, and staying at Kings Canyon with the big group till just about everyone goes home.


How is that messing things up for everyone else? Because there weren't enough accomodations during that weekday period in Yosemite Valley for 20 people?


I was fine with waiting till 2009 for a big lodge swanking. It's not going to happen that year for me. I AM going to Japan. My entire vacation budget and time for the year will be blown (the budget more than blown).


So instead of waiting till everyone can go in 2010, when I might be in a wheelchair for all I know , I'm going to tack 2 measley days onto the camping trip in another part of the Sierras.


It's just a great opportunity for folks, especially Yosemite virgins, to go with some friends* this year, instead of 2 years later. Lord knows, I tried to swing this year's Swank Camp to Yosemite ... and that just wasn't in the cards.




* And yes, this is for some friends, not a ton of friends. Frankly, the activities and explorations on a limited time scale are not condusive to very large groups. I grabbed every non-Ahwahnee accomodation available ... BUT anyone who wants to try for cancellations OR grab a non-reserved campsite at White Wolf is free to join in. If you recall, the problem with White Wolf was getting 4 adjacent sites. Getting one or 2 on a Wednesday should pose no problem whatsoever.



Again, I don't mean to offend anyone. I just have a yearning to take my younger friends who've never seen Yosemite to explore the Incomparable Valley while I'm still young enough to explore it with them. Tick, tick, and all that. No Time Like The Present.

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Again, I don't mean to offend anyone. I just have a yearning to take my younger friends who've never seen Yosemite to explore the Incomparable Valley while I'm still young enough to explore it with them. Tick, tick, and all that. No Time Like The Present.

Then find another weekend and get a group together and go to Yosemite! There are many weekends between now and June and after. This weekend was planned for Camp Swank and YOU were at the helm of planning. You just bow out and make other plans? That's really not cool.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

You just bow out and make other plans? That's really not cool.

OMG Lisa, Please READ.

I AM NOT BOWING OUT.

I will be at Swank Camp in Kings Canyon. I will arrive on the same day that MOST PEOPLE ARRIVE. And I will be among the last to leave.

This is not in any way bowing out. This is PURELY AND TOTALLY ADDITIONAL for anyone who also wants to spend a couple of COMPLETELY EXTRA days in Yosemite. It's a little further north in the Sierras. Yeah, it sucks we can't crow fly, and have to drive thru Fresno.



Let me see if I can read between the lines, here. And correct me if I'm wrong.

Are you upset because this side-trip would prevent me from being one of the campsite Pioneers at Sheep Creek? One less tent to claim 4 adjacent spots with? Yeah, that would be true if this Yosemite thing flies.



But you are mistaken if you think Swank Camp is being spearheaded by me or helmed by me or anything of the sort. I reiterate for the umpteenth time that I am a single voice with a single vote. I have been outvoted on dates and on place. And I am still a participant. But JUST a participant. Like everyone else.

I have already said, some weeks back, that I am not willing to front the camping money this year, and I have said over and over that I am just one among many who will go with the majority decision.

And I will. But I don't feel I have any personal responsibilty to be one of the first people to arrive. I hope that four people/parties will volunteer for that. I just won't be one of them.


It's no secret I have less enthusiasm for Kings Canyon than I do for Yosemite. We were just at Kings Canyon last year. It's beautiful and I want to visit there again. Maybe not so soon, but that's what's happening ... and I look forward to joining in the fun. But I do not have the enthusiasm required to be one of the first four people there, and I resent your implication ... if you are indeed implying ... that I have a responsibility to do that.


I have a responsibility to follow my heart. My heart wants to take some people on a side-trip to Yosemite. If there are any such people who want to do that. I hope there will be a few.

[innerSpaceman]

Hmmmm,

I just thought of something.

OFFER No. 1
I will lend my Tent to any one of the three parties who will be leading the Pioneer Effort at Sheeps Creek, if four are not willing to do it. They can set it up as a Dummy Camp. I'll even contribute two blow-up sex dolls to live in the tent until real people can get there.

Yeah, it means you'd have to rig-up the Sydney Opera House tent. But I think what we're really looking for is a Tent to Occupy Space, and not necessarily the people who would sleep in it.



OFFER No. 2
I am extending a 25% discount on the 2 nights of lodging in Yosemite Valley for any Yosemite Virgins who want to add that on to make a Grand Sierra Adventure.

That's retail of approximately $100 per person, which I will discount to wholesale of $75 (approx.) to any Yosemite Virgins.



I hope this demonstrates my good faith effort to contribute to securing adjacent campsites in Kings Canyon, and my can't-help-myself effort to deflower Yosemite Virgins (with the assistance of any others who'd like to join in).




BTW: There will be iSm Geriatric National Park Tours in the Future. First Up: Yellowstone - - a mecca for geriatrics and one of America's Great Treasures.

[Gemini Cricket]

Uh, hi, Mr. innerSpaceman. I've been doing some thinking, and I've got some ideas to improve the camping trip plans. One, Poochie needs to be louder, angrier, and have access to a time machine. Two, whenever Poochie's not onscreen, all the other characters should be asking "Where's Poochie"? Three--

[Ponine]

I'm confused, and I know its not just me. I'm confused that the King's Canyon and Yosemite trips seems have merged into one trip.

Could you possiblly speak of them as two separate trips,
so that we could truly see what you're talking about, and them we could have the choice of combining them?

Or the choice of combining them could be a group decision?

I know that I'm late to the group, but being told that someone would like me to consider it, and suddenly have it seem like an even larger trip than I had been talked into, is very intimidating.

[Disneyphile]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I just have a yearning to take my younger friends who've never seen Yosemite to explore the Incomparable Valley while I'm still young enough to explore it with them. Tick, tick, and all that. No Time Like The Present.

But, if you wait, then you can lead iSm's Geriatric Tours, and the participants can carry you on their backs like Yoda!