RE: MOUNT MADONNA

[sammyslave]

 Ab Diver
We should be there around 3...and Holly ya gotta admit that no question is funnier that this group!

[SactoCampers]

 sammyslave
Have fun guys!
 
 The Sactocampers will be sweltering in 105 degrees at Woodson Bridge SP [&:][: (]. They re even saying we get some humidity to go along with it....GREAT! I m really looking forward to setting up. I ll be sweating buckets.

[otter]

 sammyslave

We should be there around 3...

 We ll be right behind you!  Actually , we will be coming from the otherside of the mountain.  The local weather guys are saying it might get muggy and some high clouds.  but you know those guys!
 It is gorgeous here this morning.  No fog, seas are calm.
 See ya later

[Hybrid Holly]

 Ab Diver

Holly...yesyesyesyesyesyesyes. Taylor and Hailey will be there for breakfast on Saturday..should we bring our new aebleskiver pan?

 Yes I will make them Saturday and yes bring your pan!
 
 Oh, boy, I didn t know the girls were going to be there!
 
 Hey, why did the cookie go to the hospital?
 

[Cottonwooder]

 Hybrid Holly
Hey y all, please teach Otter how kicking butt is done.  She is being way too nice to me for my crime. []
 
 Have fun!

[Surfcal]

 sammyslave
Hello all:
 
 As what has become part of our NNC custom, I normally post an editorial of observations and impressions of our rallies.  But, in this instance, I feel inadequate to do so because I feel so out of it for a number of reasons.  I have been away from the boards for such a long time, missed the Mother of all Rallies and didn?t arrive at Madonna until Saturday afternoon, and all due to my work schedule.
 
 Going back up to Mt. Madonna was significant in itself.  This is the first time a NNC Rally had been held at a particular campground a second time around.  And there were several attendees from the first one that came back again, sans GSM X2 and G-Whiz.  And you two were sorely missed.
 
 And, no good deed goes unpunished.  I was displaced from my site by a friend of Larry?s, under orders from Larry to move.  So, it became necessary for me to squat at Ralph & Madlyn?s driveway.  So do believe in Karma, what goes around comes around.
 
 And so, I have this folding bike, and after a few drinks (several really), Larry decides that he was going to ride it.  Well he got on the bike with a cup of coffee and proceeded to roll down the hill when gravity took over and with his left hand squeezed the front brake while careening straight into a parked pickup truck.  He might have gone head over heals if it had not been for the hood of the Ford to break his fall, spilling coffee all over the neighbor?s truck and on his shirt and earning the owner s ire.  He?s alright, but undaunted he rode the bike several laps around the loop until he got winded.  To reiterate, Don?t Drink and Ride!
 
 But, perhaps as I have mentioned above, despite the absence, it probably gives me a unique perspective of the group.  What struck me was how we initially would call each other by our Internet names, Sammyslave, Hybrid, SCCS, etc.  But those days are now long gone.  Everyone is called by their real names, maybe as a natural progression that this group has moved way beyond the Internet domain.
 
 And in speaking with someone from the group, it is curious and enlightening to confirm that the group doesn?t merely camp and get together, but rather it is the other way around, we get primarily get together first and camp second.  And that is what has become very apparent, a paradigm shift so to speak.
 
 The mini-rallies have become the staple of the group, so support the mini-rallies.  Yes, once and maybe twice a year, the Super Rally will be held, but it is in these mini-rallies where the trueness of the NNC spirit continues to define as what TOS so confidently stated on the documentary,? that it is the best camping group in America.?
 
 Namaste?
 Ray (aka Surfcal)
 

[SCCS]

 sammyslave
WOW, What a weekend, good food and GREAT FRIENDS[].We made it home about 2 pm, MAN IS IT HOT, cleaned out the trailer and sorted the laundry.(haven t washed anything yet)[:@] It sure was nice to see some of the group and to visit with 6Quigs,Clueless,Otter,Nick,Holly and Surcal. Sammyslave as always you did a great job at keeping the food table loaded with all sorts of treats.(Glad that truck was their to HELP you stop.)[]I don t think the guy minded you cleaned his hood for him.LOL.The weather was great all weekend(lower 70 s) At the SANTA CRUZ BOARDWALK,The kids had a blast.Talk to you all later.
 
  P.S. Did I mention it is HOThere.

[Red neff Barchetta]

 sammyslave
Sounds like another great mini-rally (my preffered rally btw) was had!  Wish we had been there.  Glad you re all getting home safely.

[otter]

 sammyslave
Hey Jeff! has that  last baby in the family"  been born yet.
 
 Camping at 70 degrees when the world is 90+ is fantastic.
 We are another vote for the mini rallies.  But we need another focus than FOOD.  I have never seen so much food!  All of it great;[] all of it sampled, []but wow.  [&:]
 Good to see everyone, and especially to get to know the SCCS s and the Clueless families better.  
 Balancing out your karma is a healthy thing Ray; ask Cottonwooder.  She has a bad dcase of the guilts waiting for hers to catch up with her. And it will C wooder; when you least expect it.   []
 Georgeanne, your laughter was missed but let me tell you Margaret []and Madlyn []made up for a lot.  We really have some great gigglers and belly laughers in this group!
 Delightfull to all the family members from Larry and Rita s and Mike & Michelle s
 families.  
 Merry Christmas everyone.
 We won t be attending rally s til 2004. [] I thought Dec. would work out, but Lon will be making up time at Ano Nuevo he thinks. [: (] My fingers are still crossed however.
 
 

[Surfcal]

 sammyslave
Hey, they re dissing our Mini-Rally.  So, let me do a shameless bump and thank all the attendees.  I am glad all of you made it home safely.
 
 Sammyslave, as usual, you are the best and thanks for all your hard work in cooking for all of us, especially for those of us who camp with empty coolers.
 
 Nick, thanks to your family, Larry has some competition in the cooking arena.  Between you and Richard, we had 3 full blown stoves in operation.
 
 The Iron Chef cook off was a great success and no one went away without being stuffed.
 
 Ralph and Madlyn, what a great tri-tip you made.  Although it wasn t half as good as the one we ate illicitly.  I think it was because we were like cats that ate the goldfish and after eating it, we knew it was not right.  And great fries.
 
 Surfcal

[SactoCampers]

 Surfcal
No pictures from this rally?

[Surfcal]

 sammyslave
I have some, but I remain busy, I ll try to post them tonight.  Surfcal.

[Hybrid Holly]

 sammyslave

Ralph and Madlyn, what a great tri-tip you made. Although it wasn t half as good as the one we ate illicitly. I think it was because we were like cats that ate the goldfish and after eating it, we knew it was not right. And great fries.

 Tri-tip...what tri-tip?

[6Quigs]

 SactoCampers

No pictures from this rally?

Give us a chance to get home first[8D]
 http://community.webshots.com/album/82237468uLMBGO
 
 Great Rally,
 and great to get a chance to spend more time with different families.
 Loved the cool weather in the Redwoods, almost as nice as Seacliff,
 where we are nicely settled into site #7, with some really nice people both sides of us.
 

[Cottonwooder]

 otter

Balancing out your karma is a healthy thing Ray; ask Cottonwooder. She has a bad dcase of the guilts waiting for hers to catch up with her. And it will C wooder; when you least expect it.

 Huh?  I m lost.