Soulriders Gathering 2008: San Francisco

[Dracos]

I'm sorry for the lateness, but hopefully many of you can still come.  I'm not opening it up to a vote this year because I want to be sure I can make it happen so we'll have it at the biggest city in driving distance to me ^^;.  Next year, we'll bring it back to the east coast most likely  I am aiming for July 25th to the 28th, which would be a Friday to Monday hangout, with folks heading off Monday night (So about 3 days of hanging out).  I'll be bringing a car in the air and available to pick some folks up from the airports nearby (though we'll likely need more).

Any suggestions for a hotel (or I'll go look one up soon) are welcome, same with tourist spots, though I'll go into a few.  Comments are also welcome.

As far as opening shots for touriist attractions, San Francisco's chinatown is a pretty neat place to hang out for a bit.  As is the wharf.  North of it about two hours is some great parks for seeing redwoods (and some really twisted driving :P).  For the wine inclined, there's nearby nappa valley which I'm told is an absolutely fantastic place to wander around if you're a wine afficiando.  I'm not, but if there's interest, we can swing out there.  South of san francisco is, of course, le residence de brian.  I'm not sure if that counts as a tourist attraction, but hey, it might to some :P.  If there's something folks would be interested in, such as grabbing a lasertag arcade or some ARG thing, I can look into it.  Tourist ventures will of course vary based on what those who come want.  KP Suggests Alkatraz.  I suspect this is a TRAAAAP.

Unlike last time, I'd like to encourage folks if they want to invite a friend or two.  Admittingly, the closed social network of seeing folks you all know from SR is one of the nice parts, but at the same time, I think it'd be fun and an opportunity to drag other friends you might not see to often on a vacation.  :)  Given the geekiness of most of us, I assume anyone we'd end up dragging along would fit in just fine.  ;P  007, bring your poker set.

Please add any questions here as well as confirmation that you are coming.  I'm guessing that we may have between 5-10 folks as we did last time. :) I'll keep a list to try and get an idea.  If we get a lot, I'll see about getting us a grouprate at a hotel or something =).  Also, please im/email me a contact number if you're coming to make things easier if we divy up in groups later or need to contact each other.  Mine for when folks get in and decide they want the lazy ride is 7863381439.

Hotel details:

Okay, I shopped around a while and tried to get a happy medium between cheap prices, good quality, free internet and good driving location and won't cost people 500+ each in hotel fees.  This will cost about 330+tax per double room in total.  That means the entire hotel cost for everyone splitting a room is ~170.  That should lighten the load considerably versus the 250+ per night SF hotels :P.  The downside is the place is in San Carlos rather  than San Francisco, but it's near the train and I've driven from that route and it's only 30 minutes to the golden gate bridge from there.  They do take AAA but they don't seem like they'll give us a discount.

Where we're staying:
Fairfield Inn and Suites by Mariot
555 Skyway Rd
San Carlos CA 94070
Phone: (650) 631-0777
Fax: (650) 631-9610

Current confirmed showing up: about 8.

Those Coming:
Philip - Me. Yah. :P  : Has Roommate
Mysterious J-man 1 - Has roommate
Merc - Tentative
XKPaulCD - Has roommate
The Shuk - tentative of "as long as I'm not yanked out of the country"
bdeter- Looking for Roommate
KPJam-
Ginrai : Has Roommate
Halbarad-Set with hotel room
Tabyk - tentative
Jon- coming
Panda-Crushed
Extra Doctor Man - Has roommate
Pahan - Da Tentative

[Merc]

I'll be interested in coming, but I won't be able to guarantee anything for a while. Well, I should be able to give a definite aye/nay by April, I figure. I expect that I'll be changing projects around March, so I'd need to ask whomever new supervisor is about taking vacation time.

[Dracos]

Yaaay Merc. =D

[Ginrai]

I might be able to go. Though I'd want to at least check out AT&T Park and maybe even stay for a game ^^

[Shuten]

Gatherings aren't my thing. I hope those who do go enjoy themselves. ^^


Sincerely,
Shuten

[Dracos]

Note, if those want to arrive earlier or leave later, that's up to them.  I'm trying to keep the core group stuff not 'too' long, since it makes harder for folks to get the vacation time for it.

[Halbarad]

I'll definitely be around for it, but... DLcon3 is the exact same weekend, also in San Francisco, so I'm not sure how much time I can split between both cons.

[tabyk]

Put me down as a tentative.  I'll go and see what train tickets are like. 

[Jon]

I'll be living on the West Coast by then, though up in Canada-land. So I may be able to pull such a thing off.

[Dracos]

Rock on, Mr. Bowler.  Rock on.

[gia]

I'd love to go seeing as y'all will be on my (original) home turf-- but alas, that weekend is Comic Con. (It seems like right in the middle of con season is kind of an awkward time in general, honestly.)

[thepanda]

Just came back from San Diego. I wouldn't mind seeing more of the west coast. Plus, my birthday is on the 27th so there is that, too. I'm kind of a bore, though.

[Dracos]

Quite  a crew.

I'm going to get hotel information up soon and sent out to people.

[Dracos]

Hotel Information up.

[Dracos]

Also, use this topic to forge roommate planning.  Ideally folks shouldn't have to pay a room all themselves :)

Ginrai has asked to room with me.  Which is fine.