AvatarMeet 2015 Camping Trip

Started by Raiden, March 02, 2015, 02:23:21 AM

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Raiden

I just wanted to add that there will a camping segment for this meetup, as with past meetups.

We're still working on the details, but if you want to go on the pre-meetup camping trip, it will occur between Saturday, July 18th and Wednesday, July 22nd, in and around the vicinity of Rio Grande National Forest, Colorado. 

http://www.fs.usda.gov/riogrande

If you want to come, you should make whatever plans are necessary to be available on those dates. The camping trip will run until the morning of Wednesday, July 22nd, and we really need to be on the road north to Estes Park well before noon.

Because the camping location is roughly six hours from Estes Park, you will need to secure some kind of transportation in order to get there and back with the rest of us; several people have already indicated that they will have access to vehicles, and in the coming months a vehicle column will be added to the roll call section of the website (avatarmeet.com) so that people can organize transportation for one another and create carpooling groups.

We will almost certainly have cabin-style accommodations available to us this year, but unless you plan on utilizing them, you really need to have the following items:

-Tent (With a rainfly! Unless you have gills, you'll be sorry, because it will rain when you least expect it.)

-Sleeping Bag

-Flashlight

-Water Bottle (Large! We will be camping in an semi-arid place with reduced access to potable water, so plan on high-capacity and use it wisely)

-Sunglasses

-Appropriate shoes and clothing; the tougher the better, and function over form.

-Cameras, but be careful; we already have a story about a rocky stream eating a thousand-dollar DSLR lens (the stream warned us that it had expensive tastes; we didn't listen)

-If you want to bring electronics aside from cameras, nobody will begrudge you for it, but the idea here is to get as far away from possible from that stuff for a while, and we probably won't have too much in the way of network connectivity.

Additionally, we always welcome anything cool that you wish to bring and share with us. Someone brought a drum last year and someone else brought a fun card game; I could decide to bring my fossil collection this year, and the list goes on. If you have something cool that you want to show the rest of us around the campfire, like a musical instrument or even ghost stories or some good jokes, don't hesitate to bring it.

Activities usually include hiking, swimming (if conditions permit), nature lessons, night hikes, and enjoying the peace and quiet of the outdoors.

If you're still on the fence about coming, take a look at these awesome photos from our previous camping events:

















Trouble keeps me running faster

Save the planet from disaster...

Vawmataw

#1
It seems to me a very nice trip! Seriously, I would love such a trip!

Quote
Nope! :o ;D
Fmawn Ta 'Rrta - News IN NA'VI ONLY (Discord)
Traducteur francophone de Kelutral.org, dict-navi et Reykunyu

Toruk Makto

#2
  The camping sites proposed in the Rio Grande National Forest are great. I'll have some more info on them posted here soon. Note that just about every cool camping location in the area is accessible by passenger car. No 4x4 needed unless you are going way off road. So if you are renting a vehicle, you don't have to get a Hummer or anything. I am trying to see if anyone in the valley can rent ATVs for people that want to buzz around the Alamosa Canyon on one, but so far no luck. I'll keep looking.

 Meanwhile, I also have a cabin there that will be open to any that wish to stay. Depending on the number of people, it should be quite comfortable. I will have some folding cots and blankets, but folks should bring sleeping bags if possible. If you want the full-tilt camping experience out in the wild, you will need to bring all the usual items for tent camping.  I will post some pics of the cabin and shots of the surrounding area soon but you can check out my gallery album at http://forum.learnnavi.org/mgallery/?sa=album;id=180 for a preview.  We have a fire ring and some teepee frames set up if anyone wants to get adventurous and bring something to wrap a teepee to camp in. There is also a lot of wooded space if you want to just set up a tent and camp on the cabin property.

Stay tuned for more!

EDIT: Detailed travel directions <can be found here>!

Lì'fyari leNa'vi 'Rrtamì, vay set 'almong a fra'u zera'u ta ngrrpongu
Na'vi Dictionary: http://files.learnnavi.org/dicts/NaviDictionary.pdf

Toruk Makto

Also:  http://forum.learnnavi.org/mgallery/?sa=album;id=222

I also have satellite-based internet WiFi and a phone at the cabin, so we will have the best of both worlds. Even though we are way off grid, the place has all the usual conveniences like modern bathroom facilities and AC electricity. Go Go Gadget: solar power!

Lì'fyari leNa'vi 'Rrtamì, vay set 'almong a fra'u zera'u ta ngrrpongu
Na'vi Dictionary: http://files.learnnavi.org/dicts/NaviDictionary.pdf

Tìlu

Question ma Markì, the cabin is (at least) fairly close to the campsite?

Raiden

Yes, I can confirm that it is quite close.

Usually the way the camping events go is that we have planned activities, like visits to landmarks or interesting natural sites (caves, rivers, waterfalls, etc.), and then we also have lots of time for just chilling out and doing whatever we feel like. We have also done disc golf in the past, and if you haven't played before, it's a lot of fun and easy to learn (it's golf with frisbees and a huge basket as the "goal").

Mark's place will be close enough that anybody staying there could easily meet the rest of us for anything we have planned.
Trouble keeps me running faster

Save the planet from disaster...

Wind12

I really am going to try to make the camping portion this year, I want to experience that part of the trip, the biggest thing for me I think will be the logistics, but me and TLN are planning on figuring stuff out :) :) :)

Toruk Makto

#7
There are two established Forest Service campgrounds about 6 miles away in either direction from the cabin. Horsethief Park (which is a beautiful area) is about 10 miles, and another valley with a great view is about 15 miles. The continental divide trail area is about 16 miles away.

Activities in the San Luis Valley are anywhere from 25 miles to over 125 miles away, so anything planned in the valley would need consideration of the distance.  The north end of the valley has two hot springs, one of which is the superb Valley View Hot Springs.

Lì'fyari leNa'vi 'Rrtamì, vay set 'almong a fra'u zera'u ta ngrrpongu
Na'vi Dictionary: http://files.learnnavi.org/dicts/NaviDictionary.pdf

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

Sounds like an awful lot of fun! (Or maybe in this case, a blast ;) ) But I don't know if I can be there before about Sunday.

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

Vawmataw

#9
I want to say something about the list:

Quote-Appropriate shoes and clothing; the tougher the better, and function over form.
I recommend to bring clothes that are not made of cotton. Wear enough layers to keep your heat when it's cold (at night).

Quote-Flashlight
And batteries! ;)

I want to add the sunscreen and the other protections. Well, I hope everyone will think about that without someone needs to tell this...

Also, don't forget the binoculars. Good for the observation, good for stargazing. :)
Fmawn Ta 'Rrta - News IN NA'VI ONLY (Discord)
Traducteur francophone de Kelutral.org, dict-navi et Reykunyu

Sarah Noel

If anyone else is coming from a high humidity climate, bring chapstick, on my first trip to Colorado my nose completely dried out and my lips chapped, cracked and bled. You don't realize how acclimatized you get until you find yourself somewhere else.

Vawmataw

Quotechapstick
It's a nice advice.

Quotemy nose completely dried out
Could something like HydraSense work?
Fmawn Ta 'Rrta - News IN NA'VI ONLY (Discord)
Traducteur francophone de Kelutral.org, dict-navi et Reykunyu

Sìkat

#12
Quote from: Sarah Noel on March 04, 2015, 02:35:36 PM
If anyone else is coming from a high humidity climate, bring chapstick, on my first trip to Colorado my nose completely dried out and my lips chapped, cracked and bled. You don't realize how acclimatized you get until you find yourself somewhere else.

It's absolutely critical to bring sunscreen as well.  During my first weekend of living in Colorado, I made the mistake of not using any while enjoying my apartment's pool.  Needless to say, I wound up using a LOT of sunburn spray.

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

#13
I wonder how high the various venues we are going are. Where I live, it is 5,140 feet (1567 meters).

Ma Sìkat, I am currently working up a bunch of different travel scenarios, by car (driving, it turns out, is practical), by train and by air. Each has its advantages and its drawbacks.

Ma Marki, is there AC power available at your cabin at night?

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

Toruk Makto

Quote from: `Eylan Ayfalulukanä on March 04, 2015, 03:37:26 PM
I wonder how high the various venues we are going are. Where I live, it is 5,140 feet (1567 meters).

Ma Sìkat, I am currently working up a bunch of different travel scenarios, by car (driving, it turns out, is practical), by train and by air. Each has its advantages and its drawbacks.

Ma Marki, is there AC power available at your cabin at night?

The altitudes around my place are 9,000' to over 12,000' unless you want to go to the top of Mt. Bennett, which is over 13,000'.  At any rate, altitude sickness is very real. The trick is not to do too much the first day and drink a lot of water to acclimate.

Ma `Eylan Ayfalulukanä, the answer is yes, there can be AC on all the time if needed.

-M.

Lì'fyari leNa'vi 'Rrtamì, vay set 'almong a fra'u zera'u ta ngrrpongu
Na'vi Dictionary: http://files.learnnavi.org/dicts/NaviDictionary.pdf

Wind12

Has anyone had trouble with getting sunscreen on the checked baggage? I know they are strick with liquids on carry on, but I wasn't sure if it was as strict for checked baggage? Irayo nìtxan. :)

mikkowilson

You're fine with liquids (assuming they aren't hazardous, explosive, or pressurized) in checked baggage. So no aerosol sunscreen, but a regular bottle is fine.  Or just buy when you get there.

Pro-tip: put liquids in your suitcase in a big ziplock bag, that way if they end up opening, you don't leak all over the place. I normally jsut double-bag mine, because I'm paranoid.

- Mikko
Mikko Wilson
Juneau, Alaska, USA
[email protected] - www.mikkowilson.com - +1 (907) 321-8387

Wind12

^Irayo nìtxan! :) :)
Yea, I'm not looking forward to getting another bad sunburn, like I got a few years back  :)


`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

This place isn't exactly devoid of civilization. So, if there is something you forgot, you should easily be able to obtain whatever it is you need.

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

Ftiafpi

Quote from: mikkowilson on March 07, 2015, 02:02:02 AM
You're fine with liquids (assuming they aren't hazardous, explosive, or pressurized) in checked baggage. So no aerosol sunscreen, but a regular bottle is fine.  Or just buy when you get there.

Pro-tip: put liquids in your suitcase in a big ziplock bag, that way if they end up opening, you don't leak all over the place. I normally jsut double-bag mine, because I'm paranoid.

- Mikko

I can confirm Mikko's recommendation. It's funny that you can bring an unloaded firearm through checked baggage with relative ease but the requirements for bringing a pressure vessel (like a paintball air tank) in your checked baggage are ridiculous. Much easier to just avoid anything that can contain pressure.