East Coast Meet & Greet (Formerly VA Meet & Greet)

[VB-Milling]

Interest has been gauged, we're moving forward!

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=115812.0

October 23, 2021
November 6, 2021
November 13, 2021

All the proposed dates are a Saturday.  Open to all FF members and their families. Kid-friendly.

Venue has yet to be determined, but its either my house in Virginia Beach, VA 23454 or within 5 - 10 miles.

I'm leaning very much towards the November date.  Preference for Nov 13, but Veteran's Day is on Nov 11.  Not sure if that would enable more attendance or less.

[WV Sawmiller]

I'm definitely interested. Looks like 350 miles or so from here but sounds like a good excuse to go visit friends over at Windsor VA. Let me know as the dates and venue get firmed up.

[VB-Milling]

Will do @WV Sawmiller 

I intend to post all updates to this thread.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well we just got back from the pig roast late last night. 9 hours drive is a lot less than 12, but I am thinking about it if I can find somebody to ride along.
 What is available in the area for inexpensive lodging? I am thinking a day to drive down, one there, and one back. 2 nights.
 Your thoughts?

[VB-Milling]

@Old Greenhorn 

Its primarily a huge resort town.  Inexpensive lodging is plentiful in Virginia Beach or neighboring Norfolk in the off-season.  There is also a KOA and a state park (First Landing State Park) that offer both tent and RV camping.

Looks like 2 nights at the KOA with a 5th wheel would run about $150 total

Virginia Beach, Virginia Campground | Virginia Beach KOA Holiday

[Old Greenhorn]

Well, I am not one of those lucky guys with a big fancy rig and if I was, I'm not sure I would drive it that far for a 2 day turn around. I was hoping for a cheap hotel/motel. I checked around, but without a better location its a bit hard to settle in on something just yet. It's a little bit of a long shot for me at this point and if it lands on that first weekend in Nov., I am out because I have a class I have been waiting 4 years to take on that Friday.
 I'll keep an eye on this as it progresses and see how it all shakes out.

[Southside]

"Inexpensive" is relative I guess when camping is $75 a night! 

[Tom King]

I think that's when hotels on the beach will have off season rates.

Sorry, looking after a half paralyzed 105 year old, and can't go anywhere longer than a couple of hours total. 

[btulloh]

There are lot of places to see in the area if someone wants to make a thing of it. Colonial Williamsburg is certainly worth visiting.  Yorktown, boat tours of the naval and ship yards, Oceana NAS, to name just a few.

Yes, even the campgrounds can be a little pricey, but that will be the off-season so that could help and there are some thrifty type motels around as well. Or you can just go with a five-star hotel on the beach. Options!

[btulloh]

And that should be striper season, so bring heavy tackle and some warm clothes and check out the Chesapeake Bay. 

FF group fishing trip?   ???   Hmmmm. . . .

[WV Sawmiller]

   I hear the shipyard still has tours on the Minnow and Titanic all of November or at least as long as one or both stay afloat.

   Colonial Williamsburg had rows of the biggest catalpa trees I ever saw. They offer various shows with guides in period uniform as I remember. The last time we took 3 gds they were thrilled to ride on the ferry "Pocahontas" both ways.

[btulloh]

The SS Minnow?  With Gilligan? The skipper too?  The professor? And his wife?   :D   Don't know about that.  I think the Minnow was slipped in Marina Del Rey.  

Not sure about now, but before 9/11 the harbor tour boat cruised right by the big navy stuff. Usually an aircraft carrier or two in there.  Those things look huge when cruise almost directly under the fantail on a 100 passenger ferry boat.

Williamsburg is an interesting place. They still run all the original shops like blacksmith, silversmith etc.  The woodworking shop is highly renowned and employs highly skilled craftsmen. And there's lots of places for wives to spend money.  ;D  Lock up the credit cards.  

Most importantly there's a new sawmill operation just getting off the ground called VB-Milling. Well worth a visit!

(Edit) IDK, but trying to make posts from the ipad makes for strange syntax sometimes. Not sure if it's me or autocorrect.  I'm tired of trying to go back and fix things.  Sorry about that.

[Southside]

The Professor wasn't married - that was Mr Thurston Howell III.  For sure The Professor had his eye on Ginger though.... :D

[Patrick NC]

We were just in Norfolk this past weekend. Stepson is shipping out for a 3 year tour in Japan next month and we wanted to see the new granddaughter before they go. Went out to eat at some Korean BBQ place in VA Beach. I can't remember the name but it's pretty good. Its about a 6 hour drive for us, so we're interested. 

[btulloh]

The Professor wasn't married - that was Mr Thurston Howell III.  For sure The Professor had his eye on Ginger though.... :D

Oh, right you are SS. I guess I didn't watch enough tv.  :D  Or maybe my memory fades a bit after fifty years.
Personally I'd go for Maryanne more than Ginger.  Good to have choices though.

You were just a wee lad when that show was on.?  Re-runs?

(Ran 1964-66.    https://youtu.be/NMDRnpZxd3o )

[Tacotodd]

I'm a MaryAnne fan myself  ;D but hey, what do I know :D

[WV Sawmiller]

   I'd suggest Ginger as the best pick since all of the others are dead. : Dawn Wells (Mary Anne) died last year. Bob Denver lived in Princeton or Bluefield WV, about 30 miles from me, till he died. He used to show up at local events from time to time. Mostly he made the news getting into trouble by sending whacky weed back and forth to/from Dawn Wells.

  Smithfield is not too far away and I guess you could go visit the hog packing plant if they allow visitors. Maybe you get a free pack of sausage at the end of the tour. :D

  The last time I tried deep sea fishing was around the NC/SC border. We fished half a day I think and half the students we took got seasick. At the end of the trip I gave my squid/bait back to the captain as I could not even get the crabs to eat it off. All my saltwater fishing was spearfishing I could see if there was a fish around  or not and adjust accordingly. I did lots at night and it was like gigging frogs. Blind them with a light, put the spear within 6" and shoot through the eye. Mostly at night I used a compressed air spear pistol with a 12" pot metal spear. I shot a 50 lb wrasse in a cave one night which was another dumb move. He broke the spear on the side of the coral cave. We finally got him out but I do not recommend it to others.

[Crusarius]

As details firm up, so will my plans.

[btulloh]

Howard, that's a lot of good detail about the cast. You, as always, are a wealth of information. 

I think I'm gonna go with the 1965 Maryanne. (And Barbara Eden.). Somehow I can't quite work up any steam over the geriatric versions.  :D

Sorry for the thread-wander VB. That rarely happens here on the FF.  But WV started it! :-\  I can't take all the blame . . .

[Magicman]

I'm a MaryAnne fan myself

Sadly, Dawn Wells (82) died of Covid in December, 2020.  LINK

[btulloh]

Not to worry, Howard. We'd be in the bay and not the ocean. Skinny water, just long and wide. Nobody ever got seasick in the bay. Or, well, maybe . . . I think if someone is susceptible, they could seasick in a bathtub. Never experienced it myself, but seasickness doesn't look like fun. 

[Southside]

You were just a wee lad when that show was on.?  Re-runs? (Ran 1964-66

Definitely re-runs.  Sitting down for supper, old B+W TV in the kitchen.  I wasn't even a blip on the radar when it first came out.  You using that "common core" math or something there? :D  Ginger would have been way too high maintenance for me.   

[btulloh]

        :D :D  Yeah, I converted to common-core so I could fit in today's      world.


I hadn't looked up the dates when I made that comment.  You were pre-wee. Guess I can't get anything by the FF members. No new math around the forum. People on here can do their math or they couldn't handle sawing, logging, etc.  

[gspren]

  Put me down as a maybe, depends on our move and sale of the farm. I was stationed in Norfolk in 72-73 on the USS Vulcan AR5 repair ship. It looks like Virginia Beach is a 3 hour drive from our Delaware house. I dated a Mary Ann, but not that one!

[VB-Milling]

Back on track after the Gilligan's Island detour  :D

Between the original thread, and this thread, I have the following as tentative/interested:

Wudman
btulloh
Crusarius
Southside
nativewolf
Solomon
Poquo
WV Sawmiller
Old Greenhorn
Patrick NC
gspren

Anyone want to provide feedback on the three proposed dates or the venue, otherwise I'll select one of the dates in November and go with my house as the venue.  Issue with my place is that if the event is well attended (say 25+), it'll be tight.

[Sixacresand]

Nancy and I are talking about attending.  I hope we can.  

[VB-Milling]

Setting the date as November 13, 2021 at my house in Virginia Beach.  Time is TBD, but lets say noon-ish for now.

I need a relatively accurate headcount to plan for food/drink.  Please RSVP by November 1 by replying to this thread with how many adults and children under 16.

PM me for my address.

[Patrick NC]

We are looking forward to it! 2 adults 

[cabindoc]

Posted this in the original thread, and then I saw this one...sshhhh  don't tell Jeff.   Would be interested if'n ya'll have a agenda of some sort?  I'm in NJ so 5 1/2 hours.  

[VB-Milling]

Posted this in the original thread, and then I saw this one...sshhhh  don't tell Jeff.   Would be interested if'n ya'll have a agenda of some sort?  I'm in NJ so 5 1/2 hours.  

No agenda at this point.  The intention has always been a meet and greet on the East coast to put faces with names in person over food and drink.

[cabindoc]

Put me in for 2 adults.  Will watch for date and if something changes I'll let you know.  BTW, I just exchanged email with Brian Bond who is professor, DONT EVEN!!, Extension Specialist, Director of the CNRE Leadership Institute
Department of Sustainable Biomaterials at Virginia Tech and he runs courses at the Richmond Expo.  I asked him if he will be running another course for drying wood and utilization of solar kilns and he said he may open up a course in spring.    This is more of a FYI, but how far is that from you?


NVM  Just looked up where that is and it's pretty far from you.

[VB-Milling]

Haven't had much movement or interest in this event.  Right now, I think I have 4 attending.  Lots of the originally interested members seemed to have forgotten to respond.

At this point, I'm considering canceling as we are only 1 month out and 2 weeks from the RSVP date.  Not sure if I should PM people who were originally interested to remind them???

[Crusarius]

I  am still interested. Not sure of my life schedule though. And keep in mind ppl heading from the north will have to deal with snow. I am sure that is a turnoff for some ppl.

[Sixacresand]

Sorry to say we will not be attending.  But I hope you still have the event and loads of FF Members show up.  

[WV Sawmiller]

   Sorry for no follow up lately but keep posting it you are going to have it and if so I will do everything I can for me and my wife to attend if on the 13th on November. If you need to reschedule I'll try to be flexible and make it whenever.

[SawyerTed]

I've followed this with interest but am unable to attend.  If the event is rescheduled, I too will plan on coming. 

[Jim_Rogers]

I haven't replied to this post as I was waiting for a customer to schedule his barn raising.
He now says it will be in Dec.
So, I should be available to drive up from NC to your event.
Jim Rogers

[VB-Milling]

My wife and I are going to keep the Nov 13th date as we are about 3 weeks out.  RSVP date is about a week away.  Those that have previously expressed interest, I will reach out via PM to confirm attendance and head count.  Thank you to everyone who has responded thus far.

[Crusarius]

Unfortunately that weekend is bad for me. I wish I could come but I would end up having both kids and no wife. I am not sure I could handle that. Especially not be able to enjoy myself while always watching them.

[VB-Milling]

Current count is:

Attending: 8
Regrets: 5
Tentative: 3
Waiting: 6

If you would like to attend, and haven't reached out by PM or reply, please do.

If anyone knows other members in the area that may want to attend who don't frequent the forum anymore, maybe give them a nudge 

[Stephen1]

We have an interest as it would be nice to head south to some warmer climate. 
We are still not allowed to travel yet. 

[Jim_Rogers]

We have an interest as it would be nice to head south to some warmer climate.
We are still not allowed to travel yet.

Are you sure about that?
I thought they opened the borders.
Jim Rogers

[Old Greenhorn]

Sorry VB, I just saw your PM, not sure how I missed it. Unfortunately I will have to pass this time. I am so far behind on my work and the weather is closing in, there isn't enough time left to finish what is on the plate now. That combined with my 'discretionary fun fund' being wiped out on necessities I didn't expect, kind of killed things for me. 
 I hope you guys have a great time, I will miss meeting everyone and that is my loss, sorry.

[VB-Milling]

No worries guys. We've got a few people coming. We'll test it out, work out the kinks, and you can join us next year! Lol

[Stephen1]

We have an interest as it would be nice to head south to some warmer climate.
We are still not allowed to travel yet.

Are you sure about that?
I thought they opened the borders.
Jim Rogers

November 8, Need to be dbl vaccinated and then you still have to test on the way back into Canada. $160 per test per person where we live. I find it interesting that governments have done millions and millions of tests. Talk about follow the money...what a scam all the way. 

[Andries]

On the news today it was mentioned that Canadians will need the Federal vaccine "passport" to travel. 
The Canada/US border is supposed to open Nov 8th. to Canadians travelling by vehicle, but no mention of this Federal document.
No details are available on applying for the National "vaccine passport".
I have a Manitoba vaccine card and QR code, but that might/or not qualify.
I can fly to the States and back, no issues there. Could it be dirty Canadian virus-carrying vehicles that're the problem?
Americans can drive North into Canada, but Canadians can't drive South into the States.
Does this remind anyone of the old time movie where Frankenstein gets the electrical zap and slowly wakes up to his body parts and sticks a finger in his eye as he learns how to walk, etc.
Not much in the way of coordination going on at many levels !
.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch . . . hoping you get a bunch of folks together and have a great time!

[Southside]

Andries - Given your history I am not sure that you claiming you can "fly with no issues" is really an accurate thing to say.  Technically it might be if one excludes the landing portion of the event.   :D

[Andries]

Dang, you've seen me up in a bush plane! 
It's only the Cessna 185's on floats that give me grief - aka hard water splashdowns. 
(I was going to play with your "Beaver (deHaviland) in every yard" slogan, but decided I don't like the woodshed well enough to take up residence.   )  

[VB-Milling]

Current count is: Attending: 8 Regrets: 5 Tentative: 3 Waiting: 6

Current count is:
Attending: 10
Regrets: 5
Tentative: 3
Waiting: 4
@Solomon @cabindoc @btulloh 
My PMs to you guys have been stuck in my outbox for 3 days and I'm not sure why.

[VB-Milling]

Current count is: Attending: 10 Regrets: 5 Tentative: 3 Waiting: 4

Current count is:
Attending: 12
Regrets: 6
Tentative: 4
Waiting: 0

Weather forecast for Saturday is currently low of 45 and high of 61 with light westerly winds.  We'll have the fire pit on the patio going for sure.

If you want to bring a dish to share, you are certainly welcomed, but by no means being asked to.  Doesn't seem right to me to ask people traveling from far and wide to also worry about cooking.  BYOB is encouraged.  We'll have soda, water, coffee, tea, seltzers, and some juices.

Current menu is:

Mixed Salad
Quinoa Stuffed Mini Peppers
Avocado Deviled Eggs
Beef Chili
Tuscan Mac n Cheese
Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings
Crab Cake Bites with Roasted Pepper Aioli
Cranberry & Walnut Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Brownies
Peaches & Cream Cupcakes
Smores over the fire pit

[WV Sawmiller]

    Looking forward to putting some names and faces together this Saturday. I'm expecting/hoping for proper representation from Sneads Ferry.

[Jim_Rogers]

   Looking forward to putting some names and faces together this Saturday. I'm expecting/hoping for proper representation from Sneads Ferry.

I'll be there, haven't told my wife, yet, but she will not want to come, that's for sure.
Jim Rogers

[Patrick NC]

Looking forward to it. We will probably be arriving about 2pm. We have hotel reservations for Saturday night in Virginia Beach. 

[WV Sawmiller]

   We're coming up Friday night and will find a hotel nearby then after the shindig go visit friends about 50 miles away for a day or so. I haven't picked the hotel yet but there appears to be plenty close by.

[Sixacresand]

Wow!   The menu looks like that of a nice restaurant. 

[VB-Milling]

Thanks @Sixacresand  

Hoping for a great day. Safe travels everyone!

A little behind the scenes sneak peek lol




 

[SawyerTed]

Wishing I could have come but couldn't make it happen. 

Here's to all who attend, safe travels and good times!

[Sixacresand]

Thanks @Sixacresand  

Hoping for a great day. Safe travels everyone!

A little behind the scenes sneak peek lol

Thanks for sneak peep.  I know y'all had a good time.   

[WV Sawmiller]

Eric,

   Thanks for hosting this. Becky and I had a blast and it was so great to meet you and Kary along with the other derelicts dignitaries  ;) who showed up.

   We made it to our friends house last night intact. Thanks again. You and the other attendees come see us in WV when you get the chance.

[Jim_Rogers]

VB-milling made enough food for 20 and only 7 showed up.
5 were FF members. Two were friends of VB-(Eric) from his other woodworking machinery forum friends.

Here is the guests in his Urban log yard:



 
Front row left to right is: WV sawmiller (Howard), Poquo (Jeff), and Jim Rogers
Back row left to right is: PatrickNC, VB-milling(Eric) and Brian (from woodworkers forum).

Thanks to Eric's wife for taking the picture and thanks to both of them for hosting a great afternoon of chats. And of course for all that food.

Jim Rogers

[Poquo]

Thanks for having us over Eric, I had a great time. It was nice to meet some fellow Forestry Forum members, the only other members I've met before this are Southside and Wudman.

[Patrick NC]

The meet and greet ws a great start to my first weekend off in several months. Eric had some very good food and I throughly enjoyed the conversation with everyone who was there.  Spent last night oceanside on the 6th floor of a nice hotel and then traveled down the outer banks to Avon today. Another night in a decent hotel with a beachside view and back home tomorrow.  Thank you Eric for the excuse to take some much needed time off. 

[VB-Milling]

Thanks to everyone who came near and far.  We had a great time!  The wind didn't cooperate for a spell there, but overall the weather was nice.

Kailey and I were happy to host such nice and gracious people.  I've been sharing all the thank you posts with her.

Lots of good conversations and new friendships forged, which is what its all about.  Its amazing how easy it is for people to get to talking when they have a few solid things in common.

One common theme I kept hearing was that my yard is too small

Turnip was happy to see everyone leave, but we weren't...maybe we'll do an encore performance next year.

[Southside]

What is this "other forum" thing mentioned here? I am confused.  :D

[VB-Milling]

What is this "other forum" thing mentioned here? I am confused.  :D

There is only one forum to rule them all! 

[WV Sawmiller]

   OK, I just accessed some of our pictures from this trip.


 

 

Sunrise pictures at Va Beach from our 7th floor hotel balcony before the get together.


Beach pictures later in the morning 

 The ultimate way to make a sand castle

Is this the supply chain problem people keep talking about?


There are nice seafood places around. This was view out of window at lunch as I ate my fried oysters, Sweet potato waffle fries, hush puppies and cole slaw at Decoys Cafe. If you go to the bathroom you have to know if you are a "Hen" or a "Drake".


At our friends house next door at her daughter's house they are picking cotton. This guy is bushogging down the stalks after the cotton is picked. 

 The machine on the left is compacting the cotton into bales about 25' long X 8' tall X 10-12 ft wide.

This is the tractor/combine/cotton picker coming in with a load to dump in the hopper to be baled. 

He's pulled up beside the second machine to do something. 

He's emptying a load into the press machine. 

Picking cotton. 

Another view. 

A finished bale. Two guy started the cover on the far end and it fed out of the press as the driver pulled forward. The farmer had to use a ladder to reach these corners and pull them over the bale. I saw round bales similar but bigger than round bales of hay but I understand that is a newer kind of machine. It rolls the bale of cotton in a wrapper and leaves the sides open.

   Farmers here are also picking soybeans and I saw what appears to be winter wheat already planted and sprouted. Farming is a very big business here. In the past I've been here when they were growing peanuts, watermelons and corn.

[VB-Milling]

Nice pics Howard.  I really like the oceanfront in the off season.  It might be chilly, and you're not putting your chair and umbrella out, but there's no one around.  Nice and quiet.

I love a good Ford tractor.  Nice looking unit.

[WV Sawmiller]

Eric,

  Thanks again for hosting the meeting. We got back about dark last night and had a blast with you and your wife and the rest of the members and guests who showed up.

  I envy you guys there when I see those tall straight SYP trees growing everywhere. You guys have other species we don't see much up here like sweetgum and holly and such. My wife also got some neat pictures of a cypress swamp which is apparently the water reservoir for Norfolk. The guys over in Windsor and Suffolk and Smithfield and such have some serious swamps and I'd be nervous coon hunting and such in them. Then there are the huge beautiful farms in the area. It was great to get good seafood meals again. I loved seeing some of the old homes in the area.

  We took I-64 straight east going and US 460 on the return route and passed through lots of interesting historical and other sites. We passed closed to Charlottesville where the Walton's house is an attraction and Mountain View Va where Dirty Dancing was filmed.

[VB-Milling]

You're welcome Howard.  I was so glad you and Becky were able to make it and make a fun getaway out of it.

There's some neighborhoods opposite my side of Great Neck Rd with some really nice SYP.  Got my hands on some recently that you probably saw stacked on my milling table.  Nice looking and smelling wood.

Charlottesville is a really nice area.  Kailey and I like most of Nelson County and have made many trips out there in the last 10 years.  Great wineries, cideries and breweries as we are into that sort of thing.

Glad to hear you are home safely.

Maybe we can do it again next year if people would like.