Western Regional DG RU - June 7th, 2008

Oops, didn't even check this thread yesterday, sorry Jo to step on your toes.

That's OK, Weegy...I have big toes and they are always in the way...plus I do have Peripheral Neuropathy....so tread softly!! LOL Jo

LOL ;-)

I thought I'd already sent my birthday wishes...now I know where they went....lol...

hiya guys,

Yep, Pam is now over six thousand years old.......Happy Birthday Love! She doesn't look a day over two or three hundred.....(ducks to avoid flying object).

I'll be leaving for the Seattle area tomorrow to go and kidnap the famous balvenie and to take our annual gentlemen's road trip down the west coast of the USA in order to get to the RU. This year we're chucking the guy thing and Pam is coming as well to keep an eye on us so we don't fall into a cask of single malt along the way....lol.

The only last minute details I have are simple.........come and be welcome, all of you. Directions to the ranch will be posted in a separate thread and it's pretty easy to get here as many previous visitors will attest to.

Huge thanks to SoCal, weegy12, and KaperC for all of your diligence, and I know this year will be another fabulous get together of new and old friends.

Yes, my dear Jo, there will be lots and lots of chocolate for you and Pam to party with.....lol. You guys crack me up.

As we get closer to the day, Robert (balvenie), Pam and I will be checking in more often from the road and from the great Pacific North West to see how all of our excitement builds together.

Amy!!!!! That's so great Jo. I wouldn't be the same without her and Russ.

We're going to really miss some of our California friends who have moved away, namely Matt and Dove, but it looks like quite a few new folks will be joining us, which is marvelous.

hope all are well,
don

Once again, I'm envious.I just don't think there's a better road trip than up or down the West Coast. Why would we want to live anywhere else?

Sounds so good, the road trip, the fish and chips...all of it!

Ok, guys, here's the link to the food thread...please post there so I can update the menu. Please read the second post there as to what others will be bringing.
Thanks all.

.http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/818631/

Hi ya Don, glad to see your still with us. lol

I hope you and Pam have a safe trip up and home. I'll have to pick your brain after your trip, as Jerry and I are planning a vacation in the late summer to Victoria....and we are driving. If you see anything on your travels that you think we might want to stop and see, write it down, ok? lol

See ya soon,
Donna

I'm going to try to make an appearance by webcam or something... Sure will miss being there!

Mary

We will miss you too!! Hugs...Jo

Hello,

Well, I just let you know that I will missing you all old gangs! lol... So, I went to Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse today and tomorrow going to Devils Tower but it failing to go to Yellowstone National Park as "This road may be seasonaly closed" on US-14/US-16.... So, I just miss this park for Old Faithful Geyser...

Hi Anna! Interesting places you are visiting. Yes, there is sometimes snow on the back roads of Yosemite, clear into summer! My brother lives just outside the park on the southern end and we once tried to drive through and were stopped by snow. Very weird at that time of year!

You will be missed at the Round-Up for sure. Have fun on your trip.

Kathleen

Hi, Anna...sorry that you won't be here, but sounds like you're having a good time without us!
Sherry

The Badlands are the most incredibly beautiful thing God plopped right into our flat "Heartland" We have been through twice and it is incredible. You can't appreciate it in pictures . . have to see it for real!

I'm jealous you are there without me, Anna!

Here's the badland on I-90 (West)

"He’s (Dr. Don) working on a couple of the local wineries to see if we can't get a tasting here for the festivities along with inviting some of the more popular plant vendors in the Garden Watchdog to come and speak to the group. So far Andy's Orchids, a marvelous species orchid grower has penciled us in. He is still working on Annie, of Annie's Annuals next and one of the local tropical plant growers."

Any update on this or will it be a surprise? Harold

It will be interesting to see. I emailed Annie some time ago and asked her to please come.

Kathleen....did you tell her about Don's new Bar with 4 kinds of German Beer on Tap?? LOL Jo

Not sure if that would have helped or hurt, Jo! Don't want people to think it's a rowdy bunch. LOL Just said it was a lot of nice people that would appreciate her.

I guess you're right!

Time is getting closer and closer...anxious to see all of you!! Jo

Harold,

Last time I heard from Don, this is what he had to say about our activities for the day.

"So far it is for sure that we're doing the Andy's Orchids presentation, the Pauley Equipment thing is also confirmed. Wine tasting will also take place, yet we're not exactly sure if it will be done by one of the wineries since the wine and balloon festival is also that weekend out at Lake Skinner.It's kind of a big deal for the wineries and those staying for the weekend might want to check out that event as well. Annie and the folks at Kartuz have yet to confirm ."

Don also started a new thread with the directions to the ranch.... go here
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/856689/

Donna

Thanks Donna - we have plans to visit Kartuz on Friday as a slight detour going to Oceanside. Actually where we stay is far east Oceanside, next to Vista. We take Gopher Canyon to Vista Way anyway.
Great to know Andy's Orchids will be there for my wife and our friend, both are fond of Orchids.

TwinLakes,

Here's the pic I took yesterday...Badlands is so excellent beautiful place I ever seen like this land!

I took alot of this land and I gonna make pic frame to hang on the wall!

Can you believe this little piece of heaven exists in the MidWest!? Surreal!

Oh, yeah! Thanks, Anna.

hiya guys,

Robert (balvenie), Pam and I are leaving Washington State today to begin our annual trek down the coast. We're jazzed that it won't be long before we get to see all of you.

Robert and I discussed the wine tasting and decided that pretty much all of you can get your hands on Temecula wines at any time and they are rather marginal in quality. Soo.......we, I went over to a vintner that Robert knows very well up here who bottles fabulous wines under the label Willis Hall. I bought five cases .......lol. The wine tasting will include several gold medal wines along with some rather rare vintages this fine winemaker produces.

Of course the chocolate will be in ample supply, and the beer will flow as required. But I've been monitoring the Plant Trades thread and am more excited about all of the great plants people are bringing to this fish fry.

Our first sleep stop is along the Oregon coast. Where the driftwood along the beach looks like it was placed there by Godzilla it's so big.

Rusty!!!!! Really great photos of your trip. We'll miss you Anna, and I agree with Arlene that there are certainly well hidden treasures all over this great country.

best to all,
don

Oh Don! I'm so gald you remembered the "hard stuff" (chocolates!)

I am so looking forward to this again this year...hugs to all....Jo

Check out the food thread and the second post will tell you what everyone is bringing on Saturday...here's the link...
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/818631/

Some side dishes and salads would be great!

Hey, Dawn & anyone else who is taking mulch home from the RU - check out this thread:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/856193/

We always use a tarp - mainly because we don't want to lose any of whatever we're carrying. Guess there are other reasons to use one, too!

Hi
I got a reminder today about signing up for bringing food to the RU.

Hope we aren't too late?

Bob and Carol from Bonsall, CA.

Hope to see you there.

I will go to the food thread and sign up to bring a dessert.

bob:>)

You're not too late Bob, I saw your post in the food thread.

Well somebody said there were enough desserts...

so corned beef may substitute?

Hi Bob,

Wow, it will be so nice to finally meet you and your wife. You have added so much to DG over the years and I am so glad you can finally come and meet these great people.

It's never too late to join a party!!! Anyone else coming that hasn't posted, speak up please. :-))

Donna

hiya guys,

Greetings from Monterey, CA!

We're still mosey-ing our way down the coast and today's/tonight's menu includes a stay in Big Sur overnight before packing it all up for home before the festivities begin. Yesterday's trip through the Avenue of the Giants was just so inspirational. One can really get a perspective on how small we (humans) actually are in the grand plan of the natural world we looking up the trunk of a 300ft Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) [sic?]

Tomorrow we'll cruise down the coast through Cambria (I'll say hi for you Sherry), have some lunch at Robin's, check out a few of the Central Coast's wineries, laugh at the ridiculous colors of the Madonna Inn, say hola! to my undergrad alma mater (Cal-Poly, San Luis Obispo) or Saint Louis Nabisco as we used to call it. Then visit some of our horses in training in Ventura county before pulling up to the ranch to a thunder of yelping dogs wondering where the heck we got off to this time while informing us (it will be lies of course, the mendacity of our dogs is astounding) that no one has paid any attention to them since we vamoosed. Then they will have a couple of treats, pass out a few kisses and then pretend to be angry with us until bedtime....lol.

Hope all are getting as excited as the Three of us up here are for this year's gathering.

best,
don

Link to the directions to Don's ranch is posted in the first post above and also here again:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/856689/


Donna

I'm getting excited, and I won't even be there! (At least, not in person.)
:-)

Mary...we'll miss you!! Jo

We JUST got to Meadowbrook; the weather in Minneapolis was terrible; electrical storms and heavy rain. We sat in the plane 3 1/2 hours before we could take off (our flight is only 3 1/2 hours) and then they had to ask special permission to put us ahead of some other planes taking off so we could meet the Orange County curfew of 11 PM. But we made it . . . very tired. I'm just 3 hours away from being up 24 hours.

I'm getting too old for this!

Wow, glad you were able to finally get through! The RU will be worth it, you'll have a great time!

Wow, Arlene
Sounds like you had a rough trip!! Glad you made it here ok though.

Jo (Roadrunner) arrived here yesterday afternoon. I picked her up at LAX, we stopped to see my dad and then on home. We had a great dinner, did a lot of chatting, watched "So you think you can dance" then hit the sack.

We are going to relax and get our dishes made today for tomorrow, but I am going to take her over to the Crystal Cathedral for a short time. So, we are enjoying ourselves already.

I hope Don and crew have arrived home safely already and that their dogs have settled down with them home. lol

Hey Weegy, did Marie and Rodica arrive safely this morning? Have a fun day with them.

Only 23 hrs. till RU time. lol

Donna