Moscow Travel Group Meeting

S & M will be there. Pam asked me to bring something for showing and telling but I can't remember what it was. Maybe it was a memeory improvement exercise.

The cream doth rise.

I will be there ready to listen to Darcy's report on France, Switzerland and Germany, Monte and Sharon's trip to Canada and....yea!! A report on the Heart of Italy tour! Fortunately Monte, I have no idea what I wanted you to bring. Were you going to wear your cowboy outfit? BTW, the Moscow Farmers Market is on Main St this year, so it is closed from 6th where One World is north to 3rd St. They are also inexplicably working on the parking lot where the market used to be, so parking slots number about 1/3 of what they usually are. Drove by there today and it does not look like there is any way they will have any of them done by Saturday since they are taking them back to dirt and starting over with the pavement. Best parking will probably be in the direction of Gritman Hospital or East on 6th street toward the big parking lot across from the Post Office.

Just the spurs.

Well, hmmm, guess the spurs will somehow work in to some kind of travel theme. (and just cracking up!)

But can spurs be taken through Security? I would definitely want them in my carry on just in case I need them during the flight! Pam, thanks for the info on parking; it's definitely appreciated. Pam, have you heard from Rog and Cinda? Do you know if they're coming? I'd love to hear the pros and cons of Rog's packing list and backpack. See you soon!

Monte - can you bring that security pocket you use? I picked up another wallet that will fit Euros and Pounds better, and wonder now if it will fit in that kind of pocket.
Just to be clear, you are wearing more than just the spurs, right?

Right, and a hat.

@ Rog, You will give us a complete report on your packing list, won't you? Any thing you'll leave out--or add--next trip?

Oh nooo! Not the packing list!!! I am happy to report I wore everything I took including the rain jacket I jammed in at the last minute. Walking tour of Florence in the pouring rain, anyone? I scoped out parking yesterday and noted they have roped off the vacant lot at the SW corner of 6th and Jackson (the one way street heading toward Genesee)and are making that public parking while the main lot is torn up. Pam

Thanks, Pam, that's good to know!

Darcy - I can prepare a short powerpoint if you like. Or will handouts be sufficient?
And Pam will discuss the merits of quoting weights of items to the gram in helpline posts.

...and the cream doth rise again.

I only used grams because I thought someone might think I misread the scale on the compression bag and it was really 2# instead of 2 oz. I am with Jimmy Carter and the rest of the dinosuars. Darcy, don't even tempt him to do a Powerpoint on his lists!

Roger, a powerpoint would be really nice but a handout would actually be better so that we can all take them home to study!
Pam, did you by any chance learn to pack from Roger?

Yes, yes, I did get the impetus from him, BUT the real packing genius that started it all was Monte (ably assisted by Sharon) with his packing seminar at the Genesee library that Rog, Laurie and I attended.

We charge now.

Really, I should not drink coffee at the computer. Just burst out laughing at your comment Monte.

Day after tomorrow!

So, it looks like we'll have Pam, Sharon, Monte, Rog, (Cinda?), Laurie, Hedy, Doug and me. Anyone else? Everyone's welcome as long as the topic is travel-related!

We will bring our two grandkids so they can terrorize the group before Sharon takes them to the farmers market for lumpia.

Cinda has to work the canning demo at the Market. We were trying to talk Roger's sons in to coming so they could tell everyone how they loved Italy! We will love meeting the M&S grand kids! Pam

Yes, we're looking forward to meeting the S&M grandkids!
Further news: Leslie is coming--Yay! Anyone else?

Excellent get-together today! We got trip reports from Italy and France/Switzerland/Germany (and didn't you guys go to Austria?? we missed that). We had discussions of trips to UK in January and Armenia next May with passing comments on trips to Spain in Sept 2014, Britain/Scotland/Ireland/?? in May of 2014. Monte brought his spurs and antique Stetson, but declined to wear them as he did not think it would blend in with the Farmer's Market crowd outside. We met grandchildren who are developing in to travelers and want to go to Lithuania. Awesome time!

It was an excellent get-together! We loved hearing all about the RS Heart of Italy tour and how excellent it was. Yes, Pam, some of us also went to Austria....I just didn't get to that part of the trip. I'll save that for the next get-together.
Monte's spurs and Stetson are amazing. Don't you just love show & tell? (Helpline, you had to be there to appreciate it!) The grandkids were great--no terrorizing occurred! It was fun to see budding travelers with their dreams and goals.