What happened to Camp Mefi?

July 22, 2013 3:58 PM

Awhile back there were murmurings about a metafilter-oriented camp/retreat. Did anything happen after the survey? Now that me and mr. desjardins have an RV, we're itching to go! (Also, we live at a campground, hint hint.)
posted by desjardins to MetaFilter-Related at 3:58 PM (106 comments total)

It's currently the last entry in IRL.
posted by elizardbits at 4:09 PM on July 22, 2013 [1 favorite]

I don't know what you mean. The last entry I see on the irl.metafilter.com page has something to do with Denver and a giant kitten. Which sounds awesome and all but was not what I was thinking of.
posted by desjardins at 4:18 PM on July 22, 2013 [3 favorites]

No idea about the camp, but thanks for the reminder to read your new RV blog! Glad you landed on a name.
posted by ellieBOA at 4:21 PM on July 22, 2013

Here's the IRL link.
posted by dotgirl at 4:23 PM on July 22, 2013

Well that sounds like a good time and all (a bit too far for us) but is that meetup what came out of the survey? Seems like it sprang up organically. I was expecting something a bit more mefi-wide?
posted by desjardins at 4:28 PM on July 22, 2013

I'd been wondering about this lately too. And seconding what desjardins said just above.
posted by iamkimiam at 4:39 PM on July 22, 2013

Thirding desjardins' and iamkimiam's confusion... is this really the result of the survey? I saw this awhile back and it didn't even occur to me that it was actually the Official Meta-MeFi Meetup.
posted by scody at 4:46 PM on July 22, 2013

I would participate in something larger not-quite-so-soon. I wouldn't go so far as to say my workplace's vacation restrictions are draconian, but I need a bit of advance warning.
posted by louche mustachio at 4:48 PM on July 22, 2013

Our campground just hosted 700 Dave Mathews Band fans over the 4th of July weekend, so we could probably handle a hundred-ish mefites. Just sayin.
posted by desjardins at 5:04 PM on July 22, 2013

Here's an unofficial Official Camp Mefi update:

There were a group of us who discussed the survey results via e-mail. As you can see, the results are pretty all over the map (literally!). Speaking for myself, the survey results didn't really make me feel any more motivated to actually plan anything; if anything, it was discouraging to see how impossible it would be to please everyone (like, check out the kids question- it was almost exactly 50/50). The discussion that sprang from the survey sort of petered out on its own. I encourage anyone still interested in planning something big to do so! It'd probably be easiest for one person or a small group to just make all the decisions and let people fall in line as they wish. Between then and now, I made plans to start grad school in the fall, so I know I'm out on any big planning endeavor.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 5:04 PM on July 22, 2013 [6 favorites]

I see what you mean, TPS.

My personal opinion on the kid thing is that many people with kids face an insurmountable financial obstacle if they can't bring the tykes, whereas the only obstacle for kid-disliking people is their own attitude. Therefore, despite my personal preference for an adults-only gathering, I'd still come if kids were allowed.

The more confounding question is region - I'm surprised Chicago is ranked #2 considering that 36% of mefites would be coming from the West Coast or the South. I personally have no idea where I'll be living in six months, so I can't really weigh in.
posted by desjardins at 5:16 PM on July 22, 2013 [1 favorite]

"whereas the only obstacle for kid-disliking people is their own attitude"

Some of us have a medication that is legal in only some states and often parents feel uncomfortable when Uncle Klang's glaucoma/back ache/anxiety/insomnia/sobriety starts acting up.
posted by klangklangston at 5:23 PM on July 22, 2013 [30 favorites]

wow you folks really like yurts a lot.
posted by kagredon at 5:37 PM on July 22, 2013 [6 favorites]

The Oregon thing happened irrespective of any other thing.
posted by curious nu at 5:53 PM on July 22, 2013

Yeah, wow, I had no idea that that was more or less where opinion had landed. I agree that it should probably be regional somehow, with people willing to trek to other parts of the country to do that as they please.

That said, anyone wants to organize something in the Northeastern US--including Eastern Canada--I'd be down. But I can't afford to go to no Oregon (especially camping!).
posted by Kitteh at 5:54 PM on July 22, 2013

Probably the best thing that came out of that metatalk thread for the 12 people signed up for Government Camping in Oregon, is that at least they aren't meeting on a damn cruise ship.

Rotsa ruck with the weather and the no-see-'ums, you intrepid campsite occupants, all!
posted by paulsc at 6:15 PM on July 22, 2013

Wow, I missed this.

I vote for a massive scavenger hunt at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN. Not because that's close to me or anything, but just because it'd be fun to run around that sucker shouting about plates of beans.

Maybe if Oregon is already having their camping trip, we could do something in Chicago. I'm going to be there for a conference at the tail-end of August.... Maybe we could do a massive scavenger hunt at the American Political Science Association?
posted by anotherpanacea at 6:18 PM on July 22, 2013 [1 favorite]

The "Other-Please Specify" specifications in the survey results are great.

"Yurt"
"Yurt"
"Surprise me y'all"
"yurt"
"Yurts. I Would like to stay in a yurt."
"Hogwarts"
"Shakespeherian's basement"
posted by FirstMateKate at 6:21 PM on July 22, 2013 [18 favorites]

A lot of Girl Scout camps offer family/group camping after their summer camps end. So like end of August into October. They're reasonably priced too.
posted by FunkyHelix at 6:37 PM on July 22, 2013 [1 favorite]

That kind of thing (the Girl Scout camps) is exactly the type of thing I wanted; under the circumstances I wouldn't really want a tent but a cabin or similar sounds really, really good, especially if there is a lake around (I am from New England I will swim in a lake in October no question).
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 6:49 PM on July 22, 2013 [3 favorites]

HAIL TO THEE CAMP ME-FI

BY THE SHORES OF BIG BLUE LAKE

ALTHOUGH YOUR CODE IS RUSTY

I'M SURE IT'LL NEVER BREAK

FROM YOUR SCREAMING GRAR-HALLS

TO YOU HALLOWED PREVIEW FIELD

TO THE BITE AND CLAW META-TALK

WITH ALL OUR WOUNDS REVEALED
posted by The Whelk at 6:52 PM on July 22, 2013 [13 favorites]

12 people signed up for Government Camping in Oregon

Wow, legal weed and guaranteed minimum tenting—Oregon really is paradise!
posted by octobersurprise at 6:53 PM on July 22, 2013

"Shakespeherian's basement"

Wait maybe he can afford that now that he has a new job.

(shakes got a new job in a brewery, we're all very proud and excited)
posted by The Whelk at 6:59 PM on July 22, 2013

I always love reading "other, please specify" answers that people write in on surveys. MeFi does not disappoint.

Q5 What sort of accommodations would you prefer? Choose all that apply.
-Sex dungeon

Q7 Which of the following retreat locations would you be willing to entertain? Choose as least 3.
-A WELL equipped sex dungeon
posted by NoraCharles at 7:53 PM on July 22, 2013 [3 favorites]

Look, I said all of you could come over, except for sober Klang, stop being difficult.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:15 PM on July 22, 2013

desjardins, sounds to me like you're living the dream.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:24 PM on July 22, 2013 [1 favorite]

My personal opinion on the kid thing is that many people with kids face an insurmountable financial obstacle if they can't bring the tykes, whereas the only obstacle for kid-disliking people is their own attitude. Therefore, despite my personal preference for an adults-only gathering, I'd still come if kids were allowed.

I don’t think that’s entirely fair. In my experience, nearly anything involving kids revolves around kids. Kids are not a subtle thing. It’s like saying "we’re all going to be naked and high in a room full of foam and loud music, but you can just come and hang out and talk if you’re not into that".
posted by bongo_x at 8:40 PM on July 22, 2013 [20 favorites]

I can't decide if kids are the opposite of being naked and high in a room full of foam and loud music or if that is the perfect analogy.
posted by maryr at 9:05 PM on July 22, 2013 [10 favorites]

I was in the survey analysis committee. It was interesting. I also think a lot of people who responded, when push came to shove, would actually not go, which makes the data mushy. In any case, there is a contingent of people who want to go to a city and have casual meetup events, and a contingent who want a summer camp-like experience for 3 days or so. And there is a contingent favoring destinations in the West/Northwest, and a slightly larger contingent along the East Coast.

Personally, I am interested in, and have the knowhow to, and a couple of connections to, set up a summer-camp-like event on the East Coast. However, I don't have abundant free time to make it work, and it is really a lot of work. I'm in graduate school too. And so far I just haven't seen enough active interest and support to make it look like it would be anything but a giant project for one or two people who end up doing more than they really should. Long story short, we'd need a small group of serious and dedicated people who are willing to take initiative, stay in touch, report back to each other on findings, etc, to make it happen, and it just doesn't seem like that kind of organized effort is happening. Had I more time, I'd take the lead and start setting something up right now, but I don't so I'm hesitant to start and end up holding the bag if there aren't many others caring to pitch in. But if someone reading this feels energetic enough to get started, go ahead.

As TPS says, and as I surmised at the start of this, MetaFilter will not plan and exectute an ideal destination meetup experience by committee within a thread. There is not going to be a perfect event that averages all preferences, so that is a bit of a fool's chase. The only way it will happen is if someone decides to start making the meetup they want to make happen, happen. Once the project is a bit more define,d others will probably opt in.
posted by Miko at 9:06 PM on July 22, 2013 [7 favorites]

I can't decide if kids are the opposite of being naked and high in a room full of foam and loud music or if that is the perfect analogy.
Neither - they're the result.
posted by dg at 9:56 PM on July 22, 2013 [5 favorites]

Oh, a note on kids. Speaking as a long-time event runner and program planner, the question isn't about whether people do or don't like kids. It's about what kind of gathering people are wanting. The thing with kids is that their presence demands a much more intense level of programming activity than you'd do for adults. Kids do not just "hang out." They need some structure to their days, usually a series of discrete events, varied in format and content. Their pace is much faster. They don't linger at meals. They don't stick with one thing (like hiking or softball) for hours. They require supervision from someone 100% of the time. If they're around, there's a different safety standard to meet (hiring lifeguards, changing the way group games are played, handling fire differently, etc). Hours can also become a bit of a tension point. Kids wake early, eat early, and go to bed early. Adults don't always want breakfast at 7, dinner at 5, or to be hushed at 9 PM because it's kiddo bedtime, nor do they want to be wakened (on vacation) by ambient noise at 6 because the kids are stirring and need to get moving.

Programming for adults can be very loose and comfortable. In a camp setting, a few major events a day that you can or can't take part in is plenty. Meals can be leisurely, and they can be a bit more creative, varied and daring. Chores can be simple and quick. Schedules can be relaxed. Activities can be at a sophisticated or challenging level. People can be left to their own devices to find downtime amusements. None of this is true when kids are part of the group. When people say that a gathering with kids "revolves around" kids, this is what they mean: not that everyone pays attention to the kids the whole time and does kid things the whole time, but that the pace and timing of all events necessarily follows kid rhythms instead of adult rhythms. And the presence of kids changes the way adults relate to one another, as well - and especially changes the role of adults without kids.

If you think about family camps and resorts, they can make this all work because they have an entire staff of people who put on scheduled activities for the kids, taking pressure off the parents and the adult social group to organize fun and monitor safety. This isn't something an ad hoc meetup group will likely self-organize to do. I suppose there's the option to hire camp staff to provide program activities for kids, but that of course comes at a cost too. Also, at family camps, everyone is in a family routine, so there's not an odd division of childfree and childful people on completely different schedules.

This is not to pan the idea of children at such a gathering. It can be done; it's a choice.I am just noting that it's not only some shallow personal bias that might incline people to include or exclude children - a lot of other logistics, and the very character and pace of the event, will fall from that decision. It's worth it to think all that through.

I know that some kids will hike or do similar things with their parents for hours. Kids in the aggregate, in groups with other kids, are less likely to behave that way, and even if some do, all won't.
posted by Miko at 10:22 PM on July 22, 2013 [40 favorites]

"Programming for adults can be very loose and comfortable. In a camp setting, a few major events a day that you can or can't take part in is plenty. Meals can be leisurely, and they can be a bit more creative, varied and daring. Chores can be simple and quick. Schedules can be relaxed. Activities can be at a sophisticated or challenging level. People can be left to their own devices to find downtime amusements. None of this is true when kids are part of the group. When people say that a gathering with kids "revolves around" kids, this is what they mean: not that everyone pays attention to the kids the whole time and does kid things the whole time, but that the pace and timing of all events necessarily follows kid rhythms instead of adult rhythms. And the presence of kids changes the way adults relate to one another, as well - and especially changes the role of adults without kids. "

Heh. When I was a kid camping with my family, they pretty much always just left me and my brother to our own devices. In fact, that's probably at least half of my camping memories — my folks reading or something and hey, have fun in the woods.
posted by klangklangston at 11:01 PM on July 22, 2013 [4 favorites]

I'm the semi-original organizer of the Oregon camping meet up. It came up at one of our local meetups when we were discussing local camping options and I decided to roll with it once it started looking like camping weather.

NB: camping meetups require at least 6 months in advance.
posted by fiercekitten at 11:02 PM on July 22, 2013 [1 favorite]

How about we have a big meetup in Portland next year for MeFi's 15th anniversary?
posted by evil otto at 1:27 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]

desjardins giant campground in Wisconsin and a 15th meetup anniversary in Portland both sound like great ideas that could happen concurrently and capture both coasts (sort of) + Canada. Plus, a year from now is just about perfect, planning-wise, yeah?
posted by iamkimiam at 3:38 AM on July 23, 2013

Also, big campground: Kid/family side, everyman's land, Adult side. Choose wisely.
posted by iamkimiam at 3:40 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

Kids do not just "hang out." They need some structure to their days, usually a series of discrete events, varied in format and content.

Egad, you have just described the occasions in my childhood that were nightmarish. I always wanted to just hang out and read or dig holes in the ground and junk, and I hated being made to do structured crap. I feel sorry for so many kids today.
posted by JanetLand at 4:19 AM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]

When I was a kid camping with my family, they pretty much always just left me and my brother to our own devices. In fact, that's probably at least half of my camping memories

I know we all remember it that way, but that is not the experience we would be having with contemporary kids. It also tends to lean toward the kind of self-reporting based on nostalgia that doesn't wholly reflect the psychological reality that your parents were probably experiencing.

Maybe there should be some sort of deposit system. If you show up, you get your deposit back. If you flake, well you're down one child...which would make subsequent camps that much easier to plan.

Oh, without a doubt. First of all, any camp or campground resort is going to require a deposit and a solid estimate on group size, which means in my view that we need an early and substantial deposit from anyone planning to take part. A lot will shake out right there. But we can't ask for a deposit when we're just tossing ideas around, and for that reason, a lot of people put in their 2 cents even though their participation is doubtful or highly conditional. That makes it hard to determine which of the responses we got are serious and provide guidance, and which were people with a very low likelihood of doing it in the first place.

iamkimiam's idea of choosing a place with units and kids/no kids housing is a good idea.

There's no shortage of good ideas. Once the determination is made, it's a simple thing to organize - it's just a lot of work. Whoever steps up and says "I'm ready to lead this work" can pretty much get it going. I am happy to provide advice and structure. I'm also happy to share my ideas and contacts for the 2 camps/conference centers on the East Coast where I have personal connections and think everyone would really enjoy. And I'm happy to do some tasks. I am just quite reluctant to do it alone, and at this moment and based on the survey experience it just doesn't look like many people are actually stepping forward with more than thoughts. We need a few people with some energy and commitment to the project, or it just doesn't go forward.
posted by Miko at 5:51 AM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]

I have thought alot about Adult Camp and IMO the best way to do it is this:

A. No booze or drugs. At least not sanctioned by the counselors. If people run off into the woods and do it, that's fine. but if they are caught they get in trouble, just like in camp.
B. No kids. Sorry, just makes it a different thing. Parents and grandparents welcome though.
C. Color wars. Aw yeah.
D. No sex in the bunkhouses. Again, sneaking off is better.
E. indoor kids activities should have a social or moral component. Classes yes, video games no.
F. Many annoyingly compulsory outdoor activities. Everyone has to 3 legged race.
G. Nightly reenactments of the Thanksgiving scene in Adams Family Values.
H. Celebrity Talent show Judges. And all drinking/sex rules null and void on the last night. Do not burn the cabins please.

Not for everyone, but perfect for those who want a combination of nostalgia and positive healthy adult fun-times.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:52 AM on July 23, 2013

It seems like one alternative would be to have a few of these each year, geographically dispersed:


Mefi East: somewhere on the Boston-Atlanta Metropolitan Axis.

Mefi Midwest: somewhere within 100 miles of Chicago (maybe Michigan?)

Mefi West: somewhere between San Fran & Seattle


This would make attendance a more doable thing for a greater proportion of members. We'd just need one mod per location to 'officiate'
posted by leotrotsky at 5:59 AM on July 23, 2013

"positive healthy adult fun-times"

A–G do not support my understanding of this phrase.
posted by iamkimiam at 6:04 AM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]

Wasn't trying to say other kinds of camps wouldn't be fun too, but I would spend lots of money or time to have a throw-back camp experience, with smarty pants learning and non-aggressive personal training thrown in.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:18 AM on July 23, 2013

Basically Road To Welleville with a wink and a drumset.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:20 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

Shakespeherian's basement

Obviously not submitted by a member of the Chicago Cabal*. The place to have meetups is shakes' DOORWAY.

*TINCC
posted by SpiffyRob at 7:20 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]

A–G do not support my understanding of this phrase.

Glad it's not just me. You lost me at A.

I would spend lots of money or time to have a throw-back camp experience, with smarty pants learning and non-aggressive personal training thrown in.

I think that's probably beyond what the MeFi community would provide, but you might enjoy this instead: Camp Grounded.
posted by Miko at 7:35 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]

Well shiiiiiiiiiit. All of the best ideas are already taken.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:38 AM on July 23, 2013

It seems like one alternative would be to have a few of these each year, geographically dispersed:

Chicago seems awfully north-eastern for the hub of mid-west. But instead of squabbling over why everyone should just come to New Mexico, I'll suggest Lebanon, Kansas, as the geographic center of the contiguous US.

Lebanon, it's on the map! (That's my new the slogan for the town of 200+ people).
posted by filthy light thief at 8:13 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

I guess I'll come down to saying these things about how far I've gotten.

1. I've identified 2 possible camp locations for a MeFi camping event at which I have a personal connection which would make this easier to pull off. Both are existing summer camp/conference center locations.

2. This camping event would have to be in either May or September 2014, due to the demands of the camp schedules and the fact that it's too late to book this year. I recommend September as better, mainly because water is warmer for swimming.

3. Camp #1 is a very simple, old-fashioned rustic camp on the edge of the NJ pine barrens along a cedar creek. It is 1 hour from Philly and 2.5 hours from NYC. We would be the only group on site. It features cabins for 8-10 people with bunk beds, and can house up to 100 people in these shared cabin facilities. Tenting is also possible for those who want their own private space, and hotels are nearby within 20 minutes for those requiring amenities. Activities at Camp #1 include canoeing on the stream that runs through the place, a shallow (4') swimming pool which is fun for dips and water games, campfires, ropes course, archery, good woods for Capture the Flag games and the like, hanging out on docks, ping-pong, volleyball, etc. It is a warm, homey, and small-scale place. We could hire a cook or take turns cooking in the kitchen for meals. We would be in charge of cleanup for our group too. It would not be very expensive at all. Alcohol use might not normally be OK there but we could seek a waiver or be very subtle.

4. Camp #2 is a large, fancier conference center in CT, about 2 hours north of NYC. We would not be the only group on site. We would sleep in dormitory-style "lodge" buildings with twin rooms (2 twin beds per). We would pay for food service and eat in the dining hall along with other visiting groups. We would not do a lot of cleaning or chores because staff would do that. We could arrange to have campfires. Activities include good hiking, a lovely mile-long lake with canoes and swimming, volleyball and B-ball. This is less private but a notch more like hotel living. This would be more expensive than camp #1. Alcohol would be all right.

So that's as far as I've gotten. To bring this from concept to reality involves the following:

-contacting the sites to obtain quotes and ID available dates
-sharing info with MetaFilter - maybe building an info site/Wordpress for the event updates
-determining a date and acceptable price
-deciding on kids/no kids, alcohol/no alcohol, and other policy issues
-making a contract with the chosen site - this would involve settling on a guaranteed minimum number of people, deciding whether to hire lifeguards, boat instructors, cooks, or other facilitators, deciding on add-on options like campfires, BBQs, etc.
-Developing a registration process for MeFites where people specify number in their group, preferences, arrival times, methods of payment, etc. Probably also developing some kind of "participate at your own risk" statement to absolve MeFi itself or coordinating individuals of liability to the extent possible
-gathering deposit funds from MeFites and banking them somehow - being financial agent by taking deposits and then writing a check to the camp facility
-making the deposit to the facility on deadline
-communicating camp facility information to attendees: how to get there/transportation options, what to bring, optional activities, dietary requirements, housing requirements
-making and maintaining housing and meal lists and head counts
-communicating changes in plan to the camp facility
-developing some form of programming, even if it's minimal ("do your own thing, meet for dinner at X time, campfire at 8 PM") but could be really fun and involved, with lots of "Camp MeFi" activities and special events
-thinking through extras like t-shirts or other souvenir type things people might want
-arriving early to set up
-running some kind of check-in process
-staying late to clean up
-figuring out how chores are going to get done (do we just pay the camp facility, or do we take on our own table setting, dish washing, dining hall sweeping, etc, and how do we divvy that up fairly

None of this is difficult. Some of it is fun (like program planning!). All of it is time consuming. Even though I can contribute a lot of help to outline a process and make it simple, I know that I cannot do it on my own. So if anyone cares to execute this particular plan, and can be a solid partner in organizing it, and take on much of this burden, please MeMail me and we can get a plan going.

If you can envision another plan and are energized and have the time to do it, mazel tov, please do!
posted by Miko at 8:24 AM on July 23, 2013 [10 favorites]

Man, when I was a kid I hated being forced into stupid structured activities, I would spend hours reading or playing with sticks and dinos; my mom was very hands-off. I volunteer with kids and they are fine during free play as long as you watch to make sure that nobody's getting hurt- in fact, I hate pushing them into artificial, structured activities instead of just letting them have fun their own way; it's good to have an activity in your back pocket in case they get fussy, but they're pretty ok on their own. I also feel bad for kids nowadays and their regimented lives.
posted by windykites at 9:21 AM on July 23, 2013

At this point we'd have to find a way to incorporate demon hunting into the activities list.
posted by The Whelk at 9:27 AM on July 23, 2013 [5 favorites]

Free play is a structured activity.

In all seriousness, I'm not trying to push everyone's buttons here about their unpleasant childhood memories. But it is not a good idea to imagine that kids will be fine and take care of themselves, happily playing in the shade and exploring in the stream for hours, and plan based on that assumption. That's just a recipe for problems. Also, someone has to be responsible for the kids all the time - which seems very relaxing as long as it's not you. For those who do face the problem of keeping kids content for a 14-hour day, they tend to like having some options and some time that the pressure is off them for a few minutes.

My summer camp was very big on freedom and time to wander and explore, and not big on rah-rah structure. But even though it was about the most laid-back, relaxed summer camp ever, children actually do need a lot of different things to do in a day. Children in groups, even more so. A little light structure is a necessity for a large group gathering with children. If you don't think about it in advance, it will bite you on the ass.
posted by Miko at 9:27 AM on July 23, 2013 [9 favorites]

Well, obviously Mefi parents should use their best judgement about how well their kid can handle being in a campsite/strange city with a group of odd new adults for three days, but not all kids are wired to the same level of self-sufficiency, and we can't really set up a "your kid must be THIS mature/self-starting" or "your parenting style must be THIS laissez-faire" rule (oh the nightmares that would cause.) Plus, I was pretty good as a kid at quietly entertaining myself with reading/writing/drawing, but I think I still would've gotten a little restless after 2 or 3 days in the woods with nothing else to do. If these longish-meetups have kids, we have to plan for ways to incorporate kids.

(On not-preview: or what Miko just said.)

I was in the camp who marked "I don't have kids, but don't mind other people's." I'd actually even be up for helping out with kid-friendly/all-ages type stuff--whether that would be just keeping an eye on them playing in the campground or chaperoning an aquarium trip or nature walk or whatever--but I'd also want there to be some activities/times that were clearly delineated as "adult-only." Not even in a sex-drugs-and-rock-and-roll way, necessarily--but even stuff like going out to a show (if we're in a city) or playing board games til 3 AM in someone's cabin.

Anyway, I sort of think this will mostly take care of itself; by the time we get up to 10+ people at one of these, folks are going to naturally be breaking off on their own to organize their own things. I think the main thing is that everyone is clear about expectations.
posted by kagredon at 9:42 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

Also, "let's learn a craft!" with grown-ups is very different from "let's teach kids a craft." I'm open to a camp with both but have zero interest in a camp that's entirely about the latter. I figure if we invite kids we should have some sort of kids' pavilion thing with a programming track (and coordinated supervision) aimed at them.
posted by asperity at 9:45 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

Lebanon (KS) is not too far from my house so you can come to my house instead and we can roast a goat
posted by J0 at 9:46 AM on July 23, 2013 [4 favorites]

"But it is not a good idea to imagine that kids will be fine and take care of themselves, happily playing in the shade and exploring in the stream for hours, and plan based on that assumption. That's just a recipe for problems. Also, someone has to be responsible for the kids all the time - which seems very relaxing as long as it's not you. For those who do face the problem of keeping kids content for a 14-hour day, they tend to like having some options and some time that the pressure is off them for a few minutes."

Having been a camp counsellor, I will cosign this. My childhood was incredibly self-directed (my mom would basically just lock me out of the house in the summer) but having been on the staffing side of it, having activities as the default is pretty much the way to go, since kids can turn into fucked up mobs pretty quickly if left to their own devices.

Or we could just turn our kids against those Robbers Cave assholes and have them build forts and defenses and things.
posted by klangklangston at 10:07 AM on July 23, 2013

For older kids, depending on venue, supervision can be as simple as "show up for roll call now and then so we know you haven't been eaten by a bear," but somebody's still got to handle that, and preferably provide at least ideas for activities. We'll also have to make sure we've got somebody accessible in a known location for questions and emergencies at all times (that one's necessary for the grown-ups, too).
posted by asperity at 10:09 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

I assume any meetup involving mefi kids will devolve into Lord of the Flies within 24-36h.
posted by elizardbits at 10:40 AM on July 23, 2013 [5 favorites]

At 11 a.m. we have "Kill the pig" scheduled; at noon it's time to "drink her blood!"
posted by klangklangston at 10:41 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]

I'm a mom of teens and I've been running kids' programs in libraries and churches for 16 years. You would not believe how quickly you can lose control of a group of kids, even with an adult there! When I do an event, even if it's just a 50 minute Sunday School class, I always have something in my back pocket to fill dead space. Otherwise, someone will get hurt, or lost, or spill all the the paint down Janie's new dress. I have learned my lesson, time and time again. Plus, there is a difference between 2 parents idly keeping an ear out for their own kids while reading at a campsite and a bunch of parents excitedly bonding with their new MeFite friends while their kids run off in the woods with kids they've never met before.

I am definitely interested in the NJ camp. My suggestion is to hire someone to do kids' activities or to say no to kids.
posted by Biblio at 10:55 AM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]

I'm happy to see an outcome to the survey. It seemed like it went off to a small group and never got back to the rest of us. As I remembered it the small group didn't agree to plan anything, just to collect data.

Now that the data is out there, someone may want to pick it up. I think the rule here should be either join the planning group or don't bitch about the decisions that group makes. Because, looking at the data not everyone can be happy here.

Also, I'd be interested in whether the data is more definitive if you look at only top box or top 2 box for question 1. If someone is planning, then likely attendees are the audience to accommodate.
posted by 26.2 at 1:01 PM on July 23, 2013

Over here is the kids' section of Camp Mefi, which we call "Lil' MetaTalk"

At eleven o'clock, we'll be playing Capture The Flag And Move On.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:15 PM on July 23, 2013 [29 favorites]

It seemed like it went off to a small group and never got back to the rest of us.

Amusingly, we had just last week had a discussion about posting it with the exact content of my comment, and just hadn't gotten around to it quite yet.

, I'd be interested in whether the data is more definitive if you look at only top box or top 2 box for question 1.

I made the same comment, but the web app doesn't allow you to exclude the other responses so there is no way to collate only the contributions of the most seriously interested respondents easily.

I think the rule here should be either join the planning group or don't bitch about the decisions that group makes.

I haven't got any MeMails yet, which is sad, because I'd really like to see this happen. But perhaps someone will come along with a different plan which will get people fired up. Anyway, it's just one of those things, getting something done is challenging, critiquing/embroidering it easier.
posted by Miko at 2:03 PM on July 23, 2013

I'd prefer a mountain-y Denver Int'l Airport-accessible campsite so that it'd be easier for me to help in advance (selfish!) but I'd absolutely pitch in to help on NJ. Option #1 sounds fabulous.
posted by asperity at 2:11 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

I can't do much by way of helping with advance planning at this point, but if something does get off the ground, after about March I should have time to assist, and I love to volunteer for stuff like this.
posted by EvaDestruction at 2:59 PM on July 23, 2013

I'm one of those that would love to do this (and responded to the survey), but logistics and finances make it unlikely that I could commit so far out and quite unlikely that I could manage it at all. But I can dream ...

On that basis, I wouldn't expect much consideration to my wants in any planning.

Regarding kids, I think there are different expectations these days than the days of yore when a lot of us grew up. Not from kids so much, but it's not as acceptable these days for parents to tell kids 'get out of the house and don't come back before dark' as it was when I was a kid. Generally, I think kids are good with plenty of unstructured time, but too much inevitably leads to them getting in trouble of some sort or other, if my childhood is anything to go by. Also, kids that are not so good at interacting with strangers need to be 'forced' to interact at the start, after which they'll naturally gravitate to those they like and form bonds. That's when the journey to Lord of the Flies starts ...

As a parent, I would probably not bring my kids to such an event. Not because they'd get into trouble, but because such an event would be for me to be an adult without responsibilities not a parent, but explicitly excluding kids leaves a lot of people out in the cold. It's not impossible to have an event that balances the needs of both, although far more complex.
posted by dg at 3:09 PM on July 23, 2013

I am the mom to a four year old and I guess I don't understand why parents wouldn't be responsible for their own kids at all times. If we are swimming in the lake, I would take my kid and swim in the lake with her. I don't expect anyone else to do this with her. If someone is teaching us how to bead jewelry I would sit there with my daughter and some string and beads and talk quietly to her about what the instructor was saying. I wouldn't expect somebody else to do this, but I would hope that people would be okay with us talking quietly to one another. We would also likely disappear for hours at a time for reading books or building mud pies or getting out of a cranky mood (one or both of us). And likely Pete and I would also plan our accommodations around what our kid could handle and not inconveniencing other people with our kid.

Maybe other parents (especially parents of older kids, maybe?) would want more kid-oriented structured activities, and I'm not saying kid-structured activities are bad, of course to my mind they are nice since I happen to have a kid, but I certainly wouldn't expect someone else to plan something for her for a 14 hour/day period.

Are there people here with kids who would plan to come and bring their kids who would expect to be able to drop their kids off to do something while they did something else? My kid is so young and I admit I have no idea how teens and preteens etc. work.

Both of the camps that Miko described sounded nice.

If we went I could volunteer to do a "paint your own Camp MeFi tshirt with fabric paint" activity for about 45 minutes, but I think people would have to ultimately be responsible for your own kids at it, I couldn't keep them from wandering off. FWIW.
posted by onlyconnect at 3:33 PM on July 23, 2013

How did planning for the 10th anniversary celebrations work?
posted by kagredon at 3:38 PM on July 23, 2013

I guess I don't understand why parents wouldn't be responsible for their own kids at all times.

There's a whole range of choices about this, and what parents want and expect does differ family to family. We could just say "you're responsible for your own kid 100% of the time" and leave it at that. That's simplest. The major risks with it are (a) some parents might not come because they aren't used to 24/7 kid management and it sounds (and is) pretty exhausting over a full weekend, and (b) there are times when kids don't want to be with their parents, but want to do things with the other kids who are there, and (c) parents have different styles, and sometimes more laissez-faire parents are not great at recognizing when their kids are getting out of control, being irritating to others or getting into dangerous situations, so they aren't really making for good kid-minders and that drives everybody else crazy.

I've seen a few kinds of family camp programs - there are ones where the families are pretty much on their own to do things together as a family all day, but also hybrid-type programs which are halfway between that and a full, kid-centered camp day. The hybrid programs, for instance, might have just a few special timed activities specifically for kids (swim time/pool games, kids' arts and crafts, kickball/ropes course, whatever), which would be led by either paid staff or adult volunteers from with the program, and during those times, the parents of said kids could have a break for a little hammock time or adult conversation or what-have-you. Then there are the kinds of programs you find at high-end family resorts and cruises and stuff, where the kids are actually pretty much in full-time camp all day, and the parents have brief interactions with them, mostly as spectator until after dinner.

If we do go with kids, I'd really suggest the hybrid approach, because a weekend can be pretty long, and when you're traveling to meet other people it's nice to spend some time getting to know them and being yourself instead of just being 100% parent in 1:1 supervisory role all the time. And then the kids could of course participate in other stuff alongside their parents, too, though we might want some adults-only things.

I'm happy to say my MeMail box is filling up and I'm psyched. I'll write back to you all soon, maybe not tonight as I need to finish dinner, but soon!
posted by Miko at 5:55 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

I assume any meetup involving mefi kids will devolve into Lord of the Flies within 24-36h.

Let us not pretend that the same possibility doesn't exist on the adult side as well.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 8:30 PM on July 23, 2013 [6 favorites]

Here's my thought on kids. I like kids. I even like other people's kids (which, lets admit puts me in the minority). I'd like to include families. When I look at the data it seems like promising parents that they don't need to supervise kids will alienate a lot of people.

If you're bring kids you are 100% responsible for them at all times. That doesn't mean that you need to be next to them. Trading off baby sitting times or hanging out with other parents works too. But it's the parent's gig to line up supervision.

It's unrealistic that there would be a formal kids program with someone else taking responsibility and liability for other people's children like you'd find on a cruise ship or Club Med. If we need that type of babysitting / children's program, then some sort of structured place (like the dreaded cruise ship) is an option to consider.
posted by 26.2 at 8:39 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]

"Camp" Mefi? OK, great first step, but I still want a Mefi FARM. I've posted more than once (IIRC) that I'd be happy to be the "Groundskeeper Willie" of the farm, but I would need slightly better accommodations than a steel garden shed.

Please note that I'm not knocking any idea of a camping/RV meetup. I've been thinking about taking up the RV lifestyle once my current responsibilities in my life are no longer needed.

In other words, whatever you folks decide, I'm in if I can fit it in between my current obligations.
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 12:56 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]

It's unrealistic that there would be a formal kids program with someone else taking responsibility and liability for other people's children like you'd find on a cruise ship or Club Med.

It is actually a pretty simple thing to set up. At the place we will start looking at, you can hire lifeguards/activity instructors for $20 an hour per staffer, and they can present a few hours' worth of activities. To me, if we include kids, this seems like a nice idea to give the parents a little grownup time/respite.

Of course people remain responsible for their kids in the grand scheme, they wouldn't be off the hook completely for keeping track of their kids; but I think it would be nice to give them some options for things for the kids to do, led by staff with training in doing fun things with groups of kids. This would be an enhancement, not an all day arrangement. In other words, it's not such a hard thing to pull off - camps are set up for this and can call on the staff easily.
posted by Miko at 5:55 AM on July 24, 2013

I'd just like to voice my support for a Talent Show because I would like you all to dance for me, DANCE I SAY.
posted by maryr at 11:05 AM on July 24, 2013 [2 favorites]

I KNEW CELTIC DANCE CLASS WAS NOT FOR NAUGHT.
posted by The Whelk at 11:15 AM on July 24, 2013 [2 favorites]

Great great idea.

So since we are going to start investigating something for 2014, what else is on the program wishlist? For me, I want:

-a big corn roast
-campfire(s) with musical jams
-maybe a massive Capture the Flag [It And Move On]
posted by Miko at 11:34 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]

Lanyards. Possibly raucous lanyard-related hijinx.
Lots of other crafts. Potentially in a hut.
Color wars!
Definitely campfires and sing-alongs and lots of ridiculous games.
Capture The Flag [It And Move On] should probably be on the camp t-shirt.
Do we have a MetaFilter flag? If so, I am in favor of flag ceremony.
Love the talent show idea.
And karaoke.
And maybe the kind of dancing where people tell you how to dance, and if necessary physically restrain you so that you don't trample anyone else.

And of course all that outdoorsy stuff.
posted by asperity at 12:52 PM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]

Instead of modeling this on a summer camp, maybe we should think of it more like a wedding. A wedding is a multi-generational event, some of whom are strangers to each other or rarely see each other in person, with festivities often spanning several days that include a variety of family-friendly and adult-only activities. Usually the guests have an option of lodging together or apart, sometimes including camping out.

Now we just need a bride and groom...
posted by mbrubeck at 2:05 PM on July 24, 2013

I stand by my previous suggestions:

• board games
• drinking
• group cooked dinners
• drinking
• sing alongs
• spontaneously produced plays
• movie nights
• drinking
• Talent Show
• more drinking
• Untalent Show

posted by maryr at 2:14 PM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]

Is anyone out there a contra dance caller? Because I think that would be an awesome activity. Really great for getting to know people, and seriously low pressure for folks who don't consider themselves dancers. I can play fiddle for it, and I bet I could even round up a full MeFi band. Timsteil's a banjo player, right? And even if there aren't any MeFi callers, we could definitely get one to come in for not too much money. I would also tentatively offer (as I have before) to be involved with planning this event. I have a decent amount of experience attending semi-similar events and am a good planner. I'm also NYC based, and so could pretty easily work on a NJ event.
posted by Polyhymnia at 2:59 PM on July 24, 2013 [4 favorites]

Great idea about the dance. We could always hire a contra or square dance caller, easy peasy.
posted by Miko at 3:58 PM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]

Hey y'all, just had a great visit to Camp #1 and there's potential to do everything we want. I'll work on getting a quote, which we should have by mid-September.
posted by Miko at 3:43 PM on July 31, 2013 [3 favorites]

Oh, man. Summer camp facilities in September sounds just about perfect! Cool nights, no mosquitos... excellent!

RE: a hypothetical contra dance, my clawhammer banjo chops are a little bit rusty, but given a set list and some time to brush up I could muddle my way through well enough (although I'd be a little bummed not to be able to participate, I made myself try contra dancing for the first time earlier this year and really liked it in spite of my generations-deep, reserved New England yankee fear-of-looking-foolish upbringing. For anyone reading this terrified at the thought of a Metafilter social dance night, I can personally attest that with a good caller absolutely no previous dance experience of any kind is necessary. And it's fun, especially with a bunch of other newbies. Plus you'd get to learn with MeFites instead of a bunch of sweaty hippie strangers! Although I suppose those two groups of people are not necessarily mutually exclusive.)

All of this is contingent on my ability to participate, though - fall is when our weekends start to fill up with shows, etc. and NJ would involve some travel logistics for me. I know dates are a bit of a chicken and egg problem - is it premature to start talking dates while waiting for a quote?
posted by usonian at 2:13 PM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

"is it premature to start talking dates while waiting for a quote?"

Whew! I thought I was the only one already worried that they wouldn't have a date for the big dance.

(Thank goodness I already know what I'm going to wear.)

Is a hot pink sequined mermaid bodysuit too over-the-top for contra in the camp?
posted by iamkimiam at 2:34 PM on August 8, 2013 [3 favorites]

Good lord, if my travel could be covered (hi, Matt!) I would totally show up to play hours of banjo or guitar or (if provided) upright at any hoedown someone can give me the chords for.
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:35 PM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

I nominate Lou Stuells to lead the Jersey Devil-watching expedition.
posted by usonian at 5:12 PM on August 8, 2013

is it premature to start talking dates while waiting for a quote?

Yeah. We're not gonna have carte blanche, we're going to have to choose from what's available.
posted by Miko at 5:33 PM on August 8, 2013

I don't think it'd be too hard to hire a contra band in those parts. That part of Jersey is famous for pickers and there is contra.
posted by Miko at 5:35 PM on August 8, 2013

Is a hot pink sequined mermaid bodysuit too over-the-top for contra in the camp?

I think that Mefites are a sequin-friendly crowd.
posted by maryr at 7:22 PM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

At least I hope so, because I have so many sequins I never get a chance to wear...
posted by maryr at 7:23 PM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

As far as kids go, why not hire some camp counselors and then charge $X per kid to cover the costs? Then someone is minding the kids while the adults play.
posted by Jacqueline at 3:16 PM on August 9, 2013

Jacqueline, I think the problem with that is: do we incorporate that fee into everyone's contribution, even if some folks are child-free? And if not, then does it seem fair to charge the folks with kids more just because they have kids?
posted by Kitteh at 3:34 PM on August 9, 2013

Speaking as a parent (but not as someone planning to go to this particular event), I would have no objection to being paying extra for optional childcare.
posted by mbrubeck at 4:43 PM on August 9, 2013

Kitteh: I assume that there is going to be some sort of per-person fee to cover the event overhead costs (facility rental, insurance, etc.) in addition to individual lodging and meal costs, yes?

Well, how about an adult rate (event overhead costs divided by number of adults) and a kid rate (just the camp counselors and any other kid-specific costs divided by number of kids)? I think that fairly allocates the costs to the people generating the costs, and if none of the general event overhead costs are charged to the kids (because the event isn't being put on for them) then the kid rate might end up being lower than the adult rate while still adequately covering the marginal costs of people bringing their kids.

There's probably a best practices counselor:kid ratio recommended by summer camp professional organizations, so we can use that to determine the kid rate: (marginal cost of hiring each camp counselor) / (maximum recommended kids per counselor) + (small amount per kid for the counselors to spend on supplies for the kid activities). The cost of any fractional counselor not fully covered by the kid rate fees could be absorbed into the event overhead as that should only add a trivial amount to the per-adult cost.

...I guess this is my way of saying I volunteer to work on the cost accounting spreadsheets for the event budget?
posted by Jacqueline at 4:26 AM on August 12, 2013

I expect we will settle on one rate for everyone, all-in - assuming yes, a per-adult rate + a per-kid rate, but that's about the most nickel-and-dime pricing I think we want to hold ourselves responsible to account for. It'll take in a basic site rental fee, whatever services (such as cooking/cleaning) we opt in for, activity rental and staffing cost, food costs, etc. And of course it will be sufficient to cover all costs - we will build the budget based on the full scope of individual cost centers and divide that out. People paying to bring their kids will already be paying more head cost to bring their kids, so as long as we engineer it to be a wash, it's not problematic, as you say.

We want to be careful about break costs out to appear like premiums when they're basic event costs. I really hesitate to go down the road of "Well, I'm not paying for the canoeing, because I never used it" or "I shouldn't pay the food cost, because I'm gluten-free and I had to bring my own burger rolls." Also, the hiring of counselors to run kid programming benefits everyone, not just the people with the kids. I think that is a basic event cost.

I feel fairly sure this is best done (as most group reunion events are) as a one-price gig. Meanwhile, your offer to help with accounting is certainly accepted!
posted by Miko at 5:31 AM on August 12, 2013

IMO, for our first attempt at Camp MeFi we should strive to minimize the number and complexity of activities and frills that are officially organized/sponsored (and thus added to the budget). Instead of putting all that burden on the planning committee, I propose that we ask everyone attending to make some sort of "gift economy" contribution to the event in addition to their monetary payment.

So the full cost to attend would be your $X fee plus a personal commitment to either organize something at the event (a hike, singalong, capture the flag, D&D game, etc.) or bring something to share (either consumables like baked goods, homebrew, craft supplies, etc. or something you already own that we'd otherwise have to rent like grilling equipment, a boat, etc.). If you're not prepared to organize or bring anything, you can volunteer for a few hours of on-site drudgework (staff the check-in table, help in the kitchen, clean up after the event, etc.).

Making each attendee the "owner" of some part of the event not only reduces the logistical load on the planning committee but should also make the event more meaningful and fun for all. People will show up with a sense of "I am partially responsible for ensuring that everyone here has a good time" instead of "I bought my ticket, now entertain me."
posted by Jacqueline at 6:31 AM on August 12, 2013

Re: Alcohol

I think we should have a BYOB policy. That is, we should hold the event at a site where alcohol is allowed and individual participants should be encouraged to bring any alcoholic beverages they wish to consume and/or share with others, but whatever legal entity ends up responsible for the event contracts and finances should not be in the business of selling or serving alcohol.
posted by Jacqueline at 6:39 AM on August 12, 2013 [1 favorite]

Also, the hiring of counselors to run kid programming benefits everyone, not just the people with the kids.

I'm not terribly sensitive on price, but I don't see the logic here. I'm not bringing kids. I have no responsibility for other people's kids. Having counselors has zero benefit to me.

When we look at the data, more than half of the respondents did not want children included. Less than 10% wanted to bring kids. Asking everyone to pay for kids doesn't seem to align with what people wanted.
posted by 26.2 at 6:00 PM on August 13, 2013 [3 favorites]

I'm not bringing kids. I have no responsibility for other people's kids. Having counselors has zero benefit to me.

Though it might not be obvious at first, assuming that kids are present, the alternative is to have kids around 100% of the time, perhaps poorly supervised and managed (by the standards of others). That is the benefit, to all of us, of having some scheduled activities for kids for which the rest of us are not responsible. We also benefit by having their parents available for adult social fun, and less stressed. So if we are welcoming children/families to Camp MeFi, I would recommend that we take advantage of this option. There many be many other services we hire that people don't use (lifeguarding, cooking/cleaning, archery, ropes course) but they will likely be built into base pricing as well.

I'm sympathetic to those who want kid-free times, but also those who could or would not participate if they couldn't find a way to bring their kids. There are many choices within this range, and I think we're going to make the decisions that work best in the eyes of the planning group, and once the outlines of the event are drawn, those who want to attend, will, and those who don't like the way the event has shaped up, will not.

I know there are many preferences, and the challenge with the "data" (if we can call it that, given that the pool of respondents wasn't limited to those likely to attend, or even filter-able to them - and less than 50% of people are strongly inclined to attend and I have no idea how many of them will be influenced by the geography) is that it's immediately evident that there is no possible event that will satisfy every individual's preferences. On the kids question alone, about 49% of people either want to bring kids, or want the event to be kid-friendly (which is not a significant difference from the 51% of respondents of unknown inclination to attend who want grownups only).

So we have to make some choices and can only plan the event we plan. At some point we may bring the kids/no kids question back to the group to poll likely attendees. Either way, if folks don't like the meetup that's being planned, they can of course plan their own.

Right now I think it's a little hard to talk about the event in hypotheticals since it doesn't exist yet and will necessarily adapt to the constraints of facility specs, date, and participation.

So here's an update on where things stand right now. Several individuals responded to me via MeMail with willingness to take on various planning tasks - which is fabulous. This is your de facto planning group. I've already broached the topic and got a greenlight in concept from the director of the facility known as Camp #1 (from my comment above). Later this month or early next month, when the current camp season is over, I'll connect with him about potential Camp MeFi 2014 dates and pricing. Once I have a range of options in hand, I'll take those to the planning group and we will convene a conversation online about how to shape the whole thing. At that time we'll probably prepare a new MetaTalk thread with more specifics, and eventually a blog or similar site that can function as the main space for updates, information, comments/votes on anything relevant to that, and eventually registration.

Since all that still lies ahead of us, I think that I'll just turn my attention to working on all that and then we can have more conversation once it becomes clearer what we are able to offer. It will be great to talk about this particular event in concrete terms. Looking forward to connecting with everyone sometime this fall about the event that takes shape!
posted by Miko at 8:13 PM on August 13, 2013

Less than 10% of respondents said they wanted to bring kids. If we're going to subsidize someone's trip, I'd prefer to offer scholarships for MeFi participants instead of someone's kid. I hear what you're saying. I simply don't agree that subsidizing parents' fun should be a top priority of the group.

You're planning it so do whatever you want. However, it's worth noting that your assumptions about kids attendance are not universal.
posted by 26.2 at 8:48 PM on August 13, 2013 [2 favorites]

If you (or anyone) would like to be part of the planning discussion, definitely send me a MeMail. We'll be getting going in the next month or so.
posted by Miko at 8:51 PM on August 13, 2013

I am really starting to understand why the last attempt at camp planning stalled out and how very complicated this is going to be.

I resolve to try to plan with a sort of laid back acceptance that everyone will have different ideas from mine and nothing we plan this time out is life or death, let's try stuff out and see how it goes.

I agree with Miko that if you have strong feelings about how things should go you should probably get involved in the planning.

Mostly I just feel like the whole idea behind this was to have some fun together, and I really hope we can do that even though obviously people have different ideas over how things should be organized and charged.
posted by onlyconnect at 9:16 AM on August 14, 2013 [2 favorites]

As long as no one starts reading a loud from dusty books in Latin found under the floorboards, I'll be okay.
posted by The Whelk at 9:20 AM on August 14, 2013 [2 favorites]

Oh come on, what are you, scared?

the whole idea behind this was to have some fun together

I am SURE that will happen!
posted by Miko at 9:57 AM on August 14, 2013 [1 favorite]

Is there RV parking at Camp #1?
posted by desjardins at 12:10 PM on August 14, 2013

or wherever else you are considering?
posted by desjardins at 12:10 PM on August 14, 2013

I can say that there's no RV facility at Camp #1, no. But other details like that will all be available when we have more information and a clearer plan, and I think that a new thread about a specific event will be the best place for that sort of question. We first really have to explore whether we even have good timing and price options at Camp #1, so like I said, let's see what we're actually looking at before getting into detail planning.
posted by Miko at 1:41 PM on August 14, 2013