ECM 2024 planning thread

[boxkita]

The first annual ECM was a rousing success. @Enlight did a fantastic job of getting everyone here.

After this weekend, I'm looking at keeping the 86 and coming back next year. Skipping some of the randomness of this trip. Spend a week in Tennessee/ North Carolina. Another near Maryland. Then another somewhere near Idaho/Utah.

So who's up for next year?  

Now booking:

Mark your calendar.

ECM 2024 - Keuka Lake, NY

June 6  4pm - June 13 2024 10am (Weekend is 7/8/9)

[tysparks81]

Can't wait for the next one will be there.  Open to pretty much anywhere

[KZJonny]

As long as it isn't in like... Florida. Because, eff that place anyway. (Sorry if you're from Florida and love it, but... eff Florida.)

I won't lie, I would love Finger Lakes, or anywhere in New England, it's not a long haul and there is wonderful beer and great windy roads all over.

But maybe if we keep on doing this we can alternate around the East Coast a little, up and down, inland/coastal. Make sure no one area is always stuck with a long drive.

 

@boxkita If you're driving back in the 86, remind me and I'll bring along a spare tent for you. It's not big, but as you were considering sleeping in a bivvy and ended up in the back of a Suburban... I think it'll do just fine.

Edited June 19, 2023 by KZJonny

[tysparks81]

1 hour ago, KZJonny said:

As long as it isn't in like... Florida. Because, eff that place anyway. (Sorry if you're from Florida and love it, but... eff Florida.)

I won't lie, I would love Finger Lakes, or anywhere in New England, it's not a long haul and there is wonderful beer and great windy roads all over.

But maybe if we keep on doing this we can alternate around the East Coast a little, up and down, inland/coastal. Make sure no one area is always stuck with a long drive.

Yea, been to florida.....don't want to do that drive.  But I do like the finger lake suggestion, as well as moving the meet each year so that the long haulers get a slight break on some of the trips in the coming years.

I do want to mention that I would be open to doing a non driving trip as a group.  Maybe fly somewhere and spend 4-7 days.  Like skiing in Colorado, or on a beach at a resort. 

[boxkita]

I'm actually lost in west virginia. I forgot to download maps of route to nashville, @JJBerk & I were up to 1am rehashing the meet. 

I deleted my last waypoint and hit recalculate route. no signal. no maps. 

Got a course for a big town.

on topic...Finger lakes works for me. 

[JJBerk]

We’re in! Finger Lakes would be delightful. I can do some research on campgrounds if you’d like.

[Enlight]

I'm in too! I second alternating North/South and Inland/Coastal. I'm happy to continue pitching in with planning but I'm happy to play a supporting role so someone else can make their mark. Distance is no matter for me. I would like to make @Max Capacity's attendance a priority.

[KZJonny]

Just saying.... ya know, this little thing.

https://www.theglen.com/drive-the-glen/

 

I'm sure the "pace car" won't be nearly fast enough, but for those of use who haven't got lots of track time under our belts. $30 for 3 laps sounds like fun at least.

[Enlight]

That is pretty cool, even with a pace car out front. @boxkita will just have to find a way to hold back somehow.

[boxkita]

I knew giving thrill rides would come back to haunt me 

[m sprank]

For as little as $400/night we could rent a HUGE bnb and have a private home for the meet.  Right on (one of) the lake(s). 

 

https://www.airbnb.com/s/Finger-Lakes--NY/homes?adults=16&place_id=ChIJF-IKCX_p0IkRO7yA5tLMpSA&refinement_paths[]=%2Fhomes&children=6

[KZJonny]

29 minutes ago, m sprank said:

For as little as $400/night we could rent a HUGE bnb and have a private home for the meet.  Right on (one of) the lake(s). 

 

https://www.airbnb.com/s/Finger-Lakes--NY/homes?adults=16&place_id=ChIJF-IKCX_p0IkRO7yA5tLMpSA&refinement_paths[]=%2Fhomes&children=6

Oh wow. Yeah. That’s not a bad idea.

I’d still happily crash in a tent, if we have a big turnout, but some Of those prices are very reasonable, considering.

[Enlight]

+1 to @KZJonny. I would, however, like bathroom privileges

[boxkita]

2 hours ago, Enlight said:

+1 to @KZJonny. I would, however, like bathroom privileges

pretty sure the river,er,lake is still usable 

[boxkita]

12 hours ago, m sprank said:

For as little as $400/night we could rent a HUGE bnb and have a private home for the meet.  Right on (one of) the lake(s). 

 

https://www.airbnb.com/s/Finger-Lakes--NY/homes?adults=16&place_id=ChIJF-IKCX_p0IkRO7yA5tLMpSA&refinement_paths[]=%2Fhomes&children=6

that's an interesting idea. we might have to get an earlier bigger commitment. and talk with owners about 2 dozen cars being on the property 

[blackobxt]

I’d like to attend one of these at some point but it’ll be hard being clear across the country from me. In the meantime I propose we come up with a way to occasionally get m sprank wasted so he can talk shit on posts. Comedy gold right there

[Scottydunno]

19 hours ago, boxkita said:

pretty sure the river,er,lake is still usable 

Dunno man.... #1 is doable, but #2 though..

[jaylew]

NE or NY sounds good to me! @boxkita thanks for already getting this rolling

[boxkita]

The finger lakes looks fun. unless we can find an epic place in NE.

I like Mike's idea of getting a house. idk if we can sort it out

[m sprank]

With large vacation homes all around Finger Lakes, finding an airbnb should not be an issue.  Owners renting out homes with room for 15+ expect large groups.  The fact that it is a group of adults over 25 helps too.  We are not a college frat looking to party.  Splitting the cost should be equivalent to a campsite with more amenities. 

We need a date and a locale.  Everything eles is a bridge to cross when you get there. 

[tysparks81]

I was just looking at Airbnb and there are more that a few available, I think we need to get solid number of who would want to go to another ECM next year and then we can look at houses that will accommodate the number people staying.  I have seen things from as high as 3k cad a night to as low as 400 cad per night.  Just depends if we want to have a pool or lake access, those without either of those cost less. 

I will say if we are going to be in the 600us to 900us range for staying some place I would be ok with jumping on a flight to go to an all inclusive resort for a week in that same price range, but I will be good with whatever the group decides.

[boxkita]

As this year's event was all about my schedule, I'm deferring on place and location.

Im not opposed to flying somewhere and may have to do it anyway, however I think it should be a last resort to require all to fly.

The drive watkins glen activity looked fun. There are private tracks we could rent but insurance costs are typically high.

if we could find a place upwind of a pot farm & near a bar, we'd be perfect.

[KZJonny]

!!!
Count me in for anything in NY, or New England. Really anything as far south as this time, or a little further.

If, in the interest of inclusivity, or if there was ever a sufficient number of people from a long way futher south that wanted to get in on it, the meeting place got moved as far as.... dunno, the Carolinas or further south, I think I would have to cry "too far South for me" and wait until it came back North a little. As fantastic a time as this was, I remain a wage slave, and only get 2 weeks of vacation a year. ECM isn't going to make that cut until I have a lot more holiday to burn. 

I would also have to bow out of a 'destination' meet, tho I can appreciate there are those who enjoy that type of thing.

[KZJonny]

16 minutes ago, tysparks81 said:

Just depends if we want to have a pool or lake access, those without either of those cost less

I would spend a little extra for lake access. I think it's worth it when you're literally in the Finger Lakes! *haha* Seems like there are some places lakeside that are still in the range of being reasonable, and even if the cost to bnb is higher than say, the campground, we can probably come out a little ahead on some other things.

We may be a little far out to get solid numbers for the whole shebang, but if we were to get enough repeat customers from this year, we could always use that to start and find a place that is enough to cover one group (one rental) and if more interest crops up, assist anyone else in doing the same, for example.

As I said before, I am good with the most rustic (cheapest) place we can find on a lake, preferentially. I don't swim in pools, personally, so no interest in paying a premium there, but I doubt it would be much. (Why would you ever swim a pool when there is a clean lake right next to you?!)

[m sprank]

I am about keeping cost to a minimum.  I dont expect families to accept a meet as "vacation".   I fell like the "lucky one" this time as the meet location was very close to home.  Maybe my commuting evened the score some for those that traveled farther.  I put over 600 miles on the clock in my 3 round trips.