Hello All,

This thread will be devoted to answering any questions Tonmoers have regarding the lovely town we've chosen for this first-ever TONMOcon Cephalopod Convention. We'll try to find the answers to whatever you need to know and post them in as timely a fashion as possible!

First up, Kathy wanted to know if TONMOcon and the annual squid festival in Monterey are related. From a marketing standpoint this would have been great, but no, they are actually several months apart. The Great Monterey Squid Festival is a long-running event that takes place the last weekend in May every year at the Monterey Fairgrounds. It's been going for twenty-two years now, and showcases the delicious work of the region's talented chefs. A multitude of local restaurants are represented, with international flavors including Greek, Italian, Thai, Spanish, Mexican as well as local recipes showing-off the ingredients like garlic and artichokes that have earned the region around the bay the moniker "Salad-Bowl of the World".

The Great Monterey Squid Festival
May 28-30
For more information:

(831)649-6544, or
(831) 649-6547

Key Lime Calamari, anyone?

Erich

Which hotel sounds good there?

And no thanks for the Key Lime Squid... :roll:

Hi Chrono,

We're still taking a look at the different group-rate options that are available. When we've weighed them and made a decision, it will be posted. Also, if I find out about any individual hotels or inns that haven't sent us information, I'll make sure that ends up here too.

Erich

oh and can we have a TONMOcon Asia OR at the Sea of cortez at Mexico? That's where the Humbolts are caught...

oh and can we have a TONMOcon Asia OR at the Sea of cortez at Mexico? That's where the Humbolts are caught...

Hi Eric

All of this is possible! The way these things happen usually involves someone with a bit of energy asking around about venues, hotels, participation, and so on.

John Steinbeck wrote The Logbook from the Sea of Cortez about traveling and collecting specimens with Ed Ricketts, from Monterey. Friends and I read this when we went snorkeling in the FRIGID waters there. Our trip was really different from theirs! We saw sea urchins and starfish and other creatures. Sea lion pups seemed to think we were the newest toys in their tub. If your family wanted to travel in the region, this is not far relative to Hong Kong, but it's still a few days in the car or a short flight.

No decisions have been made on hotels, but the hotels that have given us information include the Hilton and the Marriott. The group rates would be between $150 and $199 per night. There are less pricey places, but they don't generally seem to be part of the bidding process arranged by the convention center. Nothing would prevent anyone from looking into other places in Monterey.

Melissa

oh and can we have a TONMOcon Asia OR at the Sea of cortez at Mexico? That's where the Humbolts are caught...

Normally, yes, but this year (at least as of a month or 2 ago) they were off the California coast. I heard a radio report that there was a sport fishing boat hauling them in off in large numbers off of San Francisco (I think near the Farallons), and a number of them beached themselves near Los Angeles. I haven't heard anything for over a month, so they may have moved on, and I have no idea if they'd still be around come August, though.

The group rates would be between $150 and $199 per night.....

Anyone looking for less pricy places near TONMOcon? But is 150 for a person are for how many people per room? Anyone mind sharing their rooms? I can pay half. :wink: Really.

Normally, yes, but this year (at least as of a month or 2 ago) they were off the California coast. I heard a radio report that there was a sport fishing boat hauling them in off in large numbers off of San Francisco (I think near the Farallons), and a number of them beached themselves near Los Angeles. I haven't heard anything for over a month, so they may have moved on......

Wait, if they havn't, can we arrange a Humbolt fishing trip or for the next TONMOcon?

Normally, yes, but this year (at least as of a month or 2 ago) they were off the California coast. I heard a radio report that there was a sport fishing boat hauling them in off in large numbers off of San Francisco (I think near the Farallons), and a number of them beached themselves near Los Angeles. I haven't heard anything for over a month, so they may have moved on......

Wait, if they havn't, can we arrange a Humbolt fishing trip or for the next TONMOcon?

The radio story about the humboldts off California is available online at
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4534688

see also:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/03/17/SPGQ8BQLDA1.DTL

Googling suggests that the boat referred to is called the "Huli Cat" out of Half Moon Bay, which is a ~1-2 hour drive up the coast from Monterey, but according to the sfgate article, "Farther south, off Santa Cruz and Monterey, there are reports the squid fishing has slowed." It also includes the GPS coordinates and the phone # for the boat service.
http://www.hulicat.com/
is their web page. We could probably do better to charter a boat from Monterey, though, if people were into that, or even perhaps convince a research boat from one of the research stations to go squid-hunting (so they'd have science facilities on board.)

The radio story mentions Bill Gilley at Hopkins Marine Lab as studying them... his web page is
http://www-marine.stanford.edu/HMSweb/gilly.html

perhaps if someone knows him, he could help arrange something, or we could invite him to give a talk about Humboldts at the con, or something... I notice on his web page that he just re-travelled the Ricketts and Steinbeck trip to the Sea of Cortez that Melissa mentions-- I think that would be a great TONMOcon talk, even if we couldn't go out on a squid-boat ourselves. I guess I could send him an email, but it would probably be more credible for either someone who knows him, a pro teuthologist like SOS or Kat, or one of the con organizers to do that, I expect.

The group rates would be between $150 and $199 per night.....

Anyone looking for less pricy places near TONMOcon? But is 150 for a person are for how many people per room? Anyone mind sharing their rooms? I can pay half. :wink: Really.



I have a few places to call in the next couple of days. Been pretty busy at work so Ihaven't had the chance. There are a lot of nice places around that aren't Marriots and Hiltons. Expect something more definite by the middle of next week.

just inform me about it...

I just phoned the administrative offices of the Monterey Fairgrounds. There no longer is a Great Monterey Squid Festival held in Monterey! Although the various Monterey websites my previously-posted information were pulled from are routinely updated, the info regarding the squid fest has not been. It seems it's heyday was past, it was doing disappointing business, and so the festival was done away with. WE are the only squid-centered event in Monterey this year. Sorry!



:oops: :squid:

:sad: Disappointing that no one really likes squid anymore.

'They have suckers, arms, tentacles and ink!!! How the hell am I suppose to even like them!?!?! Only Freaks like you like them!!!'

Quoted from a student talking to Chrono.

i live in monterey and the cheapest place is the carmel hill lodge and i think the rooms arent horrible.

Sure, and where does the shuttle survice from San Fransisco International Airport stop at, I ned to know where I am. :grin:

Thanks a bunch for all the info.

Do you have tickets yet, Chrono?

Sure, and where does the shuttle survice from San Fransisco International Airport stop at, I ned to know where I am. :grin:

Thanks a bunch for all the info.

Are you asking where it stops in Monterey, or where you get picked up at the airport?

Check it out: http://www.montereyairbus.com/

Tent camping at Laguna Seca looks promising, from an expense point of view:

http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/parks/laguna_seca.htm

Greg and I are both staying at the Downtown Monterey Travelodge at about $70.00 a night. This is located a little in from the wharf/aquarium (I was told a twenty minute walk) but literally just a few blocks from the Conference Center.

I believe the hotel we will be officially working with will be the Marriott. Pipsquek has posted some suggestions, as well as the lodgings that can be found at the official Monterey website:

www.monterey.com

Another tiny group from LA has expressed interest in camping in the Big Sur area, which is further South on the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway).

I thought about camping in Big Sur, but according to the park web site, it's about a 45 minute drive to Monterrey.

I drove along the PCH on my way back to Santa Barbara when I went to the aquarium last November, and I remember it being pretty rough on my truck. Lots of twists and turns and rock slides next to a sheer drop of several hundred feet to a cold watery death made it a little stressful on my nerves too, though my passengers found it pretty relaxing.

I hear Big Sur is a great place to unwind.

As far as staying around there goes, there is a really nice youth hostile off Lighthouse Ave. It's clean, cheap and walking distance to almost everything. It's website is:

http://www.montereyhostel.org/index.html

if anyone is interested. It does fill up fast though, so make reservations early! Also, I mentioned before that I will gladly carpool with anyone from the LA area? I won't camp though! I won't do it! You can't make me!! :wink: I will be driving up Fri morning and leaving late Sunday, due to school and work schedule. Also, anyone coming from SF? My friend is unable to fly or drive down, but she'll gladly hitch a ride. She's exceptionally well car trained [Won't ask for bathroom breaks, won't ask "Are we there yet?"...]

Who's arriving before TONMOcon to lookaround first? I might go early!

I am arriving on Thursday.

I'm arriving a maybe on Wed on earlier

i live in monterey and the cheapest place is the carmel hill lodge and i think the rooms arent horrible.

Heyyy, thanks for the tip! I just grabbed a room for 4 nights @ $79, no problemo.

Shepmoon (aka Steve)

how was the room? You know..Big, small, dirty, clean. THe stuff like that. (Do they have freebies in the room? Like toothbrush and stuff...)

Chrono,

I think he's just reserved his room for Tonmocon - better ask Pipsquek any of those details...

well, that Question was amied at the everyone who has knowledge of that place...


Does TONMOcon have a offcial hotel that Tony is working with? Was it Hilton or something?

I just got off the phone with the Monterey County Weekly, and they seem to be very interested in giving us a proper event write-up prior to the convention. As the representative mentioned, "Well, we LOVE squid!" Here's hoping the other media outlets do us justice as well.

Chrono, just doing a follow-up here: where did you and your father finally end up getting reservations? Several of us appear to be booked into the Downtown Monterey Travelodge on Munras. I elected to save money on lodgings so I'd have some left for other activities, like devouring filter-feeders at barside...

Erich, that's great news about the paper!

Eric, the hotel with the group rate is the Marriott, it is next to the conference center. The Travelodge no longer has rooms for Saturday night. There are hotels in Monterey that have packages that include aquarium admission - you can look at the Monterey Bay Aquarium website to check those out. Book a hotel soon - Monterey has a lot of visitors and places fill up.

Melissa

Erich, that's great news about the paper!

Eric, the hotel with the group rate is the Marriott, it is next to the conference center. The Travelodge no longer has rooms for Saturday night. There are hotels in Monterey that have packages that include aquarium admission - you can look at the Monterey Bay Aquarium website to check those out. Book a hotel soon - Monterey has a lot of visitors and places fill up.

Melissa


How do I get the group rates while booking? I mean, what's the code or pass or proof that you're part of the group?

Hi Eric

You just mention to the Marriott person on the phone that you are with TONMO. However, if you go with the aquarium package, you get two days at the aquarium for the price of one. If you will be in Monterey for a little while, you may want to do that. I could easily spend two days there. Their website will tell you more about that at

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/vi/vi_aquarium/vi_aq_hotels.asp

Melissa

Mark Twain wrote that the coldest winter he ever saw was a summer in San Francisco. Pack a sweater for Monterey. The southwestern US has been experiencing an extreme heat wave, but the coast near the bay is much cooler. Erich told me that he's been checking the weather there and we should expect it to be around 60 degrees F (about 15 degrees C).

Melissa

Well, this week, temperatures inland have been in the neighborhood of 103-105 F, while over on the coast (where we're going to be), they've been in the mid-60s F. Moss Landing (where MBARI is located) should also be on the cool side.

On another note, if you haven't already booked your rooms, then beware: prices will have gone-up considerably! Not only are we in competition with the nearby Steinbeck Festival, but at Pebble Beach they are gearing-up for the Concours d'Elegance (August 21), which is pretty much the World's biggest classic car show. The guy on the phone at my motel seemed to think it was our weekend, but although prices have gone up accordingly, it will be a couple of weekends later. This is good. No pitched battles of dosidicus vs. Delahaye, or taningia vs. Talbot-Lago. Can you imagine what a good-sized beak could do to a paint job?

Weather has been really awesome lately here in Monterey. Mornings and late evening fog, blue skies in the middle of the day. Pack a sweater, but no need for artic parkas.

Pipsquek,

That's great news! Sounds like perfect weather.