Would you come to TONMOcon at Monterey, Aug. 5-7, 2005?

[Fujisawas Sake]

Consider San Jose or Sacramento airports as well... Sacramento is three hours from Monterey, San Jose is around 1.5 hours.

WOW, this is an actual "con" with lectures and everything huh? I had no idea!

This is going to be bada$$...

John

 

[pipsquek]

Consider San Jose or Sacramento airports as well... Sacramento is three hours from Monterey, San Jose is around 1.5 hours.

WOW, this is an actual "con" with lectures and everything huh? I had no idea!

This is going to be bada$$...

John

San Jose and SFO are serviced my Monterey Salinas Airbus. Check it out. www.montereyairbus.com You can also fly directly into Montery on United.

 

[erich orser]

Hi All,

I was just alerted to the fact that tickets to the Friday, August 5th camp-over at the aquarium go on sale starting this Monday. The cost is $50.00 a head, so I'm assuming that's for everybody, kids as well as chaperones. That seems reasonable enough, what with insurance costs, overhead, etc. The bad news: you evidently have to be a member of the aquarium just to purchase said tickets. Once again, shouldn't be bad, right? My wife and I just joined the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum and that was $65.00 for both of us... but NO! Monterey wants $100.00 a person to join, or $175.00 for a deluxe membership that includes two free guest passes which could be used toward the camp-over. This is annoying, to say the least. So say you're coming from the East Coast, are probably not returning to Monterey anytime soon after the convention, and are already paying through the nose for accommodations, airfare, travel once you're on the peninsula, food, souvenirs, the convention (which luckily we're keeping cheap), and the aquarium visit itself... THEN you need to cough-up that kind of scratch in addition?! I don't know about everybody on this site, but I'm not independently wealthy. It just seems like an awful lot of money. Perhaps we could take up some kind of collection for pipsqueak or someone who actually lives up there so they could get a deluxe membership, then farm-out the guest passes to Carol and Jess, or Tony and family... does anybody think this sounds doable? I'd really like everybody to leave with a fun, memorable experience.

I think I'd better start researching other viable family-friendly alternatives in the area. There's awesome sea kayaking right off the aquarium (warning: playful sea otters might try to capsize you - happened to a coworker of mine when he was twelve), there are miles of trails, there's bike rentals, there are terrific sandy beaches as well as rocky seashores for exploring. It's an amazing location that I loved as a small child (before they built the aquarium) and still do.

What does everybody think? Does the camp-over still sound like it's worth it, or do you think we ought to continue looking for other things for families to enjoy while visiting?

Erich

 

[corw314]

Hmmm.....not sure on doing the campover now! I had already been thinking we would need sleeping bags and how to bring them out with us!!! Nice idea on the passes, but sounds like there is so much else to do, I know on our last sleepover at Baltimore, the next day we were both exhausted, and I'm not so sure I want to miss any of the daytime activities!!! Can you snorkle there? Jess just learned how in Flordia!!!

Carol

 

[erich orser]

Carol,

Well, I suppose you could snorkel there, but remember, in August there still should be upwelling going on and the water is coming right up from the bottom of the sea. Considering there's a canyon right offshore - well, it's not like the shallow Eastern coastline - this water tends to be cold! Plus there's kelp forests, potentially tricky currents, etc. I know one of the other members-only Aquarium Adventures is a program that teaches children, including young children, to scuba dive every summer right there. I guess it's considered safe enough, but when I was a kid my mother wouldn't let me get too close to the crashing California surf. Of course, after being a paramedic, my mom wouldn't really let me do much of anything that could possibly be dangerous. Probably why later I discovered rock-climbing, skydiving, slam-dancing, and Wagner's Ring Cycle.

I'll investigate other fun options - maybe pipsqueak could help in this (hint, hint) - and post anything else I discover. Regardless, it's just a beautiful place to visit. Point Lobos is magnificent, and it's not too far down the coast from there. I've always preferred beachcombing when the shoreline is rocky and dramatic.

Erich

 

[chrono_war01]

you guys make me really mad, how come all the COOL poeple are there!!? And I'm not, considering that I'm not THAT cool. If you consider a 14 yr old, chubby at best, Asian boy a total cool person.

Currently being labeled as squid-hugger in school for fondness with cephs and the ambition to find Messie.

But HAHAHAHAHA!!!! Kids learning to scuba dive? Oh please, leave it to the real pros like me to do the job of scuba diving. I mean only pros should scuba dive, 5 of the divemasters who went diving said that I was a Natural. Shame that I like boasting about my scuba skills....

 

[Melissa]

Hi Eric

you guys make me really mad, how come all the COOL poeple are there!!? And I'm not, considering that I'm not THAT cool. If you consider a 14 yr old, chubby at best, Asian boy a total cool person.

Currently being labeled as squid-hugger in school for fondness with cephs and the ambition to find Messie.

On TONMO, squid huggers ARE cool! Keep diving - I hope you don't find Mesonychoteuthis that way!

Melissa

 

[cthulhu77]

Hi Eric



On TONMO, squid huggers ARE cool! Keep diving - I hope you don't find Mesonychoteuthis that way!

Melissa

Would make for some cool pictures though...although brief...!

 

[erich orser]

Eric,

Between the frigid Antarctic waters and the rather muscular physique of Messie, I'd have to agree with Melissa on this. We prefer you in one piece! However, if you really must dive for this beastie, DO take pictures but be sure to bring along a toothed-whale bodyguard!

Erich

 

[pipsquek]

OK, here's the deal. I have a few friends at the aquarium, so I'll see what I can do about the sleepover. No promises, as they are a pretty tightly controlled bunch.

Barring the aquiarium itself, MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute) is right up the road. That might be worthin checking into as well, as I meet a postdoc (because of Big Red) who offered to let me help out with the dissection of a Humboldt. I don't know about a sleepover, but maybe a tour.

There is no shortage of things to do. As for the snokeling, the bay is pretty well protected, and fog is the only inclement weather to worry about at that time of year. The water is cold, maybe 52F, but with enough people I might be able to work out a deal with one of the dive shops for a group rate on rental.

Is anyone working on hotel rates? Any info about anything planned or being planned would be good, the more I have to go to my contacts with the better.

 

[Melissa]

Is anyone working on hotel rates? Any info about anything planned or being planned would be good, the more I have to go to my contacts with the better.

Hi pipsquek

This is all great! Erich and I are speaking to the convention center about group rates on hotels. Let's coordinate on our MBARI contacts, too.

Melissa

 

[cthulhu77]

Regarding snorkeling, I have a couple full kits (3mm wetsuits,etc) that I will bring out if we drive (not sure yet...drive or fly) that anyone can borrow...Me? snorkel in the red triangle?? yeah, right.
greg

 

[PurpleTentacle]

I make a lot of noise about bar hopping, but trust me, I will be spending every waking moment yapping about octos with allyall...

Funny, I make a lot of noise about yapping about octos, but I'll most likely spend a good chunk of my time at a bar.

 

[jasmine]

Its too far for me too come

 

[erich orser]

Just in:

Cthulhu himself might be attending this event! That doesn't refer to Greg, either, so beware!