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sleepy
Apr 7, 2005, 4:16 PM
Post #1 of 3
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Registered: Oct 5, 2003
Posts: 69
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ATTENTION!!! Please check back fequently and look at the next post below this original post to see updated information on the gathering, events, and a list of those who've PAID and confirmed their presence...
Thank You... The Management
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SPRING has SPRUNG!!! ...and hopefully the temps to go with it aren't far behind! ('cus frankly, I be JONESin' for the real stuff beneath my tips)
And that means, it's that time of year again when we better start making plans for the big 4th Annual MinnesotaClimbing.com Gathering... Again, as in all previous years, the Gathering will be held at Blue Mounds State Park in Luverne, MN for a long weekend from Thursday afternoon through Sunday afternoon...
This gathering will basically be a Family Friendly Climbing and Camping Free-For-All, open to all members of the site and lurkers, families, friends, dogs (if you follow park rules), aquaintances, strangers, Nebraskans, Iowans, North and South Dakotans, Illinoians (is that the correct term?), and yes, Wisconsinites are certainly welcome too (as is anyone from any other state or Canada that may be in the area or want to come and join us), anyone from VE, LifeTime/s, Prairie Walls, or any other local walls out there, R.E.I., Midwest Mountaineering, and Galyans/Dick's, and possibly a bunch of folks you may not know...
And, I HIGHly encourage anyone who has them to BRING THE KIDS!!! Even if they don't climb, there should be plenty of other "Rugrats" there for them to play with if Mom or Dad decide to jump on a rope.
Some of the things we'd like to promote at this year's Gathering are:
#1. Commradare & Community... If you don't meet at least one new climbing friend or member of the site that you previously didn't know, our mission of bringing Minnesota climbers together with this website has failed (but I don't think it will/has/does, fail that is)...
#2. Filling Prairie Walls with ropes... Huh... Just wouldn't be the Saturday of the Gathering if we skipped lining the Prairie Walls section with a whole bunch of ropes with climbers on them...
#3. All-Night Campfires... Well, this probably won't be that tough... Especially if Kurt shows up with a bottle of the libation of the moment, and maybe we can talk him into designing another Liquor Luge for us. And of course, assuming Sleepy comes through with his promised FIRE WOOD...
#4. Night Climbing... We'd like to try this again this year but, we may have to be a little "sneaky" about it. Those of you who were at last year's event may remember that I informed one of the rangers of our plan (Hey, he was being nice and told us to just keep the alcohol out-of-site, out-of-mind... I wanted to reciprocate). He happened to mention it to the supervisor who apparently put the nix to the idea. I won't be that ignorant this year... So, no one mention to any park employee of our thoughts here.
#5. The Slackline... Oh, how could we NOT have a Slackline as usual??? Especially after the game of Pass-The-Package-Les we had last year... I'm sure there will again be great times of cheers and jeers around the Slackline! (and the KIDS will have fun with it too)
#6. The Iron Chef Campstyle Challenge... This year it looks like we'll have a new attraction... This is where teams of, Chefs, will compete in a cook-off around the main fire ring in the Group Site... To see who's the best. So far we have two teams competing... Sleepy and redgeckogirl, and matixa and Ronzo. And we would definately welcome more teams of challengers so, if you think you can cook a kickin' camp dinner, please join up! Background info on the "Challenge" can be found in the Iron Chef Challenge thread. I'm assuming we (meaning Sleepy and/or matixa) can update the "Challenge" information and rules here in this thread as they become available.
If you've never been to Blue Mounds S.P., the following quote is from a post I made on last year's thread and may give you a small glimpse of the park and the Gathering...
duskerhu wrote:
For those of you who've never been to "the Mounds," picture if you will...
Driving down a country highway through rolling prairie lands (currently mostly farm fields outside the park), passing old farm houses and trees growing mainly in small bunches. From the crest of the hills you can see for miles across the landscape; almost into nearby South Dakota. You pass a brown "informational" sign that reads...
"Blue Mounds State Park 1 Mile Ahead - Visitor Center Next Right"
As you pass the right turn and start up the next incline, you notice the grass-land field on your right with pinkish half buried boulders in the hillside, overgrown with a blueish green lichen. This is the first hint in the last two hours that there might be any rock at all in the southern third of the state.
You continue on for the mile and take your right turn to start down the road that leads to the park's main entrance, not missing the fact that the area ahead is distinctly more forested... Just past the entrance sign you roll up and stop at the park office to pay your fees, get your climbing permit, and find your campsite. A few minutes later you're driving into the tree-shaded campground, unloading your gear and setting camp... It doesn't have to be perfect; just enough to stake your claim. HEY! You just drove your ass off and your palms are sweatin', fingers itchin' and the rope is callin'... Time to climb!
You throw your harness, pack, and rack back in the car and race out toward the highway... Outta the park and back down MN75 to the Visitor Center road. A couple of minutes later you're pulling into the dirt 10 car parking lot (hoping its not loaded with Iowans). Walking on the (now paved bike path) trail away from the lot and looking to your left, your face shows a little smirk for the knowledge of what the thick trees and brush 150 yards up the gentle slope hides. The start of the two mile strip of Blue Mounds Souix Quartzite!
If you'd never been there before and were led a mile or so down the trail blindfolded, turned to face south east into the morning sun, and then de-blindfolded, you'd look out over the waves of farm fields for miles and miles thinking nothing of rock at all. Turning 180 degrees looking north west may briefly stop your heart at seeing the 60 foot high quartzite cliff jutting up out of the prairie...
This, is Blue Mounds State Park!
Blue Mounds is a Minnesota State Park and all state park fees and rules do apply. A valid MN State Park Annual or Daily parking permit is required...
>Annual Permit = $25
>Daily Permit = $7
>Climbing Permit = FREE... You are required to possess a "Climbing Permit" to climb in all MN State Parks. Permits are park specific meaning, you'll need a separate permit for each MN State Park you plan on climbing in (your Interstate State Park Climbing Permit is not valid at Blue Mounds). Climbing permits are FREE and available at the park's main office at the entrance. The purpose is basically to keep track of the park's user base and to see how many people are climbing there... It is important to all of use that you register to climb at the park to show them we are a substantial user group and that our voice does count.
We would like to utilize the campground's Group Site again this year but if you choose to not use the Group Site with the majority of the gang, you are certainly welcome to reserve your own site in the regular portion of the campground. We will determine the pricing structure for use of the Group Site at a later date; after we've reserved the site and are sure of the dates and costs.
Which brings us to the dates... What works for everyone, or, more acurately, what works for most??? Instantly ruled out is the Memorial Day weekend so those dates are not a choice. The available dates are as follows:
>>> May 19th - 22nd
>>> June 2nd - 5th
>>> June 9th - 12th
>>> June 16th - 19th
My preference is for the first weekend in June... Thursday June 2nd through Sunday June 5th. Why you ask??? Well, first, that weekend works well for me, and second, (like last year) it's late enough to have great weather and early enough to hopefully not be so incredibly HOT! that you can fry an egg on the top of the buttresses...
Let's hear everyone elses thoughts on the dates... You'll notice I've added a "POLL" to the thread for easy tabulation of the date results. Please VOTE!
And I guess that's all I've got for now... I would like to thank all members and "lurkers" alike for checking and using the site the way you do! This site IS NOT POSSIBLE without you folks; our loyal post-ers/climbers. Thank you for your loyalty and input!
duskerhu
Dann Peterson
Copied by Sleepy
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duskerhu
Apr 12, 2005, 7:17 AM
Post #2 of 3
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Registered: Apr 13, 2002
Posts: 1023
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Thanks for the copy sleepy!
...but WTF??? No one posting here no more?
Well, the gathering is shaping up nicely. The official date is now set; June 2nd through the 5th.
If you want to stay in the group site with the bulk of us, it's $10 per person for the weekend if you pay shogun in cash or $11 per person if you pay fo_d/lesvor/Les via PayPal. You are also certainly welcome to stay in the regular portion of the campground at the normal $15 per night (paid to the park).
All the details and a much greater thread can be found over at www.minnesotaclimbing.com ...
And YES!!! Everyone is welcome... Even Scottsdaleian Arizonans who were once Minnesotans!
duskerhu
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sleepy
Apr 17, 2005, 6:06 PM
Post #3 of 3
(1707 views)
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Registered: Oct 5, 2003
Posts: 69
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Anytime Duskerhu...
I don't know where everybody went!!! oh wait!!! I remember where everyone went..... To Minnesotaclimbing.com!!! :D Why would you go any place else??
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