The Gulf State Park DISMeet 2017 Thread (aka "The Sequel")

[bama_ed]

Against our better judgement, several of us will be at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, AL again starting sometime around Memorial Day Weekend in May 2017. Last year's meet was a blast - 35K views on our thread: http://www.disboards.com/threads/wh...-at-gulf-state-park-in-may-june-2016.3462415/ I think folks were hoping tiggerdad would get his fingertips nipped by a rabid squirrel while feeding them and we would post a live-with-pictures-run-to-the-ER moment. The reality was not that exciting but instead relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable.

I'm trying to determine if we will have 100% repeat attendance from last year's folks (clearly the rum may have clouded their judgement - or their memory) and we might have convinced some folks to attend for the first time in 2017 (their trust is worth something?). Anyway, it's time to roll this puppy out (mixed metaphors was never my thing-nor were grammar lessons).

As a reminder Gulf is an oasis of calm in a digitally connected world. Garneska might try to work 7x12 while she's there but if you ask me what time it is, I'll probably tell you it's sometime between lunch and naptime. There is no WIFI but your cellular provider has good coverage if you should need to contact civilization.

I'm back in the same spot in site #4 near the Comfort Station (hey, I'm getting older so that kind of thing becomes a priority - right Teamubr?). As you can tell, there's lots of playful kidding, watching others back into their site, and the always entertaining hey-Randy-is-about-to-aim-his-HD-satellite-dish (a multi-day viewing opportunity that will expand your vocabulary). I'll provide the high drama with a new Disney puzzle (the tension was so thick last year I almost blacked out [fell asleep] some mornings). We might want to live stream that...

Now that I've stepped on several toes, let's get a roll call going and I'll work up a chart of who's coming in when as folks respond. I'll be down in Gulf Shores at the end of January so I will have the opportunity to forewarn the mayor, the chief of police, and the wild animal patrol of our upcoming May visit.

Finally, if you feel the need to make ADR's 180 days before arrival, book FP's 60 days in advance, and schedule your activities to get the most out of your day, you'll be in for a wakeup call. The forecast is for sunshine, relaxation, food and fellowship, story telling, and the pleasure of each other's company.

Bama Ed

PS - I left room for several new names (and can always add more). Let's hear from you...

 

[FtW Mike]

Would love to go for that one but not that retired yet. Oh Ed after I read this the first time I reached to my contacts in DMORT and DMAT and they will likely either change their respective summer camps or bi-monthly training periods to coincide with that trip. The National Forestry Fire Service is looking for nearby facility for a major training session as well. CDC says they can have a response team on site within 4 hour and have sufficient quantities of RABIES VACCINE on hand

 

[Teamubr]

Ed,

Thanks for starting this. I thought about getting it going a couple of times while you were enjoying yourself at the Fort, but never actually made it.

I'm getting older so that kind of thing becomes a priority - right Teamubr?

And I have no idea what you could be talking about. I'm only 29... again this year. But Randy should provide a few days entertainment with the dish again. I'm not going to tell him I picked up an HD antenna last summer and have the aiming down pretty well. If he still doesn't have it by the 3rd day, I will probably just let him hook into my 4 port switch I mounted in the basement. I'm only using 3 of the 4 outputs.

I already have reservations. I'm in site 2, just around the corner from Ed. I'm coming in on Sunday May 28. DS graduates from high school on Saturday the 27th. We'll leave right after graduation and stay overnight somewhere between here and there. I don't know the graduation schedule yet, so I don't know if I'll be leaving mid afternoon or late evening. I think we head home on Saturday June 3rd. I'll have to check the reservation to see if we have it through Saturday or Sunday.

j

 

[peg110]

I'd love to go, but I am in the same boat as FtW Mike.... Not that "Retired" yet. More like "RE-Tired" (As in tired AGAIN or rather still!)

 

[bama_ed]

I've updated the first version of the attendance chart. I hope the others will be along to post their info and I will update the table. And Paul, I know it's a long way from NEPA to Gulf Shores but to tell the truth I ain't retired either, brother. I got about a dozen years to go if the good Lord's willing....

Bama Ed

PS - but I am tentatively planning to be up around the Pittsburgh area in late August for family reasons.

 

[Teamubr]

My reservation letter from GSP says my check out day is 6/3/17. So I'll be heading home on Saturday too.

j

 

[tiggerdad]

OOOO! I love a sequel! Especially the Action/Adventure/Comedy kind.

Sorry I'm late to the preshow, I've been hunting in Tuscaloosa/Fayette county Alabama and in the Sipsey river swamp area there is no phone service so no being able to keep up with the Dis.

Aight, we are on site number 18 literally right across from ED and just a zoomed in picture from Teamubr. We are backed right up to the Comfort Station. We will arrive on May 25th and depart like everybody else on the 5th of June. Last year they let us check in early that morning since no one was on our site the evening before and they were also trying to get people in and settled as quickly as possible to prevent the holiday weekend logjam at the office. I'm hoping for a repeat of that this year and maybe they'll do the early check-in again.

There will be no (hopefully) runs to the ED for Tiggerdad. There isn't an ED in Gulf Shores, but there is an urgent care center. I pack my own suture kit, sutures, lidocaine, and syringes so I do my own repair work and will provide the service to others in exchange for adult beverages or food. No autographs please...

We had a blast last year not only in Gulf Shores but in Pensacola at the aviation museum (Watching Flametamr get in trouble at the main gate for his cell phone was priceless and scary at the same time since the same guard gave us the third degree as well). We ate A LOT of food, but man it was so good! Hope we can do a few of those dinners again.

Here is a map of GSP for any who are curious.



Really looking forward to this again this year.

Ed, I've got a little something that I've recently ordered that me and the girls are gonna try out here at the house and if it works out will bring with us to GSP and see if it helps with the puzzle. As I recall last year we did a lot of moving and covering to deal with the rain. Maybe this little idea will help with that. I'll keep ya posted.

 

[garneska]

Nice Ed. To be honest I may need a whole week away from work. I was informed while at Disney (never a good idea), that I need to lead the team because my leader was tagged to do something else. Guess it's developmental time for everyone.

Once I call and find out what happened will let you know our site. We kind of booked on line, but had issues I have no confirmation and no email, but my card was charged. Now I need to see if we got the site. It would be close to where we were last time but not the same one.

Will let you know.

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

Hello everyone, hope everyone is doing fine. I am looking forward to this year's met, I just hope Tiggerdad and I don't break any federal laws this go around. And I'm sorry to say but due to high blood pressure is won't be bring the dish this year, I returned the box. And I'm not sure but somehow I deleted my email from GSP, and I can't remember my dates but I know that they are the same dates as Michael and I'm in site 26, I will try calling them this week and get them resend my confirmation email. Looking forward to seeing everyone again this year.

 

[tiggerdad]

And I'm sorry to say but due to high blood pressure is won't be bring the dish this year, I returned the box.

Boo!
I was planning on making some extra money selling tickets and renting chairs for people to watch!

Ah! You're killing me.

 

[PaHunter]

geez working sucks. Would love to make it down for this get together. However with my new job i am just finishing my first year and will only have a limited amount of vacation time. That will be saved up for the Fort in Sept. It would be a shorter trip for us as we have moved toward the State capitol. I am off weekends, maybe.....with a sick day or two......

 

[bama_ed]

Well it's Monday so I made some updates to the chart in post #1. Michael, you listed June 5 as your Out Date but also said "like the others" so did you mean Saturday the 3rd?

Now that we're on the Community Board I'm hoping some other folks will find us if they are still coming. Nick/DirtyWhiteBoy, Joe/Flametamr, and I wonder if Steve or Arnold/Glo are coming.

As always, ya'll check your data - corrections are always welcome.

Bama Ed

PS - I will be in Gulf Shores this weekend doing a Half Marathon (part of it runs through GSP on the Hugh Banyon Backcountry Trail) so I will be doing some recon. I'll be dining out for you to give an objective point of view and sampling adult beverages that you might try among many fine establishments. All in the pursuit of good advice. I'll even get by GSP Campground. So I'll be taking one for the team.

 

[tiggerdad]

Well it's Monday so I made some updates to the chart in post #1. Michael, you listed June 5 as your Out Date but also said "like the others" so did you mean Saturday the 3rd?

Now that we're on the Community Board I'm hoping some other folks will find us if they are still coming. Nick/DirtyWhiteBoy, Joe/Flametamr, and I wonder if Steve or Arnold/Glo are coming.

As always, ya'll check your data - corrections are always welcome.

Bama Ed

PS - I will be in Gulf Shores this weekend doing a Half Marathon (part of it runs through GSP on the Hugh Banyon Backcountry Trail) so I will be doing some recon. I'll be dining out for you to give an objective point of view and sampling adult beverages that you might try among many fine establishments. All in the pursuit of good advice. I'll even get by GSP Campground. So I'll be taking one for the team.

Yeah Ed, sorry buddy it's the 3rd. All this youthful (coughing and quickly looking around) partying is taking a toll on my memory.

 

[tiggerdad]

Is my long term memory failing as well or was it just me imagining that @JETS70 was in on this trip as well as @friendofeeyore ?

Maybe it was all the diesel fumes...

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

I told Nic/DirtyWhiteBoy about this thread for the 17' meet, he said he's still planning on making it. I can't remember his dates or site number, he has been pretty busy getting geared up for fishing season, matter of fact he's gone today to pick up a new boat he bought. Tiggerdad, we might be able to get a fishing trip out of him this year.

As for me I still have my fingers crossed that my camper (which has been at a dealer for 3 months now) will sell soon. I have my hopes up now because winter is almost over and folks will start looking at campers more along with tax returns.

 

[bama_ed]

Well I am down here in Gulf Shores this weekend with the snowbirds and the place is really slow. It was overcast today about 58F for the high but tomorrow should be sunny all day and about the same temp. I went over to Gulf State Park to see what was new since I was here last in November and I was not disappointed.

Before I begin, a reminder that Gulf has 500 campsites +/- and gives about 450 of them over to snowbirds who can pay monthly rates up through March I believe. So it was PACKED. But I saw two significant changes - and two minor changes.

First, for those of us who have been coming to Gulf for years, there was a pullover lane near the entrance building that has had about a dozen dumpsters for trash. I grew up camping at Gulf and hearing the trucks come to empty them at 6am in the morning (twelve of them, mind you). To make sure all the trash falls out, the driver repeatedly bangs the dumpster against the truck at the top of his hydraulic lift (did I mention there were twelve of them?). It's loud, the banging is. Then to make sure the driver has the campground's attention, he drops each empty dumpster to the ground from a height of about two feet (have I mentioned how many dumpsters there are?). That's loud too.

Well the dumpsters are gone. Zip, zero, nada.



They have been replaced by two trash compactor machines and two recycling bins.



Oh the bins may LOOK like dumpsters but they are there to help the environment and not to contribute to the landfill like those mean old dumpsters used to. So they deserve a different name.

Second, a wooden pole fence had been built from the check-in building down toward the blue water tank at the campground entrance and around the corner where Park Road 2 ends now and down about halfway to the bridge over the canal toward the beach. It's to protect people in the bike/walk lane who might be headed down to the beach or to the closed off road. One thing, though, is the two remaining lanes are kinda narrow now and if two trailers passed each other (one arriving, one departing) the arriving trailer/rig may be tempted to roll onto the sandy shoulder if things look tight.





On the minor news side, the zip line towers are gone - removed - per the disputed contract the state had with the vendor (IIRC they ended up at the Wharf somewhere). Also the new Gulf State Lodge across the road from where the zip lines were (well, between there and the fishing pier) is beginning to take shape. This section here is kinda close to the beach highway in my opinion.



That's all for now.

Bama Ed

 

[Flametamr]

My reservations are from 5-27 to 6-10 on Site 220 Gator Rd as far as I know. And yes that's two weeks worth. But it was scheduled before my big life changes and I wanted to give the girls a week alone after school got out. I will probably cut it back to only a week if I do make it down. Either way I will definitely visit a time or two. Has anyone reached out to WestBeach Bum ? He promised us all ferry rides to Robinson Island for a sandbar party day. I will probably see him during Mardi Gras here in about two weeks and mention this thread.

 

[garneska]

Ed, how was the half? Well you might be out running now. Hope the weather is good and you have a good time.

Yes I still need to call and find out about my ressie.

 

[tiggerdad]

Great pics Ed, when last I was there the concrete was poured where the compactors are at, but I had no idea that's what was going there.

The fence looks good but it does look narrow. They might need to add a little asphalt otherwise I see that fence taking a beating.

Glad we did the zipline last year before they closed it down. My oldest really had a lot of fun, and to be honest, so did I.

Hope your run went well.

 

[bama_ed]

Brief update from this morning's run. Yes, it was a Sunday morning run. It was clear, mid40s, and breezy at the start at the Hangout restaurant. The route went up Hwy 59, turned right in front of WalMart, along the State Park road and trail to the PowerLine Trail, down PLT to Catman Road, left down to the Rosemary Dunes turn off to the right, out to the Beach Hwy on the Orange Beach side of the Gulf State Park beach, then along the highway back to the Hangout. It was an 8am start and I left my trailer at 730am to walk to the start line. Sure beats leaving Fort Wilderness at 330am by a ever loving mile!

I saw a couple more new trails and boardwalks under construction. Man that BP oil spill money is being spent at Gulf. There are trails along the cabin area by the lake up near the Park office. They have paved Powerline Trail south of Catman Road (new to me) down to near the highway end of Rosemary Dunes. And down by the Rosemary Dunes terminus, a long boardwalk is under construction to the right. I'm afraid they're going to "go Disney" on us by making these improvements and then upping the rates. But tiggerdad, your girls will like exploring the new trails on their bikes.

Kris, as to the race, it was a Jeckyl & Hyde course. It was beautiful, wonderful, and spaced out for the first 9.5 miles (no Goo stop tho). When I got out to the Beach Highway and had to run on the shoulder for 3.5 miles, we were going into a 28mph headwind. It didn't matter if we were on the wide open section along the State Beach or among the condos and buildings coming into Gulf Shores - it was in our face very strong. Just had to put my head down and focus on finishing. I ended up 2 minutes slower than my Half time at Disney earlier this month so with the wind I'm okay with it.



I can't go to Gulf Shores without pasting a Chamber of Commerce type picture. Yesterday was cloudy but today is beautiful. Here is the Public Beach this afternoon with the Hangout on the far left. Should get up to 60F this afternoon.



Now I am decompressing at Big Beach Brewing with a flight of beer to test the various flavors in advance of our May meeting. I take my research seriously and know that the scientific method requires many samples over time to get a strong statistical analysis. It's hard work, I tell ya.



The result of my flight tests as I have typed this post indicates the Dixie's Heart Red Ale deserves a more in-depth study.

Bama Ed

PS - I will update the chart in a day or two after I get home.