Planning for 2008 End-of-Year Pie Run 12/27

[Gilk51]

OK, I have been putting this off long enough - we need to start thinking about what to do for this year's end-of-year Pie Run. The last three years we have had it in College Station (twice at the Clarion, once at Courtyard) and made it an over-night event with a catered dinner and pie. This was followed by some slide shows and plenty of gabbing, with maybe a card game by some folks.

However, this year has some additional issues with higher gas prices, aftermath of hurricane Ike, and general economic woes. So, that is the reason for the poll.

A lot of folks look forward to getting together for a little longer time and watching Squeaky's slide show plus some others. But the holiday season can also cause folks to miss the event due to family schedules. So, there is no cut-and-dried answer.

If we do it the same as the past 3 years, it will probably be back at the Clarion. We should be able to take advantage of the previous years' caterer and use of the meeting room (plus having W.C. Zimmerman as a consultant).

If we make it a "normal" Pie Run, the location will be chosen from those that were missed this year but centrally located.

If we change locations, then it is open to suggestions. It probably should be centrally located - Temple/Belton, Waco, Salado, and maybe even Marble Falls could be candidates. Cost and availability of food/pie needsto be major factors, too.

So, let's discuss it! :trust:

[kurt]

Georgetown is good!

[Gilk51]

Georgetown is good!

:lol2: I had even considered putting Georgetown in the list...

[pacman]

The Mafia will take good care of everybody in Burleson. :trust:

Nah, nowhere near central enough. Austin area would be great, but I really don't care all that much.

[DFW_Warrior]

Who gets to vote? It tells me that I'm not able to vote on it.

At any rate, I loved how it's been the past few years but if it changed to a normal type pie run then I'd be fine with it as well. So I guess you can mark me in the "tell me what's going on, and I'm up for it" category.

[wonder91178]

RATS! John and I will be in Ohio from 12/26 - 12/30 :argh:

[pub610]

I don't know what makes me think we'd make this one since we miss so many during the year...
but I surely do like salado.:clap:
It would be nice to make one of these.


BTW, it tells me I already voted. Something about me and software, I'm thinking.

[scar04]

its six of one, half a dozen of the other. All the same to me.

[crawl]

I'm getting "You may not vote on this poll". :tears:

[DFW_Warrior]

I'm getting "You may not vote on this poll". :tears:

Same here.

[scar04]

I got you have already voted on this poll.

[Scorch]

You may not vote on this poll

Huh? Me too.

[voyagerrider]

I was able to vote without problem. Kathy and I are up for for anything, but we like having the extra time to visit with a overnighter. We are open for anything!!
Marty

[DFW_Warrior]

So Chuck, what's up with the poll buddy?

[ed29]

Trouble makers can't vote! :rofl:

Poll.... what poll???

Real trouble makers can't see it!

I will most likely be at the Chisos Mountain Lodge raising a dish of cobbler that day... or a day or two either side of it.
Exact plans won't be made much more than moments in advance... I will be on Terlingua time that week.

[Cagiva 549]

I vote for Terlinqua . If we cant find a pie I bet we could cook one . SEYA there

[Gilk51]

So Chuck, what's up with the poll buddy?

Trouble makers can't vote! :rofl:

Poll.... what poll???

Real trouble makers can't see it!


I believe that explains it. :roll:

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

i cant vote either! what did i do???:trust:

[Squeaky]

Since we have all day to ride to the chosen location and then stay put in the hotel, I don't think anything more than "centrally located" is needed for this. Heck, even those crazy west Texas folks can get to central Texas in time for dinner. :eat:

[ralphn0]

Don't care, just let me know.....

[Gilk51]

Sorry that the poll didn't work for everyone - it may be that this sub-forum is restricted somehow.

I am working to return to the Clarion in College Station this year and arrange to use their meeting rooms and also use the same caterer. I left a message Friday with the event director and hopefully will know something this week.

[FJR Bandit]

I vote for Terlinqua . If we cant find a pie I bet we could cook one . SEYA there

I'll second this one. Terlinqua is closer to me then College Station and there is more roads to explore.:mrgreen:

[FJR Bandit]

Sorry that the poll didn't work for everyone - it may be that this sub-forum is restricted somehow.

I am working to return to the Clarion in College Station this year and arrange to use their meeting rooms and also use the same caterer. I left a message Friday with the event director and hopefully will know something this week.

OK, that will work also.:-P

[rad3766]

Good grief, I'll actually be home, might be able to finally get to a pie run.
(yes, I'm a pie run virgin....be gentle.....;-) )

[Simmons1]

:popcorn:

[P-Ratt]

:eat: :rider: :eat: :eat:

[Squeaky]

http://shannonaldrich1.featuredblog.com/files/2008/whist/smiley.gif

[Gilk51]

OK, an update.

I left a message 2 weeks ago on my Friday off and never heard back from the Clarion Hotel. I called again today and left another message. The gal that normally does this is on maternity leave and won't be back until January. But I did get a call back from her replacement and I have a block of rooms (15) reserved under "Two Wheeled Texans" for 12/27. Cost is $65.

However, hold yer horses, she doesn't handle the mmeting rooms, so the manager is supposed to call me Monday and get that resolved. But if we can't get the meeting rooms, we will cancel and try another place. I suspect, though, that College Station is pretty dead during Christmas Break and they will probably be glad to have us.

Anyway, if we can get the meeting rooms, I'll get in touch with the caterer and we can start suggesting pie flavors...

:eat:

(wish that zimmermanman guy was still around... :roll:)

:lol2:

[BeemerBob]

If I could figure out how to vote, I would vote for an overnight stay.

Big Tex Steak house in Amarillo with side rides to Palo Duro Canyon?? They have an OK motel right next or cabins and/or camping in Pala Duro state park.

But most anyplace is good with me.

[Gilk51]

But most anyplace is good with me.

I Bob and :welcome: to the forum. It was good to meet you today in Edom.

The overnight will probably be in College Station like the last 3 - it is just nicely centrally located. I am still working on the details - hopefully get it nailed down soon or give up and switch hotels...

[wczimmerman]

OK, an update.

I left a message 2 weeks ago on my Friday off and never heard back from the Clarion Hotel. I called again today and left another message. The gal that normally does this is on maternity leave and won't be back until January. But I did get a call back from her replacement and I have a block of rooms (15) reserved under "Two Wheeled Texans" for 12/27. Cost is $65.

However, hold yer horses, she doesn't handle the mmeting rooms, so the manager is supposed to call me Monday and get that resolved. But if we can't get the meeting rooms, we will cancel and try another place. I suspect, though, that College Station is pretty dead during Christmas Break and they will probably be glad to have us.

Anyway, if we can get the meeting rooms, I'll get in touch with the caterer and we can start suggesting pie flavors...

:eat:

(wish that zimmermanman guy was still around... :roll:)

:lol2:

I'm happy to help in whatever you might need, Chuck. In the past, the hotel was always happy to comp the meeting rooms with a reserved block of rooms. Yes-one of the factors in favor of College Station is that the place practically empties out over the Christmas holiday so the hotels are eager for business.

The caterer needs a reservation soon to get them booked for the date of the pie run.

[Gilk51]

The caterer needs a reservation soon to get them booked for the date of the pie run.

Yeah, I was wanting to get the hotel first but I'll just call them - we could actually have it at their place from the looks of the web site.

I have problems playing phone tag at work - I would just like to get a solid contact and get the thang done! :giveup:

[wczimmerman]

Yeah, I was wanting to get the hotel first but I'll just call them - we could actually have it at their place from the looks of the web site.

I have problems playing phone tag at work - I would just like to get a solid contact and get the thang done! :giveup:

Buppy's was always good to work with. I'm sorry that the hotel is giving you so much trouble making contact! You have my number if you need anything faster and I'm 2 hours behind you so feel free to call.

[StarSapphire]

Chuck, I will send you a PM. I have a nearly endless resource with tapping into my employer's travel department and luckily I am high enough on the food chain that I can put in for "personal" assistance on stuff like this.

[Gilk51]

Thanks for the offers for help. I have been busy at work and can't make too many calls during the day. Of course, everyone is at lunch when you are at lunch. I started this on my off-Fridays but when you have to wait for someone to call back at every turn, it gets very frustrating.

That said, I'll try to call both parties again tomorrow... :yawn:

I got your PM Lilia - thanks - I am trying to use the folks from previous years (and hope that WC didn't cause trouble :-P ) and am just having trouble getting to talk to the right persons directly.

Maybe if I stall long enough, the Zimmermans will get disgusted and come back to Texas... :trust:

[wczimmerman]

Maybe if I stall long enough, the Zimmermans will get disgusted and come back to Texas... :trust:

:rofl: :rofl: :doh:

I know the hard work it can take to get this organized, so I wouldn't be disgusted at all. No chance of us coming back-once you've tasted the riding up here, it's hard to turn back. I will tell you that Jen and I are formulating a plan to move large groups of Texans up here in an effort to turn Washington into Texas II. :trust:

[Gilk51]

:angryfire my bllod pressure is WAY up. I stayed home from work today after tweaking my back somehow yesterday. I took the opportunity to call the hotal & try to talk to the manager about the meeting room. The guy I did talk to said that he would have to talk to his sales manager & would call me back! :doh:

To double it, I had to leave a message with the caterer to call me back. :doh:

And guess what? Neither of them called back this afternoon! :giveup:

This was the part that I have been dreading all year and it has certainly lived up to its expectations... :rant:

[wczimmerman]

:angryfire my bllod pressure is WAY up. I stayed home from work today after tweaking my back somehow yesterday. I took the opportunity to call the hotal & try to talk to the manager about the meeting room. The guy I did talk to said that he would have to talk to his sales manager & would call me back! :doh:

To double it, I had to leave a message with the caterer to call me back. :doh:

And guess what? Neither of them called back this afternoon! :giveup:

This was the part that I have been dreading all year and it has certainly lived up to its expectations... :rant:

Would you like me to give it a shot tomorrow? I feel bad that you're having such issues...

[Gilk51]

Would you like me to give it a shot tomorrow? I feel bad that you're having such issues...

No, I should calm down by tomorrow. :lol2:

[ekms377]

Can't vote either.......we'll be out of town anyways.

[DFW_Warrior]

Chuck, you're too nice. You gotta call, be mean, threaten their lives, and then ask for free stuff! Don't you know that?

[Gilk51]

Chuck, you're too nice. You gotta call, be mean, threaten their lives, and then ask for free stuff! Don't you know that?

Um, no. Next time I'll get you to do the mean stuff! ;-)

-------

OK, sorry for the delay but at least part of the reservations are made. We (still) have a block of 15 rooms at the Clarion in College Station on 12/27 but now the meeting rooms are reserved as well. Folks will need to reserve their rooms separately, using "Two Wheeled Texans" to get the $65 rate.

I actually tried to switch to the Courtyard that we used last year but we would have to be out of the meeting room by 10:00 PM and I thought that would put a damper on the folks that wanted to stick around and gab, play cards, or watch DVDs. So, I went back to the Clarion.

I also got hold of Buppy's today and they were swamped with Thanksgiving tomorrow, so I told the gal that I would call back on Friday and she sounded relieved.

So, hopefully we should have the plans set in place by this weekend. I'll start another thread with all the gory details for sign-up and pie selection then.

Now, to celebrate with a piece of buttermilk pie from The Shed... :trust:

[Squeaky]

Awesome. I hope to have the slideshow done by mid-December, which should leave ample time to get it converted to a (working) DVD format this year.

[FJR Bandit]

Um, no. Next time I'll get you to do the mean stuff! ;-)

-------

OK, sorry for the delay but at least part of the reservations are made. We (still) have a block of 15 rooms at the Clarion in College Station on 12/27 but now the meeting rooms are reserved as well. Folks will need to reserve their rooms separately, using "Two Wheeled Texans" to get the $65 rate.

I actually tried to switch to the Courtyard that we used last year but we would have to be out of the meeting room by 10:00 PM and I thought that would put a damper on the folks that wanted to stick around and gab, play cards, or watch DVDs. So, I went back to the Clarion.:

Chuck, How do we make our reservation if there is no Clarion in College Station according to Choice Hotels? :doh:

Do you have a number?

[Gilk51]

Chuck, How do we make our reservation if there is no Clarion in College Station according to Choice Hotels? :doh:

Do you have a number?

I was going to add that with all the details at once, but for those that need to make plans:

Clarion Hotel College Station
1503 Texas Avenue South
College Station 77840
979-693-1736

Be sure and mention TWT, however, some folks have gotten the same or better deal from AAA or AARP...
Whatever gets you the best rate.

[FJR Bandit]

Thanks Chuck. :clap:

[KawRider]

I just called to make my hotel reservation and was told it is "The College Station Inn"?? But, I verified the address and it was $65.

So, Chuck .... Kawrider + 1 :rider:

[Gilk51]

I just called to make my hotel reservation and was told it is "The College Station Inn"??

Yeah - the web site and the verbal announcement don't match.
If they have a block for TWT, then you have the right place. :shrug:

[Gilk51]

The official sign-up and pie selection is here (http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34707).

Thanks for all the inputs - I keep notes. :mrgreen: