LCP2972-
Feb 3 is the date- we are meeting at Shady Grove at 4pm. Please join us for as long as you are able!
Mr. Bear-
Please tell purple that we are sending her good vibes- hope to see you both on Saturday, but of course I understand if she doesn’t feel up to it. We will take many, many pictures for ya, though!
[sub](no Max, not of my ass!)[/sub]
I swear I am going to stop bumping this damn thing. Really. I mean it.
Nerd! Where are you? You bump it for awhile! 
Sounds like a good choice of places to meet. I am sooooo looking forward to coming up.
Any other Houston Dopers going. If not I may have to hitchhike.
[sub]I really will… I mean it… I am soooo serious… ok… well… maybe not… [/sub]
Sorry, to avoid board pollution, I only bump once a day, maximum.
oh. oops.
Ok, looks like everything is planned but my ride. My car is in the shop and Mrs. robgruver needs it for work, so any Houston dopers coming up?
2 days left…
Well Rob, I hope you can get a ride with one of the Houston dopers coming. Are there any other Houstonians coming? Irishman? beatle? Anyone? Anyone?
Oh and by the way…BUMP!
Well, I think Mrs. robgruver and myself have sorted out the car situation, but I hate driving so if any Houston dopers do want to go I will pay all the gas bills.
On another note: I do look forward to meeting all of you!
I am leaving out this afternoon for Austin everyone, so I will be there will bells on! Look forward to meeting all of you!
Well guess what? Looks like i have a car now, so i should definitely see you there!
-Dani
I’m planning on leaving work in another hour or so. I still have to go home and get my stuff. I haven’t even packed a bag so I have to do that first. I’m not sure if I should leave tonight or get up early in the morning. What do you think?
I’m planning to get up early and leave pretty early (allowing time for missed exits and such), so there’s a chance I’ll arrive early. If that happens, I’ll just hang at the Grove, I reckon.
Rob is present and accounted for…
Max- check your email!
Hm…nothing in email, unless you asked my brother to send me those jokes…the system must be slow tonight.
Okay, I’ve got a route planned, so I’ll be coming in to Austin on 183. I get lost real easy, so if someone could send me directions from 183 to the Grove, I’d appreciate it beyond belief…
I’m here!!! Mom and Dad let me borrow their computer so I could post a message that I arrived safely. I’ll see y’all all tomorrow.
And here I was posting late that you would be there tomorrow and I see that you beat me to it. 
I did NOT forget about you, hon, honestly.
Hey everyone!! Grace will definitely be at the gathering! LOL
Hope you have fun!!
well dopers, just thought I would post and let you know what is up. I will be there and I am bringing purplebears daughter with me, but I am sorry to say no purplebear or Mr Bear.
Purplebear will not be let out of hospital until the evening , but she didnt want me to miss seeing all of you, so she insisted that I go for both of us.So< I decided to bring her daughter with me.
I think I know how to get there with no problem. We will see. looking forward to seeing old faces and meeting new ones.
Well, I must say that the Austin Dope (renamed BatDope for the bats that live in and around Austin) was a resounding success. We had a total of 12 people meet up a The Shady Grove in beautiful South Austin.
The list of those who were there in no particular order:
Sapphire Bullet
Max Torque
TheNerd
TxLonghorn
madienunicorn1
Dani Filth
Daughter Bear (Purplebears daughter)
Grace
Freyr
beatle
Inanna
robgruver
TheNerd was there first and got the table arrangements taken care of. Myself, and Sapphire Bullet showed up shortly there after and waited for the rest of the party to show up. Slowly people started trickling in including beatle whom we weren’t expecting.
We sat down to eat and slowly started getting used to each other, having a few Lincoln and dog rape moments, but soon we were chatting like old friends.
I couldn’t catch a lot of the conversations on the other end of the table, but we had a couple of heated discussions about existing drug laws and the need for reform, included in this was my impassioned plea to not corrupt Purplebear’s daughter.
After our meal and some more conversation Freyr left for a dinner party and was sorely missed as we moved to The Filling Station for a few drinks. The XFL game was on TV, but we quickly found a table, and the conversation kicked up yet again.
More drug law reform conversation abounded. Male bisexuality dominated the conversation and one end of the table while talk of eyeglasses on the other. Needless to say that after a few drinks the conversations could not have been moving faster.
I had originally planned on getting a Tattoo after we had left The Filling Station, but the place that we had chosen was closed. Matter of fact the only place we could find open had the last customer on the table, so alas I was not able to get my Tat this time. Perhaps Spring Break.
All and all, the BatDope was a big success. Hope everyone else feels the same!
Just so people can know…
…I left y’all heading west and ended up heading back home on Loop 1/Mopac. That turned out to be for the best. I-35 heading north was as much a pain as heading south was. I hope none of you got caught in traffic.
My partner, Searles, and I headed to the dinner party as soon as I got home, stopping off and picking up stuff for the feast at Whole Foods along the way.
This dinner party was a celebration of Imbolc, better know as Candlemas or Brigitmas. Lots of stories were told, the food was fantastic and I got rather drunk on the wheat-mead that the host was serving. hic 
Luckily, Searles drove us home. I was in no condtion to ride after that.
So, we’re calling this “BatFest” eh? Cue the theme music!
So, when are we doing this again? Next month? Possibly April?
It was a pleasure seeing you all and I promise to stick around next time and contribute and enjoy the conversation!
There should be another BatFest in April for MsRobyn’s move to Austin! I hope we can all hook up again!