BTW,
Whatever park/shelter is decided, I can post directions. I’m currently working as a taxi driver in Lawrence, and guarantee that I will give the most painless directions to wherever we’re meeting.
-az
Lawrence is an hours drive from Kansas City. You might as well plan a Chicago Dopefest in Milwaukee.
Lawrence is a 25 minute drive from KCK. A 30 minute drive from KCMO. And a 45 minute drive from Blue Springs. Go ahead and ask the cab driver how he knows that.
Call me at 9th and Mass in Lawrence to any address in Blue Springs, MO, and I’ll be there in 40 minutes. (Maybe 50…)
That’s odd, as I went to and from Lawrence Thursday, from my apartment in Waldo to a house in Lawrence and it was an hour each way. I just put my trip in Google Maps and it has it at 58 minutes, and that is at 12:37 AM on a Saturday in current traffic.
Whatever works for folks. I think of KCMO and Lawrence as basically about 45 to 50 minutes apart from each other.
We could meet somewhere in between – Eudora and De Soto have okay parks – but KCMO is fine with me (but someone else would have to organize it).
If it is in Lawrence, Centennial Park (“the rocket park”) would be great. Very easy to get to from I-70. Bring a frisbee.
shrug
Different driving styles? Lots of sides streets at low MPH to navigate? I’m not trying to argue, I just know I can get from Old West Lawrence to Power and Light in a titch over 30 minutes.
Besides, we have a couple o’ dopers in Topeka. Lawrence seems nice and central for the area. Then again, we are discussing parks that are one and 10 blocks from my house, respectively, so I may be biased.
I only suggested Lawrence because nobody in KC seemed interested in organizing anything. If one of the KC area Dopers wants to set something up, that’s fine with me.
As far as the driving time from KC, it really depends where you’re going to/from in Lawrence. It takes 20 minutes just to get from one side of town to the other!
Bump.
So it’s partially my fault this died off last time…things were crazy around that time and I didn’t follow through.
BUT!
I’ve been thinking about it and reading back through this thread, and so I think what I’ll do is throw a date out there - Saturday, October 5 - .
I was thinking we could do a BBQ at a park with a playground for lunch (actually have a brand new park with an awesome playground in mind), then take a break and whoever wants to can meet up again later at someplace like P&L for a more adult event with food or dancing or Howl at the Moon or whatever.
Who’s in?? I’m going to go ahead and schedule the grandparents to stay with the kiddos that night, so fellow Dopers or no, wife and I are going to have date night. 
Pickleball courts? I’m in!
What the hell is pickleball?
It’s awesome! They have courts for it!
I’m going to write this down, and I will plan on being there. I’m not too far away, in Topeka.
There was a KC Dopefest, but it has been many years. It was even an overnighter.
And before that even there were four Dopers who got together in KC for dinner. I honestly can’t remember who the others were now, but the one gal, coming into the bar, knew you just don’t ask for people by name, so she came in calling out “Anyone here know Ceciil Adams?”
I can even bring food!
Yay, it’s almost a party!
If we get a few more folks, I’ll go ahead and reserve a place.
K full disclosure… I’m only vaguely aware of what pickleball is. I think hipsters like it, so it must be cool. The new bocce?
Pickleball: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickleball
Looks like a cross between tennis and badminton, played with wooden paddles and a wiffle ball.
One more Doper and we can play doubles.
Looks like a lot of the people who posted in the original thread are inactive or no longer in the area. Anyone else interested?
There’s a slim chance I could make it. I’m pretty much up for anything. Day of the week is largely irrelevant to me. Figure out a date at least a month in the future and let me know.
Party for (mebbe) 4!
Sounds like we can ditch the family-friendly event and make it an adult outing, which is perfectly ok with us (no really, we probably need it!)
Baker has an hour drive or a touch more, not sure about everybody else. Early dinner someplace decent, with the option for going somewhere after?
Sounds good to me! I am looking forward to meeting fellow Dopers in real life.
Me too! Just booked the grandparents for the boys that afternoon and night. Dope fest + date night! Anyone else bringing significants?
I’m a loner.