I went to college at Cal Poly SLO, so maybe I can answer some questions. Yes there is an airport in SLO. What you would need to do is fly into either LAX or San Fran and then take a small plane into SLO.
During the summer, SLO has better weather than Fresno. Lots more cool. You could also plan on having a night BBQ in Morro Bay or Pismo Beach at the beach.
Let us contemplate the place name “Pismo Beach” for a moment. Note that the second word is BEACH. Yes, BEACH as in on the ocean, with sand. Granted, SLO is only 12 miles away, and as a college town it is used to debauchery, but it is inland, away from the BEACH. Pismo BEACH is bordered by Shell BEACH to the north and Grover BEACH to the south. And just up the road from Pismo, on the way to Avila BEACH, are a number of spas using the natural hot springs there.
Given a choice of meeting in Kettleman City, Escalon, Gridley, or Pismo BEACH, I’d vote for the sandy option.
Im up for wherever in California - hell, Id even go to Redding - but Id prefer that it not be in the Central Valley, as for the most part it’s the most boring corner of God’s (or whoever’s) green earth where people still bother to live. And before anybody takes umbrage, Ive lived in various parts of the CV for 11 years.
UncaStuart makes an excellent point about the BEACH.
Even though I do like the idea of Pismo Beach, I think I’d rather at least get accomodations in San Luis Obispo–BEACH means more $$$. I’m sure there will be several of us on tight budgets coming to this event. I’d rather stay where it’s cheaper and then suffer the 15 minute drive to the beach.
the Scarlet Pimpernel: We’re going to be in SLO for a weekend–just long enough to get all that’s interesting out of SLO, so I doubt that it would be found boring by anyone.
Or… we can just stay at The Madonna Inn:
(take a tour of some of the rooms–could you imagine the hijinx some of us could get into here?)
LOL! That place looks awesome Java! I’m diggin’ these rooms!
What’s cool about a few of these rooms is that they’re suites–I like #123 “Pick & Shovel” because it’s got a 31-foot red leather couch (so what if SLO is boring… we take the party inside).
I haven’t checked out the web page yet, but I do know that the Madonna Inn is very famous for their restrooms. One is supposed to be just like a cave. I think my next trip up North, I am gonna take a pee break there.
I guess I want to check in and put my support for San Luis Obispo, I think it would be great. Of course, between now and then we can have localized doper fests. This will just be a bigger deal for more people.
pat
Oh, Oh. Sorry to be a wet blanket on the Madonna Inn idea, but it’s closed or was when I was up there 9 months ago. There are some nice motels off of Los Osos Valley Road that you can get a room for about $35-$40/night.
I’m there - count me in. I’ll be in San Diego in December/January (and my future housemates used to live in SLO, so I can get the skinny from them if that’s where we decide to meet).
(Anything to meet Doobieous… 
)
Esprix
Well there you have it folks, if meeting me is good enough for Esprix, it should be good enough for all of you! :).
Hey now…ain’t nothin’ wrong with Escalon…least, not as long as you got a gun rack in your pick-up…
I already SAID I’m coming, Doob! 
(And yes, it’s a definite now…by next summer, I should have enough time, money, and frequent flier miles to take a real vacation for once. So California, here I come!!!)
Gee Doob, what do you think the ratio would be between NorCal and SoCal folks? Obfusciatrist and I have driven down to Pismo Beach before, but it’s a hefty drive. We should meet somewhere a little closer to SF, like perhaps Monterey!!! I’m serious – we can have a Monterey Bay Aquarium Dopefest – ya know, where they filmed Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. We can visit the aquarium, then afterwards, enjoy a nice meal of seafood (and beer for you guys)!
No seriously – if we can go, we’ll try to make it. I’ll take suggestions on what you want to call this shindig, to put on the Putz buttons, even. If it ends up being at Pismo Beach, we’ll have to figure out some way to get a little pismo clam on there… heh heh! :wally
Pismo Beach is in Southern California. There are at least ten Bay Area Dopers who probably don’t want to go that far.
There has already been a Monterey Dopefest, and I didn’t notice that any of the LA Dopers were clamoring to go - it’s awfully far for them.
2b. But if people don’t mind driving to the Monterey area, which really is at the middle of the state, I put in a vote for Santa Cruz - lots of motels, lots of beach, lots of really strange people (even without Dopers).
Fresno? Fresno?
With apologies to the Redding people, I think SLO is really quite the best option. Y’all are in the minority. But we promise to buy you guys extra alcohol if you can make it down there!
What?!?!? And contribute to the delinquincy(sp?) of a minor?
Shame shame.
Kyla, Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo are only 12 miles apart. You might be thinking of another beach, or something.
Doob and I (Don’t mean to speak for ya, Doob, but I shall try.) were hoping that having it in SLO/Pismo Beach area would enable the most amount of people to make the trip. It is far for the Bay Area folks, but it is equally far for the LA/Southern California folks. Of course, California is a huge state, so whereever we have it it is going to exclude some people, we just figured having it in this area would create a doable weekend trip for the most people. Plus it is a nice area.
pat
You’re right, Pat, I must be. Huh. Well, never mind.
Pat, you have spoken for me well. Yes, the original intent for SLO was to try to be as fair as possible to both the people in the LA area and the people in the Bay Area. If we had chosen Monterey, then it would have been more unfair to the LA people, and if we had chosen say, Santa Barbara, it would have been unfair to the Bay Area people. This way, i think is fair for most people. We cant please everyone all of the time, so we went with the median. Such is the problem with trying a statewide bash with a state as big as ours ;).
Kyla: The central coast extends down from Santa Cruz almost to Santa Barbara.
Just to make this more complicated…
Should we start thinking about the date?
Or should we settle the place issue for once and for all first?