SW Ohio Funtime Picnic and Fun Stuff

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Hi! Remember me?

Since the big shift in my Domestic Paradigm I’ve been reduced to virtual lurkage. That’s sad. But I remember you people, my Friends. And I remember all the fun stuff we did together. Like TornaDope. Boy was that fun! (Only I’m not going to call it “TornaDope” this year. This year I’m calling it “The Funtime Happy Picnic and Camp Out with a Carouse”. I figure this way I’d be stressing all the fun we’d be having and we never get that tornado anyway.)

So I was thinking “Hey! We should have another one of those suckers this year!” I figure May 20th would be a good Saturday for it. And we could have the Traditional Weenie Roast for lunch and then do some stuff and then go to Jungle Jim’s (because that’s a tradition too) and then have the campfire and then go to bed. Or go home if that’s what you want to do. Unless you’ve already gone home. That would be OK too, if you wanted to leave early. “Whatever works for you”, that’s my motto.

I figure the whole whoop-de-doo (really, a “whoop-de-doo”) would be once again at Caesar CreekState Park (in Ohio) since that’s so danged convenient for me.

What say ye?

(And once I know who’s in and who’s not this year, I’ll be dropping updates on ya, so Watch This Space!)
Yer pal,
-Rue.

2

Whoo-hoo! Count me in. I might even be able to convince auntie em to join along this year. (I promised her there’d be no eating of Rocky Mountain Oysters–not for her, anyway–and that by no means would we even come close to cannibalism. Not even if we had the right spices.)

I’m pretty free so far for the month of May, so if the date need be changed, that should work.

3

Hey! Look. At. That! It’s Skip! An actual Mod. So you know this whole thing is a Good Idea! (Not really, but I’m not above a little hype.)

But…

Maybe people aren’t jumping up and saying “Yes! I want to come along for all the fun!” because they have questions. And then they are all too shy to ask them. So I guess maybe I should ask the questions for you and then answer them and you’ll know everything about “The Funtime Happy Picnic and Camp Out with a Carouse” and want to come and then everyone will be happy. (I’d like that, if everyone were happy. The World would be a Better Place if everyone were Truly Happy.)

So let’s start, shall we? Yes, we shall:

Q: Man Rue, I’d love to come to “The Funtime Happy Picnic and Camp Out with a Carouse”, but I don’t know what the heck it is. Can you tell me?

A: Sure I can tell you! It’s a giant mish-mash of stuff (but the good kind of “mish-mash”). First, it’s a picnic. (But probably not at the same picnic shelter as last year. Last year was at the Flat Fork Ridge Recreation Area. That was a nice place, but the actual shelters were by reservation. Over a little ways there’s the Fifty Springs Picnic Area- you can see it on the park map right by the big green dot that says “Harveysburg”. I’ll let you all know.) I’ll bring the hot dogs and charcoal and grill up a bunch of dogs and you bring other sharesie foods…

Q: “Sharesie foods”? What’s that?

A: Picnic food you can share. Like cheese or chips or cookies or something. (But it’s "Bring Your Own Drinks. It’s just easier that way.) Anyway, I figure I’d be at the picnic area around 10:00 in the morning and anyone can show up after that and the fire would be hot and the 'dogs cooked around noon-ish and we’d eat and that would be fun. Then we’d do some stuff…

Q: Like what? What kind of stuff would we do after we eat lunch?

A: I dunno. Talk mostly. Maybe play some Chinese checkers. Or a little hike. Just something. It’ll be fun, don’t worry about it. Then, about 3:00 or 4:00 we’ll head down to Jungle Jim’s…

Q: What is a “Jungle Jim’s”?

A: It’s a grocery store. Kinda.

Q: Kinda?

A: Yeah. Check out the link in the OP. It’s this grocery store and then it has all these specialty departments. You can get all kinds of crazy food at Jungle Jim’s. And there’s a singing lion. They also sell Jungle Jim postcards. It’s fun. Really.

Q: OK, then what?

A: Then we go back to the Caesar Creek campground and a fire is started… a campfire in the actual fire ring, so it’s all safe… and we cook up the Jungle Jim’s food and that’s dinner. And up to now, everything is pretty much kid-friendly. So if you want to bring your kids along, that’s just dandy! (I’m planning on having my kids around for at least the picnic portion of the day. And my wife. She’ll actually be bringing the kids along. I’ll be there a little earlier.)

Q: Then what happens that it’s not so much the Kid Friendly day anymore?

A: Well, mostly it’ll be getting late and the little nippers will be getting tired. So they’ll have to go to bed.

Q: Is that all?

A: Well, not really. There’s also the Carouse.

Q: Carouse? What’s that?

A: Mostly it’s drinking. Maybe we’ll sing some songs. You never can tell.

Q: A lot of drinking?

A: No, not really. Just a little bit. It’s technically against the rules of the park, so we don’t really go out of our way to call attention to it. That way the Rangers don’t care and they don’t kick our butts out of the park.

Q: That sounds great, but what if I don’t want to do everything all day? What if I want to do some of the stuff but not other stuff?

A: Do you know me? Have we met? You do what you want. Like I care.

Q: Oh, OK. But… I don’t like to camp. What about that?

A: Oh. Well that all depends. The park offers a few options, like the Rent-A-RV program , two camper cabins and one cedar cabin are available for rental. Or you could stay at the Creekwood Motel. (I’m only recommending it because it’s really close by. I have no idea if the joint is any good. It’s just close.)

So. Does that help you any?

4

It does me. I always try to forget the previous year, anyway. It’s what keeps me coming back.

5

I’d love to come - will you send airplane tickets for me and my spousal unit? :smiley: We’ve never been to a Carouse in a park.

No? I didn’t think so… * <sigh>*

6

I dunno… it’s tempting. But ever since the world changed on 9/11, group gatherings in the park are combed over by the suspicious rangers. Get too many people involved and all of a sudden you’re considered a “cell” of Carousers.

Yes, that’s right.

A Carouse Cell.

Watch us go 'round and 'round.

7

I’ve been to a carousel in a park. Is it like that?

When you get around to having one in Orygun, we’ll be there. Until then, we’ll hafta just sit here and pine. Le sigh

8

Do the mods come with entourages or body guards in case some of the board proletariate aim to settle some grievances in a more personal way?

(I practically live in the neighborhood but I would prefer that there be someone there who is generally wanted dead more than me)

9

Actually Raindog, you have more to worry about ol’ Skip wanting to “settle some grievances” rather than someone wanting to settle on him. If he says “Oh, I’ll just move my car a little bit,” climb a tree.

Just sayin’.

10

It’s not like anyone died, you know. Not even permanently maimed.

11

Your just more danger to others rather than in danger from others, is all I’m sayin’ Skip.

12

I am brave. I am not afraid of SkipMagic.

However…I have an obligation that morning that will probably keep me busy in Columbus till 1:00 or so. But I’m hoping to make it down there in time for the trek to Jungle Jim’s. Not sure how late I’ll be able to stay.

GT

13

Argh! Two friends are getting married on May 20th. (Yes, Rue, I already asked if they’d change the date. They said no. :frowning: )

14

Alas, very few people are. 'Tis why I have to keep trying to run them over at the camp site.

15

Oh wait - May 20? Listen, don’t bother sending that airline ticket. My ceramics class will still be in session. I’m afraid my love for Rue (and Skip) pales beside my love of playing with clay.

Alas…

16

No big GT. You split Columbus-town at 1-ish and you can be down to the picnic about 2. We won’t be going to Jungle Jim’s for at least another hour. Yeah, it all tracks. You can be there for the Jungling and the camp fire and even the Carouse if you choose. (If you come to the Carouse, bring extra pants. I can’t say why.)

And Ms Girl…
Those bastards! But you get free cake, so it’s all for the good.

17

Hi!

I just got back from checking out a few things at Caesar Creek. I think having the picnic at the Fifty Springs Picnic Area will be a Good Thing. There are four picnic shelters back there, and only two of them are reservable. Which means two of them are not reservable. Which means if I show up bright and early I should get my dibby down on the last picnic shelter in the Area.

You can find the Fifty Springs Picnic Area here. It’s on SR 73 between the green dot for Harveysburg and where the road crosses over the lake. Easy peasy to find! (In real life, there’s a big ol’ watertower across from the Fifty springs Picnic area road. That makes it even easier peasier to find. How cool is that?) And the shelter itself is easy peasy to find too. You just drive back all the way on the road that has the sign that says “Fifty Springs Picnic Area” and there it is.

More updates as conditions warrant.

18

Sounds like fun. Dunno if we’ll be able to make it, although I see there are several geocaches near there that we haven’t found, so we may just have to visit.

:smiley:

19

I so want to come to this, as I said in the other thread.

Keep us updated.

I don’t have a tent, would sleeping in the car be feasible?

20

Hey, I’ve camped at Caesar Creek! I haven’t been to Jungle Jim’s for almost two years. I’ve never met a fellow Doper in person. This sounds like a good idea to me.