We’ll be housesitting for my folks and hadn’t really planned on driving back to Phoenix right away. Depending on when my new job starts I may not be back in Phoenix until June 6th. I don’t mind driving but didn’t really want to drive 100 miles just to double back twice. I kind of figured the Tucson dopers would want to do something reasonably near Tucson and we’d be glad to join you while we’re down there. While we’re there we planned on going to the Desert Museum and possibly Kitt Peak. I may go by Pima Air Museum and if any of you are aviation buffs I’d be glad to have some company.
Because of college and work (both full time) I only have Fridays and Saturdays off, Sundays are ok, but only until 3:00 P.M
Memorial day will be a work day for me. 
I vote for Saturday, but I could still make it on Sunday or Monday if we do it in the morning, and somewhere around Tempe or Phoenix.
OK, so how does the morning of Monday the 31st around 10:00 a.m. sound to everyone in the Phoenix area? How about somewhere in Encanto park? It seems to be smack dab in the middle of the city. Does anyone know a good place in that park to meet for a couple hours?
We maybe could adjourn to a cafe nearby for lunch?
How many would prefer a Tucson area meeting? Perhaps both? Sentinal Peak park seems to pretty centrally located and right near I10. If I convince you to have the Tucson meeting later in the afternoon (3:00p.m.) OR perhaps Tuconers would prefer Sunday or Saturday? I might be able to make both! 
Anyone want to propose a better meeting place for either metro area?
Today, at work, I found out that now I’ll definately have to work Sunday–until at least 9PM (8 PM AZ time).
I think I can still pull off Monday if everyone wants to. No promises, tho.
Tuscon is closer, but my bro’s in Phoenix, so I’m OK with either place–actually I’d prefer Phoenix, since at the hour I’ll be driving there will be little traffic, so it’s only a little over an hour more. I don’t know either city very well, so I can’t suggest a meeting place.
Thanks, Pervert, for working to set this up.
~S
I never thought I’d type something like “Thanks, Pervert”
Any time that weekend is fine for me, but if it isn’t a short distance from ASU, I’ll need a ride.
I get this alot. Maybe it should be a sig line. I really did not mean pervert “that way” when I chose it as a name.
Darn it, I meant to say that I have access to a van, so I could give a few people rides.
Monday the 31st around 10 works for me. Dr. Rieux, I can pick you up if you’d like.
Don’t think I’ll make a meeting on the 31st, but just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of AZ dopers. And, also, to tell Siddhartha Vicicous (have always loved your username, BTW) that I’m just a hop, skip and a jump away on Hwy 95. Mohave Valley, here. When I’m not on the Ft. Mojave Indian reservation.
Tell me, if you would, what brought you to Parker?
Kind regards,
Zhen’ka
Okay, people, we gotta figure something out here! It’s getting really hot out, so I don’t know about staying outside for too long. Maybe a couple hours at a park, then lunch or dinner.
Reid Park has a zoo, a play area, and plenty of shade. What about Saturday or Monday (Memorial Day)?
I could go to Phoenix if we decide to do it there. I can also give a ride or two to Phoenix from Tucson.
I’m probably okay on Monday. Don’t know if I’ll be able to get a car yet then, so might need to bug someone for a ride. What would we do at Encanto Park? I don’t recall anything to do there, unless I’m thinking of a different park. Where is it exactly?
I can’t make a Dopefest any time soon, but I will be attending the University of Arizona beginning this August.
I’m beginning to get a little paranoid about this thread, to be honest. I lived the first 10 years of my life in the suburbs of DC and have lived the last 7 in San Diego.
So, are we gonna do this or not??
Anybody up for Monday (Memorial Day) in Tucson during the day?
What about Saturday night, the 29th… like a grown-up thing?
Anybody?
Don’t leave me hangin’.
What exactly are you paranoid about fetus? We’re really nice people? The stories you hear about Dopefests being drunken, bacchanalian orgies are, um, true but we’re really nice people. Seriously local dopefests are quite sober affairs, usually at coffee bars and sometimes with a few cervesas after dinner.
If I understand you aren’t in Tucson right now. We’ll plan on a nice welcome when you get to the U of A in August. Maybe stop off for a cold one at Gentle Ben’s or to get a cheese steak at Greasy Tony’s.
trublmakr, unfortunately the 29th is out for us as we have a previous engagement but Monday or even Sunday works fine. It’s been so long since I lived in Tucson I don’t know where people hang out but we can figure something.
For my own situation, it’s NOT the drive that really matters, it’s that I have a child. She is autistic and I need a place where it’s not wilderness (lakes) and my kiddo can’t get lost or seriously hurt. She does well at the park and even then, I am a watchdog. She doesn’t understand danger, has no sense of what can harm or hurt her. That is my main concern. Small kids can be a handful and Doper parents could possibly appreciate a park setting, that’s all I was trying to say.
OK. Its coming down to the wire, and we still need to make one or two decisions.
I think we have a consensus on the date Monday the 31st. Does anyone have any major objection to that data?
However, we still need times and places. The closest thing we have is 10:00 A.M. in Phoenix. Does that still work for everyone?
The place in Phoenix was tenatively suggested as Encanto Park in the middle of the City. It is a big park, and there is an island in the middle of the lake with a kids amusement park on it. I think, however, that we would be most willing to consider an indoor location if anyone can suggest one. I have an odd one. I have had some good conversations at PeterPiper Pizza. They usually have kid activities and enough tables that one can be found isolated enough to talk. The only other thing I can think of is the Cheescake Factory around 22nd street and Camelback. It is comfortable, but not very kid friendly. Can anyone else think of an indoor venue centrally located conducive to conversation?
SanguineSpider, I forget, how old is your daughter? What sorts of games or activities would she enjoy playing? If we had something like the side room at a Denny’s (not exactly like, just sort of like) would that fit your needs?
BTW, Please forgive me if I am being presumptuous. I don’t mean to be pushy. I’m just very excited about the possibility of a dopefest. I missed the last one.
In Tucson, have we come to an agreement about the time? I think the concensus is still for Monday the 31st. But I’m confused as to the time. Is everyonewilling to meet in the afternoon? Like around 3:00? I suggested a park, but we could certainly meet elsewhere. I’m afraid I have little experience with locatiions there. I spent all of my time in Tucson travelling to and from the IBM plant, and so I only know a few convenience stores near the I10. Great chilli dogs at the Circle K, BTW. Very good sustenance if you’ve been up for more than 24 hours.
So, we need a couple suggestions for meeting places. Where was the last Dopefest held in Tucson? trublmakr can you suggest a place in Tucson?
I would suggest Reid Park… it’s on 22nd St., between Country Club and Alvernon.
Does anybody want to meet there at 3 pm, maybe we can grill and/or potluck?
On Monday, the 31st.
TheLadyLion and I are in for the 31st in Tucson. Not sure about parks as they may be pretty well filled up on Memorial day so you can probably forget about getting a picnic bench anywhere. If no one else has a better idea I think a coffee bar is an ideal place to just meet and have conversation. Let’s face it, highs are going to be in the 90s at least. We’re pretty flexible on specific location but FWIW we’ll be on the northwest side in Marana. I’ll be down on Thursday so maybe I can scout a specific location.
Do we have a date and a place set for next Monday in Phoenix?
So far, I notice a 10:00 AM time on the 31st is the pick, any locations?
Does anyone have enough experience with Encanto park to suggest a meeting location within the park?
Does anyone have a preffered location that is closer?
Does anyone still need a ride?
Unless we decide otherwise, I’m taking my son fishing at Encanto park Monday morning. I’ll still be there by 10:00 A.M. I’m not at all sure how to identify anyone.