Any new information? Should I resserve a camping spot online or will I be ok to get one that Friday?
Nor Cal & North SF Bay GTG (November 11-14, 2022)
- Thread starter BrocLuno
- Start date
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Update ...
Bob,
I have been assured by Ranger Sandy Jones that we will find camping places for all who show up. She would appreciate it if folks would make reservations as it makes it much easier to get folks into their spot in a straight forward fashion. But, we have been told that between the 'less than full' nature of November and the planned over-flow camping in Day Use for this event, there will be nice spots for all. If you have any special needs, call Ranger Jones on her line (707) 942-5707 and discuss directly.
For everyone - we had our event planning meeting two Sunday's ago. We had some logistics to work out, so no point in posting until now. In the interim we have had a 'Hazard Tree Survey' (official process by a registered Forester) and we have a better handle on a bunch of issues.
The hazard trees are mostly straight forward problem trees in areas where people congregate and park. We'll take care of most these as part of ongoing ops during the week when we have a low visitor count. But, it looks like we'll have at least two pretty good sized firs that need to come down and could be an opportunity for some of the old pros to demonstrate prudent falling techniques. To that end, please advise Eccentric if you will be interested in working these trees. One might require climbing to top. That will have to be evaluated by the GTG members who sign up as Park Forest volunteers. These activities will be covered in the Saturday meeting at the AV center.
As far as participants, we have the 'Make n Break' engine club from Santa Rosa coming and they'll be bringing some interesting gear including at least one Drag Saw. So bring your show-off pieces and swap stories with these folks and maybe line up some hard to get parts
We think we'll have at least one good 'Cookie" log ready to go. Still working one who will be here to move logs, but we have options so that should be good to go ahead of Friday. We also have some ~24" or so downed Firs in the drainage near the Group Camp that can be cut in place if you are up to that and want to buck in the woods.
All of these special areas will have to be marked with Caution Tape before anyone starts cutting and we'll have to have a "Tourist" watch to make sure some park visitor does not take a short-cut through the work zone while the saws are running. But, that's is to be expected in a public venue.
The Tee Shirt thing is moving along. It's probably not too important at a GTG on private land, but it's the way we are trying to figure out who's who at a glance during this one in a Park with non-GTG folks wandering around. So it's a central element to this one. Price will be $12 to cover heavy weight shirts and printing.
It looks like Off-White Tee's for looky-loo's and family members. They'll be optional for any one.
Orange ones for saw runners. If you are planning to run a saw in the woods or just demonstrate to a crowd or a friend, we'll ask that you sign a release and buy an orange shirt. If you have it on right side out, you should not be drinking and sawing (Park safety policy). If you have it on inside out, you're done sawing and running, and can consume to your hearts content. I'll be curious to see how many inside-out shirts I see during the day
If you sign-up as a Park Forest Volunteer - it's a different release form (Napa County Open Space - the current Park Operator) and a Green Tee. We're hoping to have a significant number sign up as Park Forest Volunteers; but with travel and families, we know that many can't really do that.
For those that can, we'll have work sessions throughout the year as we plan to improve forest health through proactive management. It'll be a chance to engage in advanced activities like re-enactment felling & bucking, demonstrating antique saws & techniques to the kids and or park visitors, working out the logistics of managing distressed trees and really troublesome ones, upgrading and repairing the Parks collection of antique and working saws & gear, etc.
Since the Group Camp is open for the weekend, we're hoping there are enough of you that can communicate and agree to 'bunch up' and camp in a that common area. It will present the maximum opportunity for evening camaraderie and swapping yarns around a camp fire. But, it means tent camping or similar - so those of you contemplating sleeping rough in your tent or truck - maybe communicate that the Eccentric and see if it can work out ... If we can get a minimum of 8 vehicles it'll work out cost wise and a few more will make it the best bargain for the weekend.
If you have lodging questions from here on out - you might like to contact Park folks direct. Ranger Jones number is listed above. Mine is (707) 942-5311 and I can relay messages to Rob, if need be.
Park info here:
Bothe-Napa Valley SP
Bothe-Napa Valley State Park — Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bothe-Napa_Valley_State_Park
Bob,
I have been assured by Ranger Sandy Jones that we will find camping places for all who show up. She would appreciate it if folks would make reservations as it makes it much easier to get folks into their spot in a straight forward fashion. But, we have been told that between the 'less than full' nature of November and the planned over-flow camping in Day Use for this event, there will be nice spots for all. If you have any special needs, call Ranger Jones on her line (707) 942-5707 and discuss directly.
For everyone - we had our event planning meeting two Sunday's ago. We had some logistics to work out, so no point in posting until now. In the interim we have had a 'Hazard Tree Survey' (official process by a registered Forester) and we have a better handle on a bunch of issues.
The hazard trees are mostly straight forward problem trees in areas where people congregate and park. We'll take care of most these as part of ongoing ops during the week when we have a low visitor count. But, it looks like we'll have at least two pretty good sized firs that need to come down and could be an opportunity for some of the old pros to demonstrate prudent falling techniques. To that end, please advise Eccentric if you will be interested in working these trees. One might require climbing to top. That will have to be evaluated by the GTG members who sign up as Park Forest volunteers. These activities will be covered in the Saturday meeting at the AV center.
As far as participants, we have the 'Make n Break' engine club from Santa Rosa coming and they'll be bringing some interesting gear including at least one Drag Saw. So bring your show-off pieces and swap stories with these folks and maybe line up some hard to get parts
We think we'll have at least one good 'Cookie" log ready to go. Still working one who will be here to move logs, but we have options so that should be good to go ahead of Friday. We also have some ~24" or so downed Firs in the drainage near the Group Camp that can be cut in place if you are up to that and want to buck in the woods.
All of these special areas will have to be marked with Caution Tape before anyone starts cutting and we'll have to have a "Tourist" watch to make sure some park visitor does not take a short-cut through the work zone while the saws are running. But, that's is to be expected in a public venue.
The Tee Shirt thing is moving along. It's probably not too important at a GTG on private land, but it's the way we are trying to figure out who's who at a glance during this one in a Park with non-GTG folks wandering around. So it's a central element to this one. Price will be $12 to cover heavy weight shirts and printing.
It looks like Off-White Tee's for looky-loo's and family members. They'll be optional for any one.
Orange ones for saw runners. If you are planning to run a saw in the woods or just demonstrate to a crowd or a friend, we'll ask that you sign a release and buy an orange shirt. If you have it on right side out, you should not be drinking and sawing (Park safety policy). If you have it on inside out, you're done sawing and running, and can consume to your hearts content. I'll be curious to see how many inside-out shirts I see during the day
If you sign-up as a Park Forest Volunteer - it's a different release form (Napa County Open Space - the current Park Operator) and a Green Tee. We're hoping to have a significant number sign up as Park Forest Volunteers; but with travel and families, we know that many can't really do that.
For those that can, we'll have work sessions throughout the year as we plan to improve forest health through proactive management. It'll be a chance to engage in advanced activities like re-enactment felling & bucking, demonstrating antique saws & techniques to the kids and or park visitors, working out the logistics of managing distressed trees and really troublesome ones, upgrading and repairing the Parks collection of antique and working saws & gear, etc.
Since the Group Camp is open for the weekend, we're hoping there are enough of you that can communicate and agree to 'bunch up' and camp in a that common area. It will present the maximum opportunity for evening camaraderie and swapping yarns around a camp fire. But, it means tent camping or similar - so those of you contemplating sleeping rough in your tent or truck - maybe communicate that the Eccentric and see if it can work out ... If we can get a minimum of 8 vehicles it'll work out cost wise and a few more will make it the best bargain for the weekend.
If you have lodging questions from here on out - you might like to contact Park folks direct. Ranger Jones number is listed above. Mine is (707) 942-5311 and I can relay messages to Rob, if need be.
Park info here:
Bothe-Napa Valley SP
Bothe-Napa Valley State Park — Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bothe-Napa_Valley_State_Park
RandyMac
Stiff Member
I might get the time off, who is going to swing by and pick me up?
Eccentric
Mister Wizard
Didn't somebody north of you (Nate/Madhatte perhaps) mention something about carpooling to the GTG?
ckelp
just being myself
Eccentric
Mister Wizard
RandyMac
Stiff Member
I'm hitting them for the 2nd off, it is hard to say at this point, 50/50 chance.
Eccentric
Mister Wizard
My admin superisor scheduled all of us for our yearly AO training without giving us a chance to tell him what weeks/weekends we had stuff planned. He'd scheduled me for range qualification on the 2nd. No way would that work for me. Got that fixed and took the 2nd off. I hope you can make it down Randy...
RandyMac
Stiff Member
We have some funky stuff going on, as usual. The budget crunch stung some, we ok for now.
Eccentric
Mister Wizard
You folks felt it worse than us. We had a hiring freeze for a number of years, and some courtrooms got shut down. Been a lotta belt tightening over the last few years. We still get hit with it every once in a while. Contract negotiations have been rough. They're taking away our coffee, cups, and plastic utensils on the first. Hopefully they don't take the machine. We'll just have to take a collection and buy supplies for ourselves. It's not a big deal of course, but sometimes it's the little things that are the most irritating....
RandyMac
Stiff Member
I had to bring paper to print reports and you b itch about coffee? 
Eccentric
Mister Wizard
I had to bring paper to print reports and you b itch about coffee?
Like I said...........you folks felt the crunch worse than us. Wanna talk paper? The 'enlightened minds' in the city/county gooberment that I work for decided a couple years ago to be more 'green'........and are now spending twice the $$$ that they used to on printer/coppier paper as well as TP because it's from "sustainable sources".
That garbage doesn't work for ####............literally. The 'earth unfriendly' paper products didn't jam the printers/copiers, and the TP did its job as expected. Now we have expensive stuff that doesn't work at all...............but at least we're being "earth friendly".............whatever the hell that means...:censored:
RandyMac
Stiff Member
you got the sugar cane stuff?
Eccentric
Mister Wizard
I can't remember the source of it, but it's a useless waste. I'll save a wrapper from the copy paper and the TP so I can show you the manufacturer's names. The copy paper is brown, jams the hell out of everything, and rips easily.
The TP is just useless fluff................reminds me of a dandelion seed head. Guys bring their own rolls from home for use at work. It's that bad. Funny thing is...........it's so fragile that the cardboard roll in the center had to be made four times as thick as a normal TP roll tube. How is that good for the environment? That stout cardboard tube also can be used to make a dandy undetectable shank......
Pretty sure it was somebody from S. Oregon. I'll be flying solo. Just to clarify: we're locked in on the date still, yes? Nov 3-4? Just askin' because I'll be arranging for some leave to bookend my travel come Monday. Fire season FINALLY being over and all...
Eccentric
Mister Wizard
ckelp
just being myself
the company you work for is the same as mine, they work hard on finding normal everyday things to costs twice as much and #### it up four fold..
example i've worked on 1000's of generators well i forget to put one in auto, now i have to a paper report along with doing it on our online portal.. and now they are wondering why I've dropped from doing around five units down to three a day..
just a little off topic venting:msp_sleep:
also aaron what saw is tan and brown??
Last edited:
Locked in for the date. It's a go.
EGGS LINT.
Now I just gotta figure out which saws to bring. That's always a tough call.
Frank Boyer
Addicted to ArboristSite
2Dogs (Bill) and I have been talking about organizing the food for the GTG. Both of us have done food for groups and have some equipment for quantity. We looked at Sat lunch/ dinner and Sunday breakfast/ lunch. We would need help with set up, clean up, money (probably around $6 a meal) and cooking.
Eccentric is covering logistics and very busy. He needs a head count, and we would need a head count for food.
Is anyone interested?
Email me at frankbbq at surfnetc.com
THANKS
Eccentric is covering logistics and very busy. He needs a head count, and we would need a head count for food.
Is anyone interested?
Email me at frankbbq at surfnetc.com
THANKS
OREGONLOGGER
ArboristSite Guru
Looks like you Warshington folks are going to bring heavy rain with you as always that means heavy snow for me drive through quickly Mad:hmm3grin2orange:
