But an email from Kris at Virtualmeet.net reminded me that I have yet to finish my entries about Virtualmeet: The Gathering 2009 so this will be my huge priority starting this weekend. In that email, Kris is seriously looking at doing another Gathering at Toffee's gym in 2010. This was also posted on Twitter (http://twitter.com/virtualmeet)
Ya-hoo!!!
I'm not sure if it would be like this year's Gathering where we also took a long road trip through Finnish Lapland, Sweden, Norway, and Nordkapp (North Cape). But if he does, it would be the icing on an already sweet cake. Finland was one of the most beautiful and charming places I have ever been to (and as a sailor, I have been to many). Helsinki is a happening city if you like food, drink, and clubs. Finnish Lapland was beautiful and vast, as was Norway (I'm sure Sweden is nice, but we didn't go too far there.). The Finnish people are cool and if you are a lifter, a place like Punttis or Voimapuoti would be like heaven (P.S. ask the owner at Voimapuoti to spot you on heavy benches, I dare ya!). It was all beautiful, and Kris and Mans and Christian made it fun. You would be lifting with people who really appreciate and love to lift heavy shit. And the hospitality provided by Kris' family on Vaasa and Kris' home was awesome, and very tasty. Oh, and did I mention delicious Finnish candies?
I looked up a flight using current dates just to get an ideaFrom Seattle, It would cost from $930 to $1351 roundtrip to get there, less if going from the East Coast, and even less if in Europe. If it weren't for a looming divorce and my brother's wedding, I would strongly consider going myself. I would probably take a Navy job in Germany and stay a few extra days so I wouldn't have to pay for the flight;) If you can go, do so. Maybe some of us Virtualmeeters may want to consider signing up and doing satellite gatherings, if you can't make the trip to Finland. But I would try to make the trip at least once.
As I post during the week, I may even make some entries to post extra photos. For now, here's a few:
5 comments:
Hope your recovery is going well.
Thanks for posting the report. That water and rocks picture (2nd last) is beautiful.
I'm a bit late to the party, but yeah... the first Gathering was such a hit that I think it is time for rinse&repeat. If the last meet was the "meet of the midnight sun", the 2010 gathering on the third weekend of August will be "the meet of the torches in the dark". Think start 9:30pm, pitch darkness of August, big moon, long shadows, Scandinavian metal... and heavy iron. Top that with a midnight sauna and a Finnish fiesta. Beer served cold. And candies, delicious candies, all you can eat.
...so a bit like this but without the coldness of October.
...and oh, I am painfully aware of myself also having outstanding reports from the gathering to finish. The seriously reduced amount of coding after the event made itself felt in the form of some very inspired coding for version 2 over the last few months. But the time to get around to it is nigh... now that you're posting these stellar entries there are: no excuses.
Mich:
Thank you for the well wishes. Recovery is going OK, just the elliptical in the morning for 45 minutes, and walking in body armor for an hour at night. It ain't barbells but it will keep me conditioned for when the time comes. BTW, a big thanks to Kris' dad, for giving me the master class on photography (entry pending.).
Kris:
After our reports, expectations will be high from whoever shows up to the next Gathering. The night setting sounds like a great idea. Invite the neighbors. Start planning. Tune up the car. Gas up the Trangia. And now we know where to find the Tortellini;)
And get your report out there. Also, when is the next Virtualmeet? Trying to plan ahead, give myself a start date to hit the iron.
Well, unfortunately there won't be any fiddling with the Trangia for me this year... While I'd love to do another epic road trip, I just can't see myself grabbing a whole week out of the family's vacation time two years in a row. I will arrange another ass-kicking Gathering weekend though and would of course also be happy to assist anyone who would like to combine this event with sightseeing etc.
The next virtualmeets are Nov 13-15 (powerlifting) and Dec 4-6 (bench).
Good to hear your already thinking about easing back into the iron. :)
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