Summer Vacation [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

Karoht

2012-06-11, 11:34 AM

Starwulf

2012-06-11, 03:04 PM

Alright, some of us get Summer Vacation, some of us don't.

For all intents and purposes, pretend that you have Summer Vacation this year, and just enough money (job, allowance, savings, etc) to go and attend all the cool events in your area and nearby.

Also, if you had the money, is there anything in particular you would like to do for a Summer Vacation?
I have a dream to spend a full 3 months (of summer) in 2 locations:
-Beach
-Mountain Resort with good Mountain Biking
-Possibly a place with a Beach that also has a good resort for Mountain Biking.

What is everyone up to this Summer Vacation? :smallcool:

Absolutely nothing this year, no money.

Now, if we had money, I'd love to go spend a few days at the beach as well, my girls have yet to go into an ocean, I'm sure they'd enjoy it(minus any swallowing of salt water!). Chill out on the boardwalk, eat some Salt Water Taffy(yeah yeah, I'm diabetic, but that stuff is just so freaking awesome!), maybe eat a nice restaurant even!

Beyond that, what I WILL be doing a lot of this year(hopefully) is fishing! Love me some fishing, mostly cat-fishing, but bass fishing is nice as well, and my oldest daughter is starting to get the hang of fishing for blue-gills which is cool :)

Karoht

2012-06-11, 03:33 PM

mmmmm, boardwalk. Awww yeah. Thats a good way to kill a summer.

Fishing. Forgot fishing. Used to spend whole summers on the west coast on the northern tip of Vancouver Island. Fantastic fishing up in the Johnson Straight. Whales everywhere, cod and shrimp and crab and halibut and all kinds of salmon. And if you went inland a ways? Steelhead Trout in the rivers, I hear that the northern BC lakes were just teeming with fish.

The weather could and would be a beast though. It was paradise some days and hell the next. You know the show 'Deadliest Catch' ?? Been there, done that, bought the tshirt.

Rallicus

2012-06-11, 03:36 PM

I don't have summer vacation, as I haven't been in school for years, but I regularly go to the beach once summer comes around. Most of the beaches I go to are pretty close -- 10-15 miles or so -- and it's free, so yeah.

Unfortunately I did a pretty lazy job applying sunscreen last Saturday, and now I'm covered in blotchy red sunburn. It's very painful and a constant reminder to apply sunscreen before drinking copious amounts of alcohol.

Erloas

2012-06-11, 03:46 PM

No Summer Vacation in school terms, but I'm using a week of vacation this summer.

A friend is going to come visit for a week. We're going to camp for all of it, though the first part is only kind of camping because it will be in a camp ground in town because there are no good places to camp outside of town that I know of.

First 3 days or so we're going to visit the dinosaur museum, Hot Springs National Park, and some of the pools in Thermopolis.
Followed by another 3 days in Yellowstone. Not sure what all we'll be doing there, Old Faithful and Mammoth Hot Springs at very least. How much hiking we do will mostly depend on how my friend's kids do.

Icewalker

2012-06-11, 04:15 PM

I am doing exactly what I want to be doing this summer! Working at a camp in upstate New York, Wayfinder, which is just straight up the best thing ever. :smallbiggrin:

And when it's over, before classes start up, I may take a trip to Europe too.

Starwulf

2012-06-11, 04:56 PM

Fishing. Forgot fishing. Used to spend whole summers on the west coast on the northern tip of Vancouver Island. Fantastic fishing up in the Johnson Straight. Whales everywhere, cod and shrimp and crab and halibut and all kinds of salmon. And if you went inland a ways? Steelhead Trout in the rivers, I hear that the northern BC lakes were just teeming with fish.

That sounds like paradise. I've only ever been able to fish in ponds and lakes and rivers. No ocean fishing ever, but man would I ever love to. Not to mention to be able to see a whale in it's natural habitat might be one of the most awe-inspiring things ever.

Karoht

2012-06-11, 05:12 PM

That sounds like paradise. I've only ever been able to fish in ponds and lakes and rivers. No ocean fishing ever, but man would I ever love to. Not to mention to be able to see a whale in it's natural habitat might be one of the most awe-inspiring things ever.
I have a whale of a tale for you, some day, in the appropriate thread.

As for the fishing, I was there when they put a ban on Koho salmon for about 2 years. I went back about a further 2 years after they lifted the ban, man oh man did it work out well, you couldn't keep the Koho OFF your lines.
Halibut though... I think they could drop a 10 year ban and still not replenish those stocks.

I have a rant about farm fish, but again, thats for a different thread.

Yeah, a beach and boardwalk, some good fresh seafood every night... yeah, good times all the way.

THAC0

2012-06-11, 05:21 PM

I have a whale of a tale for you, some day, in the appropriate thread.

As for the fishing, I was there when they put a ban on Koho salmon for about 2 years. I went back about a further 2 years after they lifted the ban, man oh man did it work out well, you couldn't keep the Koho OFF your lines.
Halibut though... I think they could drop a 10 year ban and still not replenish those stocks.

I have a rant about farm fish, but again, thats for a different thread.

Yeah, a beach and boardwalk, some good fresh seafood every night... yeah, good times all the way.

Huh, never seen it spelled with a K before. Always with a C. Is that regional, d'you think?

Karoht

2012-06-11, 05:31 PM

Huh, never seen it spelled with a K before. Always with a C. Is that regional, d'you think?I just checked wiki, you are correct. The Koho is a regional naming, the Coho is the actual name.

By the way, Coho salmon get pretty big pretty fast. Minimum size was something like 22 inches, catching a 30 inch long Coho was not uncommon.

Mauve Shirt

2012-06-11, 05:36 PM

Karoht

2012-06-11, 05:37 PM

Oh wow. A trip across the pond. Awesome. Several weeks? Whole summer?

Mauve Shirt

2012-06-11, 05:39 PM

Just a week and a half, sadly. I don't have enough vacation time saved up for more than that. It will be a splendid week and a half, though!

Scarlet Knight

2012-06-11, 06:15 PM

Ah, signorina, you remind me of a Mary Chapin Carpenter song:

"What if we went to Italy
A suitcase of books and one bag apiece for the summer
I don't speak a word of Italian
Except for Campari and soda for two,
how much is a Lire Yes, a villa will do
and a breeze, in Tuscany please

What if we spent all of our days, improving our minds, learning new ways to be lazy
It wouldn't be too much of a strain
Relax after breakfast till lunch comes around
Can't wait for dinner, oh, I need to lie down
And refuel, out by the pool"

:smallcool:

Castaras

2012-06-11, 06:26 PM

I have a summer holiday (silly americans and your vacations.) and a little money. But not enough to do what I'd ideally do, which is go to America for a bit and do meetups and Gencon and such.

I'd also try and get accommodation where I'm living currently so I could stay here for the summer.

But seeing as I can't do those I'm just going to work on stuff I've been too lazy to do before now. Or say I'm going to, then play computer games. Which is fine too.

THAC0

2012-06-11, 06:46 PM

I just checked wiki, you are correct. The Koho is a regional naming, the Coho is the actual name.

By the way, Coho salmon get pretty big pretty fast. Minimum size was something like 22 inches, catching a 30 inch long Coho was not uncommon.

Cool beans, I do all my coho fishing up in Alaska.

Unfortunately, since I am currently displaced, no coho for me this summer. Instead I am raising puppy, doing a few short trips. I just got a flyfishing rod and want to try that out. And maybe I'll get on doing some curriculum planning for next year.

AtlanteanTroll

2012-06-11, 07:26 PM

I am going to Europe (read: The UK, the Netherlands, and Belgium) for a month with 19 strangers from the Americans, and 8 strangers from the Middle East and Europe and 2 adult chaperons all of which share ... A religious belief system. (All I can say about that.) Or they're suppose to be strangers, I actually know 2 other of the North American people. Anyway, we're going and looking at historical sites and doing a few service projects. Should be good fun. I get back from it two days before school starts though. So ... That won't be fun.

Mikhailangelo

2012-06-12, 01:44 AM

I'm Scottish. We don't get summer.
I'm a student. I don't have any money.
I'm a workaholic. I don't have any holidays.

All in all my plans for this year are limited to working to earn money so that my next academic year is a lot easier, working on my potentially publishable article and working on my dissertation so that I can perfect it by the time April rolls around.

Had I the time or the money however, I'd probably walk Ben Nevis, or the Great Glen again - Weather be damned. First time we did the former the rain started coming down in torrents by the time we reached the summit - We'd planned to camp but instead spent the night in a nice wee in at the foot of the mountain.

Othesemo

2012-06-12, 02:31 AM

Summer is like the rest of the year. I live as I please, play gigs a few times a week, and spend a good deal of time messing about on my piano. As far as I'm concerned, all the year is summer vacation. I don't have very much money, but I also don't have much need for any, beyond basic upkeep.

Eternal recurrence is an uplifting notion, and whether it's true or not, it certainly gives ample reason to live for your passions.

Krazzman

2012-06-12, 02:33 AM

No money, no vacationtime left for anything real.

If I had Time and Money I would've visited Rock am Ring, Rock im Park, Wacken, Metal camp etc. or better phrased all metal/rock festivals i could get to. But due to moving out next month... instead of concerts i got an apartment.

KuReshtin

2012-06-12, 04:01 AM

I am going on a fabulous European vacation (I'm American, so it's special, shush you Europeans itp) to Germany and France later this month. :smallbiggrin: It shall be extremely fun! I haven't been to Europe in 11 years!

Make a detour to Newcastle in England on the weekend of July 7th.. You'll get to meet lots of awesome playgrounders and play lots of games if you do. :smallwink:

My summer vacation starts next week. I'm going to Sweden for two weeks to see my family. Just to hang out, chillax a bit and unwind.
Traditional Swedish Midsummer celebrations, fresh picked strawberries, lots of barbecue and meeting up with old friends.
Haven't seen my family since last summer, so it'll be very nice.

The Succubus

2012-06-12, 06:04 AM

I'm Scottish. We don't get summer.
I'm a student. I don't have any money.
I'm a workaholic. I don't have any holidays.

:smallbiggrin:

I hear that - except I'm English (but still distinctly summerless) and employed (yet still strangely bereft of cash).

My ideal summer holiday? Hmmm. Probably a cabin on the shores of a huge lake somewhere, far away from civilisation (but with the trappings of civilisation such as showers and bathrooms and wifi). A huge pile of books and maybe a small tablet computer (something I can browse the web on without the temptations of gaming).

The more I think about it, the more I can see it. The weather is cool and sunny, a few clouds in the sky taking the edge off the summer heat. The forest behind the cabin giving a place for a nice relaxing evening stroll. Icy cold beers in the fridge to accompany some early dawn fishing as the sun comes up.

Yeah.

Karoht

2012-06-12, 09:25 AM

Cool beans, I do all my coho fishing up in Alaska.Down the Johnson Straight, we have the Coho starting to change for spawning. They start getting the hooked mouth and color change, but only the early stages. So I guess they are getting closer to the end of their life cycle?

========
I just realized, no one is mentioning cool summer events yet. Any good events out where people are? Planning on attending?

THAC0

2012-06-12, 09:29 AM

Down the Johnson Straight, we have the Coho starting to change for spawning. They start getting the hooked mouth and color change, but only the early stages. So I guess they are getting closer to the end of their life cycle?

Yeah, they change when they're ready to spawn and heading back upstream to make babies and die. Salmon are so weird. And tasty. And cool. But weird.

The Succubus

2012-06-12, 09:37 AM

Yeah, they change when they're ready to spawn and heading back upstream to make babies and die. Salmon are so weird. And tasty. And cool. But weird.

Hmmm, salmon are indeed cool and whole ecosystems thrive on their sex life, but tasty? I'd have to disagree. It's a ver bland tasting fish. Give me a big fat tuna steak or some delicious trout instead.

Karoht

2012-06-12, 09:57 AM

Mmmmmm, seared Tuna. In my opinion, done best with a blow torch rather than a grill.

I would love to spend a summer in a quiet asian fishing village or something. Or at least, my brain thinks I would like to spend a summer that way.

There is a river here in Calgary, it's not amazing but I hear that the fly fishing is decent.

THAC0

2012-06-12, 10:02 AM

Hmmm, salmon are indeed cool and whole ecosystems thrive on their sex life, but tasty? I'd have to disagree. It's a ver bland tasting fish. Give me a big fat tuna steak or some delicious trout instead.

I'll take salmon* over trout any day. Pull that coho out of the ocean, toss it on the grill with a bit of salt and pepper and you'd think you were eating king crab.

*that farmed crap they sell in stores is not salmon

Karoht

2012-06-12, 10:08 AM

*that farmed crap they sell in stores is not salmon
Worlds of difference between fresh caught fish and what passes as 'fish' they sell in stores. But, Salmon isn't everyone's cup of tea these days.

Is seafood really that synonymous with summer?

The Succubus

2012-06-12, 10:15 AM

I tend to associate strawberries more with summer but given that a large number of the vacations mentioned so far involved fishing, I figured a piscine tangent was allowable within the bounds of this thread.

Karoht

2012-06-12, 10:24 AM

Oooh oooh!
Spend 3 months in Australia diving at the Great Barrier Reef.
Beach.
Scuba.
Surfing.
Other non-beach activities.
Steak.
Seared Lamb.
Fresh seafood.
Decent booze. (Fosters, some amazing wines and liquors)
Accents.

Now that is how you spend a summer.
Or in my case, how I would love to spend my winter. In australian summer.

@Strawberries
I spent a summer in British Columbia down in the Okanagan Valley picking fruit. Okay money, fresh fruit, amazing weather, lake to paddle in. Yeah, that was a good summer.

prufock

2012-06-12, 12:39 PM

Erloas

2012-06-12, 12:43 PM

I'll take salmon* over trout any day. Pull that coho out of the ocean, toss it on the grill with a bit of salt and pepper and you'd think you were eating king crab.

*that farmed crap they sell in stores is not salmon

Salmon and trout are very closely related. Trout are part of the salmanoid family even.

I've got both here though, we have kokanee salmon as well as a lot of different trout: brooks, rainbows, browns, lake, cutthroat and mixes of them.

For reference a kokanee is a sockeye salmon that doesn't get to the ocean so it spends its grown life in a large lake and then goes up river to spawn. And steelhead are rainbow trout that do migrate to the ocean.

I sadly haven't got to go finishing at all yet this year, it has either been too windy or something else is going on.

THAC0

2012-06-12, 01:32 PM

Salmon and trout are very closely related. Trout are part of the salmanoid family even.

Well yeah, but it doesn't mean they taste the same. Just like coho and sockeye and chinook taste a heck of a lot better than humpies or chum.

Starwulf

2012-06-12, 06:58 PM

========
I just realized, no one is mentioning cool summer events yet. Any good events out where people are? Planning on attending?

Mmm, there is one event I wish I had the money for. I'd love to go to Otakon 2012, 20th anniversary IIRC, but I'm not about to drive from Hancock to Baltimore, then back all in the same day, and I can't begin to afford to stay at a hotel. But man would I ever LOVE to go to it, I've never been to an Anime Con before.

AtlanteanTroll

2012-06-13, 01:03 AM

Might hit up Warped sometime, but it's looking less and less likely, which is a shame. There're some crappy band, but there's three that I'd just love to see in concert and a few more I certainly wouldn't mind seeing.

Krazzman

2012-06-13, 04:32 AM

Things I will definitely do:
- See Aerosmith in concert at the summer festival.
- Hit the campground for the weekend of said festival.
- See I Mother Earth in concert for Canada Day.
- Around the World in 80 Beers. My buddies and I buy about 10-12 different beers from around the world and drink up! Usually with barbecued meats.
- Play some shows with my band. The bigger the better.
- Eat a bunch of sushi.

Things I may do:
- Run a 10 mile race.
- Some swimming.
- Go to a real beach.

Things I would love to do:
- Bungee jump
- Hit Australia or New Zealand. Or anywhere, really.
- Drive a wicked car with the top down.

Might I be of help for you to decide which ones?

3 Belgian come to mind that I tested a few weeks ago:
Kwak, Leffe (the black one) and La Chouffe. All 3 taste brilliant if you like dark beer. There's also Odin's Trunk a Beer mixed with mead, tastes brilliant if you want a "mixed"-beer and like mead. Another (i think it's also belgian) is Kriek (a cherry beer, sounded wierd but it's tasty).

Hope this helps you.

Karoht

2012-06-13, 10:50 AM

Mmm, there is one event I wish I had the money for. I'd love to go to Otakon 2012, 20th anniversary IIRC, but I'm not about to drive from Hancock to Baltimore, then back all in the same day, and I can't begin to afford to stay at a hotel. But man would I ever LOVE to go to it, I've never been to an Anime Con before.
Road trip 'sleep in the car' conventions are the things made of legend. Just saying.
I'm not even remotely suggesting that you do that though. It's murder on your back. And well, your 'everything else' too.
But they are legendary.

Starwulf

2012-06-13, 03:47 PM

Road trip 'sleep in the car' conventions are the things made of legend. Just saying.
I'm not even remotely suggesting that you do that though. It's murder on your back. And well, your 'everything else' too.
But they are legendary.

Mmm, if it wasn't for my back I'd probably do just that ^^ Maybe I can talk a buddy of mine into springing for a motel room up there, lol.

prufock

2012-06-14, 10:16 AM

Might I be of help for you to decide which ones?

3 Belgian come to mind that I tested a few weeks ago:
Kwak, Leffe (the black one) and La Chouffe. All 3 taste brilliant if you like dark beer. There's also Odin's Trunk a Beer mixed with mead, tastes brilliant if you want a "mixed"-beer and like mead. Another (i think it's also belgian) is Kriek (a cherry beer, sounded wierd but it's tasty).

Hope this helps you.

Keep in mind we're limited to what the liquor stores here actually stock (at least for now, we're not doing special orders). I've tried Leffe, but not the black one. The one that tastes like bumblebees, if that makes any sense. I'll check on these other labels though, thanks.

Alarra

2012-06-19, 02:50 PM

I don't really have a 'summer vacation' persay, now that I have a real job instead of school, so still have to work during the summer. It is, however, con season, so I take a lot of long weekends to go to things like ootscon, gencon (usually, though this year I'm going to a wedding in OK that weekend instead), dragoncon (which we're hitting up this year, I think, because we can't make gencon) and interventioncon (which is technically at the end of sept. so no longer 'summer'). I'd like to get to ComicCon sometime too, though it hasn't been in the cards yet.