UKitP VIII - Summer MMXI.

[Capt Spanner]

The story so far...

1 (though this mentions an earlier one)
2
3
4 Totally DID happen even if only AE went!
5
6 The Archon triumphed over the Hippie
7

I thought I'd kick off the thread for the next UKitP meetup. All welcome!

Updated! Again![/B] (And reposted for the new page)

The Cherry Tree,
* 9-11 Oundle Road
* Woodston
* Peterborough
* PE2 9PB

9th July 2011

We have the room effectively from about 11am until we pack up, probably around 10-11pm. There is a buffet, drinks from the bar, enough room for 30+, lots of tables, but no wifi. There is adequate parking and it is less than 10 minutes drive from the railway station, so those of us with cars can collect, or it is comfortably walkable.

Currently, likely cost is looking like £12/head. But this could be less if more people come! More people! Come!

Definitely Coming:

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Capt Spanner
Castaras
Crown of Thorns
CurlyKitGirl (+ some?)
Dallas-Dakota + 1
Eldpollard
factotum
Fifty-Eyed Fred
hamishspence
Kobold-Bard
KuReshtin (+1?)
Lensman
Starfish
Tasroth
Thufir
Vuldus

Might be coming:

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Archonic Energy
Irbis
Timberwolf
TIPOT
Mal
Nameless

The Jibbers Category

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Jibbers
Banjo1985

Has expressed interest, would like to come, but probably won't:

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Charity
Glug (+1-2?)
GrlumpTheElder
Heliomance
Jair Barik
Lex-kat
Lix Lorn
randman22222

Hasn't posted in this thread but might still be interested:

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Last_resort_33 (+1?)
Lyesmith
potatocubed
Sushi Monster
Vampiric

RPG Sessions

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Lensman's Star Wars game (Ku, Cptn. Spanner, Curly, hanishspence, Thufir, Irbis(?)) Note: game was mentioned as full prior to Irbis' post, but depending on his attendance Curly may well cede her spot to allow for others to experience the game. Ku is also willing to step aside for the similar reasoning.

Glug's Burning Wheel Game (GrlumptheElder (although willing to cede to a newbie), Kobold-Bard) - open for more players (Though I'm not sure how many).
(Obviously will only happen if Glug can attend)

Definite Other Games

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Fluxx - Cassie, Thufir
Once Upon a Time - Cassie, Thufir
It's Alive! - Ku, Thufir
OotS game (Including the expansion if it's arrived by meetup time) - someone
Monty Python Fluxx - Tasroth
Nuclear War - Ku
Carcassonne - Ku
Puerto Rico - Ku
Carpe Astra - Ku
Dixit - Ku
Chrononauts - Thufir
Munchkin - Ku
Super Munchkin - Ku
Kubb (May actually be possible to play it this time!) - Ku
Bonhanza - Ku

Possible Other Games

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Swedish copy of Monopoly, for the Gits and Shiggles, since no one but Ku would understand the 'Chance' and 'Community Chest' cards - Ku, obviously
Talisman - Crown of Thorns
All the Munchkin ever - Eldpollard
Blood Bowl - Thufir/Tasroth
Pirate Fluxx - Thufir
Dominion - Glug
Small World - Glug

Note that these possible games vary from "Will probably bring but hasn't specifically said so," to "Will only consider bringing if specifically asked to." If you really want a game brought, ask about it.

Please mention more games that you will/may be bringing!

Information For Sleeping
Express by Holiday Inn. It's a bit out of the way from the pub, but that can be sorted.
There's also another Holiday Inn in Peterborough that's about 5 minutes away from the pub by car. (Thufir/Tasroth, Curly/Fred, DD, Ku/Spanner already booked)
Rates and reccomendations.
There's also apparently a Travelodge about a mile and a half from the venue. (Kobold-Bard already booked)
General consensus seems to be the Holiday Inn.

Things Koorly (Or Others, But Mostly Koorly) Will Try To Bake

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Mini-pavlovas
Catmuffins
Cookies (natch)
Brownies (natch)
Muffins/Cupcakes (natch)
Cookie Monster Muffins
Vegetarian Not-Sausage Rolls. How do people feel about spinach and cheese?

Known Dietary Requirements To Cater For (for ease of grouping)

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Nut allergy (Lensman)
Vegetarians (Jibbers, Eldpollard, Tasroth, CrownofThorns)

Curly may be wanting financial contributions to reimburse her for all the ingredients.
Also, you can make requests/suggestions, though there's no guarantee they will be done.

Please check things are accurate.

And,



I thought the kangaroos were before we got to the main venue?

[hamishspence]

I've been looking at possible Midlands venues- the Y Theatre in Leicester is fairly cheap (and just opposite the train station)- £18 per hour if you book 8 weeks in advance.

[Fifty-Eyed Fred]

I'm up for it, wherever it is, but I will say that the further south it is, the better.
Still, coming from Sussex won't be as bad as coming from Cornwall (it'll be summer, after all).

[Eldpollard]

Starting early this time are we? Colour me possibly interested perhaps.

[Dallas-Dakota]

Colour me interested if it's in London or Scotland.

[Kobold-Bard]

Subscribing.

<Activate lurk mode>

[Totally Guy]

I too think I'll lurk.

[Thufir]

I've been looking at possible Midlands venues- the Y Theatre in Leicester is fairly cheap (and just opposite the train station)- £18 per hour if you book 8 weeks in advance.

I'm not sure about cheap... if we wanted it for 12 hours, that'd be £216. So just over £10 each if this meetup is as well-attended as the last one (Which I obviously hope it will be, but it's better not to depend on it). And that would be on top of accomodation and food as usual.
I mean, it's certainly possible, but there might be cheaper options.

I'm willing to look at venues in the Newcastle area if people are willing to come to Newcastle, but I realise it's a bit far north for most.

[Castaras]

All your threads are belong to us.

- Lurkers and subscribers anonymous


Count me down as interested, and Lensman will be interested... I'll poke him after he's stopped being drunk.

[Heliomance]

Voting for Southampton as venue :P

[KuReshtin]

Starting early this time are we?

No new thread for a whole month since the last meet? We've had new meetup threads start the following week after a meetup. This is a positively delayed start in planning for the next one.

I'm willing to look at venues in the Newcastle area if people are willing to come to Newcastle, but I realise it's a bit far north for most.

I can do Newcastle. It's not too bad for me. Only about 3½ hours.
And no, it's not a bit north. It's slightly south.


Needless to say, I'm interested.

[Fifty-Eyed Fred]

If I recall, those furthest north and south are Ku and myself, so I propose a venue around the same distance from Largs as from Hastings. Having said that, I may remember to book train tickets this time...

[Thufir]

And no, it's not a bit north. It's slightly south.

You're not 'most'.

If I recall, those furthest north and south are Ku and myself,

Um, Curly?

[KuReshtin]

If I recall, those furthest north and south are Ku and myself, so I propose a venue around the same distance from Largs as from Hastings. Having said that, I may remember to book train tickets this time...

The difference between you and I, though, is that I have a car, and therefore do not need to rely on the venue being close to a main train line. It's as easy for me to get to Newcastle as it is to get to Preston.
I would assume that it'd be a lot easier for you, and involve less train changes, to get to Newcastle.
That's just me speculating, though.

You're not 'most'.

On an individual basis, I'd venture to say that I'm most-er than anyone attending the UKitP meetups. Yes, that's a fat joke at my own expense.

[CurlyKitGirl]

Naturally interested and ready to attend.

Largs and my place are about six hundred miles apart, so if we go for about three hundred miles each that means we have the entire Midlands to play with. I remember Peterborough was bandied about during the tail-end of the last thread.

As far as times go, how about end of June beginning of July, same as last year?

Now for the most important question of all:
What should I bake?

[Fifty-Eyed Fred]

Um, Curly?

Ah, of course. Summer and all that.
I don't mind where we all meet - my conditions are merely that it should be awesome.

[KuReshtin]

Peterborough would work.
We had the summer meetup in Peterborough two years ago.
That also means that I can hopefully find a football game to officiate on the way back up north on the Sunday to alleviate the cost of the trip a bit.
Last time in Peterborough, I drove about 170 miles on the Sunday morning to get to Chester, then officiated a football game, then drove the remaining 270 miles back to Largs after that.

[Castaras]

(logs onto right account... not stealing dad's laptop, noooooo)

Peterborough would be perfect acceptable!

Edit: No, the thread that you have as first is first. LR just confused everybody by changing the first thread's first post to be about the second meetup.

[Lensman]

Much as it pains me to agree with my darling daughter, I agree that Peterborough is the best option - relatively accessible, decent travel links, and unlikely to be covered in snow in July, unlike barbaric parts of the country (you know, places like Scotland, Cornwall, Newcastle, London, Leicester or Birmingham).

As regards dates, my vote is for a weekend in July - after the exams in May/June, before August when a lot of people are on annual leave. I'll suggest 9th or 16th July. Anyone else got any feelings/dates to avoid/thoughts?

[Thufir]

Edit: No, the thread that you have as first is first. LR just confused everybody by changing the first thread's first post to be about the second meetup.

Yeah, I was going to point that out, since you mentioned it last thread as well.
Also, the line for 4 should be changed, since it was AE, not Spanner, who was the only one who turned up to that meetup.
...and I just realised now that the first meetup I attended isn't in that list. It should really be 6, and those subsequent to it should be increased in number.
Just because you weren't there doesn't mean it didn't happen, Archie! There were dice and everything!

unlikely to be covered in snow in July, unlike barbaric parts of the country (you know, places like Scotland, Cornwall, Newcastle, London, Leicester or Birmingham).

Totally unfounded. I've been in three of those cities in July, and no snow at all.

As regards dates, my vote is for a weekend in July - after the exams in May/June, before August when a lot of people are on annual leave. I'll suggest 9th or 16th July. Anyone else got any feelings/dates to avoid/thoughts?

Hang on, let me check my diary...
...
Hang on, let me fill in my diary, and then check it...

[smellie_hippie]

As far as times go, how about end of June beginning of July, same as last year?

Now for the most important question of all:
What should I bake?

I think you should bake Archie. Slowly.
Then discard your oven.

If you shoot for the last weekend in June, we may try again for a skype connection between UK meet-up and SE Trogland meet-up. It may even be more successful this time!

[KuReshtin]

If you shoot for the last weekend in June, we may try again for a skype connection between UK meet-up and SE Trogland meet-up. It may even be more successful this time!

That would be quite epic in deed.
We just have to find a venue with a proper and stable wi-fi connection, this time. The one in London last summer was crap.

[randman22222]

Hmm... I'd like to go, but between not knowing where I'll be and not knowing how well-funded I'll be, it's... doubtful. Like... 20% chance of me being able to attend.

Still, *Joins the Legion of Lurk.*

[factotum]

I'm up for it, especially if there are muffins...I was quite disappointed to miss those last time.

I'm a bit puzzled about all these people who seem to think that Peterborough is halfway between Hastings and Largs, though...according to the Bing route planner it's 150 miles from the first and 350 from the second, which must be some new meaning of the word "halfway" I was not previously aware of! Oddly enough, the Manchester/Sheffield area would be a lot nearer halfway, but I guess y'all don't want to visit the same place again...

[CurlyKitGirl]

Much as it pains me to agree with my darling daughter, I agree that Peterborough is the best option - relatively accessible, decent travel links, and unlikely to be covered in snow in July, unlike barbaric parts of the country (you know, places like Scotland, Cornwall, Newcastle, London, Leicester or Birmingham).

Meanie. Just for that I'm not going to bring you any muffins.
Annoyingly though, I did a quick check around just in case the meetup ended up happening during term time.
Six and a half hours from Oxcamfordbridge to Peterborough. I think they're about two hundred miles apart!
Relatively accessible, decent travel links my donkey!

As regards dates, my vote is for a weekend in July - after the exams in May/June, before August when a lot of people are on annual leave. I'll suggest 9th or 16th July. Anyone else got any feelings/dates to avoid/thoughts?

Any time's fine with me.

I'm up for it, especially if there are muffins...I was quite disappointed to miss those last time.

I'm a bit puzzled about all these people who seem to think that Peterborough is halfway between Hastings and Largs, though...according to the Bing route planner it's 150 miles from the first and 350 from the second, which must be some new meaning of the word "halfway" I was not previously aware of! Oddly enough, the Manchester/Sheffield area would be a lot nearer halfway, but I guess y'all don't want to visit the same place again...

No.
From the rear end of Cornwall to Largs is about six hundred odd miles. Peterborough is somewhere in the Midlands, there's been a meetup there before, it's relatively central.

By train, my place to Peterborough (285 miles): six hours, thirty-two minutes.
By car, Largs to Peterborough (353, although that is assuming going via the A1): six hours, forty-four minutes.

No. Really. It's true.
I may actually combine the meetup with spending a few days in Londinium.

*adds muffins to List of Baking*

[GrlumpTheElder]

I'm coming, probably no-matter where as I will be able to travel most places in the Summer.

Of course, somewhere like London would be extra awesome as it is closer...

[Kobold-Bard]

I'm coming, probably no-matter where as I will be able to travel most places in the Summer.

Of course, somewhere like near London would be extra awesome as it is closer...

Fixed that for you. For some reason I get BBC London as my local news (despite living in York), and the place just seems permanently depressing.

[Thufir]

Annoyingly though, I did a quick check around just in case the meetup ended up happening during term time.
Six and a half hours from Oxcamfordbridge to Peterborough. I think they're about two hundred miles apart!
Relatively accessible, decent travel links my donkey!

How did you come up with that? I just did a check and came up with trains taking two and a half to three hours, or coaches taking around five hours.

Re: baking: cookies. They are good, and also compact.

[Fifty-Eyed Fred]

I'm a bit puzzled about all these people who seem to think that Peterborough is halfway between Hastings and Largs, though...according to the Bing route planner it's 150 miles from the first and 350 from the second, which must be some new meaning of the word "halfway" I was not previously aware of!

Well, that's not a problem, is it?

@Curly - baked goods be praised! *Hails delicious meetup sustenance*

[KuReshtin]

If we're going on purely average distance from the most extreme locations the UKitPers would come from (Largs (me) in the north, Cornwall (Koorly) in the South west and Hastings (F-E Fred) in the south east), the location would be around Stafford.
That's about 290 miles from both Penzance and from Largs and about 220 miles from Hastings.

So, do we know anyone in, or around, Stafford that can sort this for us?

Like I said earlier, though, it's easier for me to get to places since I have my car, whereas Koorly has to rely on trains. I've heard from reliable sources that they still haven't got past the Steam-powered trains down in Cornwall yet, so that might be why she found the train trip to take over 6 hours to Peterborough.

Edit: As for baked goods, I want to request that you bring a Pavlova to the meet.