So how do people that live more than an hour away stay overnight at an Appleseeed? Or is a one day better than not volunteering at all?
Hotel? - too expensive for me I think.... Unless I share a room. A cheap room. Really cheap.
Camp? - fine, but too hot in the summer until midnight or so.... And I would have to buy a tent and such.
Drive back and forth? - too much money for diesel in the truck...
I am looking for ideas and what others do. I saw the Chris was in Clearwater and I know he lives hours away. I am just starting out and will be at the Gainesville shoot at the end of July and would like to do something towards the end of August and perhaps once a month if I can swing it.
Thanks!
Kyle
I have done all of the above options.
Drive out and back - least fun :wb:
Hotel- the wife and I make it a weekend , St Augustine is great for this.
Crash on couches, either family friends or other fellow instructors.
Camp - My favorite way to go , but campfires just don't fly in July. ^:)^
We're in Texas, but the weather is similar. The hubs and I regularly drive 2 - 2.5 hours (depending on traffic) to the Waco events where we instruct. I've also drive quite a ways to different Appleseeds both as an instructor and prior to that, as a participant.
I have crashed at my nephew's apartment. He and his wife live in campus housing - that's a fun time, especially when the neighbors decide to party all night long. :cool2: The best time was when the hubs and I both crammed in to the twin x-tra long bed they have in their spare room. **) Hey, we were out of the rain!
I have sacked out on an air mattress in the supply room at the range (it's air conditioned - not so terrible)
The entire family (me, hubs, 3 kids) sacked out in sleeping bags in the meeting room at the range (even better)
My husband has camped in our minivan - we threw the twin mattress from our son's trundle bed into the back and he had a comfy little spot to sleep. I even bought him a set of Skeeter Beaters to cover the front windows so he can get air circulation (doesn't work well in Texas heat or when temps hit the freezing mark)
We have not yet stayed at a hotel, but that might be fun. :)
Hi Kyle, indeed the 4 hour one way drive there and back to Clearwater was long but, certainly worth it. I ended up in a hotel down there for two nights......not a nice hotel either. Wow. I would highly recommend that you travel around if you are able, to work with unfamiliar crews and experience Appleseed at different venues with other instructors. My thought was this exposure would culminate in me being a more rounded and experienced instructor when that red hat is finally handed to me. In my travels around the state last year and this year I saw new and familiar faces, although the name tags may be different at each range one familiar vein is always present: a burning love of liberty and the desire to share it with all who will listen.
Chris the next time you head over to the left coast you are more than welcome to the guest bedroom at my house. We are only about a 30 min drive from the WAC in Clearwater.
At this weekends Manatee Appleseed I'll have rented room at the Notell 6 with an extra bed for anyone that needs a place to flop. If the bed space fills up we ca put a sleeping bag out on the floor. AC and no skeeters.
And I promise I don't snore anywhere near as bad as Sly223 and Big Country or fart as much as Alkyford.
BTW any extra help this weekend down at the Manatee shoot would be much appreciated.
So it appears that there are inexpensive alternatives to a hotel and that makes it much easier for me to attend. I don't mind driving, and I get what you are saying Chris, but I don't want to waste too much time traveling as I am trying to balance a lot of life right now.
How does one ask what the options are once I sign up for an event? Here on the forum? PM the instructor of a shoot once one volunteers?
Thanks!
Kyle
Henry,
I will come down and give you hand this weekend.
Quote from: Cable___Guy on June 21, 2016, 08:29:58 PM
Henry,
I will come down and give you hand this weekend.
You da man. :)
Kyle it's like this, we do what we do to make the event happen, from flopping a fart sack down on the firing line, sleeping in our cars/trucks to piling a bunch of folks into the Shoot Boss's hotel room. If you want to help at a shoot let everyone know here on the Florida forum, a way will usually be found to make it happen.
Quote
make it happen.
I can, and will, do that!
Thanks to all who replied!
Kyle
I've camped in a tent or hammocked in temps ranging from a low of 10 degrees f to a nighttime low of 90 degrees f. If you have a breeze it is doable. I prefer the hammock to the tent in almost all cases. I am still using the one that I bought in 2009 in preparation for the 2010 Feb. Bootcamp at Ramseur.
I've also slept in alot of inexpensive motels, the back of the truck, and clubhouse floors. I prefer the hammock. But it is an investment.
Quote from: jmdavis on June 22, 2016, 12:57:28 PM
I've also slept in alot of inexpensive motels, the back of the truck, and clubhouse floors. I prefer the hammock. But it is an investment.
As long as there are trees, I would enjoy the hammock. I am going to start with the tent and back of truck options and work my way to civilization from there!
Thanks!
Kyle
Good thread and great question.
I'm blessed to have a spouse that wants to come to every shoot with me. We make it a family event, and often times, that creates logistics challenges. While I'm down with sleeping just about anywhere/anytime (occupational core competency ;D ), my wife is a bit more particular about "roughing it".
Our MO has been to rent travel trailers for the weekend, but even that gets a bit pricey, depending on where you stay and frequency of renting. Some shoots are good for this, others are not (read, "Fairfax, VA"). We just recently took the plunge and bought a new-to-us travel trailer, which will provide us some consistency. Not as big as the Navybowhunter Tow-Mahal, but a good amount of space. This investment will take a while before we break even financially, but it makes it much more convenient for us overall.
I did work a one day AS event where I drove about 3.5 hours each way. An absolute grinder of a day, but well worth it.
In your case, I think your best bet is to ping your fellow instructors, whether it be by PM or make it a topic in a planning thread.
YMMV.
A lot of tenting it, clubhouse floors and with friends when applicable.
Got a room once, in a small city and no campgrounds available that time of year.
have you considered asking someone who lives near the range or regularly works the event what they do?
I have never shown up at an event and worried about a place to stay.
Smoak, that is exactly what I am planning, once I meet a few more people! Haha!
Since I have only been to the GTR Appleseed and have only met a few of the folks, I felt that asking here was a good start to figure out what others did to travel and volunteer.
I will be asking people at the event on the 31st and figure out where to go for something in August!
Thanks!