We've narrowed it down to specifically August 16th-20th. Public transportation and hotel costs will be aided for those who need it, although if you don't, please consider donating to the community pot. I am destitute.

Be there or be sort of this weird, unpleasant rectangular shape that no one likes.

Well, as you know, we American Jazzers are in a perpetual state of jealousy about the organization skills of our European counterparts. So, on August 8th-20th (sometime during then, of course - not the entire time or we'd be at eachother's flag-waving, country-bombing throats,) we're going to meet in the capital of fried fish goods, San Francisco, California!

Of course, the northern Canucks are welcome too, and even people who aren't from the West Coast can come. Just be aware that you'll have to pay your own fare. I'd recommend train travel; it takes about three days to get across the country, unless you can afford the plane ticket, in which case STOP MAKING MONEY!!!

Here is the list of people that may be able to come:

Definite
iCeD (CA) - Confirmed.
Monolith (CA) - Confirmed.
Trafton (WA) - Confirmed.
VelKasha (CA) - Confirmed.
Violet CLM (CA) - Confirmed.
Elliot (CA) - Confirmed.
Black Ninja (WA) - Confirmed.
Spotty (BC) - Confirmed.
EvilMike (BC) - Confirmed.
Jill (WA) - Confirmed.
FireSworD (NM) - Confirmed.
Mephisto (BC) - Confirmed.

i'm coming, trafton. you can't stop me.

Put me on the confirmed no list.

I can't come, too short of notice. Perhaps next year, or if those of us in the mad east have a meeting, maybe in Chicago. Or mcatis's apartment. I'm sure he'd be into that.

Next year, maybe. I'll have money then probably. I'm still happy I got to meet DS and Noveh last week. We have meetings, they are just small scale.

And hey, don't forget about Dethman! Ha.

i might come depending if im at berklee (in boston) or not.

No. I am Eastside, not Westside, (playa.)

And I have no reasonable way of getting there.

Im going up to a cottage in august so no. D=

Put me on some chance. I might be getting this job, and I might be starting soon.

I'm still undecided ;D

Lucky for us East-Coasters, I have created a giant catapult capable of transporting us to the west coast in RECORD TIME.

I have a few suggestions.

1. Quickly throw together a website with all information on it. Update it frequently.
   
2. Find a hotel and contact them about this. See if you can get a special discount for a "convention" or something else that sounds important.
   
3. Make day by day plans so that no arguements occur as to what should be done.
   
4. Give me money.

I really want to go to this thing, but there is a reasonable chance that I will not be able/allowed to. But since I want to be supportive, I will try to give as much help as I can regarding this.

Originally Posted by EvilMike

Find a hotel and contact them about this. See if you can get a special discount for a "convention" or something else that sounds important.

Five Golden Star! =D

Indeed Mike. To add: make up *backup* plans. If you go to some place and it rains, or if it's suddenly closed etc, have an alternative idea of what to do.

Or you could just hang out.

Trafton I'm from Delaware, that's DE.

Ah, I doubt I'll be able to go, even if I wanted to. That goes for Hugela as well. It would be cool to attend, however. ;P

Nice of you to think of me, or whatever.

BUT WHO TOLD YOU WHERE I LIVE?!

i vote for mcatis' appartment in a future eastcoast meeting.

The 16th-20th seems a free time period here. I await more information on times and locations, especially as Elliot says he will probably come along (unless something comes up).

Wait, we actually set a date? Someone gimme the info, maybe?

..I could have done it all summer but Aug 16-20. I have college starting on Aug 18, so I'll be in MS...maybe we should start planning for next year so this doesn't happen again. Still, I want the info just in case.

Originally Posted by Shorty

Wait, we actually set a date? Someone gimme the info, maybe?

..I could have done it all summer but Aug 16-20. I have college starting on Aug 18, so I'll be in MS...maybe we should start planning for next year so this doesn't happen again. Still, I want the info just in case.

Awwww geez. I would have loved to have ya come... unfortunately, this meeting was kind of spontaneous, actually. Also, I'm unable to meet anytime during July/early August, so we had to move the occasion to mid-late August. Maybe you could attend the US East meeting if the Mad Easterners aren't going to be impressively lazy about everything.

Like the Easterners will plan anything. :P

Alright, here's the fun part: Where we actually start listing off addresses of the places we're (at the moment) planning to go to. I suggest Trafton add this to his post when he can, it's pretty vital.

The San Jose Executive Inn (where we're planning on staying and such)
3930 Monterey Highway
San Jose, CA 95111
mapquest link

The Exploratorium (most likely one of the first places we visit in SF)
at the Palace of Fine Arts
3601 Lyon Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
mapquest link website's directions

Japanese Tea Gardens
Tea Garden Drive
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA
mapquest link

Great America
[4100-4104] Great America Pkwy
Santa Clara, CA 95054
mapquest link

I doubt we will even need most of these, sans the hotel address. (we will probably have the directions ready on-hand) But I'll just put them here for reference.

While we don't have a finalized format for the trip, I suggest this:

August 16: Early birds, people flying in, etc. show up in the afternoon, make the hotel reservations, etc.
August 17: Day 1. Commute to San Francisco before noon, and just spend the day walking around, seeing various things, eating, etc. We would return to our hotel shortly after 5-6 PM.
August 18: Undecided day. We might see a movie or browse Silicon Valley. (or both, who knows) Same times for departing/returning to the hotel, I assume.
August 19: Great America day. We spend the morning (earlier this time, I'm thinking around 10 AM) and possibly the afternoon just hanging around the park, depending on how we feel. We'll return and possibly have a big dinner, that's up to discussion.
August 20: We eat breakfast, say our goodbyes and head back on the road. (or to other parts of the area, for those of you who have more to do)

I dunno. What do you guys think?

What happens if someone can like...randomly show up, but hasn't told anyone? Like is miraculously able to come out to CA and happens to be there that weekend?

(BTW, as for the "mad" Eastern convention, if Paul and Sheep and I can have a LAN, I think we can pull together something bigger. Anytime someone drops a clue as to their wanting one, I'm in. Not to mention we've got Boston in our backyards.)

Originally Posted by Ducky

What happens if someone can like...randomly show up, but hasn't told anyone? Like is miraculously able to come out to CA and happens to be there that weekend?

It would be rather nice, but a serious inconvenience. I wouldn't suggest it because we'd have to pick them up somehow, and the extra costs would kill me (and probably Trafton also). We're going to Great America, and I depend entirely on people telling me beforehand so I can buy tickets (they're normally fifty dollars, but I can get discounts if we buy them ahead of time). Furthermore, people who randomly show up will freak my parents out, I would imagine.

By the way, for those who are attending, please make some efforts to send me a photo of yourself.

If Ducky was to miraculously show up, I'd defenently try to help out. :P

One thing that would be particularly helpful and neccessary is a map and timetable of bus routes for the area, since we will be relying mostly on public transportation.

The schedule is looking good so far. I'll be arriving Monday (16) night and leaving Friday (20) morning.

Velk already has a pic of me. And I'll be bringing a couple cameras.

Too bad I can't join in. Even if us East Coasters could set up a place, I probably wouldn't be able to go there either (unless it would be within the boundaries of south-central PA, which I doubt).

I got college and work, anyhow.

Well, I actually meant like, if I were able to come out, would it be possible to get in touch with the lot of you, find out where you are, where I can meet you and stuff.
I wouldn't inconvenience you by having to get a room somewhere awkward or by needing a transport anywhere. Or at least, I'd probably be set up somewhere beforehand.
(Anyway, this is entirely theoretical. I've been hoping for a trip to California to meet someone and there was a possibility that it could coincide with your weekend. But more than likely we'll have to wait until the mad Eastern get-together.)

My mom gave me permission, I have monies, and I have a cheap plane ticket first class at the cost of a railroad ticket. Hahahahaha



I'm so full of hate right now, School starts on the 18th. If you plan to do this again, can you make it July as most semesters seem to start in August? Kind of selfish to ask eh?

So how are things going for this? We should probably be making hotel reservations if we've figured out how to arrange everybody.

Also, make sure to mention hotels.com when you register and ask for a 30% discount. I've received reports that a 20% discount is the only possible amount, but ask for 30% anyway since there used to be a similar offer on the site.

Already done.

Hey, iCeD is rooming with me, however I'll be there Monday night and he won't be coming till Tuesday. That means I'm kind of looking for someone to room with for that first night. If anyone hasn't made reservations yet and maybe has the same situation as I, contact me.

Yeah, so, we made a reservation. Ok. Page.

I am arriving on the 17th in san francisco by airplane, at 9:25 am, I'm wondering where I should meet everyone since that's the day when the "walking tour of san fran is". Yes, so I need to know where I can meet everyone, tnx.

Originally Posted by Trafton

We'll be leaving around noon by Caltrain - it should give you some time to check in and stuff. We'll meet in the lobby at around 11:45.

Caltrain is great for getting back and forth from San Jose to San Francisco -- I've done it twice this month already, accompanied by two individuals mentioned in this thread -- but I want to ask if you know that hardly any trains go to the Caltrain station that's a few blocks away from the hotel. The last SF train that stops at that station leaves at 7:36 am, whereas the main San Jose station (not exactly walking distance from the hotel) has them going back and forth all the time.

See http://caltrain.org/timetable_effect...day-northbound for the schedule.

I'm poor... and to young to go. Plus my mom would go crazy if i went to Cali... she would be scared the girls would rap me cause of my good looks haha..im not that poor lol

We believe you, Tman.

I think me and Espio will avoid this meeting, though as much as I wanna meet you guys. Seriously I really would love to. I think we shouldn't go due to our horrid behavior on here and to prevent a possible ruining of the American JJ2 meeting. Though you all be sure to have fun for me Enjoy it too! =)

aaa.... im not poor

Okay, I think we have the train routes down for transportation. The only exception to this is the times and routes for day 1, which we've yet to decide on things to do yet. Velk (or anyone that knows more about the area than I) should pass some suggestions along, we need to finalize this. But for now, for both day 2 and 3, we'll be leaving from the Tamien Caltrain station at 10:32 AM. Said station is on 1355 Lick Avenue (QUICKLY! To the LICK STATION!) which is luckily 1 turn away from the hotel we're staying at, but it's 3.5 miles down. You can get there however you want from the hotel. I'm gonna be hardcore and walk. HOWEVER, in order to ensure we depart properly, you need to be at the station at 10:15, around 20 minutes early. This is to ensure we can all buy tickets and still catch the train. Try your hardest to make the time.

Oh and one more thing, we will need to know when you show up. This will be needed to coordinate things on day 1, when we do come up with things to do. Here's a quick list of arrival times we have so far, just for reference:

iCeD: Tuesday, 12-1 PM
Monolith: Monday, 9 PM