GP2K1 Revisited - Part 1 - Ramp up.
by Foontonio
"The journey is the reward." -Tao saying
This year's GP had been months in the planning. Rod Rodgers, info junky 1st
class, had taken over website development and data organizing/harvesting.
He did a masterful job, even setting up a listserv to avoid flooding the
newsgroup with the excessive, (but often hilarious) storm of messages associated
with a bunch of eager surfers in search of a trip. The planning committee,
loosely organized over brewskis one weekend on the Foonbunker balcony, decided
if this was going to happen again, someone had to take control of the details.
KC, Rod and myself had such a good time last year; we wanted to repeat it. The
planning/surf sessions at the Bunker were fun and perked along through the
summer. Then came Sept.Before that, the loss of the original headquarters at the Tory House in August,
was a massive setback for the event. Rod and KC jumped at the task of finding a
substitute house to rent. I traveled downtown one day to sit in Rod's palatial
office while we searched websites and whittled down the possibilities. With
such a short time to consider and small pool of possibilities, the Tranquility
Base beach house in Avon, NC, was singled out as the most acceptable for all our
needs. The downside was the dates for the event had to be shifted slightly. We
knew this could result in some people possibly not being able to make it but it
could not be avoided. We knew too there'd be a ration of shit from the group,
but hey, that's what the ng is best at. The house was a weeklong rental starting
on Saturday, Oct.6th. The reservation was made and notices sent. Adjustments in
what people who attended were charged would have to be made later. The GP2K1 was
on again.September began normally enough, the listserv humming along with topics about
transportation, airport schedules, ridesharing, house rules, what to do in case
of a Hurricane (SURF!) and a quite serious dialogue about the bull shark attack
on some tourists which occurred just blocks from the Tranquility Base.
As late as Sept. 10th everyone was onboard and very eager to charge the Outer
Banks. Sept. 11th things took a serious turn.The listserv noted with the "unbelievable" thread the events of that tragic day.
It veered at once from GP topicality into tangentiated discourses on religion
etc. Within days we experienced our first GP bailouts due to uncertain travel
conditions. I was beginning to get an uneasy feeling about the GP which may have
been a result of having one of the attacks on the Pentagon occurring less than
25 miles from my home and having fully armed F16 fighters flying low overhead
24/7. Things got wacky where I work and live, security measures were ramped up
and life suddenly became much more difficult. MrsFoon got skittish on me (the
Stoli martinis no longer worked) and we headed to the Bunker, normally our
refuge from everyday madness, with a promise to avoid the news of the day.
Unfortunately, we were not seeing everyday madness. The saturation coverage was
becoming overwhelming and it was definitely taking its toll.I had looked forward to meeting and possibly hosting the traveling Tom Keener
during this time. MrsFoon was taking the events of the day quite badly and was
wrestling with the prospect of several commitments to travel to Europe in
September and October. Checks with her bosses and the State Dept. signaled
there might be a change in plans. When her sister called in tears one night
saying her niece had just witnessed, up close, the cold blooded execution murder
of one of her teenaged school friends, MrsFoon's veneer of "dealing with it"
shattered. We took some extra time from work and I regretfully passed on
visiting with Tom.During the following weeks the GP lost some key people we would dearly have
enjoyed meeting and surfing with; Surfgeo, Doc, and the very generous Rico, who
not only graciously returned the Surfing Santa, but included a hand made shirt,
a bunch of Mount Gay Ts and other assorted prizes to be handed out at the awards
banquet. At this point we were still expecting that formidable Texas blowhard
jb :) who would have easily won the Santa (awarded to the person who traveled
the farthest). The specter of the bearded patriarch of the GP being awarded to a
man who prided himself on dressing his playthings in thongs, garters, teddies
and feathered boas, was simply an "apostasy!" The Surfing Santa would have been
humiliated doing his little dance in such attire. At that point I was
considering taking up a collection to fly Tim Maddux or Jose Borrero out for the
event. I figured we could use the intellectual candle power at the GP.As number one cheerleader for the event I tried to launch topics on the listserv
which would help encourage and focus the remaining attendees on the absolutely
riveting stoke of the GP. As a veteran and founding member, I could confidently
tell them that no matter what the conditions (bad weather, poor surf) they would
have a great time, guaranteed. Thankfully, as the terrible events of Sept. 11th
slowly faded farther away, the listserv group managed to concentrate on the task
at hand; planning for, traveling to, and enjoying a trip to the Outer Banks in
October.I on the other hand, though looking forward to the trip, was not as enthusiastic
as I should have been. Work and family problems continued to divert my energies
for getting excited about the GP. I was beginning to regret leaving my wife in
Washington and was toying with the idea of kidnapping her and making her come on
a dreaded surf trip (I should have anyway). Luckily for me, good friends who
were aware I would be gone for a week, included her in many activities and I was
assured she would be in good company while I was gone in case anything happened.
The scary part was she was required to spend part of the week in downtown
Washington DC.Even with all this on my mind, I resolutely prepared myself for the trip to the
OB and the GP2K1. The list of attendees was fantastic with newcomers galore. I
was very interested in meeting with all of them.Next: GP2K1 Launches
"If I look like this, I need the trip." -Gloria Swanson,on her passport photo.
-Foon
Posted to the alt.surfing newgroup
From: Foon (foon@newsguy.com)
Subject: GP2K1 Revisited.Pt1. Ramp up.
Newsgroups: alt.surfing
Date: 2001-10-31 12:06:15 PSTSearch the thread at here.