PTO PikNik 2016

[Home Grown Poultry]

Just get a pair of those fancy pigeons and place in back of van....

[windwalkingwolf]

OK, so we have to wait for news on WLLady's surgery, because having a PTO picnic without as many founders/admins as possible would be a little silly. Aaaand, we either have to find a way to get Ross past Toronto in his own car (as he said, health etc. willing), or have the party west of central, because a PTO party without Ross would be quite lacking, I think. Easiest/fastest way to bypass TO coming west would be to cross border at Niagara and follow the lake, and cross back again at Gananoque. Going North around the metro can easily be done, and I will be doing that if I end up traveling west but will add an easy hour or two to the trip. Probably more if it's me, because I tend to get lost in towns, and we love slowing down and taking in the scenery on backroads (I'm like, OOH! CHICKENS! and Richard's like, OOH! CARS!). But I'd really not rather make a 7 hour trip unless absolutely necessary. And, I've determined that meeting you all is necessary. Sooo. We still haven't heard from many western/central members, and I'm really surprised that there hasn't been more nays to coming East. A board-wide notice or some PMing and a location poll set up might be in order.
WLLady, you have some great ideas to make it (if it's privately hosted) a fairly hassle-free event. I never would have thought to ask people to bring their own dishes! Or to tell kids that if I find them in the garden with strawberry on their faces, they have to pull weeds LMAO! I would add, that food that will need to be reheated should be transported in the pot it was made in, preferrably a crock pot (if here or elsewhere privately hosted), so you can plug it in and walk away. BBQ safe pot if held at a public venue like campground, park or beach.

[windwalkingwolf]

P.S. Whichever location/route we take, we might consider passing a hat to help cover costs for members that couldn't otherwise afford the trip. Or maybe a 50/50 draw

[ross]

:wagon: Guess I could wear blinders eh !!! Fit right in with Torontario drivers . Luck
PS no passport .

[windwalkingwolf]

Having been a driver and a passenger on trips through Mississauga and York, I would recommend blindfolds for the passengers, so they don't their pants.

[baronrenfrew]

Lmao, last time I was in Germany, I couldn't put the pedal down till everyone was asleep. I got the vw to 210km/h but with four of us (no lightwieghts here) and our luggage it was no fun any faster. The rest of the time we drove 140. Bloody stressfull, lanes are narrower, felt like we'd kiss mirrors, no gravel strip. $2.50 per litre, too expensive to drive fast. Ahh the autobahns of Germany, no speed limit, no clean pants.

I'm in, can't promise for the boss, she'll be on a course most of the summer.

[baronrenfrew]

Oh yes, the difference between us Canucks and my German cousins: we measure distance in time as "its a four hour drive". And we drive 7 hours and we haven't left the province let alone the country.

They drive with discipline: slow lane 90km/h (max legal speed for trucks), middle lane 120 - 140, fast lane "warp speed"
Or you don't drive: trains and buses going everywhere.

[SandyM]

There's a few provincial parks up the 400 - like Innisfil .. Not as far as Barrie. I can look into those if that works for everyone

[WLLady]

Ha ha! i had the pleasure of being a passenger in germany with my hubby's brother driving. keep in mind he has gotten speeding tickets in germany (which was new to me, i thought they couldn't LOL-they've lived in germany all their lives). well, i literally stared at the floor and didn't look up in the back seat until martin said "hey! we're on the test run for BMW! look left!" we were in the right lane, going 190....YES 190km/hr, on the autobahn with no speed limit posted, and we were passed like we were standing still by the nicest sportiest beautifullest brand spanking new BMW like we were standing still. Conservative guesstimate was 250...maybe higher. then i looked right back at the floor and reminded myself there's no reset button....at that speed it all felt like a videogame....the white lines were going too fast....i lived. not sure how. apparently i didn't look so good when we got to his house, because i was offered a place to lie down if i wanted LOL.

i'm starting to think someplace like mount forest area, or barrie.....so easterners come half way, westerners come half way. Honestly i think there's way more of you out east than out my way....and you could get north of toronto down the 1 or something, man toronto snarls things up doesn't it....i don't have any issues with toronto (well, other than HATING IT WITH A PASSION), i just pick an "off" time like 2am to go through. and we take the 407...it's not bad toll wise in the car (don't take the pickup truck!) and if it were a full car, so much the better. please don't wait on me though!!!!! because wait times on surgery are completely unpredictable and long...and honestly there's way more PTO-ers from out east than there are from out west or south west or north.....so i don't mind being part of the minority having to travel....because it's cheaper for the majority if it's east of TO

[TomK]

Okay...I'm thinking...dangerous i know..lol...this picnic idea rocks...it could be am awesome opportunity to really get to know some of the folks here...i think it should be mid ontario somewhere...it makes things fairer...a little northeast of TO perhaps...that way it evens out the driving...i would think it will need overnighting capabilities...but lets update the map..get on it, so we can see who is actually where in the province...that way we can make a better call on where..im quite looking forward to this....