LAbor Day weekend Camping trip.
ok so here's the deal...
the place is called Harmony Ridge.
website: www.harmonyridge.com
address: 23 Risdon Drive
Branchville, NJ 07826
phone #: (973)948-4941
i got the directions right off of mapquest or yahoo maps (one of the two) last time and had no problems with it. so everyone can figure out the directions based on their own addresses as long as they have the address of the site. It should be about a 2 hour trip, give or take.
you cannot check in until 5pm at the earliest. so i HIGHLY recommend not getting there until at least 5, if not 5:30. check-out is also at 5 so if anything needs to be done to the sites, they will be waiting there for a while. if possible, we will get out at 3pm from work, but i most likely will be 3:30. considering the fact that the reservation is under elyse's name, i figure it'll be easier if we all got there around the same time anyway. in case people do get there before, they can either hang out or try to get to the site, which is under Elyse O'Brien. i attached a copy of the site map...i believe our site is around section E. but i am not positive. i don't think we have a reservation number or anything so it is probably best that elyse signs us in. but i guess we'll see. just try to emphasize that 5pm and later is the best bet.
Bring some cash. To avoid the crappy food arguments that went on last summer, we are going to do a "food pool." We’ll decide on a number that is appropriate for four days of food, ice and other essentials and ask upfront for it. We can then buy all our food with that money. If people don’t like that idea and want to go on their own for food that’s fine. But this worked really well for Elaina last time she went campin. We then divvied up the remainder at the end of the trip. All individual items such as alcohol, personal needs, etc., will come out of his/her pocket.
The lowest number of cars and tents is the most desirable. Please please please everyone try to share tents. There really shouldn’t be anyone in their own tent if everyone knows each other. We have a group site, but it’s almost a tent per person.
I need to know how many people are going to go rafting. It’s not white water rafting or anything close to it. It’s a leisurely trip down the deleware river. If you don’t want to get wet, you won’t. we can fit 5-6 people in a boat. There are no guides or anything. It’s basically float along, go swimming if you feel like it, stop and eat if you want. It’s fun and relaxing. It’s $30 per person and I don’t think that’s unreasonable at all. It’s actually the cheapest rate along the river (Elainas been to a few places that are all close by). Not everyone needs to go but it will be fun. So, as soon as possible, I need a head count. Weekends are their busiest time and I’ll have to make a reservation.
Things to bring: Some things not everyone needs to bring so please respond with items you can bring so we know whos taking what and can opptomize space efficiently
tent
sleeping bag(s)
pillow(s)
air mattress and pump (if desired)
clothing obviously (bring some heavier stuff because it's gonna get chilly, if not outright cold. But bring summery stuff too!)
bathing suits
towels - for swimming and showering
toiletries - they have full service bathrooms with pretty damn good showers
sun-block and shit (especially if they're going rafting)
bug spray
first aid kits are always good
snack sort of things that you could bring from home
dish soap
zip-lock bags, aluminum foil and plastic wrap
someone needs to bring a can opener and a bottle opener
matches/lighters/lighter fluid
sponges (a few at least)
money
alcohol (that will not be split between everyone)
flashlights/batteries
lanterns if possible - battery or propane
o normally i don't ask people to bring lanterns if they don't have them already, but we're going to have a lot of ground to cover light-wise. so it would be really helpful if more than you and i brought them (you can get one for under $15 at like target, walmart, bj’s, etc.).
paper plates, paper bowls, paper cups, mugs (if they want them), plastic forks/knives/spoons
we need those big cups for beer pong
beer pong balls
soda, water and other drinks (alcoholic or not)
at least one pot and one pan (for boiling water, cooking eggs, etc.). The more the merrier!
I forgot last time, but plastic table cloths (disposable ones from the dollar store) are awesome. That way we’re not eating on nastiness and won’t get splinters in our food! A few of them would be good because we’ll have a few tables and the things rip easily.
portable stove/grill if they have
propane tanks are always useful, as is charcoal (but we could worry about that there since everyone should pay for that stuff, not just the people with the grills!)
a cooler - mucho importanté. We can’t have a single cooler for 10+ people. Not everyone needs one but I’d guess we need a least three if people are gonna drink. And if they want their own stuff separate from everyone else’s, they have to bring their own cooler.
fishing poles and tackle (again, if desired)
mountain bikes (if you have and want them)
frisbees, soccer balls, etc. (any kind of sporting goods you might want)
ooh, some sort of hatchet might be nice for chopping wood in case we need it. My little thing didn’t quite cut it all that well.
Chairs - chairs are good. Everyone should have a chair. If not they’ll be on the picnic table or on the floor. Folding chairs are fine, camp chairs are better.
There should be a few hammer/mallets so we can hammer in stakes and not have to fight over the one thing I’ll bring
So just let me know what you and the others think whenever you find out. Definitely let me know about rafting though. That’s important. The earlier I call, the better!
This is the most current list I have - please let me know if I’m including anyone who isn’t going or if I’m leaving anyone out:
Elaina
Elyse
Me
Chuck
Jared
Mike (a friend from school that I dunno if you met)
Brieman
Kevin
Jack
Burgio
Corey
Maybes:
shauna (jared’s gf)
jack’s gf
jack please let me know if your bringing your woman!
As for the driving and tent situations, this is what I know (or speculate) thus far!
You and chuck in a tent
Burgio and corey in a tent
Elyse and I in a tent
Jack and gf in a tent, if she comes
Jared and gf if she comes (maybe I can stick him in w/ my friend mike if she doesn’t. I dunno if they know each other well enough for that though!)
Mike by himself (unless the jared thing works out)
Brieman and Kevin - maybe, hopefully!
Car situation:
me,Kevin and chuck in a car
Elyse and i
Burgio and corey
That’s all I know for the cars.
Elaina and I will be bringing stoves for which to cook with, also as I did last time I will be bringing the neccesarry items for making a nice fire as well as a first aid kit seeing as how my car came with one. I know kevin has a lantern, chuck and I shall be bringing at least one hammer and one hatchet. Please respond to this post with things you can bring so we can make sure we know who will be bringing what. also please let me know if there is anything not on the things to bring list you can think of that way we can try and avoid leaving anything out