Cleveland rendezvous, possible beer

Guys, I am signed up for the Rock & Roll HOF dinner, whenever that is (Friday?). Any time working around that is OK for me. If all are going to this RRHOF event, maybe we could put together a table? Jim: Go for that Top 10 while you can get it and, what's more, mentally go for it in the age group below you. FINA has just published the 2001 World Top 10's and a number of us managed to make the T10 in the age group one under. Some did even better. Ian.

Originally posted by Matt S Jim, ... The R&RHoF Social Event ...I can't see going to that one... ... Let me know what you decide, and I will work with that. See you there. Matt Jim, what's the news on this 'Cleveland rendezvous, possible beer'? Still on? Also, like Matt here, I am not inclined to go to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame event, since I am allergic to noisy crowded events that sap my competitive energy. My preference would be a relatively quiet beer place on Friday, but like Matt I will work with what you decide. You are the team leader on this, Jim.

Thanks, Ion. It looks like Saturday is most likely because so many of us are going to the Rock n Roll thing Friday. Now what we need to do is get more people to sign up for our beer festivities! I am confident several of my teammates will want to go. Bring family and friends as well. One quick note--at these long course meets, they often start heats from both sides of the pool. When I suggested as the fail safe meeting place Lane 4 at the conclusion of the 50 free for men and women, I think we should make it the DEEP END of Lane 4 (assuming there is a deep end), otherwise, half of us might end up at the two different ends of Lane 4! Thank god we don't have to organize the logistics of the war in Afghanistan...It's hard enough getting 6 people together for a beer in Cleveland. PS We should get Laura Kessler to come and show us the brew house she has in mind. I'm pretty sure it's walking distance from the pool.

The list to the best of my knowledge so far, updates like this: Originally posted by jim thornton ... Ian Smith -- 60-64 -- 50 fly, 50 & 100 free; meeting preference #1 Thursday, #2 Saturday; Yes to RRHOF on Friday Jim Thornton -- 50-54 -- 800, 400, 200, 100, 50 free, and 100 fly; meeting preference Thursday and Saturday both fine; Yes to RRHOF on Friday Jim Matysek -- 40-44 -- 800 free, 400 IM, 50 ***, 100 brest, 200 ***; meeting preference any day; Yes to RRHOF on Friday Matt Shirley -- 40-44 -- 200, 400 free, 200 fly; meeting preference, we don't know yet: me Ion, I am filling information Matt gave me so far; No to RRHOF on Friday Ion Beza -- 40-44 --800 free, 200 free, 100 free; meeting preference any day, Friday and Saturday are fine; No to RRHOF on Friday; club San Diego Swim Masters; won't have a rental car, but will take a taxi or get a ride Bill Volckening, the United States Masters Swimming Editor for SWIM Magazine -- 35-39 -- 200, 400, 1500 free, 200 back, 200 fly, 400 IM; meeting preference, we don't know yet: me, Ion, I am filling information Bill gave me so far; Yes to RRHOF on Friday; club New England Masters; Hope to see you there! Also, I acknowledge that we will meet most likely at the conclusion -for both women and men- of the 50 meter free, lane 4, on Saturday, if it's not decided that the beer rendezvous will take place before that, say Friday.

Jim, OK, OK, Sat it is. Since I have no events that day, do you have a questimation as to when the conclusion of the Men's 50 will be? (I realize you may need to see the psych sheets first.) If we can confidently say our little soiree would start in the late afternoon, I can probably lobby my own "she who must be obeyed" to work around it. To fill in Ion's blurb for me: Matt Shirley -- 40-44 -- 200, 400 free, 200 fly; meeting preference: 1) Fri, 2) Thu (but give me a time frame since I will be arriving that day), 3) Sat; No to RRHOF on Friday. BTW, given Ion's attention to detail scanning the previous posts and summarizing them for us, he might not do to badly with the logistics for operations in Afghanistan. BTWx2, since I am on the Staff of U.S. Transportation Command, I actually do work on the logistics for Afghanistan operations! :D (So there!!) Matt

Thanks, guys. This should be lots of fun. Matt, is there any way you might requisitiion a tank or something to ferry us from the pool to the bar? That way if we do get drunk, we won't really need a designated driver. But perhaps I am being a bit selfish in my outlook here. Congratulations on being a military logistician. This only serves to further corroborate my theory that masters swimming attracts the smartest and most interesting athletes around. It's probably because our brains have so much time to rest during the soothing monotony of swimming laps.

It looks like at least half of us are going to the RRHOF on Friday, so that leaves Thursday and Saturday as the most likely beer rendezvous times. I am personally swimming the 800 Free on Thursday, but I know that at least Ian is not, and since this is the first day of the meet, it might be hard for everyone to actually locate each other in time. Thus, it seems to make more sense to me to arrange a Saturday outing because that will give us more time to actually find out who the other people are and get the logisitics ironed out. So as de facto team leader, I suggest the following: 1) we go out for beers on Saturday night, each of us reinforcing in the others that drinking to the point of vomitous inebriation is NOT a good idea and will negatively impact Sunday's swims. We should, therefore, drink just short of the point of vomitous inebriation. (Note: on rereading the above posts, I just remembered that Sat. is not ideal for Matt Shirley. Matt, do you think you and your family could join us for a quick beer BEFORE going to see your wife's relatives? Who knows? This might make the familial visit all that much more enjoyable.) 2) we should try to make each other's acquaintance before Saturday, but in case we miss each other, why don't we meet at, say, lane 4, in the deep end of the pool, at the conclusion of the men's 50 meter swim on Saturday? 3) any and all teammates are invited to come along for our moderate drinking & camaraderie (see above comments on vomitous inebriation and avoidance thereof) 4) any and all other posters are earnestly solicited to join in the festivities. 5) finally, to make locating one and all easier, put down your details on the list below, copy the entire list, and post it anew. Details: Age group, swims, whether Saturday night is okay, and possibly if you're planning to go to RRHOF. (Note: when this list is complete, print it out and stick it in your swim bag and take it to the meet. We can try to find each other in between--a kind of scavenger hunt to dull the monotony of the meet.) Ian Smith -- 60-64 -- 50 fly, 50 & 100 free; meeting preference #1 Thursday, #2 Saturday; Yes to RRHOF on Friday Jim Thornton -- 50-54 -- 800, 400, 200, 100, 50 free, and 100 fly; meeting preference Thursday and Saturday both fine; Yes to RRHOF on Friday Matt Shirley -- age? events? meeting preference?; No to RRHOF on Friday Ion Beza -- age? events? meeting preference?; No to RRHOF on Friday Bill Volckening, the United States Masters Swimming Editor for SWIM Magazine -- age? events? meeting preference?; RRHOF on Friday? Hope to see you there! Jim

Originally posted by jim thornton ... One quick note--at these long course meets, they often start heats from both sides of the pool. When I suggested as the fail safe meeting place Lane 4 at the conclusion of the 50 free for men and women, I think we should make it the DEEP END of Lane 4 (assuming there is a deep end), otherwise, half of us might end up at the two different ends of Lane 4! Thank god we don't have to organize the logistics of the war in Afghanistan...It's hard enough getting 6 people together for a beer in Cleveland. PS We should get Laura Kessler to come and show us the brew house she has in mind. I'm pretty sure it's walking distance from the pool. 1) Looking at the picture, Robert Busbey Natatorium seems to have a shallow and a deep end. It's a slow pool, then... So it's Saturday, after we meet at the conclusion of the 50 meter free, lane 4, deep end. 2) My hotel, 'Best Hotels and Suites' is 0.5 miles from the pool. A search on the Internet for 'Great Lakes Brewing Restaurant and Pub', gives driving directions from my hotel to the pub, that are 3.4 miles long. 3.4 miles plus 0.5 miles, that's almost 4 miles from the pool. 4 miles, or 6.4 kilometers, is more than one hour walk. Maybe we should take a taxi. Laura could come with us, and confirm that the place has red beer. 3) No word yet from Bill. In fact Jim Thornton being a sports writer and Bill being the editor of the Swim magazine, this get together is also good for professional collaboration. 4) We don't have a tall swimmer with us, picture of wellness in swimming; Jim Thornton I understood is 6'1", but that's still peanuts compared to Tall Paul.

Cleveland bound posters....... Thursday is preferable for me. I have a 50 fly on Friday and a beer or two will make no difference to my time and provide a great excuse for the normal so-so showing (actually learning to swim fly properly would maybe help) Friday: at the RRHOF (my kids would kill me if I DIDN'T go - and they won't even be there) Saturday: OK but a second choice - have the 100 on Sunday and need to have enough energy to finish this borderline long distance event. If it takes a couple of beer sessions to meet everyone, that's OK too. Worse things have happened. Ian. Am in the 60-64 50 fly, 50 & 100 free if anyone wants to coordinate pool-side after an event (or studiously avoid me)

So far, Ian, Jim, Matt and me, are joining for a beer. Also, Bill Volckening, the United States Masters Swimming Editor for SWIM Magazine, had expressed interest in meeting USMS Forum posters, and might join us, but it's not decided yet. Anyone else?