May 2007 Archives

Here it is as by request, the Willie Fish for your Viewing pleasures:

Enjoy!

Some photos are on their way...

Chico

Breakdown of fixed costs.

 Based on 14 in RV and 15 in hotel

 RV: $112
Hotel: $43
Dinner (Sat.) $15*
Bowling  $15
Tube Rental  $10**

Additional Costs ???

 Total $195

*This is for entrée only. Drinks are on your own tab.

**There is a $10 deposit, but you get five buckaroos back…if you bring back the tube.

 The idea is here that you pay for everything up front and then don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the trip.  Captain Fricker and myself will be responsible for handling the cash, two very trustworthy individuals.  Please bring cash, this is preferable to other forms of payment. You might need a little extra money for booze…maybe.

List of items to bring

· Yourself

· Money

· Nice looking clothes for dinner

· Shoes that can go in the creek

· Athletic shoes for possible B-ball game

· Summer clothes for during the day

· Warm clothes for night

· Sleeping bag/blankets for Sunday night

· Bathroom shit

· A positive attitude and a competitive spirit

Sorry this is a little bit last minute.  Leaving
tomorrow, let’s fucking do it!!!

   MOCS

I found this interesting article, that claims that Idaho may be the ideal place in the US, nay the world, for flapjacks.  What do you think IFS: Idaho?

It’s a place where five dollars will buy a big stack of cakes, drinkable coffee, and meat—and vegetarians are to be warned that, to judge by the sometimes porky taste of the cakes, batter and pig live side by side on the grills of most such places. This, carnivores will tell you, is not at all a bad thing. My favorite such eatery boasts a marquee that warns, “Elegant dining elsewhere.”
[Britannica Blog]

Dear Frick,
           By the time you read this I have already fallen asleep, and by then it is too late for me to know your response before I have fallen asleep. The point of the post was to ask you the amount of money we should need for the formalities of the Chico trip. I think you should include all expenses possible ( tubing, rv rental., lodging, etc.) this way ______ and I know just how much to set aside for the finest whorehouse in Chico, besides _______ ex-residence. (Sorry ____, I had to take it...but note the "ex-residence" I am very proud of you to have your new sole residence. And if you forgive me, allow me to purchase you a sexual favor of your liking.) I think it would be easier Fricker if you could maybe throw a figure, so that some have an idea of what to expect, while sober.  Sincerely, Nova-not the phantom.

Driving into work on Tuesday, a morning like any other, hazy, cold, a mountain of emails waiting for my arrival, and what do I spy barreling down the 5 freeway just outside San Clemente? The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.  We quickly sped up in order to grab this pic, but unfortunately did not have the opportunity to get the driver to pull over and give us the customary wiener whistle, wow that sounds gay.

Maybe someday you will see one of the six giant rolling wieners too, but until that day you can read about their history here.

"Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted - one moment,
Would you capture it or just let it slip?"

    - Marshall Bruce Mathers III
      Singer, Actor, Lyricist, Composer, Producer, Oscar Winner, NorCal Hero

i know hand.

Ministers, a tragic fact has just come to my attention: I will be in the motherland during Memorial Day weekend.  It turns out that instead of leaving SF on May 29 - as I originally thought - I am returning to SF on May 29.  This means that while you are river rafting, RV'ing , and reveling in Chico, I will be chain smoking and growing out my moustache.  No one is more dissapointed by this than me, and I hope you will all accept my deepest regrets.  Of course there are many more meetings ahead of us, so I look forward to seeing everyone at the next one, if not sooner.  Bon voyage flapjackers - don't forget to have a Sierra Nevada or two for me.

Ok, sorry about not adding this to my post last night, but I'm doing it today so neigh sayers you can go to hell.  I put down a reservation deposit for the specific RV that was so nicely detailed by a certain member of the Mike wing - respect.  The good news is that this will be fucking awesome if we pull it off, not to mention a much more comfortable ride in terms of space and the ability to get hell of drunk without fear of the 5-0.

 The bad news is that “dis shit aint cheap!”  MOM and I went over the figures last night. The post below is an official copy of my receipt from the reservation. It reads that our total due upon pick-up is $1,096.31. Add $300 for the deposit which I already made and you get $1396.31.  Tack on another $125 for “young driver fee” and we are at $1521.31.  Now, provided that we return the vehicle in its original condition we should get 5 hundo back.  So lets call it 1021.31. That’s about 75 bucks per person, not including extra miles and gas.  Fortunately yours truly was able to get us half off on the mileage so 800 miles are already included in the above price.  Adding 200 more miles at 16 cents a pop is only another 32 bucks (split 14 ways).  Now the real doozy: gas. In my estimation a V-10 engine sitting beneath an RV and 14 big boys isn’t gonna get 12 miles to the gallon.  I think 7 is a more realistic figure so I’m basing my numbers off of that.  Do the math and we are at just over 500 dollars in gas. 

SO…

 1021 + 32 + 515 = 1568

1568

/14 = 112

 GRAND TOTAL PER PERSON: $112.00

112 dollars to get on the RV, no questions asked.  This money will be collected no later than right before we set out for Chico.  It may be the case that we spend less money on gas.  MOM will be keeping track of gas burned the entire trip so should it be that there is left over funds we will make sure it comes back to you in one form or another (beer).  Anyways fellas, that’s the story. I have until Sunday to cancel my reservation without penalty so have a think about it and let me know what you decide.  If I don’t hear any word I will assume everyone is as stoked about this as I am and I will keep the res.

Good flapjack.

 *MOCS*

Lucky for you all, a couple of us have vast experience with renting RV's for the purpose of getting hammered while a new member or two (Jimmy and Flemming) soberly drive to a distant location to again, get hammered. As minister of coordination, I am making a group decision that we take this trip from strong to Arnold strong, and rent an RV from Cruise America. There are a couple of options, but I highly recommend that we go with the RV described below, it's zang.

Large (Class C-30)

Length 28' to 30' – Sleeps family up to 7

Whatever the reason, the large size is for those who want a full-size RV. All large size motorhomes have power generators, microwaves and roof A/C. Truly doing the outdoors in style.

• Ford V-10 Chassis Engine
• Automatic Transmission
• 2-Wheel Drive
• Power Brakes
• Power Steering
• In Dash Air Conditioning
• Cruise Control
• Dual Rear Tires
• 55-Gallon Unleaded Fuel Tank
• 40-Gallon Unleaded Fuel Tank
• 6-Gallon Water Heater Tank
• 50-Gallon Fresh Water Tank
• 40-Gallon Grey Water Tank
• 35-Gallon Sewage Water Tank
• 14-Gallon LP Gas Tank

Driver Requirements

Qualified drivers 25 years of age or older possessing a valid and identifiable driver's license. Authorized operators 21-24 years of age may drive motorhome subject to a $25/day fee. A major credit card and references, employment, or a foreign passport are required as identification prior to rental and will be verified. All drivers must be listed on and sign the Rental Agreement and will be bound by Terms and Conditions of the Rental Agreement at vehicle pickup.

Estimated Mileage Charge

An estimated mileage charge of $96.00 for 300 miles applies to your rental. At the end of the rental if you have driven less then 300 miles you will receive a refund for the unused miles at the rate of $0.32 per mile. If at the end of your rental you have driven more then 300 miles you will be charged $0.32 per each additional mile driven.

What kind of gas mileage will we get?

Mileage depends on the size of the motorhome and the driving conditions. Generally, you will get between 7 and 13 miles per gallon.

Cost

The base charge for this RV is $393 plus $96 for the first 300 miles plus $100 for drivers under 25 years of age ($25 a day). Los Angeles to Chico is roughly 470 miles, rounded to 500 for comfort, thus 1000 miles round trip. We are charged $0.32 per mile over the base 300 miles, so 700 x $0.32 = $224. Gas: The trip is 1000 miles and we will mostly be driving on the highway, so figuring the RV gets 12 miles to the gallon, we will need 1000 / 12 = 83.33 gallons of gas. Gas is currently around $3.60 a gallon, so 83.33 gallons x $3.60 = $300 in gas money, weird, almost too perfect. Assuming that Jimmy and Flemming don't wrap the RV around a pole or hitching post, whatever they have up 'der in them Chico parts, these should roughly, but pretty precisely, be the costs of renting an RV from Cruise America, the "largest RV rental company in the nation with 136 RV rental locations across North America" ($393 + 96 + 100 + 224 + 300 = $1113).

For the cost per minister: my count is 13 coming from the south in the RV (5 mesa boys, Diego, Frick, Flemming, Baumann, Curtis, Bunch, Jimmy, E), so $1113 / 13 = $85.62 per minister.

Now, if that's not a sales pitch for renting an RV from Cruise America, the "largest RV rental company in the nation with 136 RV rental locations across North America", I guess we can take the IFS jet.

-Minister of Athletics and Coordination

Wow, only a couple more weeks to IFS : Chico the River Wild, and the site is a bit of a ghost town, with the exception of a Booman bashing Phantom, and an Olbermann fan or two.  I like details, so here are my questions for the planning ministers, MOM, MOCS.

1. Has the decision between Van and Winnebago been decided?  How many people can the van / winnie fit?  Are SB people being picked up on the way or meeting in LA as well?  How many people are not coming in the van / winnie?  If we are doing the cheaper option - van at $45, that includes gas?  How will driving legs be decided?  Technological skills?
2. We are staying at Ministers homes, correct?  All this talk of hotels has left me confused.  Do we need to bring sleeping bags or pillows?  Are they smoking rooms?
3. The brewery tour is $10?  How much is the tubing?  Besides the transport, these are our only mandated costs correct?
4. Where are we having our Sat. morning meeting?
5. Is there free play time, or are we on a tight schedule of boozing and toobing?  Anything else planned?  Dinners? Bowling?

I need to know these things now, so that when I'm drunk in Chico I still know the score.  I appreciate all the hard work that is going into this trip, as I know it will be amazing.

Here's another Flash game for the week.  This time no apocalyptic overtones, just a Geometry Wars clone that is really tough to play, as it's hard to see where you are, but it's simple enough that you can play it drunk.

Post your high scores so I can tell you how much better I am afterward.

Play Luminara

Greetings from San Francisco - home of the fair weather Warriors fans and dudes who like other dudes.  I thought I'd take a little time off from finals to share some auditory pleasure with my fellow flapjackers.  These tunes have helped keep me going over the past few weeks during which I have had to learn many many laws.  For your convenience, I compiled a mix CD and made it available in a .zip file here: http://www.volcano.net/~trnscnd/Beats.zip.  To listen, just download the file, right click it, then select "extract all".  I hope you enjoy these as much as I have, and I look forward to seeing everyone Chico-side.  Cheers. 

First we had The Last Stand, and now we have Bible Fight.  Be prepared for the apocalypse and play both games this week.  Who doesn't want to kick Eve's ass with the Devil, or beat up Noah with a full grown Jesus, if only they had included the six pound eight ounce baby Jesus in the game.

Jesus vs. Moses in the Manger arena, raining fish and leaven bread.  IT'S ON.

This has to be acknowledged.

Travolta has had his face taken off too many times, and he's jealous of the crappy movie points Cage has been racking up with back-to-back films Ghost Rider and Next.  So now we have the remake of Hairspray, with John Travolta as a chubby Mom.

As everyone already knows,
Mike Towers did something incredible last weekend.  As the first flapjackian to complete a marathon he not only single-handedly raised our pride and prestige, but he also gave a memory to all those that attended; one which we will talk about and cherish for the rest of our lives.  No words of mine can express the amount of emotion and energy it took for Towers to achieve what was once only an ambition, and I will not attempt to mar it in doing so, but I will re-iterate a heart-felt congratulations to the most athletic member of the group.

                                      Towers: you make a man proud to call you friend.

Check out this flapjack art over on Flickr...

Makes me hungry for a short stack right now.