Phoenix Meetup March 28, 2006 11:21 AM   Subscribe

Phoenix meetup? [more inside]
posted by mr_crash_davis to MetaFilter Gatherings at 11:21 AM (35 comments total)

So, I will be in The Valley Of The Sun from April 16th through the 21st and wondered if there was any interest in a meetup? Perhaps a Diamondbacks game? (The Giants are in town, we could yell rude things at Barry Bonds).
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:21 AM on March 28, 2006


Yes, please.
Err, but without the baseball. I want to converse with MeFites and have a few beers or something without being distracted by a stadium full of people and men in tights.

Though, last time we tried this it didn't coelesce very well. Maybe because it's The Valley of The Spun.

The weather's been nice, we finally got some rain after 142+ days without, but it's just starting to get warm, and quick.
posted by loquacious at 11:28 AM on March 28, 2006


Yes, but no baseball.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 11:35 AM on March 28, 2006


OK, nix the ballgame. Venue suggestions?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:41 AM on March 28, 2006


meet in sedona; go for a bike ride? i'd come down for that.
posted by RockyChrysler at 11:50 AM on March 28, 2006


Bike ride? Slide Rock too cold for you?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:51 AM on March 28, 2006


Slide Rock at this time of the year? Dude, my boys just crawled right up inside my kidneys to stay warm at the mere thought of it. They got a fair amount of snow up there over the past few weeks. Plus it's a tourist ghetto from hell these days. There are much more idyllic places upstream, too. Oak Creek? Can't remember.

I'd love to go for a bike ride in Sedona or Red Rocks, but I don't know if I could make it up there for that. I might need a ride from Phoenix for that, but my GF goes up to cottonwood all the time, so it might be doable. Also I'm dealing with a bunch of housing chaos, but a quick weekend away might be just the ticket. And it'd probably be the best meetup pictures ever.

I'm attracted to the idea of biking/camping and stuff like that for a meetup, but that might be setting the bar a bit high - for non-cyclists, non-drivers or those who just can't get the time off. (I get three day weekends every week starting on Fridays, but I work evenings M-Th.)

I know there's all sorts of nice nooks and crannies for camping around Sedona, and to the south towards Cottonwood/Verde Valley.

I'm also cool with just hanging out at a good brewery or bar or whatever.

A 24+ hour meetup camping and biking sounds pretty awesome, though. There's something about the peacefulness and non-distraction of it that lends itself to good conversations and hanging out and all that. I don't know what the fire danger status is up there right now, though, so campfires and s'mores might be verboten.
posted by loquacious at 12:12 PM on March 28, 2006


I'm in, but if it's during the week then I'm limited to something local (in the Valley).

Sedona/camping is a great idea though...
posted by 27 at 1:16 PM on March 28, 2006


Yeah, camping for 24+ hours with a bunch of strangers from the internet is probably the best idea.
posted by moift at 1:38 PM on March 28, 2006


Yeah, camping for 24+ hours with a bunch of strangers from the internet is probably the best idea.

You might be a stranger there, others not so much.

I'd be a lot more worried about flash floods, lightning, and even random outsiders. But, y'know, once you get out past an arbitrary number of miles off the beaten path, the quality of the strangers seems to vastly improve. Probably has something to do with the attitude and character required to even get yourself to some boonies somewhere, much less survive comfortably and enjoy oneself.
posted by loquacious at 1:50 PM on March 28, 2006


it's too cold still to camp w/ baby and wife... but i'm in for a day-trip down towards sedona if y'all can reach a concensus about this... bike ride was just an option that appealed to me...
posted by RockyChrysler at 2:02 PM on March 28, 2006


I'm totally flexible. Nice bike rides can be had in the valley, too. The PHX zoo is cool and allows bikes. There's the rocks nearby there. And there's always bars and pubs.

There's a slim chance I might be moved into my new place by then and may be able to offer minimal sleepover/crashing options.
posted by loquacious at 2:09 PM on March 28, 2006


If I didn't already have vacations planned around the same time period, I'd use this as a good excuse to spend some time back home and meet the AZ mefi crowd. Oh well. I may move back late this summer and I'll definitely want to attend a meetup of some sort then.
posted by mullacc at 2:30 PM on March 28, 2006


If you're heading up in the direction of Sedona, you should consider Jerome, which is a little closer to Phoenix, and a little less full of rich California jackholes.

But, then, I'm not going to be there, so you probably shouldn't listen to me any way.
posted by dersins at 2:47 PM on March 28, 2006


Just my $.02, but since we tried this in December and it didn't get off the ground, maybe we should keep plans on the simple side:

1. Meet somewhere local.
2. Have a beer.
3. Repeat step #2, as needed.

Seems to work for the other folks.

Some suggestions:

Four Peaks (Tempe or Scottsdale)
Mickey's Hangover (Scottsdale)
Greasewood Flats (N. Scottsdale)
San Tan Flats (Queen Creek, would probably only work if attendees live in the E. Valley)
posted by 27 at 2:55 PM on March 28, 2006


a little closer to Phoenix, and a little less full of rich California jackholes.

Hey, now!! If you zonie clowns get to come here by the truckload in August and September to clog up our beaches and freeways (AKA the 8 and the 5), surely we can head out there to look at some rocks.
posted by LionIndex at 3:51 PM on March 28, 2006


27, any of the first three would be great for me, as I'm staying in Scottsdale and my class is in Tempe.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 3:54 PM on March 28, 2006


I'll chime in from southernmore lands and say that if y'all set a time and a place (preferably a drinking establishment or so, not that I have anything against Sedona) I will do my damnedest to get there. and then I'll do my damndest to make an ass of myself. and have a good time. er....
posted by carsonb at 4:04 PM on March 28, 2006


surely we can head out there to look at some rocks.

The looking at rocks thing is amusing for me. My GF grew up in Cottonwood and other spots in the Verde Valley, and she gets all bent out of shape when we get stuck behind tourists doing 5 MPH on double-yellow two-laners gaping at the rocks. "They're just big rocks, people! ROCKS! GET OFF THE ROAD! AAAAAGH!"

The polite thing to do, of course, is pull over and stop if you want to look at the giant red rocks. Especially if you're in a 55 foot motorhome trailing an SUV or rack of motorbikes.


Anyways, yeah, what 27 said. We probably should keep it simple. I prefer Tempe or downtown 'cause it's on my buslines, and, well, Scottsdale is full of emigrant yuppie bastards, but I'll bite my tongue and go just for you guys if that's where it'll be.
posted by loquacious at 4:30 PM on March 28, 2006


Simple is good.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 4:50 PM on March 28, 2006


Yeah, it's about time. (You tried it in Dec? I must've missed it...)

Anyway, I'd be down with whatever.

Tempe is probably better than other parts of the valley, but whatever works for other folks will work for me. I second Four Peaks... or if you want the true AZ hipster experience, we should do Casey Moore's.

If we wanna go the other direction, the Zoo would be fine, too... I live right next to Papago Park, so that's pretty much my home turf.

As for camping and whatnot, yeah... It might still be a little cold for Sedona at night, but if other folks wanna do it, I'd be game.
posted by ph00dz at 5:22 PM on March 28, 2006


Biersch in Tempe, Four Peaks is good too, maybe later a splinter group could hit The Library. Biking, hiking, camping...that's the damn X-Games, not a meetup.
posted by pivo at 8:16 PM on March 28, 2006


I can't be there, but can I still yell rude things at Barry Bonds?
posted by yhbc at 8:35 PM on March 28, 2006


shoot em my way commish, I'll yell 'em for you.
posted by pivo at 8:40 PM on March 28, 2006


Bueller?

A baseball game sounds nice, though the Giants' last game of spring training was today so the Barry-hating we'll have to nix. In fact, it looks like spring training is pretty much over in the next couple of days. The D-backs play the Rockies in the regular season at home on the 11th, 12th, & 13th at 6:40pm. The tickets are not really worth the price of beer.

moving along, I see we have a second for Four Peaks, a local brewery with two locations. For me, the distinction is the $2 you-call-its from 10p to 1a at the Scottsdale location. happy hours 3-7 and 10-close. mr_crash_davis will be here on weekdays, it seems, so maybe an early night? what are the time constraints of the interested parties? which night would work best for you? for me it would be Wednesday night.
posted by carsonb at 4:37 PM on March 29, 2006


shit, I misread when crash is gonna be here. I see that Barry Bonds should in fact be around for the Diamondbacks' home stand that week. I still think baseball might be a bit of a bum deal for social interaction (and the beer is really expensive).
posted by carsonb at 4:39 PM on March 29, 2006


Yeah, I think it was $8.50 for a "large" beer the last time I was there, and that was three or four years ago at least.

Four Peaks sounds like a possibility since a couple of people have mentioned it, and any night is good with me, other than Friday since my flight leaves at about 5.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:49 PM on March 29, 2006


Is there a consensus? The NYC people just all show up somewhere like a goddamn hive mind. >:(
posted by Optimus Chyme at 3:28 PM on March 30, 2006


Ok... if no one else will bite, I will -- I say we do this on Thursday, April 20 in downtown Tempe at a place like Gordon Biersch. That way, mr_crash_davis will get a proper taste of why it's good to live in Arizona.
posted by ph00dz at 6:11 AM on March 31, 2006


That's fine with me.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 6:23 AM on March 31, 2006


Works for me.
posted by 27 at 9:01 AM on March 31, 2006


Thinking about it for a sec, there are actually a coupla places down there we could use. I don't know if anyone has a preference one way or another, but Rula Bula has a lovely back patio and is a little more laid back than Beirsch.
posted by ph00dz at 6:29 PM on April 1, 2006


Four Peaks is good, but I'd vote for a ballgame.
posted by .kobayashi. at 5:38 PM on April 2, 2006


I'm down for just about anything in downtown Tempe, as it's along my normal commute lines. I don't think I could make Scottsdale in the evening.

Ack, I just realized I work until 10:30 M-Th and wouldn't be able to make downtown Tempe until about 11:00 or 11:20ish, which would be fine if y'all are staying later.

There are more mellow spots besides Gordan Biersch available, too, but whatever as long as it's not Fat Tuesday's or another one of those hoochie ASU bars with the 20,000 watts of thumping, unrelenting MTV noise.

Hell, I'd be ok with commandeering the back patio at Coffee Plantation, but beer is, as they say, good, and they don't have that there.

Is it about time to bump this back up top on MeTa or should we wait a few days? I almost forgot about it.
posted by loquacious at 9:48 PM on April 6, 2006


Bumped up top.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 5:53 PM on April 13, 2006


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