Arizona Bloggersnacker
Date: Tuesday, December 27
Time: 7:00 PM
Place: The Johnston’s house in Queen Creek (SE of Mesa)
We got a note from Kaimi Wenger letting us know he will be in town for the holidays. We decided that it would be a good opportunity to throw the first Arizona bloggernacle shindig. If you are interested in hanging with the Johnstons and Wengers and any other Arizona ‘Nacle citizens that can make it, just email me at geoff at newcoolthang.com for directions. We hope you Zoners can make it!
Queen Creek… South East of Mesa. Jamaica is South East of Mesa too, and maybe about as far away from Mesa too.
Comment by Andermom — December 23, 2005 @ 10:24 am
Are you a Zoner Andermon? (Or perhaps you live in Jamaica and are hoping I have no sense of scale ;-) ) If you’re a local I’ll look for you email.
Comment by Geoff J — December 23, 2005 @ 10:43 am
Yeah, I’m a zoner. South Scottsdale to be specific. My sister in law lived in QC, and it took as long for us to get to her house as it took for us to get to my parent’s house in Prescott.
Comment by Andermom — December 23, 2005 @ 11:00 am
I’ll be there.
Comment by john f. — December 23, 2005 @ 11:12 am
Let me ease your fears a little Andermom, we’re actually almost Gilbert, not boonies Queen Creek (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
Comment by Kristen J — December 23, 2005 @ 11:51 am
I just want to sneak in here with thanks to Geoff and Kristen J for their charming, hospitable, entertaining and enlightening blog, and to wish them and all of you a Merry Christmas.
Comment by C Jones — December 23, 2005 @ 11:52 am
Say, is this a family affair? That is to say, are children welcome?
We’re zoners, on the west side by I-10/101.
Kevin (the Baron) can vouch for me being a real person =)
Comment by Téa — December 23, 2005 @ 12:05 pm
children are definitely welcome. That will save me the trouble of trying to ship my own off to someone’s house for the night.
C Jones-thanks and Merry Christmas to you too. It’s commenters like you who help to make our blog enlightening.
Comment by Kristen J — December 23, 2005 @ 1:40 pm
I don’t know Kristen, I’ve had to drive there from Gilbert and it is pretty much on the boony side.
Comment by Russ J — December 23, 2005 @ 3:06 pm
I think Kristen is saying that “we live out in BFE, careful-don’t-hit-a-javelina land.” Right?
Can you just clarify a few things:
First, exactly how many miles do I go down the gravel trail after I turn off of the dirt road?
And second, can I make it there in a 2WD, or will I need to borrow my dad’s SUV?
Comment by Kaimi — December 23, 2005 @ 3:58 pm
ok, here’s some land marks to look for;
1.Our trail is 2 clicks past the “Javelina on a Stick” stand. Look for the rusted out ’72 Ford Station Wagon and head due east.
2. You’ll pass a triple wide owned by a man named LaMont. If you are not sure of directions at this point ask LaMont he’s usually sitting on a but-sprung front bench of a ’63 Ford Falcon (LaMont likes Fords)in his front yard. He’s real friendly and loves to help. Turn north at LaMont’s outhouse.
3. In about 4 miles you will see a tent city called “The Spiritual Enlightenment Commune” continue on about 8 more miles.
4. On the west side of the “road” you will see two large boulders and the beginning of a saguaro cactus forest. Here you will need to park your car and travel the last 3 miles on foot.
Don’t worry, we’ll leave our handcart at the boulders so you can bring your children on to our home in relative comfort.
I’m curious, is anyone allergic to rattlesnake meat or eggs?
Comment by Kristen J — December 23, 2005 @ 4:48 pm
John F. will be here? Nice. In town for family too John?
Y’uns are gonna be glad you came. The HobbyGoblin is on a food kick right now (lots of Food Network lately) so we ought to have some nice vittles for ya.
Comment by Geoff J — December 23, 2005 @ 6:56 pm
My family and I also live out here on the outter edge of civilization in Queen Creek. Assuming my wife doesn’t go in to labor before the 27th, I’d love to join in.
Comment by chris — December 24, 2005 @ 9:34 am
Wow! This bloggersnacker has the makings of the bloggersnacker to end all bloggersnackers! Hope you have a wonderful time and take lots of pictures (of Kaimi serenading everyone with his (purportedly) awesome karaoke performances).
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Comment by Elisabeth — December 25, 2005 @ 6:36 pm
Now that Fowles is going to be there, I’m definitely coming. :)
Though I can’t believe that you’re not flying in from Boston to join us, E. Come on — it will be fun! Trust me — the distance between Queen Creek and Boston isn’t that much greater than the distance between Queen Creek and the rest of civilization.
I really hope Geoff has karaoke equipment. I feel like singing some Wham. Or perhaps some Shania Twain. :P
Comment by Kaimi — December 26, 2005 @ 12:38 am
Don’t tempt me, Kaimi! I’m in Utah – not Boston – right now, and Mesa is just a short jaunt down the highway. Alas, I think my family might have something to say about me taking off early to kareoke with people I’ve only “met” online. :)
Have fun! And I recommend kareoke-ing “Last Christmas”, by Wham. It’s a classic.
Comment by Elisabeth — December 26, 2005 @ 7:40 am
Darn you for doing it a day too late! We have been staying with my sister in Queen Creek (actually she lives in the Johnston Ranch subdivision, so I don’t know if that is Queen Creek proper) (we live in Spanish Fork Utah) this weekend, but we are leaving tomorrow morning to drive up to my in-laws in Page, AZ. Darn it!
Comment by Keryn — December 26, 2005 @ 1:31 pm
Geoff/Kristen,
I will pay you fifty dollars if you can provide video footage to the bloggernacle of either K. Wenger of J. Fowles performing karaoke.
I will raise that to one hundred bucks, cash money, if either of them performs Shania Twain’s Man, I feel like a woman.
Have fun, guys. My in-laws visited us this year, otherwise we would be out in your neck of the desert for Christmas. Maybe next year.
Comment by Mark IV — December 27, 2005 @ 5:56 am
Well I’m disappointed we’ll not see you Keryn and Mark! Who knows, if the Thang and the Bloggernacle continue to flourish, maybe we’ll try another Holiday bloggersnacker or two in the future. Arizona is quite a nice place to spend the holidays — the weather has been gorgeous this year with temps have been in the mid-70s all week here.
Comment by Geoff J — December 27, 2005 @ 10:09 am
Thank you Johnstons. We all had a delightful evening. Your hospitality was wonderful, and the company enjoyable.
Comment by john f. — December 28, 2005 @ 9:53 am
Thanks john. We enjoyed spending the evening with you. We hope you continue to cultivate your inner-square dancer!
Comment by Kristen J — December 28, 2005 @ 10:22 am
It was quite the fun party, fellows. I’ve posted a full report (of sorts) at http://www.timesandseasons.org/?p=2801 .
Comment by Kaimi — December 28, 2005 @ 10:39 am
Nice! We had a great time too!
Comment by Kristen J — December 28, 2005 @ 11:37 am
My children were asking when we would return again–i know they had a blast. Thanks for opening your home to us–it was lovely, you were lovely and the entertainment was priceless–word!
Comment by Téa — December 28, 2005 @ 12:41 pm
Who knew Bloggersnackers could be so much fun?? We’ll have to do this again…soon!
Thanks for opening your home to the Arizona Bloggernacle Denizens! My wife and I had a wonderful time.
Comment by Brian Duffin — December 28, 2005 @ 7:22 pm
Darn- sounds like I was a day late (and a dollar short). I arrived in Mesa (visiting parents) one evening too late. But John assures me that it was fun.
Sounds like Queen Creek is out there a ways- I guess I’ll experience that myself this weekend when I head out there to see my sister in Queen Creek.
And the weather is fabulous (as well as the fresh citrus fruit…)
Comment by Jordan — December 29, 2005 @ 11:54 am
Sorry we missed you Jordan. Your brother represented the family well though.
And thanks to everyone that came! It was great fun. We’ll have to throw another one in 2006.
Comment by Geoff J — December 30, 2005 @ 1:18 am