Bruno 28 here from Scotland Oct. 19-21---TE dinner!

[Eden]

Mapquest says 5 1/2 hours from Kelowna to Seattle (and it is usually suprisingly accurate, but on the map it looks a bit optomistic), but that does not include the border crossing....

[kelownagirl]

I wonder what route they took? I can't see how to get there without going thru Vancouver or Spokane.

[Eden]

http://www.mapquest.com/directions/m...&2s=WA&2z=&r=f

I think that this link should work. It looks like it goes most of the way towards Vancouver, but turns south a bit short of it. You would definitely have to not run into any traffic at all to get that time.....

I'd bet it would be a very scenic drive, though a pretty long one to go down rt 97, then over rt 2

[Bruno28]

So Kit the moment of truth approaches....we'll see if your Scottish accent is as good in real life as it is on paper, or if yer jist havering.

[East Hill]

Whenever the dinner is--it's past my bedtime . On the other hand, if there's a ride to be had, perhaps I can make that?

East Hill

[salsabike]

So all chip butty and related wisecracking aside, Bruno would like dinner not to be vegetarian because she has Crohn's. I will welcome any and all ideas. I am not volunteering to make dinner myself because I'll be sightseeing with her that day AND because I am far from being a Martha S. type. And I want to have fun rather than worry about dinner, which I would do. So, other possibilities:

Potluck at our house, but too hard for the out of towners; don't want them to worry either.

Take out at our house, which could work fine. We have the Black Pearl nearby, which is a great and inexpensive Chinese restaurant, so could do take out from there. Or from Whole Foods, which has good good stuff.

Seafood restaurant would be great but not sure I know any that are inexpensive enough to ensure that no one feels financially squished.

Other thoughts?

[kelownagirl]

We have restaurants here that have private rooms for large groups, no extra charge. Is there anyplace like that?

How many people are you expecting at this point?

[Kitsune06]

So Kit the moment of truth approaches....we'll see if your Scottish accent is as good in real life as it is on paper, or if yer jist havering.

Och... I mite jist be havering, but get a snakebite or some good beer in me an' I'll give it a try...

[KnottedYet]

Och... I mite jist be havering, but get a snakebite or some good beer in me an' I'll give it a try...

Knot reveals her secret shame: when under severe stress or around Scots (isn't it the same thing?) she lapses back into the rural Fife accent of her childhood.

[KnottedYet]

Ivars? (the one near Recycled Cycles)
RedHook? (the one near the Samammish bike trail)
Hales Ales? (the one near the Burke Gilman bike trail)

Order in/potluck could be very groovy. Chinese food is cool with me, as is anything from Whole Foods. Also I could certainly bring a little something, too.

[Xrayted]

We'll go with whatever y'all come up with for dinner. Just let us know.

So, is there gonna be a bike ride sometime that weekend or what? We really want to get out and see some stuff by bike while there. It will also determine if we try to come up there on Friday night or Saturday morning.

Kit and I also need to get a room up there so we need some advice on a general area/side of Seattle to narrow it down to. We don't want to drive all over the place and take a bigger chance of getting lost. I'm very directionally challenged.

Knot - we want to visit Recycled Cycles while there. We really liked that place. Need help finding it though.

[salsabike]

I too am directionally challenged, so you have my total sympathy.

One possibility for a hotel is the Silver Cloud Inn in the University District. It's right near the Burke Gilman trail (which, going south, will get you to Knot's favorite LBS, Recycled Cycles, and going north to the brewery and Marymoor Park, the ride that Kit has been on).
http://www.scinns.com/09home.htm

Will be sightseeing with Bruno so not riding, but some of the rest of you guys may want to respond to X re a ride.

[Bruno28]

Knot reveals her secret shame: when under severe stress or around Scots (isn't it the same thing?) she lapses back into the rural Fife accent of her childhood.

It taks' a lang spoon tae sup wi' a Fifer

I look forward to it.


I have the stinking 'flu.

On the bright side I'll be better by the time I come to visit.

[kelownagirl]

Dh and I usually go away for a weekend every term. We are thinking about heaving to Seattle that weekend because we've never been (together), and it means I'd be able to meet a few TE'ers on Saturday night. (how you do feel about having a man (along with Sknot) at our dinner? Let me know if that's a bad idea. I think Mimi's dh would come if mine was there.) Fall can be a really busy time at school for us so we usually go somewhere only an hour or two away - I might not commit to coming until we are really close to the date and can judge how much work we have at the time. (On a positive note, we have a Pro-D on the Frdiay and could do our work day from 7-12 and get away early.) If we DO come, we'll most likely bring our bikes whether we ride with TE'ers or on our own. We'd come in late friday night, ride and/or tour Seattle on Saturday, dinner on Saturday night, home on Sunday.

What's the Burke Gilman Trail - is it paved? (In other words, do we bring road bikes or MT bikes?) Are there any good paved trails in the area? Anything along the ocean?

PS Both my Grandfathers were born in Scotland but I can only say "Tis a brae bricht moonlicht nicht."

[margo49]

Bruno - I e-mailed you *yesterday* to make Garlic soup and even gave you the secret recipe. I also advised that perhaps more alcohol in the bedtime toddy would be helpful.
Did you do either of these things???