Manx- Actually, some help planning would be good. I appreciate you stepping in. The reservoir you mentioned is an area I know well. There's the Forebay there as well. I only offered my house as an option because we do have a spa. If we plan it right, I might be able to get us into the pool area here as well since I live in Brookside.

I am down to go to the reservoir. Sounds like a good spot to do it... pretty central as it's only about an hour's drive from here.

 

BW,

Trying to put myself in your place, having 12 strangers invade your house (in the Summer heat of Stockton) sounds like a lot of trouble for you and family. If that is what you want, great! But the spacious & shady San Luis Reservoir with plenty of parking for photo shoot, test rides in modded cars, etc., sounds to me like a better setting. I've only been there once for a big company picnic, and I was impressed. However, it may have changed (drought?). If the group does not object to this site because of distance, I will drive over there to scout it out prior to the new proposed date and post any new info.

For those who want to think about this site, from the East Bay locations, just head South in I-5 to Los Banos/Hwy. 152 and go West. There is a big surface street intersection w/4 way traffic light and a big Chevron gas station on the South side of the highway at the light. I believe that you turn right at the light to drive into the park area, but will confirm later.

For Coastal side of the Bay area, the drive is a little longer if you go the fun way. From Hayward, South on 880, from San Carlos, South on 101, pick up Hwy 17 in South San Jose over the hills to Santa Cruz. Take Hwy. 1 South to Watsonville and the Hwy. 152 exit. Through Watsonville farmland & wineries, over a twisty mountain road to Gilroy, and on East, still on 152 until it becomes freeway and you get to the lighted intersection with the Chevron station. This route will have more interesting scenery and fun roads than the folks from Sacto. will have, and it will take about an extra hour. Or, you could drive directly across the bay and take a short cut to I-5 if there is one, and head South.

For the Coastal area drivers, getting there would be half the fun. The reservoir seems like an ideal site for a car club BBQ, but none of us are going to save any gasoline.

Again, I'm not trying to hijack this idea. Other site ideas are still welcome, but if this is going to happen, we need to make some decisions before the summer is gone.

 

Coastal guys-
I forgot- take Hwy. 85 East from Hwy. 17 at South end of San Jose. That will take you to Gilroy more directly and save you from the slower traffic over the Santa Cruz mountains, and the REAL slow traffic of beach-goers on Hwy. 1 from Santa Cruz to Watsonville.

I will probably drive North to catch Hwy. 85 myself. Hwy. 85 also intersects with Hwy. 280 so you can avoid Hwy. 17 altogether (very crowded going South on weekends).

 

For anybody interested, here's a link- click on map- 7 mi. West of I-5 on Hwy. 152, 33 mi; East of Gilroy on 152.

The San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area

If there are enough interested people, I will drive over there to check things out and get better info. on where to turn off 152 to find our site(s) with grills, faucets, restrooms, etc.

I need a proposed date, and enough interested people to make the exploratory drive. Need 8 people to respond "Yes! I will come!" and a date.

 

I'll be taking my helmet <3 i'll follow the ATVs in my stock sports Honda Fit =D


YES I WILL COME XD

 

Yay, That's 1!.

CuTeBoi, we'll get rid of your burgers and charcoal yet (well, maybe).

 

I hope so, cause i have too many still, we made about 30 burgers yesterday, and we still have 48 left... =P

 

Yes I will come I might be the last one to show up but I will be their.

 

So far, we have:

Black Widow
CuTeBoi
Bap
manxman

Still need more people and a date.

 

why not keep the same date it might be easer concidering that we have been wating and anticipating this date of 6/16/07.

 

6/16 is OK with me (and you), but there are 8 other responders to BW's original thread. What do you all say???????

The longer we wait, the hotter it will be and the less likely that the event will actually come off at all.

So far, no replies at all to my invitation post on Bay Area and Central Valley forums to join us for a BIG NorCal meet. So far, it's just the East Bay and San Carlos& South coast people.

If you want this to happen, please respond!!!

 

for the people that have not responed yet please say yes or no for the meet and please add the date you would like.
For the members that have said they would come please post the date you would like it to happen.

 

I'll invite one of my friends to come with me, she's cool, and her brother has a nice car, which he loves dearly =D

 

I think we can keep the date, but there was one response saying the date didn't work for them.

I am bringing cookies for everyone. As I mentioned, I have 2 sons who will be with me as well... so I thought somewhere with a 'park' area was good. I think we've settled on San Luis. Wonderful place! Bring your fishin' pole!!! We'll catch dinner!!

More responses?

 

Don't think many will respond, and the 16th is fine with me =D

as that was the original date set =|

My bday is on the 24th, i'm sure someone is setting a party for me.... so a later date may not be possible.

 

Honda Fits and fishing, my two favorites. Sounds like fun! However, all of my weekends are booked til July. I guess I'll have to wait til the next time around.

 

macbuddy-

We will be sorry to miss you. As Black Widow PM'd me, if this one works, we can try it again later on.

To Everyone else-

I plan to drive over to the park this Saturday to check things out and get more detailed info. on highway turnoffs, picnic sites, etc. Will post again with the info. on Sunday.

My suggestion for food is this:
Since there is no way to predict who will show up due to the distance and unpredictable traffic or personal conditions, bring your own lunch supplies and bring something to share. I am going by my one visit here 10-15 years ago, and I don't think that there are any convenience stores nearby. If you plan to use a park grill for your food, other people could share your charcoal, etc.

Black Widow planned/plans to bring cookies, I will bring a Costco tub of potato salad and a cold watermelon. Use your imagination for what else to bring. Too much food is better than going hungry.

More next weekend---

 

Remember, i have 3 bags of charcoal, i plan on not coming home with them, along with the 25 hamburgers, tee hee, we made more burgers, and gave them away, i made room for some waffles in my freezer finally.

 

Understood, and thanks from all of us who come. However, I will bring a 5lb. bag of charcoal just in case you get rear-ended on the way down or get food poisoning from your breakfast, or aliens abduct you.

"Hope for the best but plan for the worst" and you are ready for anything.

 

6/16 FIT MEET MAP

I just got back from my "check it out" visit> The actual site where we will meet is "San Luis Creek Recreation Area"--- see map

http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/558/files/SanLuisMap.pdf

We will be meeting in the "Forebay" area that Black Widow mentioned in an earlier post.

Coming from the West (Gilroy) on Hwy. 152, you will pass most of the reservoir, mainly on the right (South) side of the hwy. Just as the hill that you have been driving down for miles starts to level off, get into the left lane and watch the left side of hwy. for the "San Luis Creek Recreation Area" sign. You will come to a short left turn lane, and must wait for (FAST) 2 lanes of oncoming traffic in order to turn across those two lanes into the entrance road.

Coming from the East (I-5) on Westbound Hwy 152, drive past the lighted intersection with the Chevron Station on the left side of hwy., and drive PAST the FIRST access road for "San Luis Creek Rec. Area", stay in the right lane, and go into the SECOND entrance to the Rec. Area. This entrance will be where the hwy. starts to go sharply uphill.

There will be a Ranger's station within 1/4 mile, and you must pay a day-use fee for the State Park. My fee was $5.00.

For Everybody-- after the Ranger station, drive straight. Do not make any right turns. Pass the sign with the wavy line indicating "curves" and keep going to the top of the hill. Pass the FIRST street on the left (I think the sign said "Camping"), and turn LEFT at the SECOND street (there might have been a sign saying "Boat Ramps") because there ARE boat ramps.

This is where we will be. BIG parking lot with lots of shade, surrounded by picnic tables w/grills (Bring a grill scraper- grills are made out of re-bar---you don' want to eat leftovers from someone else's lunch from last week), trees, grass, restrooms,and short walk to the water (and the boat ramps if you decide to tow your cabin cruiser to the meet).

Bay Area people- take Hwy. 101 all the way to Gilroy, and take 152 EAST (Second offramp) toward Los Banos.

CuTeBoi-- From San Carlos, this will take you an hour and fifteen minutes to get to Gilroy, and another 30 minutes to get to the park. Depending upon trafic of course. Hwy. 152 through Pacheco pass CAN have horrendous crashes and occasionally every bad driver in Central CA will be ahead of you. So enjoy all of the farmland.

I will post 4 quick photos of the picnic area in a little while.

See you there!