57 replies to this topic

[DandyDon]

Ok so all you experts...wanna give us some names and contact info or some super duper website that has all the details? Hey...find out more about the $15 rate...why pay 4 times that amount if you don't have too? I'm guessing the $15 rate is for a student special but certainly worth finding out. Maybe it is a bunkhouse arangement? All is fine just need to know what you can get and how you get it.

Thanks for all the help in putting this together. So about all the fun people coming from your diveshop or is a club in CO.....any of them single? LOL!!!

Here's what I found on a Google search: http://www.santarosanm.org/ You'll find links on the Diving, Motels, Cafes, etc. Doesn't mention Perch Lake, which is a couple miles south of the Blue Hole. Good size lake, 50 feet deep I guess, got a small plane to dive on, and plenty of perch.

I called Joseph's: $50 to book the back room. If y'all want, I could book it, and we can split the cost on arrival, like 25 people = $2 each. They could do a buffet dinner for $4 each and up, but I doubt we can get that organized; I don't want to complicate things here. Let's give them an idea of how many are coming so they can put on extra waitstaff and just order from the menu.

Copper, talk with your Shop and let me know? I'm sure we can allow married people with spouses on this one, eh?

don

[coppermaus]

I called Joseph's: $50 to book the back room.  If y'all want, I could book it, and we can split the cost on arrival, like 25 people = $2 each. 

It certainly adds some serious local color to have the place open to the general public. One local chica kept coming up to me all night last time and saying, "Girl! Are you white? You dance really good for a white girl." And the older ladies kept making off with the young hunks of our group and dragging them into their dance circles. And other even funnier spectacles that I'll tell you about when you're older... As for the $2, I can't speak for what any of the students would agree to. We'd have to figure it out when we got there as far as they all go. We could just go for it and split it however many ways we get participants. I'd be willing to do that. Then open it up to locals if we want...?

They could do a buffet dinner for $4 each and up, but I doubt we can get that organized; I don't want to complicate things here. Let's give them an idea of how many are coming so they can put on extra waitstaff and just order from the menu.

We always eat off the menu there, and they know to expect a large group on Saturday night. Service is lightening fast. When I know how many of this group are coming, I'll just add that to the reservation.

Copper, talk with your Shop and let me know?  I'm sure we can allow married people with spouses on this one, eh?

Well, unfortunately I can't talk to anyone at my shop right now, cuz they're all in COZUMEL right now, without me. Of course I went in Feb without them, so I guess it's fair. As far as singles and so on, the students are mostly in the 18-23 age range, since they're all college students, mostly singles, generally more guys than girls, and lots of fun to party with. DMs/instructors are 30-50's and about half singles/half taken.

The Budget 10 is our home base. $15 per person per night, double occ. It's really a dive, so I'm not recommending it to this group, unless you're as cheap and no-maintenance as they come. However, if it's still desirable, I can talk to the man when he returns from bluer waters and see whether the deal is open to the singles group.

[Blublood]

well flks now your talking about my neck of the woods! The $15 to dive is a City charge. Not much in the hole but I've been in there on morning dives when the vis is so perfect you can see the bottom (85 ft) perfect.

It's only about a two hour drive for me so maybe I could sneak away saturday morning come spend the night and whoop it up with you all a bit!

Gar

[WreckWench]

Hey Gar...that would be too cool as well! I'm not sure I can make this trip but I'm looking at it. Trying to get all the details and then see who else from big 'D' wants to go. If we have enough we might get some cool stuff from Narwhal for this trip as well!!!

Hey Don...want to spearhead who alls going and all that good stuff. I know Coppermaus has a group of students coming so it could be a great party! That is if the youngins don't mind a few 'mature' types like ourselves! LOL!!!

[coppermaus]

Yeeha! Gar and WW both might come! That'd be great, y'all! The younguns don't mind the older crowd as long as they can keep up with us. Last time I think the creakier knees did more dancing, and a couple instructors definitely managed the biggest bar tabs.

This is gonna be fun!

[zendiver]

WAIT! Did someone mention diving....in NM....when? I too could possibly make that trip. That is one place that I haven't dove yet and I am up for it.

-Zendiver

[DandyDon]

Now, we are talking abut the last weekend in April, right? That's April 23-25. Some people would look at the last Friday - April 30th, but you are not talking about that, are you? Well, give us the dates precisely, so we can plan to be there when you will be. Okay?

It certainly adds some serious local color to have the place open to the general public.

Yeah, but if I don't book it, someone else might, then we can't get in. If I do book it, we can call it open to the public. Guaranteed is always safer. But I need to confirm the date...??

We always eat off the menu there, and they know to expect a large group on Saturday night.  Service is lightening fast.  When I know how many of this group are coming, I'll just add that to the reservation.

don

Good deal. I'll book it under my name, and you can add to that.

The Budget 10 is our home base.  $15 per person per night, double occ.  It's really a dive, so I'm not recommending it to this group, unless you're as cheap and no-maintenance as they come.  However, if it's still desirable, I can talk to the man when he returns from bluer waters and see whether the deal is open to the singles group.  .

Yeah, I thought $15 a room sounded like a parking space, not a room. It's $30 a room, double occ, tax included, eh? Still cheap - too cheap for me.

Jer's staying at the Comfort Inn this weekend, not the Super Duper 8. I'll ask him to look at nice looking hotels next to Budget 10.

Edited by DandyDon, 23 March 2004 - 01:07 PM.

[WreckWench]

They are looking at the last weekend in April which is also one of the weekend options they are considering for the Athens weekend. I'm hoping they do the April option in NM and the May option in Athens BUT...I might have to work the May weekend so as usual....I'm soooooooooooooo confused!! But we have options folks...we have lots of options!!! ww

[coppermaus]

Yeah, but if I don't book it, someone else might, then we can't get in.  If I do book it, we can call it open to the public.  Guaranteed is always safer.  But I need to confirm the date...??

Agreed, safer is better. Saturday, April 24, 2004, Joseph's bar.

Good deal.  I'll book it under my name, and you can add to that.

Don't bother, we've already got that covered. As I said, I'll just need to add our numbers to the group size.

Jer's staying at the Comfort Inn this weekend, not the Super Duper 8.  I'll ask him to look at nice looking hotels next to Budget 10.

Great idea!

[DandyDon]

Okay, I got the bar booked for 7pm, Saturday, April 24th. Yesterday they wanted $50, and another $150 for a DJ, but today - I spoke with Debra, the bar manager, and no money needed. Told her we'd leave the party open to anyone....

Gar, I'll talk with you this weekend, but I hope you can make it. Bring your mom.

ZenDiver, if you've never dived a New Mexican sinkhole, this is a great time to try it.

For you lowlanders in general, we have a date, so I hope you'll pick any other weekend and come in You'll need a 5 to 7 mil full suit, neoprene gloves, booties and beanie or hood. If you need to rent suits, I can arrange that at an Amarillo LDS.

To get there, get to Amarillo however, then I-40 west beyond Tucumcari. If you get to Albuquerque, you went too far; turn around.

There's supposed to be a fee to dive, I hear, but I've never payed it. It's probably up to Stella, and I get my tanks from her - $5, including tank & weights - so maybe that's why she doesn't charge. I take her little gifts, too. I am sure she likes chocolate.

This is a 4,600 foot elevation dive, so even if you fly in with a cabin pressure equivalent of 8,000 feet, you'll land in Amarillo at a little over 3,000. Keeping everything conservative, rounding up at every possibility, we'll assume a 2,000 foot increase by the time you get to town, arriving in Pressure Group D. (You can't talk like this on Match.com; well, you can, but no one would answer.)

If you don't get wet for 1-1/2 hours, you'll still be Group A. The 84 foot dive adjusts to 110 feet at this elevation so you'll have 3 minutes Residual Nitrogen the rest of the day. Or, if you come in early, 4-1/2 hours will clear you completely, but still figure on 110 foot dive plans if you visit the grave at the bottom.

It's also cold enough that circulation will be reduced, so exaggerate your safety stops. I like 1 minute at 40 feet, 1 minutes at 20 feet, and 3 minutes at 12-15, with 12 foot suggested for this elevation by PADI. PH 1-800-Pay-PADI.

In case of unexpected problems, there should be plenty of dive professionals around the hole, and the hospital is only 1/2 mile away. But the biggest risk is the hiway, so wear your seat belts at all times.

I need to give her a body count expected by the April 10th. This is not a Kamala type deadline, though; you can let me know sooner.

PM me, or call me at 806-292-0009.

Dandy Don Henderson, aka Gen Patton

Edited by DandyDon, 23 March 2004 - 08:11 PM.

[Blublood]

wow....would be great to see a bunch of people at the blue hole santa rosa, sounds like coppermaus has been ther a bunch. haven't done Perch so that would be a gas. Also, The hole is really fun to dive at night. You can go chase the crawdads or crawmoms around! I'm heading for Cozumel he first of May so that weekend will probably be JUST SLENDID! Don, Thanks for mentioning my Mom as she will be visiting tht weekend. My Father passed away in January so she is going through some major changes but she is a lot of fun and would probably love to go out for some high desert high times!

[coppermaus]

Okay, I got the bar booked for 7pm, Saturday, April 24th.  Yesterday they wanted $50, and another $150 for a DJ, but today - I spoke with Debra, the bar manager, and no money needed.  Told her we'd leave the party open to anyone....

Way to go, Don! You ROCK!

[wrinkles]

Looks like it would be about a 13 hour drive for me

Ana

[Dejah]

5 to 7 mil on this dive..... brrrrrr, way to cold for this girl, then again I'm probably not ready for that place yet either... I'll catch you guys on the next trip down there. Hey are any of you going to try and make Athens in May?

Dejah

[DandyDon]

5 to 7 mil on this dive..... brrrrrr, way to cold for this girl, then again I'm probably not ready for that place yet either... I'll catch you guys on the next trip down there.  Hey are any of you going to try and make Athens in May?

Dejah

Yeah, it's always something. The water is always 62 degrees in The Hole, and always clear in the upper parts, even if the students have turned up the lower areas. Is your hole always that warm? Some dive, some talk - this is for divers. :ph34r:

Yeah, I'd drive down for Athens in May if it was earlier, but you're going the weekend just before Memorial Day, which is the weekend I'll be in Calf. Can't do both, so I'll stick with Calf!

Looks like it would be about a 13 hour drive for me 

Ana

I'll be in Long Beach for Memorial Day weekend - on the boat Sat, Sun, Mon. You got plans?

If you can't dive that weekend, I'm good for supper Friday or Monday evenings.

Otherwise, if you wanta' dive in April - we are on. Be there, if you want to dive bad enough to be there. Once there, it'll be fun there!

don aka: "Patton"

Edited by DandyDon, 31 March 2004 - 06:51 PM.