Madchester 2016 - is ON!

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Wolfmiester
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Wolfmiester »

Apologies for not being there this year. With our daughter at Manchester Uni it would have been a great excuse to kill two birds with one stone. But unfortunately it clashes with a golf weekend :oops:
Have a fab time (guaranteed) and I wish you the best of weather (not so guaranteed).
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Rob C »

Golf? Someone has the wrong priorities ;)

Shame that Jane won't be there :(

May I not volunteer for kitchen duties. I only know how to speedial #1 or wait for it to go Ping!
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Liefcat »

Knowing just how busy you are, Dave, on a Madchester-day, of course I will volunteer. Just don´t tnink I´m that good at a kitchen table... :fssmile:
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plummy
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by plummy »

My comment re "kitchen duties" was more in the "helping carry, take out, clean up, and especially putting away" side rather than peeling/chopping/cooking etc. I stay out of the way when Mrs P is in full flow in the kitchen and I know where most things are! so anyone doing their best to help but crashing around blindly is likely to get poked with a fork and told to be elsewhere! :lol:

For me, a trip to Costco (for desserts) or the local takeaway beats any type of cooking - but that's because for me anything above toast is a challenge (and I think even that is a bridge too far for Peter W :wink: still).

I will look at the weather and as long as it has a decent chance of being dry then we'll buy in BBQ food a couple of days before the event (usual fare of burgers and sausages OK?) and as long as Jason is happy to be head BBQ chef I'm sure all will be well. If it's going to be a washout then we'll scrap the BBQ and maybe just arrange either a buffet or raid the local takeways. I'll buy in some beers too.

Jill - you are welcome to bring some home baking delights along with you - just let me know what you want to bring to avoid duplication or the need for me to become a heavyweight in the days following to make sure it's not wasted.

One more thought: As my garden has kind of "evolved" over the years, the paved areas and astroturf were never really levelled and the paving flagstones I used are "riven type" (i.e not flat topped) so we are going to have to spend a bit of time getting the ergs perfectly flat/level. Don't get me wrong, it's not like a ploughed field but will need a few bits of wood here and there and as most of the ergs are arriving on the day that needs to be a priority.
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Recess »

Make sure to leave a jar at the entrance gate so we can all pay our way.
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by plummy »

Recess wrote:Make sure to leave a jar at the entrance gate so we can all pay our way.
No need for that - I have no travel expenses whereas everyone else has!! I'll get Mrs P a gift of some description as a thank you for her efforts though. (I thought maybe allowing her to go shopping on her own for the food would be nice as she so appears to love shopping - but then thought about it more and decided there are parts of my anatomy I'd like to stay attached to :lol: )

Oh - I guess I should fill in that blank after all the references - Mrs P is actually: Janet :D
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by hewitt »

Sorry team but I am going to have to pull out of this because my new shift system is a nightmare and the date falls between night shifts.
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by jhaveman »

Sorry to hear that Jason, it would have been nice to put a face to the person who is chasing me on the meterboard :shock:

Plummy, no problem with helping out with things - as long as I'm not going to get poked with a fork :lol:

Jill, you wouldn't be planning to make any doughnuts - we're still planning a Krispy Kreme heist for Madchester :D
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by plummy »

Agreed - sorry to hear that Jason - maybe the shifts will change at the last minute - if so, just rock up anyway?
After an initial panic it appears that Jack Hoyt is a demon with the BBQ too (although he may be more used to some huge gas powered thing that accommodates a whole hog at a time than my little BBQ that manages a modestly sized beer can chicken.

Krispy Kreme -mmmmmmm =P~ =P~ (sugar rush anyone??). There is one about 4 miles from my house near the Trafford Centre/Costco in case you were wondering.
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Grobi »

Dave, as I'll arrive early and leave late I'm happy to help with mounting/dismounting gazebo, ergs ets. You're right that I should stay far away from any cooking activities. If I cooked I think I'd even burn water :shock:
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Jill »

Thank you for all the info Plummy and bravo for coping so well with the change of plan - please give our best wishes to Jane. :)

Understandably most people are pretty territorial when it comes to cooking in their own kitchens - as a volunteer dogsbody/scullery maid/kitchen skivvy, I’ll be quite happy to take orders - although like Jan, I don’t want to ‘ accidentally ‘ collide with any cutlery. :shock:

I’ll make some triple chocolate, chocolate brownies and 2 French apple tarts - if this sounds too much, or if Janet would like me to make something else, then shout.

Jan, once upon a time, I used to make jam doughnuts, chocolate eclairs, vanilla slices and lots of other ‘ naughty but nice ‘ cakes but these days, except for special occasions, I do very little baking. I blame the ' Health and Diet Police '. :-({|= :roll: :wink:

The Krispy Kreme Heist - that sounds like an interesting title for a tall tale … :fsbgrin: :fswink: Looking forward to eating my first doughnut, even if I’m then arrested for receiving ‘ stolen goodies ‘. :lol: :wink:

Jason, it’s a great pity that you won’t be coming and I do hope that you’ll be able to gradually adjust to the new shift system. :)

Looking forward to meeting you all - I’m sure they’ll be plenty of fun and laughter - if you think of the two proverbs, Too Many Cooks Spoil The Broth and Many Hands Make Light Work, then we should aim for something in between. Aided of course by the odd glass or two … :lol:
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by CamiCrew »

plummy wrote:Agreed - sorry to hear that Jason - maybe the shifts will change at the last minute - if so, just rock up anyway?
Noooooo Jason! Was so hoping to say hello. But... understandable that sleep deprivation makes for a tough weekend.
plummy wrote:After an initial panic it appears that Jack Hoyt is a demon with the BBQ too (although he may be more used to some huge gas powered thing that accommodates a whole hog at a time than my little BBQ that manages a modestly sized beer can chicken.
Dave we lived by the beach for ~10 years. You quickly learn not to spend $$ on anything exposed to ocean air, case in point, the BBQ. They corrode so fast that a BBQ looks near-gone at a year old. So Jack got by with the most basic little round type till recently when we moved further inland. Still can't fit a hog. :wink: We do joke about a friend who would get so distracted chatting with people at a BBQ that he would torch everything (we would attempt to saw discreetly at dinnertime), but Jack will do his best not to grill to the point of beef jerky.
zootMutant wrote:This whole adventure sounds absolutely delightful. I'd love to come meet the team and cheer everybody on... except I have an almost pathological hatred of airports. Perhaps next year... after I hear all about Barbara's 10-hr plane flight. :shock:
Zoot - I love airports. LAX is a favorite -- back when the Encounter was open, going to watch those hundreds of planes coming in and out all around -- incredible place. No I'm not a fan of overnighting on a plane (who would be?) but it's the only way to get there, so I'll get through it. Hopefully a final, exhausting erg piece and an Advil PM will do the trick.

Cannot believe how FAST this trip is coming up. I've planned the weekends (London and Manchester) and the short visit to the east coast, but Jack prefers not to plan up the mid-week completely. We will likely be in the Bath area, exploring! And will make our way north on Friday.

Paul -- my life will not be complete if you don't sing! =D> We'll sneak in a round when Plummy's been sent away to get the 3rd round of Krispy Kreme's... (kidding, I know all about neighbors disdain for loud revelry)

YAY! This is going to be very fun -- so looking forward to meeting you ALL! Cheers!
-barbara

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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Rob C »

Jill wrote:I’ll make some triple chocolate, chocolate brownies and 2 French apple tarts - if this sounds too much, or if Janet would like me to make something else, then shout.
I'll wave goodbye to my weight loss regime then =P~
Jill wrote:Jan, once upon a time, I used to make jam doughnuts, chocolate eclairs, vanilla slices and lots of other ‘ naughty but nice ‘ cakes but these days, except for special occasions, I do very little baking. I blame the ' Health and Diet Police '. :-({|= :roll: :wink:
I think we are going to need those police :^o
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Liefcat »

Sorry to hear about you not being able to attend this year, Jason :!: :(

Looking forward to taste some of your bakery, Jill :!: :D
Last edited by Liefcat on Wed Apr 27, 2016 7:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Sheena »

Jill wrote: I’ll make some triple chocolate, chocolate brownies and 2 French apple tarts
Sounds like a great chocolate fix coming up :D

Good that it's not this weekend as I've been looking at the snow coming down for the past hour :shock:
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Paul Victory »

CamiCrew wrote:Paul -- my life will not be complete if you don't sing! =D> We'll sneak in a round when Plummy's been sent away to get the 3rd round of Krispy Kreme's... (kidding, I know all about neighbors disdain for loud revelry)

YAY! This is going to be very fun -- so looking forward to meeting you ALL! Cheers!
Barbara, I'm sure there are karaoke bars in the Sale area that we can visit after the barbecue has finished. :fswink: :^o

I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone. Some of you for the first time, others for the umpteenth time.

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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by plummy »

Paul - they do Karaoke at the pub where my daughter works. It's less than 10 minutes walk from the house - feel free to "show 'em how it's done" but bear in mind, whilst you're off there a singin' - we'll be enjoying French apple tart and steaks :twisted:
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Paul Victory »

plummy wrote:Paul - they do Karaoke at the pub where my daughter works. It's less than 10 minutes walk from the house - feel free to "show 'em how it's done" but bear in mind, whilst you're off there a singin' - we'll be enjoying French apple tart and steaks :twisted:
I wasn't thinking of skipping the barbecue. But if it finishes while the karaoke is still on..... :-k But only if Jill and Barbara will come with me. :fswink:
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by plummy »

I've made a first draft of the race agenda (below). Anything that says "TBA" I need some info on asap and I have borrowed bits from last year in the absence of information to the contrary so please feel free to let me know by PM if possible if/when you want something changing. I've put Rob and Jill along with Paul (who came but didn't race last year - and may not again this year) as they are the only distances I can't tie closely to something else. It also allows some flexibility in case someone else want to change their event and/or someone else joins us at the last minute.

As Jon and Erik are doing two races I've put them first and last to allow for maximum recovery. As Erik is flying in on Saturday morning and John is driving from Scotland I've left the start until 1:30 but given we have all afternoon I'm hoping that we won't have any reason to rush any timings (in fact they are all pretty fluid as we most certainly "have the venue for as long as we want")

Pulling this together is pretty time consuming so please give me as much information as you can as soon as you can so I can keep it as smooth as possible.
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Recess »

Looks like a full day! Feel free to put me in to seat 4 with Rob, Paul and Jill at 15:30 - I'd be happy to hit a 5K a few hours after trying to bat a 1K out of the park.

Good logistics!
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Rob C »

My arrival time is based on train times, in theory 12:49 Virgin Trains at Manchester Piccadilly, so probably 3/4 hour from there by the metro tram thingy and then a bit of a walk?

Happy to do a 5k row if that fits best with plans of others. I'd aim for time close to PB in my siggy. But we know how Plummy felt about my pacing last year :o
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by CamiCrew »

Amusing moment going through security at Virgin Atlantic in Los Angeles. The man in front of me had kids, car seats, and more stuff than a human can carry, including a box of Krispy Kreme donuts rolling on the belt. I was so tempted to say Dutch! That you?! He told me they couldn't go home without bringing them. Wow. Serious priorities! :lol: (I didn't ask if he had pink stars)
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by plummy »

:lol:

I assume that man either doesn't know that you can actually buy Krispy Kreme in the UK or lives too far away from a store/stockist (or has a serious addiction!).

I now have the marquee here (still in its bag) but there's no room for it to be set up at the moment as there is a temporary hot tub under a smaller gazebo in the garden. Shame it'll be gone before next weekend :(

First trip to Costco is happening tonight (we had to go anyway for our own stuff). It's beginning to come together :D

Oh - I might be able to accommodate a couple of cars at the house. There's an empty house opposite (up for sale) and the drive is obviously free so I might move my car over there so we can get at least one guest car on my drive (maybe two) to save you parking at the end of the street or going back to the hotel and walking (the walk is about 15 minutes by the way if you elect to)
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Sheena »

CamiCrew wrote: The man in front of me had kids, car seats, and more stuff than a human can carry, including a box of Krispy Kreme donuts rolling on the belt.
Hilarious, maybe he doesn't like airline food, and who can blame him.

Hope you had a good flight.
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Re: Madchester 2016 - is ON!

Post by Duckrunner »

Dear All attending Madchester

I am afraid i am unable to attend my mother has been allocated a warden controlled flat and this is,unfortunately, the weekend we are moving her. I get so little time to help mum, being in NZ that it would be remiss of me not to be there. I wish you all a super weekend.

Best wishes

Chris
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