The Gathering

[ThongPrincess]

Iceman requested the exact dates so I decided to copy this from BR.com. The official dates are July 24 - 26. Many come early to make a vacation out of it. I plan to arrive either Tuesday or Wednesday and leave Monday.

The Gathering, this is an annual gathering of bowlers from all over. It basically involves bowling, socializing, bowling, eating, bowling, eating, bowling, drinking, bowling, eating, and oh did I mention bowling. Magic Carpet (Ron Clifton), Mrs Magic Carpet, and the staff at Creekside host this gathering each year. They are amazing! This began as a BallReviews.com and Bowl4Fun get together, any and all bowlers are welcome.

Friday night the center has a Mixed Scotch Doubles that many participate in. Saturday is the Bragging Rights Tournament for the coveted "Bragging Rights Champion T-Shirt." Sunday, for those who hang around, Ron offers some one-on-one coaching. For those who arrive early, it is impromptu.

Toma and Nollster have traditionally organized some golfing and Strider has opened his house for pool and poker Saturday night after the "official" dinner at "Golden Corral."

Many stay at the Extended Stay, Haines Mall. Due to a situation last year, I personally will be looking at other options.

Creekside Lanes
1450 Trade Mart Blvd
Winston-Salem, NC 27127
(336)771-9800

Hotel most have stayed at in the past:
Extended Stay America Winston-Salem Hanes Mall Blvd
1995 Hampton Inn Ct
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
(336)768-0075

As details are finalized, I will update with specifics. I have been to the previous 6 and always look forward to the next one. If you are even remotely considering attending, do so, you won't regret it. I realize the current economic times may make it tough, but I am looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. This year I plan to do more than be scorekeeper at the Bragging Rights Tournament ! Last year I had knee problems and did not get to bowl much.

[Iceman]

wow - that was quick.

Situation at the hotel? bad experience there?

About how many go to this each year? Is this something that registration for certain day tournaments is required or recommended?

I do travel alot to bowl at tourneys, and the last few as really made me start researching better options (not just because it's close to the alley). Our State tourney is in Columbus, so the Airport Hotel is almost half distance and headquarters to both alleys for Sgl/dbl and Team events.

We went to Kiwiah Islands (sp?) once in SC a few years ago, and we almost turned around, driving to get there as we were getting close, the area was a bit on the low maintenance side. But once we turned down the long hiway to get to the islands, it was great. It had to be in my thoughts, it was on a golf course, but the area surrounding it made me weary.

[ThongPrincess]

I left my cell phone in the room and didn't realize it until I got to the airport. A fellow BR member went the same day and asked about it and was told it was not there. I suspended the service as soon as I got back to the Valley, so it did not cost me anything. It is just that there was some dishonest housekeeping person that upset me.

I might stay there, I'll just be looking at other options. So far they have the best rate and are very close to the center. I have a promo code for a discount that I will post tomorrow. I have to go back and look it up but it gives $25 off for 2 - 6 nights or $50 for 7 - 14 nights.

[kev3inp]

While we didn't have that kind of a problem there, what had happened was we had no phone in the room for the 4 days we were there, due to the hotel being struck by lightning the night before our arrival, apparently. We'll probably go back there, as we like to have the fridge and the microwave and the stove to keep the wine cold and reheat our leftovers. We usually arrive on Thursday afternoon and leave Monday morning.

How many go each year? It varies. There seem to be more people that show up for the Bragging Rights Tournament than anything else. Col, how many entries were there last year? Something in the 30's, I believe. I came in last, my wife even beat me. Not this year, it's someone else's turn! ;)

There's no need for reservations to have a slot to bowl in the BRT. The Scotch Doubles is a first come, first served tournament that does draw a lot of people and is enormous fun. This trip is the centerpiece of our whole year and we plan everything else around it. I wouldn't miss it for anything.

[bowl1820]

Enjoyed the mini-gathering at seminole last year, So I'll do my best to be there for the main one.

[ThongPrincess]

My computer that had all the info on it crashed, so I don't know the exact number. I believe there were 5 or 6 per pair so that would put it between 30 and 36 entries.

Ron oils 6 pair of lanes, 2 sets of 3 different patterns. He usually does not tell us what pair has what pattern. One is always the house pattern. We move one pair after each game so everyone bowls on every pattern. We tried 6 games, but some can't handle the 6 games and it runs into dinner time, so we have pretty much held the Bragging Rights to 3 games. It is handicapped so everyone feels comfortable participating.

In past BR tournaments we had some sponsors who donated bowling balls. We have had Columbia, Storm, and Lane #1 donate in the past. Last year we didn't have any sponsors. Kevin got teased that he intentionally finished last because the prior year last place got a free bowling ball. No one reminded him there were no balls to give away ;).

[ThongPrincess]

I didn't forget about the promo codes, I bowl league Mondays. So here they are $50 off of stays of 7 - 14 days is HPE50 and $25 off of stays of 2 - 6 days is HPE25

[JAnderson]

Keep in mind that Ron's "house pattern" is fairly challenging and relatively light on the oil.

Last year was my second year. Kat, my wife, wasn't looking forward to the Gathering two years ago and ended up having a blast. She plans for the event before I do now. I like it because everyone there likes to bowl. It's always fun to be around those kind of people.

Friday night is the Scotch doubles. They run it at the house every Friday night, so it isn't special to the gathering. Usually there are enough of us there for the gathering by Friday night that we all go out to dinner together, then return to bowl the Scotch doubles.

Saturday afternoon is the bragging rights tournament and the "main event". I enjoy it, but I enjoy the practice with everyone else wrapped around the event even more.

I've inquired about a friendly doubles tournament for Friday afternoon for those who show up early. Once I have an idea of interest, I'll publish more. Last year TP and I went head to head, the stipulation being that I had to throw left-handed. I think the group had more fun with that then TP and I did (she won by the way - I need to find and repost the novelette I wrote about it...)

Sunday Ron generally works with the stragglers giving some free on-lane lessons. He's there throughout the event answering questions and giving advice though. Last year I offered to answer questions and "give lessons" on the benefits of a ball spinner and how changing ball surfaces can help adjust to lane conditions. For some reason, no one took me up on the offer. I suspect many of them are closet ball-spinner addicts just coming off their 12-step program...

[kev3inp]

Well, we've just made our hotel reservations for the Extended Stay. We're arriving on the 23rd and checking out on the
27th. Nothing like getting them in early, huh? I've requested first floor, too, so we'll see. I get so worn out climbing the stairs by the end of the weekend, and my legs are sore after the first day. Hope to see you all there.

[kev3inp]

I've been talking to a guy in NC lately so I'm bumping this so maybe he'll see it. See you all there. Oh, and I don't like "sweet tea."

[11 in a row]

I've been talking to a guy in NC lately so I'm bumping this so maybe he'll see it. See you all there. Oh, and I don't like "sweet tea."

i,ll have to give it some thought thats for sure...

[ThongPrincess]

i,ll have to give it some thought thats for sure...

It is well worth the trip! The bowlers who attend are awesome people. I was hooked after the first one! I usually put up a roll call post as we get closer to get an idea on how many are coming.

[11 in a row]

It is well worth the trip! The bowlers who attend are awesome people. I was hooked after the first one! I usually put up a roll call post as we get closer to get an idea on how many are coming.

i,ll keep ya,ll in mind.it,s sure sounds like you all have a blast thats for sure...
one way or another i,ll et you all know if i can go or i can,t go.....

thanks TP...

[kev3inp]

i,ll keep ya,ll in mind.it,s sure sounds like you all have a blast thats for sure...
one way or another i,ll et you all know if i can go or i can,t go.....

thanks TP...

Well, keep the dates open, my friend. And maybe while you're there we can show you where the apostrophe is. ;) You can't be that old that your punctuation dropped too. :) (My wife says I'm really a frustrated English teacher.)

[11 in a row]

Well, keep the dates open, my friend. And maybe while you're there we can show you where the apostrophe is. ;) You can't be that old that your punctuation dropped too. :) (My wife says I'm really a frustrated English teacher.)

yeah i must be falling off on the job here,:D i will keep it open thats for sure and thanks..

[kev3inp]

If she were still with us I'm sure we'd have been reminded by now. So I'll remind you.

I see we have a few more members from NC who I'm sure could attend. Janderson will be organizing a doubles tournament on Friday for everybody, there's still the Scotch doubles that night, and the Bragging Rights Tourney on Saturday. We hope to see all the old faces and a lot of new ones, too. So if you've gotten a new face in the last year be sure to come out and show us. :)

[JAnderson]

I'll be bringing a couple of non-posters with me and potentially one of the top South region PBA players (I'm still trying to talk him into it). Really gang, the more the merrier. The people who show up for this like to bowl. If you've ever thought things like "I wonder what {insert ball} would do" there's a good chance that someone at the Gathering will have that ball and you can see for yourself what it will do.

[JAnderson]

The Gathering started 5 or 6 years ago as a way for some of the more rabid ballreviews.com members to meet face to face, do some bowling, start new friendships, do some bowling, talk about bowling, do some bowling, compare equipment, bowl, have some dinner, bowl, enjoy some tasty beverages, bowl, and spend some time around other people who like to bowl.

The location of the "official" Gathering is Creekside lanes in Winston, Salem NC. It is one of Ron Clifton's bowling centers. I believe he volunteered use of his center out of his love of bowling and bowlers and the general kindness of his (and his wife Karen's) heart. If you don't know Ron Clifton, he's "Magic Carpet" on ballreviews.com (I don't believe he has an account here yet), a nationally known coach, inventor of Ron C's Magic Carpet, and a regular writer for Bowling This Month magazine. His exposure has grown quite a bit in the last two years, but he still hosts and looks forward to the Gathering every year.

Saturday afternoon is the "official" Gathering event dubbed "The Bragging Rights Tournament" which features three games across 3 pairs each with a different, challenging condition. It's handicapped and as the name implies, all about the bragging rights. Most people just have fun with it and enjoy the camaraderie of the us (the bowlers) versus them (the pins).

Friday night, the lanes hosts a scotch doubles tournament. Most of the Gathering crew bowls that as well. My favorite part of the weekend is Friday morning/afternoon when most people arrive. Seeing "old" friends and meeting the new participants. This year I'm throwing together an informal for-fun doubles tournament on Friday afternoon. Most of the participants will be there and bowling anyway. This will just organize things a little bit and give us a little bit more to joke and laugh about.

Toma and Nooster (BRScreen names) have arranged golf outings for earlier (Wed, Thu) in the week in the past. I'm not sure of the status of the golf this year.

There's an organized group dinner on Saturday afternoon right after the bragging rights tournament. Strider (BR screen name) and his wife have hosted a Texas hold 'em tournament, billiards tournament, cook-out, and home-brew tasting session at his home the last two years on Saturday night.

On Sunday, Ron usually does some pro bono coaching work with those who ask and are still in town.

Throughout the weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, there's always someone from the group bowling. Ron puts aside a set of lanes specifically for the group.

The rest of the magic of the Gathering is in the people involved. According to Ron, the center's staff starts to get excited a couple of weeks before the Gathering every year. You just can't say enough good things about the Creekside Lanes staff. They treat us as part of the family instead of outsiders who are invading their house for a weekend. They also participate in the Gathering events as much as they can.

The participants come from all walks of life and backgrounds. First-year participants tend to be a little bit shy at first, but when you consider that everyone is there because they like to bowl, it gives everyone a common ground. Friendships form and good times are had. Last year, we were introduced to the "terror twins" one of the bowler's young sons that like to wreak havoc where they go. (I content they weren't that bad). Some people, like Colleen and Joe Falco, are a little more outgoing than the rest and make everyone feel welcome. I'm not sure of the exact number, but the last two years there have been 30-40 of us bowling nuts participating in the activities. The numbers have grown slightly each year.

One of the local hotels near the bowling center "sponsors" the event by provide a group discount rate. Ron makes up commemorative T-shirts and gives away door prizes. We still pay for our bowling, but it's been $1 per game for the last two years. Most of us wear name tags with our screen name and birth name to make it easier to meet one another. Ron and his coach-in-training Andy give help and advice on the lane wherever they can. There's general question and answer session before the bragging rights tournament where we're allowed to pick their brains or ask those nagging bowling questions.

From a personal perspective, I felt like I was dragging my wife to our first Gathering (2 years ago). Neither of us knew what to expect and my wife isn't crazy about bowling. That is to say, she'll throw a couple of games, but isn't as addicted as the rest of us. She had a blast, made a bunch of friends that first year, and now looks forward to the Gathering as much as I do. That first year she finished 2nd in the bragging rights tournament while I finished 2nd last. She'll never let me live that down! I've made some good friends, like Kev3inp and DPmusic from this site and the late, great Thong Princess and each year we make a couple more.

Not everyone is outgoing and there are some personality clashes but you'll get that in any group. In general, everyone is there to have fun and that's what we do. We did have a couple of bowlers show up one year who - putting it politely - had a bit of a poor attitude. They were discretely pulled aside and spoken to quietly. I don't know what was said, but the poor attitudes disappeared.

It's an event put on by bowlers for bowlers to bowl and enjoy bowling. It is not limited to members of this board or that board. It just so happens the Gathering was originally organized and run through BallReviews.com. Anyone who likes bowling is invited. It would be great to meet some people from this site and do some bowling with them. If you can't make it this year, start making plans for next year. We'll discuss informal dates for 2010 at this year's Gathering, but it's always a weekend and usually around the end of July.

Hope to see you there! :)

[kev3inp]

Ok, to move this to the top so everybody can check it out, then I'll add J's other post here, too. The only other thing I'd like to add is that there are a lot of rabid jerks on the other site, but, oddly enough, those are the guys without the stones to show up and shoe up. Something always comes up. Imagine that.

[Graaille]

Ok, to move this to the top so everybody can check it out, then I'll add J's other post here, too. The only other thing I'd like to add is that there are a lot of rabid jerks on the other site, but, oddly enough, those are the guys without the stones to show up and shoe up. Something always comes up. Imagine that.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

[Jord_84]

Oh, and I don't like "sweet tea."

:confused: sweet tea is the shiznat

too bad my hubby is sick of hearing me talk about bowling. he's mad cus I kick his butt....
so it's not much of a possibility for me :(
I don't think he'd like it much if I suggested bowling for our vacation.

[dpmusic70]

That is too bad Jord because it would be nice to meet you.

[Jord_84]

maybe in the future. My best friend is from Greensboro NC. So I've thought seriously about timing it so that I could swing by and visit her and then meet up with everyone else.
Just have to get the hubby on board.

I'm trying to lure him into posting here with the ball giveaways lol

[dpmusic70]

Sounds good.

[JAnderson]

I don't think he'd like it much if I suggested bowling for our vacation.

We need to get my wife to talk to your husband - she didn't like the idea of a weekend "spent bowling" the first time either. Now she's just as excited as I am for our yearly pilgrimage to the Gathering.

[JAnderson]

Kev - thanks for moving that post over for me.

One thing I forgot to mention, two years ago with had a couple of guys make the trip from Italy. They were a blast and certainly loved to bowl.

[kev3inp]

Hey, I resemble that remark!

No you don't. You actually show up and you're quite polite, with a good sense of humor. Life's too short to put up with jerks. :) There are two things I don't suffer well, stupidity and, shall we say, boorishness.

[Graaille]

Just the tickler to bring this fun time to the top. I've already negotiated to work all the other weekends in July to get this one off. If it's at all a possibility, everyone should come to partake of the merriment, mayhem, and memory making.

You know you want to...... 6 weeks and counting.

[kev3inp]

The Creekside lanes website (bowlcreekside.com) has a countdown timer going on. We've got quite a few new members from the Carolinas. Anybody who can make it should come. It's great fun.

[kev3inp]

OK, the countdown has fallen under 30 days. I'd really like to see a strong presence from us there. Jason, J and Kat, and Diane and I will be sort of doing double duty, but how about a few more? I know we've got members from the Carolinas and from a lot closer than we'll be driving from. Any way of getting a list of Carolina members that I can PM with a gentle nudge? I should have been keeping a list myself, but since our loss I've truly not been thinking clearly about it.

[JAnderson]

This is the format I'm considering for the blind-draw doubles competition - this is just for fun - on Friday afternoon. I likely will not be in town until around noon and we'll want to finish before dinner. Let's initially plan this for 3pm.

We'll put everyone's name in a hat and draw two bowlers for each team, bowler A and bowler B.

Game 1: (Scotch)
Bowler A throws all of the first balls
Bowler B throws at all of the spares

Game 2: (Scotch)
Bowler B throws all of the first balls
Bowler A throws at all of the spares

Game 3: (Baker)
Bowler A bowls all of the odd numbered frames
Bowler B bowls all of the even numbered frames

Game 4: (Standard)
Each bowler bowls a separate game

It's the equivalent of 2 1/2 games per bowler. Because of the diversity of skill levels and because this is just for fun, we'll run this as a handicap event.

[dpmusic70]

That sounds like alot of fun Jay. You can count me and Kevin in. :)

[Graaille]

Awesome, I think that'd be a great warmup for the weekend. I'm in.

[kev3inp]

OK, folks. We'll be hitting the road soon for our trip to NC. I'm probably going to have no or limited access (we don't have a laptop) until a week from today when we return. We'll see everybody there. Later!

[JAnderson]

Kev - you can use Kat's laptop or my laptop (depending on what we bring) to satisfy your BowlingBoards addiction, though I expect you to focus most of your time on the lanes!

[Graaille]

Well quick update from The Gathering.

JAnderson & spouse, Kev3inp/Dpmusic70, and myself are tearing up the lanes, but only JA is doing it in a good way. ;)

Kev brought the Rogue Cell, says it makes him look like he's got mad revs, and I gotta agree with him on that one. On the house shot today, I think he may have needed a bit more polish on it tho - he's a lefty that was hitting the 1-3 pocket pretty regularly, and couldn't flatten it out enough to pick off the 7 pin. I will say he's bowling very well considering the surgery that had him out for 14 weeks earlier in the year.

Dpmusic70's being an angel as usual, putting up with the goings on remarkably - but then again she is married to Kev.

JAnderson's first game I saw him bowl today was a 279, and I don't remember seeing him miss the pocket the entire day. He's a wealth of information and good humor, and his wife so far has been her usual quiet, unassuming, bashful self. :rolleyes:

More to come as our plans to conquer this game continue.....

[Graaille]

Update #2, finished the ThongPrincess Memorial Bragging Rights Tournament, and in proper fashion the top 3 spots were taken by the ladies. Strider's wife took top honors, JAnderson's wife was second, and I think my bowling partner was 3rd (will have to check). Definately a girl power day all around. I'm sure TP is looking down laughing her butt off.

[JAnderson]

Graaille - thanks for the kind words :)

[JAnderson]

The 7th Annual BR Gathering (2009) was this past weekend (July 25-26th). As usual, it was a fun event with much bowling and camraderie, some fun competitions, discussions of equipment, good food, and reuniting with friends.

We (my wife Kat and I) arrived about noon on Friday and joined up with the rest of the group already at the lanes. We bowled 3 games to loosen up and Ron (Magic Carpet) came out of bowling semi-permantent retirement to bowl with us. At about 2pm we started the for-fun blind doubles tournament featuring a mixed format. The lead changed hands after ever game. The eventual winners were robuster (Doug) and dpmusic70 (Diane), a team made up of someone new to the Gathering this year and a 4-year veteran of the event respectively. I think everyone enjoyed it, although we learned that "Scotch Doubles" format means slightly different things to different people.

Afterwards, the entire group went for italian food at Little Italy 4, in Welcome North Carolina. As you cross into Welcome, the city sign says "Welcome to Welcome, a Friendly Place". Nice. The food was recommended by Ron and Karen and was everything they said it would be, but mostly delicious. The restaurant staff made us feel, well... welcome! ... and the service was impeccable. I think the group would have liked to linger over dessert, but we were pressed for time. A Scotch doubles tournament, which is held regularly on Saturday night at Creekside lanes, was about to start.

Back to the bowling center we drove. For the first time anyone could remember, more women showed up to bowl than men, so a couple of us guys got to double-up with two doubles partners. This event is pretty fun with one or the other of each doubles partner throwing the first ball in the frame with the other partner picking up whatever is left. It's always fun with a large group, especially when marital couples are involved. If I remember correctly, we had two teams from the Gathering finish in the money. By the time the tournament was over, it was late and most of us had bowled 10 games, so it was time to sojourn to our various places of sojourn.

Saturday, we resumed at 11am. A couple more people showed up who did not make it on Friday including both locals and members of BallReviews.com including two first-timers BowlerDawg and SeniorStroker (not sure they post at this site yet). We bowled a game of practice and went straight into the bragging rights tournament. This was a little early this year because of another tournament - an Eliminator style tournament - coming in at 2pm.

This year, the event was renamed the first-annual ThongPrincess Bragging Rights Tournament. The format was 3 games across 3 pairs of lanes with each pair of lanes featuring a different sport pattern. The patterns were not announced ahead of time and even Ron didn't know what the mechanic was using. My best guess, based on literally minutes of experience, was that the patterns were (or were similar to) PBA Cheetah, the USBC Nationals, and the Kegel Middle of The Road.

Scores are typically pretty low and this year was no exception. I'm hoping that someone from Creekside lanes can post the official results (and the patterns that were used), but the Handicap winner was Strider's (from BR.com) wife Tricia who bowled excellently. My wife finished 2nd for the 3rd consecutive year, which means she beat me for the third consecutive year! The scratch winner was Willynhook (not sure he's on this site yet) who posted a nice 248 on (what we thought was) Cheetah. There was some major gender domination this year on the handicap side as 5 of the top 6 finalists were female and this is the second year in a row in which the event was won by a female.

Strider and I entered the Eliminator tournament directly afterwards. Again, it was hosted on a sport pattern. I believe we were the only two from the Gathering group who entered, but everyone else hung out to socialize and cheer us on (thanks everyone!). Strider and I both made it to the single-game finals which was comprised of 7 bowlers, and Strider edged me out by a pin. Nice bowling Strider.

We had another large group for dinner at Applebees which provided free appetizers for the group. I daresay we were the loudest group in the restaurant by a factor of 6 or 7. The poor service staff was trying to sing happy birthday to a couple of different people and had to ask us to quiet down. Willynhook's "terror twins" got pictures of the whole thing. Ron was the last to eat. I guess that's what he gets for ordering a steak medium-rare. Seriously though, the staff at Applebees did a nice job of taking care of us and put up with such a loud, rowdy group.

Sunday is usually a day of groaning pain and tired (if not tired and hungover) bowling and this year was no exception. Ron worked with StrikingMachine (not sure he's on this site either) for quite awhile and you could see big changes in his delivery both from previous years as well as from earlier in the day. Most of us got in at least six games before it was time for goodbyes for the people that were leaving.

Ron shared with us some incredible slow-motion video of some of the past and present PBA exempt and national players as well as some bowlers you've probably never heard of who have exceptional execution and mechanics. That of course spurred new conversations which led to more video and more conersations and delayed departure times. The women-folk mostly socialized and relaxed and simply enjoyed the time with friends.

That's the most accurate description I can give of the Gathering this year - a good time with bowling friends. Sure, we had fewer in attendance this year; the economy is bad and people with jobs can't take as much time off work for fear of losing a job that can be hard to find. Sure, most of us only see each other at this one event each year. That doesn't change the enjoyment of the time together. Having fewer attendees this year didn't make it any less fun. As Ron said, we half as many people we get to have twice as much fun to make up for it.

As always, the staff and Creekside Lanes treats us so well I feel like a "regular". It's like Cheers to some degree - "where everybody knows your name". There were a couple of new additions to the staff that were a little shy at first, but joined the fun before Friday was done. Some of the staff are working two jobs now to make ends meet and they still spent every possible minute with the group. That's what makes those of us that descend upon Creekside once a year feel so Welcome, like in Welcome. Andy - Ron's crash test dummy - and his wife Cindy - event hostess extraordinaire - were just returning from a trip to nationals in Las Vegas on Saturday, but drove directly from the airport to the lanes to say hello to everyone and socialize. Andy wasn't able to bowl normally this year as his leg is in a bowling cast after a nasty indoor sports accident that broke his leg in four places.

Many of the "regular" bowlers weren't able to make it to the Gathering this year for a number of different reasons. In particular, the physical absence of our "glue", ThongPrincess / Colleen Becker, was felt most acutely. However, she was there in spirit, enjoying the craziness, chaos, and fun. It was/is still difficult for many of us to talk about her, but we carried on as we know she would have wanted. We hope to see the rest of you return next year.

We also had some new attendees as mentioned above (if I'm forgetting anyone, you should be chiming in about now with your experiences). It's always great to see some new faces and this year was no different.

We also had some new and repeat locals attend. Darrel - you lurker - I know you!

Hundreds of pictures were taken this year so I hope to see them posted somewhere on the Internet for all to see. Dummy me forgot the video camera at home, so full-blown blackmail will need to wait another year.

The Fox News people were awesome and a couple of them stayed to bowl with us. It's a shame we couldn't use one of their fancy cameras for the blackmail. Has anyone found the video on YouTube yet?

Thank you Ron, Karen, and the entirely excellent staff at Creekside lanes for having us again this year. You are entirely too kind to us in every way, but we surely appreciate it. We just wish the entire staff could take the weekend off of life to join in our fun.

A date for next-year's event was decided at this year's event to be the last full weekend in July, July 24th and 25th, 2010 at Creekside Lanes. My wife was nominated to replace ThongPrincess as the bowler-organizer of the event. I'll help her with the web posting. Ron will continue to host the event at Creekside lanes and he and his staff will organize things locally. Stay tuned for more details. We hope to see you there!

[NoTapNorm]

Thanks for the overview of the Gathering!!! Sounds like everyone had a great time and I'm going to try to make it next year, even though my wife doesnt bowl.

[JAnderson]

Thanks for the overview of the Gathering!!! Sounds like everyone had a great time and I'm going to try to make it next year, even though my wife doesnt bowl.

Our first year, my wife was of the attitude "what's in this for me? I don't know these people. I don't post to the boards. Am I going to be sitting around bored all weekend?" I couldn't answer any of those questions because our first year, I didn't know how much or how little I was going to enjoy the event. That first year, I think my wife had a better time than I did, and I had a good time.

There's a group of "womens" (as Ron calls them) that hang out and discuss womens things if they're not bowling. Judging by the cackles and how loud and rowdy they get, I don't want to know the topic of conversation, but I do throw fuel onto the fire from time to time.

Remember - the gathering is at least as much social as it is bowling.

[bowlerdawg]

Our first year, my wife was of the attitude "what's in this for me? I don't know these people. I don't post to the boards. Am I going to be sitting around bored all weekend?" I couldn't answer any of those questions because our first year, I didn't know how much or how little I was going to enjoy the event. That first year, I think my wife had a better time than I did, and I had a good time.

There's a group of "womens" (as Ron calls them) that hang out and discuss womens things if they're not bowling. Judging by the cackles and how loud and rowdy they get, I don't want to know the topic of conversation, but I do throw fuel onto the fire from time to time.

Remember - the gathering is at least as much social as it is bowling.


I support this statement 100 %
I brought my girlfriend ( non-bowler ) Amanda, and she had the best time w/ the hooters girls, just chatting and chilling with them. We both had a great time individually and collectively . Everybody is very welcoming and very laid back.

[dpmusic70]

NoTapNorm you really don't have to worry about you or your wife not having a good time. We would welcome both of you and the non bowlers have fun as well as the bowlers.

Thanks Graaille for your kind words and it was great to see you again and spend more time together this year. :)

Colleen's presence was definately missed and most people didn't seem to want to talk much about her but I guess that's normal. She will forever be in our hearts.

Jay- You did a great job setting up the tournament and it was nice to win something along with my partner Doug. I had a great time bowling with you Doug. And Kat knows how much we appreciate her taking so many pictures and we look foward to seeing them.

Dr. Joe if you happen to come over and check out the site I would love to see the pics that the twins took with their special camera's. They were so cute and funny.

[kev3inp]

I put a selection of pics from our trip in an album a few minutes ago. They came out in reverse order, though. That's ok, start at the end. :)

[NoTapNorm]

Thanks for the responses! We'll have to see if she makes the trip next year...

[JAnderson]

I'm sorry that Kat (the Gathering's "official" photographer) and I haven't been able to post pictures from the Gathering yet. We've been out of town every weekend since the Gathering and free time has been at a minimum for both of us. She's narrowing down which pictures would be best to post, then hands them to me for cleanup and reformatting in preparation for posting to the web.

As soon as the pics are ready, we'll post a link to them here.

[dpmusic70]

Hi Jay. Did you check out the one's that Kevin posted here in his profile and the one's that I posted on facebook?