Hello again comrades in trash!
I am very pleased to be able to officially announce the Seventh Annual Billville Winter Warmer! This year, the Winter Warmer will be held on February 26th, 27th and 28th as always and the wonderful, warm, welcoming and historic Doyle Hotel! (http://doylehotel.com)
Q: What is a 'Winter Warmer"?
A: OK, really? Do I still have to do this Q&A? This has got to be getting old by now! But simply put, The Billville Winter Warmer is an excuse to get together and hang out with friends who love the AT and hiking. It has been very loosely organized by proud Billville members like myself and Jester.
While this is mostly a Billville event, all who love the trail and/or central Pennsylvania are welcome. There is no schedule of events. There are no seminars. And there is very little sleep.
As with every Warmer, there will be a Bad Hiker Poetry contest some time on Saturday night. This usually involves somewhat humorous performances by about a dozen hikers, and a lot of talking about how the contest was funnier last year, and certainly none were as funny as Max Patch or Bum a Cigarette. (caution: that was an inside joke).
Other options for the weekend are numerous, however, with many short hiking options right out the front door of the Doyle or a short drive away. Also, if you missed the Gathering, its about an hours drive to take a tour of Gettysburg.
Q: Where is the Winter Warmer?
A: If you don't know where the Doyle is and you have been a member of Whiteblaze for more than a month, something is seriously wrong. However, for those of you unfamiliar, the Warmer will once again be held at the Doyle Hotel and Bar in downtown Duncannon, PA. There are several rooms available, and the quiet hours start at 2 am. If you would rather, there is a campground just down the street. Also, just outside of town the truck stop has rooms available as well.
As always, most people stayed in the Doyle, however since this little shin-dig has grown a lot since year one, space does get a little tight. You should be prepared to crash on a floor, or share your floor space with a friend! Don't have a friend? This is a perfect excuse to make a new one! Do you snore? Have fun getting in a fight with your new friend!
*NOTE - I have no control over the rooms and availability, so if you want to attend and guarantee yourself a room, please call the Doyle and talk to either Pat or Vickey.
(Please remember to pay your share to the Doyle even if you are sleeping on the floor! Not sure about the current rates, but last year it was $5 a night.)
I've said all many times before, but the Doyle is kind enough to host this event, we love being here, we have been treated very well each of the past six years. Pat and Vickey are excellent hosts - and we are lucky to have a great, friendly place like the Doyle to gather in the middle of winter. So once again, thank you guys for putting up with us! Please treat the Doyle and this event with respect!
Q: What do I bring to the Warmer?
A: Bring nothing or bring everything. Hell, you don't even need to bring a change of clothing if you really don't want to! But beware, there is no smoking in the Doyle Bar anymore, so you're not going to be able to hike your terrible BO with smoke anymore. (I'm looking at you, Jester).
Otherwise, you can bring hiking gear, but be prepared for snowy and icy conditions. Bring any photo albums that you would like to share. Got some hiking videos? Bring your DVD's. If you are a future AT hiker, bring your questions. If you are a past AT hiker, bring your answers. If you happen to be a crazy southbound hiker out in the dead of winter, don't worry about bringing your friends - you lost those a few hundred miles ago.
We would also like to invite any hikers that are heading down to Springer to stop in at the Doyle on your way south. While there might be better ways to kick off your AT hike than hanging out at the Doyle and chewing the fat with some AT alumni, there are certainly much WORSE ways to start your hike. The Billville Winter Warmer - you could do worse.
Q: Anything else I should know about the Warmer?
A: Yes - Contra Dancing is still strictly prohibited. If you are planning to attend, please let me know and call The Doyle to make sure that there are rooms available. I get a lot of calls and emails last minute to see if there is bed space, etc... If you don't want to plan ahead, its no problem. Just bring a sleeping bag and pad and pull up some floor space. We're nothing if not friendly!
If you would like more information, you can post a reply here or send me a Private Message. I hope to see many of you at the Seventh Annual Billville Winter Warmer!
chomp