Grandfather Mountain Camera Clinic

[debra.dandro]

Hello Everyone! Registration is now open! I'm already in along with several other members. Please let me know if your registered and I'll work on a group dinner maybe for that Friday night. So far, I have:

Updated as of 08/13/2009 at 11:58 p.m.:

Debra Dandro - Friday dinner
Harold Brown - Friday dinner (hopefully)
Jeff Averill - Friday dinner
Rich Nicoloff
Edgar Payne - Friday dinner
Ann Larsen - Friday dinner
Alec Larsen - Friday dinner
Lorraine Shannon - Friday dinner
Jennifer Carroll - Friday dinner (hopefully)
Randy Hargett - Friday dinner
Jim Young - Friday dinner
Ino Daffin - Friday dinner
Chuck Daffin - Friday dinner
Ken Teeter
Donna Eaton - Friday dinner
Mary Doherty - Friday dinner
Don Brown - Friday dinner
Mike Baker - Friday dinner
Vicki Wilson - Friday dinner


Take care and I'll be in touch... :)DJGD

[jenniferbrown]

I'm in! :D

[inochuck]

we are in also, Chuck and Ino Daffin

[donnaeaton]

I'm in as well as Mary from the Raleigh chapter!:)

[debrown]

I am registered! Anybody up for Friday night sunsets?

[mikebaker]

I'm registered.

[journeyman]

I am registered! Anybody up for Friday night sunsets?

Sounds good to me!

[debra.dandro]

Hello Everyone! I know I'm looking forward to this weekend up "on the Mountain" at Grandfather and hope all the other attendees are too. In case you are not aware, I did want to pass on some information from Don Nelson that will hopefully help keep you all safe while there, especially anyone who is camping in the Picnic Area:

"Most everybody has 'gotten the word', but just in case: there seem to be more mother bears with new cubs on Grandfather Mtn this year than in recent memory. Nearly all the time, bears want less to do with us than we with them. That means a couple of things. Food not put away in your cars at night WILL be found and consumed by bears. Wanna meet a bear? Bring some food into your tent. Second, not any of us can outrun a bear. We must be mindful of the recklessness of getting between a momma and baby bear. I don't expect any confrontations but want everyone to have knowledge enough to avoid them."

Take care and I'll see you soon! :)DJGD

[debra.dandro]

Hello again! Here's some more information from Landis Wofford regarding the bear and a planned power outage Friday midnight until Saturday at 4 a.m.:

"The bear situation on Grandfather has calmed down greatly over the past two weeks. We did have a mother and cub roaming the backcountry in July but they haven't been spotted in awhile. And right after the Highland Games the number of bears roaming the Meadows and Park greatly increased not only at night, but also during the day. That too has calmed down. We will always have bears on Grandfather but our Naturalists suspected that most of those bears were just moving through. So all these warnings aren't meant to scare people or keep them from camping, just make sure you take all the precautions that Kyle and Don have advised! Don is right! You can't outrun a bear...they can get up to 35 mph.

Also, while I have a captive audience I will mention that rumor has it that the power will be out in Avery County Friday night midnight until 4 a.m. A transformer is being worked on or something like that. I know this won't affect the campers too much...just make sure you take a flashlight to the restroom from midnight until 4!"

Thanks! :)DJGD

[mikebaker]

I'm coming up Friday afternoon and camping. Anyone else camping?

Mike

[debra.dandro]

OK Gang... It is official, I have made reservations for us for Friday night, August 14, at 6:30 p.m. at ....... drum roll please ...... Zuzda Tapas Restaurant and Bar in Banner Elk. Yes, we are trying something different so I hope everyone will like it... I finally got a hold of them and they were able to seat us outside (it's covered) and will split the checks so I went for it. With that said, here is some information about the restaurant:

Zuzda Tapas Restaurant and Bar - Progressive Alternative Dining
502 West Main Street, Banner Elk, NC
828/898-4166

Directions: From Linville, take Highway 105 North toward Boone. Make a left at the light onto Highway 184. At the light in Banner Elk, make a left onto Highway 194. Zuzda Tapas Restaurant and Bar is located just past the right turn for Beech Mountain on the right in Banner Elk.

Cuisine: Tapas / Small Plates - almost 100 item selection, with reasonable prices as well - most choices are under ten dollars

Menu: http://www.zuzda.com/menu.htm

Atmosphere: Progressive alternative dining (Food is presented randomly as it is prepared); classy but informal - conducive to dinners with friends

Reservation is under Debra Dandro for 16 (currently) for 6:30 p.m. Please let me know ASAP that you will join us and I'll firm up the number tomorrow on the way up. Thanks! :)DJGD

[mikebaker]

Debra,

I'll make it to dinner. Restaurant menu looks good.

Mike

[debra.dandro]

Great - thanks Mike! :)DJGD

[lalarsen]

Debra,
Don't know if
Edgar has already told you, but he and I and Alec will all be joining the group for dinner Friday night.

Ann Larsen

[donnaeaton]

I plan on being there and I'm assuming Mary will be joining us also!:) I'm looking forward to it!

[debrown]

I'll join you all!! Any good spots for shooting sunsets afterwards (Sunset 8:18pm)?

[debra.dandro]

Hello Everyone! I have updated the list thus far with the responses for dinner. :)DJGD

[epayne]

I would like to thank Debra Dandro for not only finding us a new wonderful place to dine, but also getting another excellent group shot of us on Sunday. I trust all who attended got a lot from the weekend's presentations and I would not be surprised if the CNPA ranks in general don't grow a little as a result of our participation and the numerous CNPA cards we handed out.
Again thanks to all,
Ann, Alec and I had a wonderful time.
Edgar Payne

[debra.dandro]

Thank you Edgar! I'm glad you guys had a great time at dinner and up at Grandfather. I too was very excited about our group shot and feel it is the best one yet from our adventures at Grandfather. It was definitely a wonderful weekend with great friends, speakers, and photography. Looking forward to being back up there very soon. :)DJGD

P.S.: I just got your voicemail and will connect with you at some point tomorrow.