Sorry about the earlier confusion, folks, but there was an apparent mis-communication that caused a problem with booking the Marywood Conference Center in south Jacksonville for the 2011 tree climbing rendezvous. It's now straighted out and a contract has been approved. Another group somehow managed to grab the original dates we thought were reserved for us, so we went with the next weekend.

We are confirmed for 9-13 November in the group camp area at Marywood, which is located on the banks of the St. Johns River about a half-hour south of Jacksonville International Airport. Exact costs haven't been determined, but it's expected to be "reasonable" once the finance committee gets through with its number-crunching routine.

The official rendezvous -- our 11th year -- will be held 11-13 November, with pre-conference training on the 9th and 10th.

We will have dormitories that sleep 72 people.

For those who want private rooms, they are holding for us a "pod" of 20 rooms of various sizes, with private baths/showers. This would be a separate cost for individuals to book and pay for on their own, not part of the registration fee we would charge. More contact info on this will be available when registration packets are sent out.

Camping with tents or RV's is not allowed, but climbers are welcome to bring their canoes/kayaks, etc.

Dinner most likely will be provided in the conference center's dining hall on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Rendezvous participants will have to provide their own breakfasts and lunches, but there is a kitchen area available for our use.

We can climb in all areas around the group camp and the nature trail area, where there are hundreds of live oaks and laurel oaks. There is also the possibility that we'll be able to take small groups of climbers to nearby natural areas along the St. Johns, where there are monster-sized old-growth bald cypress.

We're still looking for possible rendezvous sites in the midwest and west coast areas for the 2012 and 2013 rendezvous. Anyone who knows a suitable place where we'll be officially welcome to climb trees should contact a GOTC board member before or during this year's conference.

Wondering it that camp we used for the first one in Nebraska is available? They had good trees but the place may not hold as many people as they had been attending lately and it is kind of far away from the Airport. So, Camp Fontanelle is a got place and they have a Tree Climbing program there.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1022661293476&set=o.38857962936&type=1&theater

Here is a picture of Camp Fontanelle HQ. Good memories of my first Rendezvous.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=231227162385&set=o.38857962936&type=1&theater

Good idea, Desi. Tengu has already discovered that we can use the Nebraska site again.

As most of you know, this year's rendezvous was originally set for somewhere in southern California. We had to change to an alternate location, though, due to unforeseen difficulties.

I don't speak for the whole GOTC board and advisory council, but I believe the current thinking is that we'd still like to find some place on the West Coast for 2012, and then go to the Midwest in 2013.

The tree climbing community seems to be about evenly divided. Some want to go back to a few of the favorite sites, such as Tanglewood in North Carolina or Camp Fontenelle in Nebraska or Boyd Hill in Florida; others have offered the opinion that we should go to a new site every year so that climbers can experience a wider variety of climates, tree species and biological diversity.

Although an official rendexvous was never held at the gigantic Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park in west Georgia, a lot of people really liked the three regional workshops that were held there and have asked to go back. Unfortunately, a major tornado wiped out the popular group camp/lodge there, and it will be at least 2016 or later before it's rebuilt. (Hopefully they'll rebuild the spot in front of the huge fireplace where J~bird set up his indoor campsite and banjo-pickin' parlor.)

A couple of climbers have suggested a spot with old-growth forest near the corner of Georgia-Florida-Alabama for a Southeast regional workshop or "climb-in" next spring, and this might be the trend to work toward in the future. The regional events are usually a LOT cheaper to set up, and the travel expense for most climbers is a lot less. Regional workshops for those on budgets, and the annual rendezvous for those who have real jobs that pay real money and can afford the $600 airline ticket.

One example of a regional event: Bob Wray occasionally hosts a climb-in at his farm on the Blue Ridge Parkway in western Virginia. Each climber brings a tent and pitches in about $30-40 for the Porta-Potty and toward the big Saturday night feast. Typically, about 12-15 climbers show up for the event, and everybody shares their latest gadgets and techniques while sitting around the campfire. It's a very popular event.

So, how do you set up a regional event? My experience has been that you keep e-mailing or calling the climbers in your part of the country (say northern Cal, Nevada and Oregon) and invite everybody to get together for a long weekend at some convenient spot like a national forest campground. Then you grab your backpack full of climbing gear, walk off to a remote spot, and quietly climb a few good trees. Most forest rangers will leave you alone as long as you're respectful of the forest and other visitors, and climb using safe non-invasive techniques. But leave the orange T-shirt at home, leave your Silky saw back at the campsite, and leave the tree pretty much as you found it -- which is "wild." Don't get discouraged if only one or two other climbers show up the first time. It typically takes several years to get a big group of climbers together on a regular or annual basis. Finally, set a date for the event and stick to it. Those who've tried to change their dates just to please one or two other climbers usually end up with nobody.

Good points Mr Bill. I have attended both the National Rendezvous, 6 or 7 of them and some of the smaller regional ones. The regional ones bring a closer group of climbers together and are more relaxed on many ways ie (climbing rules and innovation is Ok) also accomodations are simpler, more basic (camp out in tents or small cabins. etc) definitely the cost is bit lower. Nothing wrong with large gatherings but to handle 60 to 100 people the logistics of registrations, food and services become too much for one person and unless a committee of volunteers is put together it is not going to take place or that person organizing will be burned out and posibly even broke if they have to eat up the extra unforessen expenses ( happened once or twice so far) acccording to well guarded rumors.

For a large groups like the last one in Kentucky getting sponsorship from Gear or Supplies companies is great to lower the burden on the organizer(s) and hopefully reduce some of the costs but for that it takes a lot more asking and requesting sponsors than the current GOTC group has been able to put together.

Hope, I can make it to this one in JAX but it is pretty close to another event that I am already commiteed to here in Austin so I may have to pass up this year. - Send me pictures specially of any "Door Prices" won by Wiley!

WEll - SORRY to say that I can not attend this event - SO close to home

BUT I have my son's wedding in Sarasota that weekend and I really need to be there.

ENJOY the event

jz

Here's some additional info about the Nov. 9-13 rendezvous at Marywood Conference Center south of Jacksonville on the St. Johns River:

1. We can use the grounds after 9 a.m. on Wednesdy the 9th but we can't use the dormitories or other facilitities until the official check-in time of 4:15 p.m. We must be out of Marywood by 11 a.m. on Sunday the 13th.

2. We still haven't determined the exact per-person cost for the rendezvous, but it's expected to be reasonable. The cost will include a bed in one of the dorms, three dinners (Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights) in the conference center's dining hall, use of another kitchen for individual preparation of breakfasts and lunches, use of the dock and canoe/kayak launch, plenty of climbing trees and possible off-site trips to climb in nearby areas.

3. The dorms only have bare mattresses, so bring a sleeping bag or bedding. Also bring a towel and other bath items.

4. Those climbers who want individual rooms with baths can make separate arrangements with the Marywood staff (http://www.marywoodcenter.org). They are holding a block of 10 such rooms in what they call "Pod C," which is a five minute walk from our group camp. The cost is $55 single or $65 double per night. These rooms have full bedding, etc. The Marywood staff needs confirmation by early October from any climbers seeking to rent these rooms.

Eight of us had a conference call last night to work on rendezvous plans. The info in the above post is still accurate, and registration forms will probably be available by early next week on the GOTC website (http://www.gotreeclimbing.org).

The cost will be $195 per person for rendezvous registratration -- this includes a bed in one of the dorms, insurance, most workshops (a couple might need an additional $5-$10 or so for supplies/materials), plenty of climbing trees and use of most of the Marywood property, use of a kitchen for your preparation of individual breakfasts and lunches, and three prepared evening meals in the center's dining hall on Thurday, Friday and Saturday nights. The price is about $100 less than most previous 'vous.

Stay tuned to this channel for additional info...!

P.S. To Jersey Girl: Tell your son to move his wedding from Sarasota to south Jacksonville and then you can attend both events. We can probably even climb a row of live oaks and do an "arch" of tree climbers for the happy couple to walk under.

OK! So where do i send the check?
Wiley Coyote

Syd is almost done with her work on the registraion form and once done she will post it.

We hope to have on-line registration and payment working very soon.

Be sure to check out the new GOTC website.

We had very talented people do some great things to it and it even has a Jumba whatever that is/does.

Until then you will have to mail the form and your check to the address on the form.

Be sure to consider donation some extra to the schlarship fund/Essay contest that we did last year.

There will be Instructors conducting a Basic Tree Climbing Class the days prior so spread the the word and recruit some students.

They will have the chance to learn from some of the best.
What a way to get started in RTC! Rendezvous Class! gotta luv it.

How to do you spell FUN?

Here is the best way to register for this years Rendezvous by clicking here:

http://www.gotreeclimbing.org/forms/form.php

I have not seen much activity and commentary about the Rendezvous activities and was wondering how many people have signed up so far and who is still wondering if they can make it this year. It's always a lot of fun -speaking from personal experience after attending seven previous times!

Don't wait": We're not getting any younger or any richer or will have any more free time in the future!
Just do it!

Some photos from 2008 in Atlanta, GA.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/vous08/

Pictures from 2006 in Canton, MS.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldtimer1/ ... 377632337/

Oregon Caves National Forest 2005
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldtimer1/sets/1184739/

2010 Rendezvous in Kentucky
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldtimer1/ ... 166092908/

Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldtimer1/ ... 775507459/

Lots of fun, every place, every time, lots of new friends!

Why not save $25 by enrolling now before the price goes up on September 15th.

Three days cavorting among the Florida flora and fauna with day trips to ancient cypress swamps only transected via kayak.

Workshops and Field Trips will have certain criteria and limited enrollments but you can't start signing in until you are registered.

Climb all day and sit down to an enjoyable evening dinner overlooking the bay with your Treeples.

Saturday Night Celebration and Tribute- who’s it going to be?

Veterans Day- November 11 at 11 a.m. two minutes of remembrance for those who paid the supreme price for freedom.

GEAR and ART- pick up great booty at the silent auction.

FUN and GAMES- Tree Golf is back and all bets are on.

They still vetoed my chainsaw piñata time; maybe next year.

Scholarships for the registration fee available- contact Stan Stalnaker for details.

More to come as I think of them.

Climbers who've been trying to pay on line for the rendezvous have experienced trouble -- first reported by Drainhook and several others -- but the problem has supposedly been fixed and should now work.

The problem was apparently caused by Google check-out, when one department at Google did not get notification from another department that they're received our federal 501(c)(3) non-profit forms that they required.

Anyway, it's supposed to be fixed and everybody can come on down to Jacksonville for the fall rendezvous on the banks of the St. Johns River.

As one of the people who originally introduced TCC to these ancient cypress swamps, I am not a big fan of that idea. These are very sensitive areas that need to be treated with care, and the thought of a large number of people cavorting out there makes me very nervous. The area you speak of is protected as a preserve, and we need to be very careful taking a large number of people out there. I'm not opposed to sharing these trees with fellow climbers, but I expect that numbers will be kept to a minimum and that there will be NO saws taken out there.
The North Florida rogues practice "leave no trace" climbing in our wilderness climbing spots. I hope that our visitors will respect that ethic.