It’s time to start planning for the next Douthat muni gathering(s) if people are interested in staying in one of the park’s lodges which are already booking up for next year. Several of us just returned from a Fall trip there and had an awesome time. Most people stayed in the Creasey Lodge and enjoyed the opportunity to socialize in the evening by the warm fireplace.
I checked the lodge availability for the weekends in the late April through May 2015 time frame. The only availability for one of the three lodges is for the April 24/25/26 and May 15/16/17 weekends. Individual one or two bedroom cabins and camp sites are also available for those weekends. For people who would prefer to camp, the May 15/16/17 weekend would probably be best since the nights should not be as cold as in April.
Please indicate if you are planning to attend in the Spring and which weekend above works best for you.
I also checked lodging availability for the Fall 2015 since that is a very popular time and lodging opportunities are already very limited. There is only one weekend with one of the three lodges available for the September/October timeframe. That weekend is September 11/12/13. Individual one or two bedroom cabins and camp sites are also available for that weekend.
Please indicate if you are interested in a Fall trip and whether the September 11/12/13 weekend works for you. I don’t know whether a Fall 2015 Asheville muni gathering is being planned.
Claude, I had a blast last weekend and could be persuaded to do a Spring trip. Late April or mid-May work.
The Creasy Lodge was very nice and easier for cold nights and shorter days. The later check out for camping is a plus there. Per Greg the other lodges may accommodate bigger groups but lack the large communal space that we used to the max.
The informal peer group dynamic that Douthat presents without any infrastructure or real event planning has always seemed to work out fine.
I’ll commit to covering the cost of one room at the Lodge for both Spring and Fall if you want to make reservations now to make sure this happens. I would sell/sublease my room if there is too much interest and/or happily camp lakeside. Those sites don’t fill up quite as fast.
I know I had to bow out from your most recent trip due to ongoing problems with my lower back but I’ve got to be optimistic… I will not have this back problem come spring!!!
I’d like to commit to one cabin room (is there room for 3 people?) for either date range you mentioned in the spring, I’ll try to plan around whatever date people decide on if we can solidify early on.
As far as fall is concerned, the earlier the better - to take advantage of the longer days.
Sorry for leaving people in a lurch this past event, this commit is different. I’ll end up going even if I still can’t ride by then to at least give Sarah the opportunity.
Claude, I was well will commit to a room for the Spring and Fall trips. I have been in Beards Gap Lodge. The common area is not as big but it would work fine for our needs. It is new and really nice. I can do a paypal transfer or send you a check. Any of the dates can work for me.
DaUniGuy, I have been riding 8 months and although I could not completely keep up, I was able to ride enough and be quick enough that it was a great trip. You have a lot of time to get better between now and then.
Based on commitments for lodge rooms, I have reserved the following:
Spring
Beards Mountain Lodge (6 bedrooms)
Check in - May 15, 2015
Check out - May 17, 2015
Cost per room for 2 nights: $130.35
commitments from:
munimag
haskinsc
paxuni
jbtilley
kayakzz
There is one room left at this lodge.
There are also many one or two bedrooms cabins and camp sites available for this weekend.
Fall
Creasey Lodge (5 bedrooms)
Check in - September 11, 2015
Check out - September 13, 2015
Cost per room for 2 nights: $126.50
commitments from:
munimag
haskinsc
paxuni
jbtilley
kayakzz
There are no more rooms at this lodge but there may be beds available for sublet. There are also many one or two bedrooms cabins and camp sites available for this weekend.
I will send PMs to those above regarding payment info.
For 2015 it’s the weekend of May 15th-17th. I see it’s also one of the preliminary planned weekends for Douthat.
I can tell you from experience that Dirt Fest is phenomenal. Yeah, it’s a bike fest, and we’ve not only attended as unicyclists, but we’ve been on the schedule with uni demos and a group ride for the last couple of years. It’s a fantastic festival that’s reasonably priced. We keep trying to get others to attend to see how awesome it is. This is a case where partnering with the bikes gets us way more than we could on our own.
If you go with the April weekend, you could still join us for the fun.
Man, I get caught up with work for a week and miss everything.
Good job taking the initiative Claude. I’m planning to stick with camping in the Spring. I’ll admit, I’m being tempted by Dirt Fest as well.
As for fall, I’ll definitely be interested in getting a sublet from someone, but I’m going to have to wait and make sure the Scout’s Honor 18hr race isn’t being held that weekend.
Is it too late to vote for the April weekend? Paula and I usually do the Warrior Dash in spring, which is scheduled for May 16th. If I have to pick between the two, I’d pick Douthat of course
I was the worst but played catch up pretty good. I would say any skill level. I took my Oregon but wish I had taken my Oracle 24" just because it’s so much easier to ride. The trail we rode had lots of loose rocks on the downhill. I can’t do uphill, the level parts suited me on the Oregon. Take your easiest unicycle.
Forget a 36…It’s true Muni in the mountains uphill hikes then ride level a while and downhill with loose rocks. I was figuring on a more level trail.
My skill is not so good but man it was fun watching the good ones handle the trail…if I go again I will take a 24". There were Oregons there that did excellent but not me.
There’s so much range in skills and conditioning it’s hard to say what one might need to enjoy participating in a muni weekend at Douthat. I think everyone enjoys it on their own level.
That being said these are mountains with up bits and down bits and a few miles in between. If you can’t walk it then riding it isn’t going to be any easier. A free mount would be great to have but there are lots of trees and friends to lend a shoulder. Maybe riding at least a quarter mile plus without a break and some rough trail riding experience would add to your enjoyment.
The group waits at most turns or puts down a stick arrow. Sub groups form and there is usually someone else at your level for company.
Most of us get better as the weekend proceeds. Energy and a positive attitude also go a long way.
The dates are pretty much set at this point. The lodges become a scarce commodity the longer you wait and Claude made a leadership decision with the financial commitment from a few of us others. I’m hoping these dates work for most (and me : ). Some horse trading of accommodations in the Lodges seems likely and room ‘owners’ could be persuaded to yield and double up to other attendee’s needs.
The lodges for the Spring and Fall trips have already been reserved and paid for. For May 15-17 there is still one room remaining. It sleeps up to 4 people and the cost is $130.35 for the weekend.
I heard back from all those above and they are OK with a switch to the April dates. I have transferred the lodge reservation and payment to April 24-26, 2015.
If anyone would like a room at the lodge there is only one left.
Here is the line up so far:
April 24-26, 2015
Beards Mountain Lodge:
munimag
haskinsc
paxuni
jbtilley
kayakzz
one vacant room
I can hop on my 20" trials, ride until I want to stop and get off without hurting myself most of the time. Did 8 miles once, thought I was gonna die (maybe I should not have stopped at the bar for a few beers at the 1/2 way point;). Idling and hopping are coming along, mostly on paved trails. I have done a few easy single track trails thru the woods here in KC with some success.
I am leaning towards the fall trip. I have a friend who has a son in Maryland and we are talking about making a 7-10 day trip out of it. Maybe getting a little class 2-3 white water in while I am there would be great. Map quest says it’s 910 miles or about 14 hours so that would make it a 2 day trip out and back if I end up coming by myself.
Santa should deliver my 24" Oracle Muni next week so I will have time to practice. My guess is it would be after the 1st of the year before I will know for sure. Will I have time to get a camp ground that late or should I reserve it now? Does anyone know there cancelation policy or have a link to the park?
I “WILL” be back to the NAUCC next year but would like to attend a Muni gathering as well. Any Muni gatherings I have heard of are all a ways from KC and I have never spent any time in that part of the country so I am really interested.
The reservation website is http://www.reserveamerica.com. It is hard to know when the campsites will fill up but you can tell from the website how many are remaining. The lakeside camping shown as A StdLake is where the other unicyclists will be camping. Right now, for the Fall trip, there are 18 sites available out of 19 total. If you book one and cancel, the cancellation fee would be $15.
so I will have time to practice. My guess is it would be after the 1st of the year before I will know for sure. Will I have time to get a camp ground that late or should I reserve it now? Does anyone know there cancelation policy or have a link to the park?