New meet up thread check in: who can come and what time will you arrive?

[CottonBear]

The other thread was getting too big for dial up. Unless something happens with my mom's condition today (she is on the mend and eating solid food), we are on for Saturday August 19 at 4 PM (or 5 PM) start time. Please check in and let me know if you are coming, if you're bringing someone and what time are you planning to arrive.

I am very flexible on Saturday. I can get there at 4PM or even a little earlier. we'll decide on the exact start time after y'all check in. I will be at the farm taking care of my horse in the morning. Then I'll go home and get ready for the meet up. It only takes me about 10 or 15 minutes to get downtown.


We will meet upstairs at Transmetropolitan on Clayton Street in Downtown Athens, GA.

See y'all soon! :hi:

edit: info on the restaurant:

Transmetropolitan
145 E. Clayton St. — 706-613-8773
This hip pizza joint serves whole pizzas and slices with either thin or Sicilian-style crust, topped with any of more than three dozen ingredients (from pepperoni to breaded eggplant and three kinds of pesto). The specialty pies (like the vegetarian pesto, with spinach, tomatoes, thinly sliced garlic and red onions) are always good bets. Design-your-own calzones, panini, pasta and gigantic salads are also on the menu. The bar upstairs features seven taps with plenty of microbrews (Terrapin and Sweetwater 420 among them), wine, and the ever-popular build-your-own-Bloody-Mary bar. Lunch & Dinner, 7 days. Full Bar. Take-Out. CC

http://flagpole.com/Guide/Transmetropolitan

[RubyDuby in GA]

1. Sorry we can't make it - but here's what's keeping me home:

His majesty:


This was him about a week and a half ago (or 9 weeks old). He'll be 11 weeks on Monday! My how the time flies...

[CottonBear]

2. Oh wow! He is a beautiful boy & he looks so happy and content!

I'm sure you've been very busy indeed! We'll look forward to seeing you in Atlanta sometime in the fall or winter! Are you still on maternity leave? Give Carter Dean a big kiss from me! It looks like he inherited the red hair! What a cutie pie!
:hi:

[ulysses]

7. handsome kid, Sarah!

Can't wait to get Carter and Chris together. :toast:

[Brewman_Jax]

16. Congrats!

:hi: Sorry you get to make it, I know the feeling. I have not-so-well parents to look after.

[MGKrebs]

3. Casper and I will be there.

Thanks CB.

[CottonBear]

4. Great! I look forward to seeing you both! What time do you plan to come?

I'll be there at the earliest time that we agree on. I realize that some of y'all may come later but some folks wanted to meet in late afternoon. Check out the other thread for maps and parking info. PM me if you have any questions.

:hi: Drive carefully if you take the GA 316 route! Don't speed: there are many cops, the speed limit changes with every county and there is a 45MPH limit in construction zones.

[MGKrebs]

9. We'll shoot for 5PM,

but we do have some stuff to do so it may be closer to 6.

Get that Terrapin 420 ready!

[CottonBear]

11. Will do! Travel safely and PM me if you need more directions or info! n/t

[CottonBear]

5. Directions to Athens and parking info:

Directions to Athens
Click on this link for interactive maps: http://www.visitathensga.com/directions.cfm

Links:
Driving Directions
Air Travel to Athens
Interactive Map of Athens
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FROM ATLANTA: (60 miles from city center, 80 miles from airport)

I-85 North to GA 316
Take I-85 North from Atlanta to GA 316 (Exit #106). Follow 316 East for approximately 40 miles to the Athens Perimeter (Loop 10). Bear right on Loop 10, traveling east. After approximately 6 miles, take Exit #8 (Lexington Rd./Oconee St.). Turn Left. Oconee St. becomes Broad St. and goes directly into downtown Athens.

TRAVEL NOTE: In February 2006, the Georgia DOT began a three-year improvement project on State Route 316, the main thoroughfare from Atlanta to Athens. Though the Georgia DOT estimates that almost 80% of construction will take place without lane closures, and will restrict any lane closures to off-peak hours, it is suggested that motorists access traffic updates through the Georgia DOT Web site at www.dot.state.ga.us, the NaviGAtor site at www.georgia-navigator.com or call [phone].

Alternate routes to Athens from Atlanta include:
I-85 North to GA 129 Take I-85 North from Atlanta to GA 129 South (Exit #137). GA 129 becomes Jefferson Hwy., then Prince Ave. and leads directly into downtown Athens.

State Route 78 East Take GA 78 East. Exit right onto GA 316 and proceed on GA 316 to the Athens Perimeter (Loop 10). Bear right on Loop 10, traveling east. After approximately 6 miles, take Exit #8 (Lexington Rd./Oconee St.). Turn Left. Oconee St. becomes Broad St. and goes directly into downtown Athens.

I-20 East Take I-20 East to Conyers. Exit onto GA 138 East (Exit #82). Then take GA 78 East. Exit right onto GA 316 and proceed on GA 316 to the Athens Perimeter (Loop 10). Bear right on Loop 10, traveling east. After approximately 6 miles, take Exit #8 (Lexington Rd./Oconee St.). Turn Left. Oconee St. becomes Broad St. and goes directly into downtown Athens.


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FROM THE NORTH

Take I-85 South to US 441 South (Exit #149) for approximately 20 miles. Go under the Athens perimeter; road becomes MLK Jr. Boulevard. Turn Right onto North Avenue. Follow North Avenue into downtown Athens.


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FROM THE SOUTH

Take US 129/441 North. Follow signs for 441 into Athens.



Athens Convention and Vistors Bureau link with info on Athens, lodging, events, etc.:
http://www.visitathensga.com/about_athens.cfm

Another good map showing the major roads in Athens and the perimeter road known as GA Loop 10:

We are meeting upstairs at Transmetropolitan on Clayton Street which is east of Lumpkin Street. The Lumpkin Street-Broad Street (aka US 78) intersection is where the UGA, the Holiday inn and two major banks (Suntrust and B of A) are located. It is a major intersection. There is a left turn lane if you are traveling east on Broad St.-US 78 If you turn north onto Lumpkin (to the side of the banks) you will be close to Clayton Street. Drive one block to a light (The Globe will be on the left) and turn right onto Clayton Street. The restaurant is on the left once you've made the right onto Clayton (which is one-way.). If you can't find a spot keep driving around on the grid and you'll find a place to park. Read the parking post linked below for detailed info on parking in downtown Athens!

permalink to important parking info post: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=146&topic_id=4053&mesg_id=4202

[XanaDUer]

6. We will be there-how about around 3:30 pm?

Me and a friend.

Looking forward to it!

[CottonBear]

8. I can swing 3:30 PM. We can talk politics and horses!

I'll really have to pace myself food and drink wise in order to make it until early evening! I'll have to drink lots of H2O in between the occasional Terrapin (our very own Athens, GA beer!)

I'll bring those equine catalogs for you and I'll give you directions to to the four tack shops in the Athens area.

I'm going to put a DU bumper sticker on a table centerpiece so y'all will know who the DUers are. However, at 3:30, I should be the only one! I have glasses and blonde hair and I'll be wearing jeans. I can't wait to meet another DUer in person! See ya soon! :hi:

[XanaDUer]

13. See you tomorrow!

We'll be there.

[Ammonium]

10. Okay

I can make it but I have to work until 6 that day.

[CottonBear]

12. Great! We'll be there! Do you have a long drive or are you in Athens?

We'll be there! Look for the DU bumper sticker table centerpiece upstairs at the bar!

We look forward to greeting a new DUer! :hi: PM me if you have any questions or need more info! :)

[Ammonium]

20. I live in Athens

[Debau2005]

14. I'll be there

I am shooting for 5pm.

Don't start the horse talk without me!

[CottonBear]

15. Super! I can talk horses for hours! I'll bring pictures of my filly!

Her name is Cotton. She's three years old and I jsut adore her! She's my first ever horse! She's still in growing and training mode. I hope to get her under saddle in the spring when she is four. :)

[Brewman_Jax]

17. G'day, CottonBear!

:hi: Sorry, it isn't looking good for me. I have not-so-well parents to look after, (dad is still recovering from hip replacement surgery, mom has chronic asthma and limited mobility) and weekends are the time they need the extra muscle. Add 2 less-than-dependable brothers, of which one is prepping for surgery next week, so his strong back isn't available.

[CottonBear]

18. Hi there LA!

Sorry to hear about you dad and brother. I hope they're on the mend. You're a good son to take care of them.

We'll have to meet up with you in Atlanta sometime! I'll take pictures of our Athens meet up with my nifty new digital camera and post them next week!

My mom just got out of the hospital today. She'd been there since Sunday night. She's doing much better now and glad to be home! It's hard to watch your parents grow old, isn't it?

Take care and have a good weekend! We'll toast all of y'all who can't come! :toast:

[CottonBear]

19. Hello all! Do y'all have any last minute questions?

I will be leaving work today around 5:30 PM and I will not be home until about 9 PM. I'll check this thread and my in box when I get home from the farm. I will not be near the computer tomorrow morning because I must go feed my horse. I will check DU early in the morning before I leave for the farm. I will not be home until at least 12 noon. I'll check DU again at that point.

All of the directions and information on parking and Transmetropolitan should be contained in this thread. Post any questions for me and I'll get back to you!

Y'all travel safely. Anyone who is traveling down GA 316 should be aware that there is major GA DOT construction underway from Pleasant Hill Road at I-85 to Sugar Loaf Parkway on GA 316. You may want to check the GA DOT website to see if there will be any delays. Most of the work seems to be done late at night.

The Athens Perimeter (GA Loop 10) can be confusing. If you wish to take the route around to to Oconee Street (which is also US 78 east of downtown) exit as per the directions posted in this thread and you are driving in on GA 316 do this:

Take the first right (entrance ramp) past the "Oconee Conn" intersection (signalized). This will take you toward UGA and the east side of Athens. Go past the Milledge Avenue and College Station exits and exit onto Oconee St-US 78 East. Take a left and follow the road into downtown. Oconee St. turns into Broad St (it is still US 78) at the 5-way intersection at the old Farmers Hardware building (green brick) at the top of the hill. You will be in the main area of downtown. Follow Broad Street and make any possible right to get to parking downtown.

If you miss the exit do not take any other perimter entrance ramps (you'll get lost). Instead, If you keep going straight on GA 316 it turns into Epps Bridge Parkway as you cross over the Athens Perimeter. Keep going straight toward Athens-Clarke County (go past Home Depot and Lowes). The parkway will intersect with the Atlanta Highway (US 78). Go right toward downtown Athens.

See y'all soon! :hi: :woohoo: :party: :toast: