Opening happy hour for Freezing Saddles 2016

[cvcalhoun]

Is anyone organizing the initial happy hour for Freezing Saddles 2016? No, I'm not volunteering to do it; I've already been abused enough over the registration forms. But I'd like to get it onto my calendar. I don't think I've managed to get to one yet, and it's about time!

ETA: Alas, I'm preserving my record of never showing up to one. I'm on a business trip to Arkansas that day (yeah, second prize was two trips to Arkansas!), and won't get back until just after it ends. But the rest of you have fun--and thanks to the intrepid BAFS2016HHPC that organized this!

[Arlingtonrider]

As a few already know, after three years and with additional other responsibilities, I'm passing on the baton for organizing the Freezing Saddles initial and final happy hours, so any interested volunteers shouldn't hesitate to step up! It's a great way to contribute and it doesn't need to be organized the same way we have in the past (e.g., finding a venue with a separate room). With Freezing Saddles growing both in numbers and in people living outside of Arlington, it might be time for some fresh ideas (although Cap City in Shirlington may still be possible as a venue if someone else would like to arrange that). We didn't have an initial happy hour the first year, but still managed to have a lot of fun get-togethers, with teams making their team events open to all Freezing Saddles participants. That worked well too. Please keep in mind that Freezing Saddles depends on volunteers, so no volunteers = no initial or final happy hours. (Freezing Saddles is mostly about the riding and the friendships/teams anyway, right?)

[cvcalhoun]

Our hard-working happy hour volunteers (listed on this page) are now working on this--and a big thanks to them! If anyone wants to join them to help with happy hour planning, you can a) so indicate on your form when you register, or b) if you have already registered, send me a private message saying you'd like to help, or c) if you're not registering (e.g., if you are a slacker) send me a private message that includes your e-mail saying you'd like to help. I'm not actually involved in happy hour planning myself, but since I've got the information from the registration forms, I'm putting the volunteers in touch with each other.

[kwarkentien]

On behalf of the BAFS 2016 Happy Hour Planning Committee (yes, we need a whole committee of six people to do the job that Arlingtonrider has done single-handedly for the past two years!), I'm happy to announce the details for the opening happy hour for BAFS 2016:

Date: Thursday, 7 January 2016
Time: 5-8pm
Place: Mr. Smith's of Georgetown, 3205 K Street NW, Washington DC 20007

Mr Smith's has a large room that can accommodate our raucous band of biking merrymakers. It's a bit more centrally-located for you non-VA riders, located just under the Whitehurst Freeway at Wisconsin Avenue and K/Water Streets. We are still working on the bike parking arrangements but will most probably set up a bike valet bike corral that your committee members will manage and assure the safety of our precious carbon, titanium, aluminum, and steel steeds.

Please respond to this thread if you are planning to come. If your plans change, we ask that you update your RSVP.

We also ask all revelers to contribute $10 to cover the cost of appetizers that will be for all to share. (We'll have an envelope at the registration table for this purpose.) We ask for this "donation" as part of our deal with Mr Smith's is the promise of sales of at least $500 in sales. (Past happy hours have had similar requirements to host parties as large as ours.) Individual tabs are available to cover your drinks and anything else you'd like to order.

We look forward to seeing you on 7 January!

Your BAFS2016HHPC

[hozn]

Too centrally located for me [coming from Reston after work], but y'all have fun! I am hoping to have made some updates/improvements to the site by then, but will just post any updates in the subforum.

[S. Arlington Observer]

On behalf of the BAFS 2016 Happy Hour Planning Committee (yes, we need a whole committee of six people to do the job that Arlingtonrider has done single-handedly for the past two years!), I'm happy to announce the details for the opening happy hour for BAFS 2016:

Date: Thursday, 7 January 2016
Time: 5-8pm
Place: Mr. Smith's of Georgetown, 3205 K Street NW, Washington DC 20007

Mr Smith's has a large room that can accommodate our raucous band of biking merrymakers. It's a bit more centrally-located for you non-VA riders, located just under the Whitehurst Freeway at Wisconsin Avenue and K/Water Streets. We are still working on the bike parking arrangements but will most probably set up a bike valet bike corral that your committee members will manage and assure the safety of our precious carbon, titanium, aluminum, and steel steeds.

I hope this is not a silly question, but is it OK to arrive by means other than bicycle? I do bike to work but am not too keen on crossing the river twice around or after dark. I may take a bus to the event (and back to Courthouse to ride home on familiar turf) but don't want to commit some sort of unspoken "no/no" by doing so.

[cvcalhoun]

Yep, you can arrive however you want, so long as you don't try to count nonbike miles in your Freezing Saddles totals.

I hope this is not a silly question, but is it OK to arrive by means other than bicycle? I do bike to work but am not too keen on crossing the river twice around or after dark. I may take a bus to the event (and back to Courthouse to ride home on familiar turf) but don't want to commit some sort of unspoken "no/no" by doing so.

[kwarkentien]

Sure. You can walk, hoverboard, teleport, whatever.

[Sunyata]

Awesome! I will be there (and can get there early if you folks need some help setting up).

A HUGE thanks for organizing everything.

[bobco85]

I hope this is not a silly question, but is it OK to arrive by means other than bicycle? I do bike to work but am not too keen on crossing the river twice around or after dark. I may take a bus to the event (and back to Courthouse to ride home on familiar turf) but don't want to commit some sort of unspoken "no/no" by doing so.

There's always the option of biking with a group to/from the happy hour. Since it will be in DC, there's likely to be a contingent of Arlington/Alexandria/Fairfax/etc. folks who will have to cross the river, too, that you could ride with (yay for bicycle convoys!).

BTW, I work in Ballston, live in Alexandria (Mark Center area), and am very comfortable with riding at all hours of day/night, so we could coordinate getting there and back if you'd like. Note: this invitation extends to everyone else who may be getting there via the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.