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The next 2x2 outing is on 10th April and will be a leisurely bush walk followed by a picnic lunch. The walk is in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in the West Head area.

There is an $11 fee per car to get into the park if you don't have a National Parks pass.

The walk starts and ends at the Resolute picnic area inside the National Park (at the end of West Head road). There is a very detailed set of walking notes HERE that shows how to get there and has details of what the walk entails. We'll also be going to Mackeral Beach. When we return we'll have lunch in the picnic area.

We will meet in the picnic area at 9:30 am.
The walk should take us 2 1/2 to 3 hours depending on pace so we'll be back for lunch around 12:30. The picnic grounds include barbecue facilities (gas and electric), tables and toilets.

Bring a picnic lunch to eat after the walk.

Please show your interest by posting below. If you don't have transport, but would like to join us please say so below (along with where you're located) as someone may be able to pick you up along the way.

Definites:
Stubbsy
Matt K & Philo
Biggerry
Dawesy
Jenno
ATJ
Daniel_R
dviv

Possible:
Mr Darcy & Pam
gstark

Sounds good! Get fit and lose some weight and get some piccys. I'll be in that.

Pencil us in. Won't know for sure until almost the day.
My son in law is thinking about a new camera, so he may tag along too.

I would love to be there but i will be away that weekend. Sorry guys!

Count me in, I may even couple this with a sunrise number at the same location, even will daylight savings this should be pretty pain free, anyone keen?

biggerry wrote:Count me in, I may even couple this with a sunrise number at the same location, even will daylight savings this should be pretty pain free, anyone keen?

Gerry dammit your tempting me now...but i wont be sydney!!!

Gerry dammit your tempting me now...but i wont be sydney!!!

c'mon, i need someone to call the ambo's when i fall down that track in the pitch black

biggerry wrote:even will daylight savings this should be pretty pain free, anyone keen?

Daylight Saving ends this weekend.

Sunrise will be around 6:15am on the day.

I should be able to make this one, though I have a movie group the night before so probably best no to expect me to say anything intelligible for the first hour or so!

dawesy wrote:best no to expect me to say anything intelligible for the first hour or so!

Do we ever?

Mr Darcy wrote:Do we ever?

I'd like to think I manage intelligible a reasonable amount. Intelligent however is another matter entirely!

Damn I will be in Melbourne this weekend. Sorry guys.

<Rant>
Just in case you missed it on the Portal page, there is every chance this will be the last 2x2 outing I organise. Attendance in these has waned to the point it just doesn't justify me spending the time and effort involved in planning and organising these things.

When these first started we also suffered low turnout for outings and one of the reasons commonly cited was along the lines of "I'd have loved to have gone, but something else is planned that day". So to address this we fixed the outings on the second Saturday of every month so people could pencil the dates in with foreknowledge that something would be happening. Sadly this seems to have made no difference. The last few outings have been attended by a fairly static and tiny group of the same repeat offenders. While I enjoy spending time with each and every one of those people the purpose isn't for a tiny group of us to catch up, but rather for the wider Sydney forum membership to get together, share knowledge, tips and good times while indulging their shared passion for photography.

My view is the membership has spoken with their thunderous silence and the only conclusion I can draw is that there is little interest in organised outings. While I'll still be out and about doing the kinds of things I've organised in the past the big difference is that I'll no longer plan them with the constraints involved in a forum outing (and yes there are constraints - I consider things like start and finish time, cost, transport, alternative weather options, group size, distance from Sydney etc) and may not always publicise them widely on the forum.

As I say, I'll miss the familiar faces from these outings. Sadly that's a tiny percentage of the ACTIVE forum membership in Sydney.
</Rant>

stubbsy wrote:there is every chance this will be the last 2x2 outing I organise. Attendance

I am very sorry to hear that Peter.

While your 2x2 outings are planned well in advance, life in general is not.
In our case we have parents in their nineties still living at home. Even a cold is a major cause for concern & everything else gets put on hold until the crisis is over. It has got to the point where we do not go away even for the weekend anymore in case "something happens".
That is why we only ever pencil in. It's also why we live where we do - less than a kilometre from said parents.

Also, I am sure for others, Aunt Mabel's birthday party, or the Johnnie's soccer training will trump "That silly little outing" (spoken by an s/he who must be obeyed) unless all members of a family share, or at least understand the passion.

Please don't close these out. They are an outing to look forward to even if we don't get to every one.

I've just have eliminated the last remaining obstacle preventing me from coming so I'm in

I have been rearranging things so I can make it.

I may be coming as well - will confirm mid week.

Peter,

You know best of all trying to organise things here is like herding stray cats

Seriously though, I for one have always enjoyed the 2x2 outings, before that other meets that have been organised have also been great, it was one of the primary reasons for choosing this forum over, say, the other 4 Aus based ones. I remember the first meeting (I think i was high on paint stripper (the old stuff not that lame new stuff ) on the night after some homehandywork) which had 20 odd people turn up, it was the Mrs Macs chair to Circular quay one and I recall thinking this is great healtly little community, awesome! It would be great to see those kind of turnouts nowadays.

While I'll still be out and about doing the kinds of things I've organised in the past the big difference is that I'll no longer plan them with the constraints involved in a forum outing (and yes there are constraints - I consider things like start and finish time, cost, transport, alternative weather options, group size, distance from Sydney etc) and may not always publicise them widely on the forum

Peter, that is fair enough and I will respect your decision to do so, especially given the fact you live in sunny newcastle and make the effort to drive the 2 hours to come to Sydney for various meets. I will miss the 2x2's if you discontinue them and you really have a great knack for getting these in order so well! (thats a bit of emotional blackmail )

If you out there thinking, 'these outings are not for me... they don't do the particular style i am into etc' how about making them what you want to be? bring along that model? get there at sunrise? tee up with someone else with a macro lens, or a telephoto lens! I know I had a great time with a borrowed 300mm lens the last outing!

Probably the final point I would raise would be about the level of active membership, realistically there are only a small number of regular members even though there are thousands of members signed up, looking at the 'Members' Tab and sorting by number of posts it does not take long to get to the non-active range.....which is a bit disappointing..

man, I just re-read that, what a load of ramblings...i am done

eliminated the last remaining obstacle preventing me from coming so I'm in

lol, that sounds very ominous, I don't dare ask what it was

My recollection of the ones I have been to is they were fairly well attended. I missed Bondi to Coogee in February due to logistics* and poor weather; and I missed Stanwell Tops because I completely missed the announcement.

I attended Minimurra Falls on Black Saturday 2009 and I thought we had a pretty good turnout. I was there for Woolwich to Drumoyne (April 2009) and attendance was pretty good. I was there for Darling Harbour to the Fish Markets which had a pretty good showing - and it was on the same day as the Annual Dinner. I was there for Cockatoo Island in December and we had a large group of people there.

Note I'm not boasting about going to the meets, but rather expressing my opinion that they have been fairly well attended.

* public transport would have been my only option and I would have spent more than twice the time getting there and back than the actual meet.

lol, that sounds very ominous, I don't dare ask what it was

Son is getting married on the 16th and thought he had arranged a practice run on the Sat of the meet. He advised Y'day it was the thursday the 15th so I'm in the clear

Peter, I am very sorry to hear that this is most likely the end of the 2x2. I know that I have been an irregular attendee of these, and have missed quite a few due to work commitments. Of the ones I have attended, it has always been in good company and a great time had. Through these meets I have gotten to know the regulars and even met a few new faces. however I can see where your coming from when you refer to the usual suspects being present and fewer, and fewer new faces.

I sincerely hope that this forum will continue to have regular outings, but Peter your planning and organisation will be greatly missed.

Maybe some folk think 2 x 2 means 2 couples only???

Matt. K wrote:Maybe some folk think 2 x 2 means 2 couples only???

Damn...is that why I always feel a bit out of place????

A quick reminder to bring some food and drink for lunch after the walk on Saturday.

Weather forecast is looking good too:
Saturday Mostly fine. Partly cloudy.
City: Min: 18 Max: 27

+1 I'll be there.

If anyone on the North Shore needs a lift to and/or from the meet, just PM me and we can arrange something.

I may be there for luncheon.

Might even bring a 550D for the ride.

If I can relieve Leigh of it. Or if he's not bringing it himself, if he's going. (HTF would I know?)

I'm now a definate

See you all in the morning

Peter,

Thank you for organising this for us (and for all of the other events you've organised as well). I'm sorry I got there as late as I did, but I had (have) a couple of other dramas ongoing. Anyone want a slightly used, inaccessible HDD?

But what a great day, and what a wonderful location you selected too. And the drive down to the picnic area was just ... fun too.

It was good to see everyone who made it there, and to catch up with all y'all, even for an ever so brief hour or so.

aim54x wrote: Matt. K wrote:Maybe some folk think 2 x 2 means 2 couples only???
Damn...is that why I always feel a bit out of place????

Can't wait to see all your pics.

Think this pic satisfies the criteria

Thank you, Peter, for organising the day. It was well worth it.