The GAS Christmas Bash '07 - A Few Pics Finallly !!!

opnly bafld · « **Reply #80 on:** 15 Dec 2007, 04:28 pm »

Hey Guys,
I'm not going to make it down today.

I will try and make the next g2g.

Bill, hope you get to feelin' better real soon.

Thanks,
Lin

Scott F. · « **Reply #81 on:** 15 Dec 2007, 04:56 pm »

Hiya Lin, Sorry you can't make it but we'll see you at one of the next events.

FYI, the driveway has been cleared and lots of salt is down. Should be good until the second round of snow arrives late this afternoon/evening. Did anybody else here thunder-snow from the weather guys?

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #82 on:** 15 Dec 2007, 05:58 pm »

Sorry you can't make it Lin.

See you next time pal.

I've been driving around doing errands for the past couple hours. Main roads clear but wet. Secondary roads occational patches of slush. "Thirdary roads" (unplowed) are mainly slushy. No big deal at this point.
It'll have to get real bad real fast for your roads to be a problem.

Ok Scott, In the event it does get bad, Fireworks world behind Molly Browns is the official meeting place.
Thanks for plowing your 'south forty'. That's a bitchuva walk in the snow!

Currently misting...in liquid form. Nothing frozen.

Bob

jcrane · « **Reply #83 on:** 15 Dec 2007, 06:51 pm »

Looks like I will not be there, with the weather I need to be close to work, I am unofficially officially on call. Already had an issue this morning at the plant and I think it wisest to just stay close.

Enjoy everyone.
Plus this gives me the chance to hook up the new to me Consonance A100 amp UPS was so kind to hide for me at work. Took me two hours to find the damn box!

Jamie

Scott F. · « **Reply #84 on:** 15 Dec 2007, 07:01 pm »

Sorry you can't make it Jamie but I completely understand with the weather looking like it does. We'll catch you at the next one.

Bob, looks like the snow/freezing rain line is somewhere between the two of us. Nothing but snow going on here. Actually its kinda cool....first snow and all

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #85 on:** 15 Dec 2007, 07:46 pm »

Yup, It's HUGE snowflakes now.
I'll be leaving soon. (1:55 now). I'll make a run by Fireworks World on my way and do a few donuts in the parking lot just in case there's anybody there. I'd give my cel # but I have no clue what the %&#@ is.

Bob

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #86 on:** 16 Dec 2007, 06:34 pm »

THE DAY AFTER:

I hope everybody made it home safe and sound (and didn't get raped by the tow truck driver).
For all you guys that couldn't make it; You were missed. Some of us needed a few more cars to push out of the ditch.

Joe, I hope your gal (sorry can't remember her name

) made it to the recital on time.

Scott and Laura, thank you very much for the hospitality. As usual you are both fantastic hosts. The food was great, wish I had some of it now. aa Bryan, Grant and I were talking about your next Christmas Bash....You know, the one we'll have in July.....

All of the photo's I shot of your front yard suck pretty bad. Here's the best (of the worst):
{More photos to come....}

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #87 on:** 16 Dec 2007, 06:50 pm »

Wow....Bob....How much snow did you guys get there ?

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #88 on:** 16 Dec 2007, 07:02 pm »

Hi Chris. We got about eight inches.
Everybody without four wheel drive that left the party got a push out of Scotts driveway to get them aimed in the right diection (or back onto the pavement) but ALL ended up walking back to Scotts house waiting on the tow truck. I was calling it "the refugee camp"

All but the two of us with 4X4's ended up getting stuck, giving up, staying the night, or got rides in the "four-by's". Lots of fun for me since I never get the chance to really need the four wheel drive, but I didn't get too stupid since I had passengers and I'd been drinking. just a bit.

Bob

bpape · « **Reply #89 on:** 16 Dec 2007, 07:08 pm »

Thanks for the ride Bob - I owe you one.

Chris

The roads weren't really all that bad but the location of Scott's place gives you 2 ways out - 1 with a steep hill with a turn in the middle that dead ends on a state route with only about a 15' flat spot at the top - the other with a very steep windey road with bluff on one side and a big dropoff on the other side.

There were so many people messed up all around the area that once the tow truck finally did show up, he got a police call and had to leave before he pulled anybody out.

Oh, and those pics of the driveway were after it had been plowed earlier in the day and shovelled off twice during the evening.

Bryan

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #90 on:** 16 Dec 2007, 07:29 pm »

Thanks guys....sounds like some experience...glad it worked out OK.

alexstl · « **Reply #91 on:** 16 Dec 2007, 08:01 pm »

First of all it was great to see everyone and thank you to Laura and Scott for their exceptional hospitality!

We made it home just fine in my Honda Civic Hybrid front wheel drive. It took two hours instead of my normal 45 minutes and yes Alan talked the whole way except when it was really touch and go - like getting past the parked car on the 270 overpass when we are on the bridge part. The civic electric engine at low speeds in low gear did just great. We went the longer but safer route, by way of Thornton to 100/Manchester/Clarkson/40/270 north. Thanks again for a wonderful GAS holiday party.

By the way, my neighbor has a 15 year old Linn LP12 and needs a new band. Any suggestions to buying another band and does it need to be adjusted when it is put on?

Chris, I need to return your speaker cables you so generously lent me. I live near Forest Park. Can I bring them by sometime?

Sturgus, I second the idea of a swap meet. We all have extra gear and would rather use the money to buy more gear, then just letting the old gear sit around. I mean how many systems can you justify in one home? Scott you are exempt from this question.

Again, thank you Laura and Scott for the fabulous evening, Alex

Scott F. · « **Reply #92 on:** 16 Dec 2007, 09:01 pm »

Hiya Guys (and girls, Nickie),

Sounds like everybody made it home OK, then again, half the party-goers stayed the night at the GAS-West Bed and Breakfast

I think I'm with you guys, we ether need to hold our Christmas Bash in July or on the beach of a Caribbean Island.

We'll, we're batting 500 (or at least Sturgus is). Two of the four Bash's something has happened to his car. First go round we got it stuck in the front yard and barely got it out. This morning, Sturgus walks up the hill to where he thought his car was only to find tracks in the snow. After a few calls, the Franklin County Sheriff's department told us that the streets division had it towed all the way out to St Clair. They said it took two tow trucks and flatbed to get his Cadi up the hill. I won't mention the damage they did dragging it out.

The good news is the weirdness we heard in the turntable got fixed. I cranked down on the cartridge screws and it seems to have done the trick. Strange part was that I hadn't heard that noise before we that album. We got to break out the soldering iron (another holiday tradition) this morning when we repaired on of Adrian's digital interconnects.

Thanks to everybody who made it out, braving the elements. I've got a few picks, after I take a quick nap, I'll see if I can't get them posted.

Oh Bryan, I just got back from dropping Sturgus off at his house and Thornton looked to be fairly clear. I doubt you and Grant would have any issues coming out after the game.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #93 on:** 17 Dec 2007, 03:49 am »

Alex, sorry about that. I forgot you and Alan didn't come walking back.

Glad you made it out safe.

Sturg.... What's up with the Cadi?? ... Damage!?

Say it ain't so.

Bob

funnyguy · « **Reply #94 on:** 17 Dec 2007, 08:57 am »

Quote from: alexstl on 16 Dec 2007, 08:01 pm

First of all it was great to see everyone and thank you to Laura and Scott for their exceptional hospitality!

We made it home just fine in my Honda Civic Hybrid front wheel drive. It took two hours instead of my normal 45 minutes and yes Alan talked the whole way except when it was really touch and go - like getting past the parked car on the 270 overpass when we are on the bridge part. The civic electric engine at low speeds in low gear did just great. We went the longer but safer route, by way of Thornton to 100/Manchester/Clarkson/40/270 north. Thanks again for a wonderful GAS holiday party.

By the way, my neighbor has a 15 year old Linn LP12 and needs a new band. Any suggestions to buying another band and does it need to be adjusted when it is put on?

Chris, I need to return your speaker cables you so generously lent me. I live near Forest Park. Can I bring them by sometime?

Sturgus, I second the idea of a swap meet. We all have extra gear and would rather use the money to buy more gear, then just letting the old gear sit around. I mean how many systems can you justify in one home? Scott you are exempt from this question.

Again, thank you Laura and Scott for the fabulous evening, Alex

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #95 on:** 17 Dec 2007, 01:07 pm »

Here's my street at 1:00am Sunday morning, house in the background.
Total accumulation, about 8 inches.

Looks like the wife left a light on for me.

sturgus · « **Reply #96 on:** 17 Dec 2007, 07:26 pm »

First of all I would like to say thanks to Scott for the great time, and a special thanks to Laura for going above and beyond. Scott you are a lucky dog

. It was nice to see every one and hear all the great gear. Bob, they got me. I don't know what the damage is yet but I know there was none before it was towed.

With towing and insurance deductable I am only out enough to buy one of those nice phono cartridge that Scott showed us

. Other than that everything is fine. Scott next time I think we should do Xmas in July.

Sturgus

Mike D · « **Reply #97 on:** 19 Dec 2007, 07:47 pm »

Where are the GAS Christmas-hang pictures?

I missed it, but I see I missed quite a bit of drama as well.
Sorry to hear about your car, Sturg.

Mike

jedi35 · « **Reply #98 on:** 21 Dec 2007, 03:02 pm »

Hey Scott,

Thanks for letting me hang out with you , Laura, and the guys overnight at your place for the party. I consider myself lucky when thinking about what could have happened to me that night. Great work on the 2 digital cables you repaired for me, and most recently the Crown crossover(the channels are correct). We both thought that replacing the 1/4 inch connectors with RCAs would give minimal improvement at best. I discovered that we were dead wrong. The sound is significantly better!! It is not subtle. It sounds like several veiled layers have been lifted. The first cd I listened to when I got it home was Diana Krall's "When I Look In Your Eyes". It sounded like she was in my room, close enough to spit on me. (That sounds gross, doesn't it?) I can't wait to listen more, but it will have to wait until I return from vacation in January. Once again, thanks for everything, including the breakfast.

Adrian

Scott F. · « **Reply #99 on:** 22 Dec 2007, 10:23 pm »

I've been such a bad host, I haven't posted any pics from the gathering

Lets see if I can fix that. Unfortunately being preoccupied with the weather (as we all were), I didn't take as many pics as I normally do.

In the dining room we set up a headphone listening station.

We used the Arcam 8se as a source. The can amps were Alex's Little Dot and my Slee Solo. There was a nice assortment of headphones between my Grados and the cans Mark and Alex brought.

Here is a few of the guys (Bob, Alex and Grant) hanging out in the living room.

Heres a pic facing the other direction showing the big screen and HT rig

Heres Mark and Laura hanging out around the food.

Heres a quick pic of the guys listening to Wagners Ride of the Valkyries on the turntable

It's a shame that the weather put such an damper on the festivities. It would have been great to have the full crew here for the holiday party. It was loads of fun having having the few and the brave out for the day (and then some for a few).

Next party is in May.