1st E-mail Sent Before The Third Expedition
 

Date: November 9, 1999
 

Hello Adventurers !!!
 

This e-mail is the "kickoff" for planning the Third Annual Tuckerman
Ravine Hiking/Skiing Expedition tentatively scheduled for April 7-9,
2000... You're on this e-mail list for one of the following reasons:

1. - You participated in one of the first two Tuckerman's expeditions.
2. - You told me (or a friend of mine) that you want to participate in
the third expedition.
3. - You just seem (to me) like the kind of person who might be
interested.
4. - You're a VIP in the Columbia Ski Club and I want to keep you
informed.

I probably won't send too many e-mails to this list (at least not until
about a month before the expedition) but if you want off let me know...
on the other hand, if you know anyone I should add to the list
definitely let me know that as well...

Normally I would write a long message describing the expedition in
detail but I've already done that (and threw in a few pictures too) and
you can find it at:

http://members.home.net/ablack/tucks3.html

Check it out !!! ... after visiting the website (read the two old
e-mails that are there too), let me know any questions you have...

Finally, I'd appreciate it if you could send me a brief reply letting me
know your level of interest in the expedition... that way I can verify
that I have your correct/current/best e-mail address and also figure out
how "worried" we might need to be about reserving motel rooms and
airplane seats... if you want, use the following scale in your replys:

5 - I definitely want to go whatever weekend it ends up being !!!
4 - I definitely want to go but my schedule may not be flexible enough
if you pick the "wrong" weekend.
3 - I probably want to go but I'll wait till March to really commit to
it.
2 - I might want to go. I'll let you know in March.
1 - I probably won't go but I wouldn't mind staying on the e-mail list
just to hear about it.
0 - Take me off the list, you blood-sucking spammer !!!

Just a few more miscellaneous items and I'm going to hit the Send Button
(and see if this really travels to the 21 places Netscape Communicator
claims it will get too)...

First, if you're not a Columbia Ski Club member, you may wonder what
their involvement is... well, it's definitely NOT an "official" Columbia
Ski Club trip... they're not liable or responsible for anything (as far
as I'm concerned)... since I was planning to do the expedition anyway, I
volunteered to coordinate it as a "club activity" for any interested
members... and they were nice enough to publicize it in their
newsletters and website (http://www.ColumbiaSkiClub.org/)... Thanks
Columbia Ski Club !!! anyway, I expect we will have a mix of members and
non-members... maybe 5 to 10 non-members and 5 to 10 members if we're
lucky...

Second, as far as my involvement in the expedition, I plan to coordinate
everyone so that we all travel up to New Hampshire on the same weekend
(based on snow cover and avalanche conditions)... meet at the same
motel, eat some meals together, meet at the bottom of the Mount
Washington, hike and ski together (to a certain extent, I recommend that
everyone has a "buddy" in case we get separated), and celebrate together
when we're done... I'll also answer any logistical questions and keep in
touch with the motel and airlines and let you know when you need to get
your reservations in... BUT ACTUALLY MAKING THE MOTEL, AIRLINE, AND CAR
RENTAL RESERVATIONS WILL BE UP TO YOU !!!... YOUR OWN SAFETY ON THE
MOUNTAIN WILL ALSO BE UP TO YOU !!!

Third, if you're wondering about cost, I'll try to give you an estimate:

Airplane - $79 + tax and fees (roundtrip - BWI to Manchester, NH on
Southwest Airlines)
Car Rental - depends on vehicle (it's about an 80 mile drive from
Manchester, NH to Gorham, NH)
Motel - about $55 a night for a two person room (Royalty Inn, Gorham,
NH)
Lift Ticket - $40 to $50 (Sunday River, ME on the day we don't ski
Tucks)

That's all for now... Hope to hear from you... Think Snow !!!
 

Allen Black
 

P.S. - I almost forgot... I don't have everyones' phone number sooooooo
include it when you reply (I'll probably only call when we set a
definite date and need to make the reservations ASAP - everything else
will be e-mail)