Planning early Need Suggestions for Memorial Day 2015 gay events

[Virge]

I need help coming up with a good place for us to start planning to go Memorial Day next year.

My BF has assigned me this task.
All he asks for is a warm beach, NO AIR TRAVEL, loads of fun gay people to hang out with for the weekend.... and good weather.

Here's the logistics problem. We're in South Dakota. No beaches are within 24 hours by driving. I've found out about the gay Memorial Day Day beach parties in Pensacola Florida, about a 28 hour drive for us. It seems to be the closest. Just 30,000 to 50.000 gay people showing up for a beach weekend sounds pretty fun. No parades or real pride events, just chilling.

Have you been to Pensacola?

Have you got other suggestions?
Thanks

Thanks for help!!!!

[Bowyn Aerrow]

Um I strongly suggest you recalculate that drive time. I made the mistake of calculating I could drive from California to Iowa in two days. I did it... but that was with lots and lots of coffee and taking a few risky chances with safety.

Construction, a few auto accidents, a delay in a place called Nebraska due to a broken cable from the accelerator to the carburetor of my truck.... Minor things to get in way of my perfect plan.



It is about the same distance from Western SD to Florida as from here to extreme western Iowa.... See map above.

On the way back we took a more sedate 4 day cruise, stopping off at points of interest. Did you know there is a copper mine right outside of Salt Lake City? I totally missed that on the way to Iowa, I think I was busy screaming at an elderly couple driving on the line of the highway at 36.5 miles per hour - totally missed the huge freaking copper mine.:tongue:

Just remember that the journey is at least half the fun.

[Borg69]

Will you be setting up an ANEROS "How To..." demonstration booth once you're there?

[Virge]

Um I strongly suggest you recalculate that drive time. I made the mistake of calculating I could drive from California to Iowa in two days. I did it... but that was with lots and lots of coffee and taking a few risky chances with safety.



It is about the same distance from Western SD to Florida as from here to extreme western Iowa.... See map above.

On the way back we took a more sedate 4 day cruise, stopping off at points of interest. Did you know there is a copper mine right outside of Salt Lake City? I totally missed that on the way to Iowa, I think I was busy screaming at an elderly couple driving on the line of the highway at 36.5 miles per hour - totally missed the huge freaking copper mine.:tongue:

Just remember that the journey is at least half the fun.

Just checked Guess what Bowyn? We're both wrong! See this!
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&c=en-US&ur...nsacola+Fl
It'll only take 24 hours to drive 1595 miles IF we average 66.5 MPH going down there.... So say 26 hours with stops if we don't piddle-dick. Leave here Thur @ noonish. Get there Fri @ 2pmish, check in in hotel, nap, see the city and get info, in bed early, UP Sat to party on the beach!!!! YAY! Sound like a plan.

The reason for driving is he wants to start seeing as much of USA as possible.... and we're both sick and tired of air travel drama.

Through gaycom just chatted with some guys from there who say it's been going on there since the 1970s and it's like a family reunion more than a gay pride event. Huge crowds. I saw some interesting vids on Youtube... Beach parties Sat Sun and Mon... Big ass parties at civic center, city auditorium & bars Fri Sat & Sun nights. Sounds good so far! PLUS... I might be able to whine my way into getting him to leave Pensacola on Sunday pre-noon to make an afternoon and night in Memphis for Beale Street for the hard core blues clubs... and that hotel they have with the ducks that ride the elevator up and down from the roof to swim in the lobby fountain everyday...

I'm still up for other suggestions. ....and things to do between Pensacola and So Dakota on the trip home. It'll be our final big whoop dee doo before getting married.

Here's videos. These people seem pretty layed back and fun.
Four miles of queers having a beach party!





Other suggestions are welcome!!!!!!!

[Virge]

HAHAHAHHAHA!
[B]Borg, you're a snarky nutbuster![/B]

I bet he and I sneak off to have sex in the surf after dark.
If I were to take my aneros in for that I'd worried some fish would see it and think it was some sore of lure hanging out of a fuzzy butt and try to bite it.

Just got a IM message about there ALSO being a nude beach not far from where the gat beach is... hmmmmm now there's a thought! I'll be back with info

[Virge]

Yeah, baby! Nude beach just 5 miles east on the island! Hope they have volleyball!
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/local/rememb...m-1.318826

[CellarDweller]

well, no air travel, but how about train?

[Virge]

well, no air travel, but how about train?

Nope, train wouldn't work. My BF is going to want to stop at every possible weird American thing we run into. You've heard of the "World's Biggest Ball of String"? He wants to see it. Guess what? I found out there are THREE Worlds Largest Balls of String (Minn, Kan, and Missouri)~ and all three are more or less "on our way home." I'm going to do my best to get by with just taking him to see one of them.

Plus I don't even think we have a single passenger train that comes through So Dak anymore.

[Iceblink]

You're still young, you can make quick the road trip to Florida. Three years ago I drove from Detroit to Palm Springs in two days, stopping for only one night in Oklahoma City.

[James]

Good luck with that, hope you have an alternate plan, like maybe visiting glbtq centers along the way, that may break up travel time, so if it goes longer still have good experiences along the way, just saying