IOL Bash 2003, Florida
Date: June 21, 2003, St. Petersburg, Florida
For detailed information on times, places and addresses, click here for a printable download.
COUNTDOWN:
Cost: Dave Draper/Tom Incledon Seminar and Bar-b-que — none, no cost. Beachfront sunning in tropical St. Petersburg, Florida, that, too, at no charge.
Strongman Tom Incledon at work
Our picnic and seminar is scheduled for Saturday, June 21, at the #4 pavilion at Fort DeSoto Park, an island in the Gulf of Mexico, just off the coast of St. Petersburg, approximately 20 minutes from our hotel area.
Click here for an up-to-date Bash guest list
Friday afternoon, those who want to will head off to a gym workout at Lifestyles, followed by a bit of hanging out at BayWalk for food at TooJays at 7pm, then shopping or a movie. There's a 20-screen cinema there, and it's opening night for The Hulk, if anyone's interested in the late night showing.
For a variety of mostly good reasons, we opted to have the gig catered rather than doing our own BBQing. Out-of-town food preparation seemed daunting—we want to have a good time, not spend three days running around a town where we need a map to find the grocery store. For the catering, we settled on a terrific menu from Harvey's 4th Street Grill's caterer. Yumm, wait'll ya see the selection!
Rockin' Ken Kay's volunteered to provide an after-food show for our winding up, winding down pleasure. Elvis and karaoke, all rolled up into the world's largest speakers, although I intend to remind the sweetie that some of us are getting older and he'll have to drop that energy down a notch. Who's up for some singn'?
Sunday mid-morning you can join your new IronOnline pals for a buffet brunch before heading out to continue your vacation, saying adios to IOLers from around the world. Brunch location is the St. Petersburg Hilton from 10am-1pm, and then anyone who wants to will head to the Pier, where there's music that afternoon, a Classic Car show and the presentation of the Miss Florida contestants.
For detailed information on times, places and addresses, click here for a printable download.
Here's a link to the airline discount arrangements, where you'll find 5-15% discounts from American Airlines, Southwest and Continental. It's a fairly good bet that you'll be flying into Tampa International, although there's also an airport in St. Petersburg/Clearwater.
We made arrangements for rooms at three hotels; these rooms may no longer be available, however.
The Renaissance Vinoy at $159.00
(800) HOTELS1, Group name is IronOnline
The Heritage Hotel, a Holiday Inn Hotel at $89.95
(727) 822-4814, Group name is Dave Draper's IronOnline/Bash 03
Hilton, St. Petersburg at $89.95
(888) 843-6929, Group name is Dave Draper's IronOnline
All three hotels are within 15 minutes walking distance of each other and of the St. Petersburg Pier. You may find a cheaper rate online—it's worth a check. There's a "Looper" trolley that runs between them and around the downtown area, $1 per trip.
If you'd rather forge your own way, here's a list of area hotels.
Click here for more on the St. Petersburg Pier
If you're travelling by RV or camping, look here:
Here's a map of the Pier area; you'll see it's a good distance from the airports, although once you get to your hotel, there's lots within walking distance. Still, the park is about 10 miles from the hotels—a rental car (or at least sharing one) looks like a necessary expense. Especially since a cab from the airport will run you $30 in each direction, might as well get a car.
The Renaissance Vinoy and the Hilton both have fitness centers—the Renaissance even has tennis courts and a golf course to fill out the space. The Heritage Hotel is a charming remodeled old-town hotel, a small one with 70 rooms, what one of our email coorespondents called her "favorite hotel."
I'm winding down. Much more later; I gotta get to the gym, don't I?
Look for more Florida stuff here, while you're waiting—bring the family!
For detailed information on times, places and addresses, click here for a printable download.
Click here for your Bash 2004 invitation
Laree