Members around Washington DC National Area Group...

[EricinVirginia]

Hi everyone,

This thread is being created as a reference point for members in the Washington DC area of WDC, MD, and NOVA to post about get-togethers, activities of interest, and report on how they went with an eye towards a National Area chapter. We had our first virtual get-together last night on February 17, 2009 at 9 pm EST with 4 participants of 22 expressing interest:
- EricinMaryland
- Persistent Nomad
- Lanarchy
- Flex

Thank you for joining us. I enjoyed putting voices to your names and look forward to meeting in person soon.

Please update your signature lines to redirect to this thread instead of the "Calling all Marylanders" one. I'll take lead on maintaining the privacy of contact information and the like, but we need a place to say, "Hey lets get together on DATE/TIME and do something!" Most of the successful chapters have started out with a small group of people sharing interests who started doing things together. As they organized and then reported back, interest snowballed from new and existing members on ZS, and viola... someday you've got a chapter.

Our region, candidly, is massively divided by the Chesapeake Bay, DC commuter traffic routes, and other factors. We have a strong base of IT individuals and by ZS standards, there are few "veteran" ZS members in our group/area. That's okay. Everyone is welcome and everyone starts somewhere!

I'll be emailing out the content from last night's meeting.

[Murph]

We had our first virtual get-together last night on February 17, 2009 at 9 pm EST
...
I'll be emailing out the content from last night's meeting.

Was the online meeting posted up someone on the boards? If so I missed it. I might have been able to chime in for a couple minutes. If you're going to be sending out minutes, consider posting them up here, even if you have to react parts. Like I mentioned before, life is pretty busy for me right now, but I'd like to try a follow along.

[Lanarchy]

It was good times, and I'll be on the lookout for new members as well.

And, tagging this thread so I can find it later

[shrewbiter]

Hello everyone!

I have been way too scarce on ZS this month. I wanted to thank Eric for not letting the idea of the chapter around here drop into nothing and expanding it. I am working with a hectic schedule but I will do my best to meet up with the crew whenever the appointed date/time might be.

Glad everyone made it through the icy prison that was that stupid blizzard!

EDIT: Really liking the PPT presentation that Eric sent out. Good looking stuff.

[Urban Core]

Well you all I am most interested in getting together and getting a local chapter formed for this area. I've been posting around the ZS boards for a bit and wanted to try and find others local to this area. Drop me an IM, lets make some plans.

[MaxRite]

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread. I'm always interested in activities.

[AWSMJCBY]

So then, the next step is what? A face to face meet and greet?

- Jacoby

[MaxRite]

So then, the next step is what? A face to face meet and greet?

- Jacoby

Technically.... yeah.

[Urban Core]

So then, the next step is what? A face to face meet and greet?

- Jacoby

Technically.... yeah.

Socializing? Do .. do we do that?

[EricinVirginia]

Persistent Nomad suggested we find a place in/around Rockville... but the bigger idea is that socially-inclined members, as you find things, post them on the board and invite others out. Some examples, last weekend I went to the Chantilly Gun Show at the Dulles Expo Center. What a difference a state makes in a gun show. The Maryland shows aren't even hardly worth going to anymore! But that would have been a great place to meet up with any of you who wanted to get together and/or already planning on going. As an example, Flex is a MD park ranger... maybe she could suggest a ruck hike we could run?

When it gets warmer, Engage Armaments hosts full auto shoots up in Thurmont, MD on the gun shop's land. It's $100 + ammo cost you shoot in their weapons (you have to shoot their ammo), but the owner has about 30 different FA weapons in his private collection. My wife did the Rambo M-60 thing, we also shot a Mac10 and AK. You can also bring your own guns and ammo and blast away. Video of Me Shooting a FA Glock... My guess is that they'll do another one in late March. By the same token, my family likes to go car camping and Little Bennett is a favorite of ours, but we're also eyeing Green Ridge and some other locations. As we do those, we'll post dates and locations for anyone that wants to join us. Once CRESAP opens, I'll be going up there and shooting many Saturdays. That's in Frederick, MD and you can bring your own ammo so it's about the cheapest shooting option near me short of finding someone with land.

Later on, my family is planning on hiking Asategue (sic?) and I'm going to run one of the Appalachian Trail sections in early August. We always seem to do tubing down the Shenandoah River near Harper's Ferry in July, and so on. What I'm hoping is that we'll all keep our eyes open for group-friendly events and post them up, circling back later to say how it was... a lot like what Stimpy, MaxRite, and the Richmond chapter folks did with tehir insane winter campout.

[Flex]

As an example, Flex is a MD park ranger... maybe she could suggest a ruck hike we could run?

Heh, I'm not a park ranger -- just a ranger's minion. It's all going to be pretty soupy for the next week or so, but I'll ask around.

When it gets warmer, Engage Armaments hosts full auto shoots up in Thurmont, MD on the gun shop's land. It's $100 + ammo cost you shoot in their weapons (you have to shoot their ammo), but the owner has about 30 different FA weapons in his private collection. My wife did the Rambo M-60 thing, we also shot a Mac10 and AK. You can also bring your own guns and ammo and blast away. Video of Me Shooting a FA Glock... My guess is that they'll do another one in late March.

That sounds awesome, but I'll have to take a pass -- I'm going on vacation at the end of March.

Once CRESAP opens, I'll be going up there and shooting many Saturdays. That's in Frederick, MD and you can bring your own ammo so it's about the cheapest shooting option near me short of finding someone with land.

Sweet! I'll have to kick my search for a rifle into high gear, then. Let me know when you're going.

...And if anybody sees a 10/22 (used or new, prefer used) around for a fair price, I'd much appreciate a PM.

Later on, my family is planning on hiking Asategue (sic?) and I'm going to run one of the Appalachian Trail sections in early August.

I'm sure you know this, but re:Assateague, go early in the season and bring lots of insect repellent.

Incidentally, I have since been corrected that while drinking is prohibited and groups of unrelated people going camping (way to promote healthy lifestyles, DNR) are frowned upon in MD state parks, the state forests are a whole nother ball of wax. Hence, Green Ridge = winzors.

[Urban Core]

Well consider my interested in getting together. Strength in numbers, so to speak.

[AWSMJCBY]

We should also try and figure out what kind of charity event we want to do, so if any one has any idea's we should post them here...

I have 2 suggestions

1) Food drive

I put this one up because, since we are spread out, we could set up collection sites in our own respective areas. Getting everything in one place may be a bit of a pain in the ass, but it can be done.

A little 'how to' thing I found: http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4305.htm

2) We could do something for Paul’s Place (http://www.paulsplaceoutreach.org/index.html) it’s located in down town Baltimore and I have volunteered there before, it’s basically a soup kitchen and they some clothes to give out. I won’t get too much into it, just go to the web site and let me know what you think, like the food drive if we collect stuff for them we can set up collection site all over and then deliver the stuff after.


Probably not the best suggestions but its a start.

[Lanarchy]

I agree that a complete get together would be a little hard, given the distances from eastern shore to the WV line. I'd be down for meetings at, say,

REI in Rockville
The Mall in DC
Inner Harbor Baltimore

Some of those are 'middle' ish for most members. Also, we can use technology to our advantage. Use the web, like we already did, to have some meetings. Also, if any of you were Boy Scouts, any Eagle project-like ideas would also probably come in handy.

Also, we could hold some things like the food drive, in our respective areas. Then, bring it all to one central location.

[Murph]

REI in Rockville
The Mall in DC
Inner Harbor Baltimore

Jeez, can you think of any more 2nd Amend. un-friendly areas?

[Lanarchy]

REI in Rockville
The Mall in DC
Inner Harbor Baltimore

Jeez, can you think of any more 2nd Amend. un-friendly areas?

Hah, some people may feel more comfortable going to a public area Just a few ideas

[Urban Core]

REI in Rockville
The Mall in DC
Inner Harbor Baltimore

Jeez, can you think of any more 2nd Amend. un-friendly areas?

New York City?

Really man, all of Maryland is pretty much 2nd Amendment unfriendly. So anywhere we meet in this state is going to be part of the people's republic of Maryland..

That being said, I am ok with any of those places. I prefer Rockville. Closer.

[AWSMJCBY]

DUDE! DUDE DUDE DUDE DUDE DUDE DUDE DUDE!!!!!
Deep Creek MD this weekend. DEEP CREEK DUNK!!

It sponsors the Special Olympics. Theres a party the night before at the bar that sponsors it, I forget the name. Google Deep Creek Dunk. You get drunk the night before on Friday. Then on Sat morning you can get drunk again. You donate $50, wear a costume, and they break the ice and you swim 50yds out to some dudes in wet suits, give em' a high five, and they give you a sweater.

This was posted in my "what did you do" thread asking for tips and stuff concerning what others did to obtain chapter status.

Not sure if this would count as a charity event but I don't see why it wouldn’t... but if we have 3 willing participants it could be worth a shot. Unfortunately it’s this Saturday and I definitely don't have $50 to donate to do this nor do we have time to get sponsors if we are allowed to do that. Again it’s just another idea.

http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default ... ent=320464

[mattdcknsn]

Missed this post too. I would be willing to meet everybody and my family is looking to do some car camping this spring and summer. Currently I would have a hard time getting time to get away but after April 15th it will be much easier. I've been to the range in Frederick, nice shooting range and reasonably priced too. We'd be up for almost anything really. Put me on the list.

[alwayswandering]

Tagging this as well.

Although I won't go into DC or MD, unless it's to drive through one of those places to a Constitution-friendly zone.

Lots of great places here in Southern PA, I'm only 15 minutes from Hagerstown MD

[EricinVirginia]

Jacoby, you have lots of enthusiasm. Put something together man!

Maybe we could don Guy Fawkes masks and meet to flagrantly flaunt how we feel about the 2nd Amendment's treatment here. I don't want this to be a pro-gun group, even though I am. I'm also pro-law enforcement. ZS is about the greater issue of preparedness. In Marylandistan, we'll be safe and secure in our bug out's frantically dialing 911 when SHTF. Oh wait, no I won't.

Till then, keep on keeping on. The national mall epilepsy walk is coming up in 4 weeks. I'll be at that with my family if any of you want to come along and meet up. You could host me as a team and have that be a fund raiser. Team Zombie Squad... we'd definitely stand out. There's another member in this area who's daughter has epilepsy... we could host her as well. If you didn't know I had epilepsy, check out the thread in my signature line about it. For Registration Here... we usually do the walk with family and friends... and then go hit a Smithsonian museum. Except for spotting plainclothes secret service, it's not really all that ZS-oriented, but we get a kick out of it.

[shrewbiter]

We should also try and figure out what kind of charity event we want to do, so if any one has any idea's we should post them here...

I have 2 suggestions

1) Food drive

I put this one up because, since we are spread out, we could set up collection sites in our own respective areas. Getting everything in one place may be a bit of a pain in the ass, but it can be done.

A little 'how to' thing I found: http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4305.htm

2) We could do something for Paul’s Place (http://www.paulsplaceoutreach.org/index.html) it’s located in down town Baltimore and I have volunteered there before, it’s basically a soup kitchen and they some clothes to give out. I won’t get too much into it, just go to the web site and let me know what you think, like the food drive if we collect stuff for them we can set up collection site all over and then deliver the stuff after.


Probably not the best suggestions but its a start.

The food drive thing is a definite hit. MD has a truck load of charities always accepting donations.

I am definitely interested in going to a range. I have yet to go to any around here, most of my shooting was done in GA in Ft. Gordon.

[MaxRite]

How about simple no-obligation meet and greet before we break out our guns, checkbooks and political banners? Like a local Denny's or something? As much as I like guns, a shooting range is not an ideal spot for getting to know the fellow ZSer... too damn loud.

[shrewbiter]

How about simple no-obligation meet and greet before we break out our guns, checkbooks and political banners? Like a local Denny's or something? As much as I like guns, a shooting range is not an ideal spot for getting to know the fellow ZSer... too damn loud.

Hah I do get what your saying. It would be awesome to know where a decent range was that maybe rented out ARs, my financial situation doesn't allow me to go out weapon shopping just yet.