Okay - IT'S GOIN' DOWN IN LESS THAN A WEEK!

PLEASE NOTE: ALL are WELCOME to come by the tailgating - we'll be at it most of the day, so swing by and have a beer (or bring some for us!), and put faces to the names you've been battling here on Bucs Dugout!

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OVER THE COURSE OF THIS WEEK: If you'd like, you can email me your cell phone number so that we can locate each other in the parking lot on Saturday. NOTE: PLEASE PUT YOUR BD USERNAME IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF YOUR EMAIL IF WE HAVE NOT COMMUNICATED VIA EMAIL BEFORE NOW. If you're not sure, do it anyway.

Unless you have changed your phone #, I have the following people in my contact list:

lighthouse913 / Schide / IAPirateFan / Vlad / WTM / Charlie / lfhlaw / Kipper / Steelreign / soxdetox / dr_roxtar / airleg1

Can we have an informal count of people who plan on getting to the lot as soon as (or shortly after) the lot opens, so we can get an idea of how big a footprint we can carve out? Please respond in the comments.

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Parking info: We will be gathering (get it?) in Gold Lot #2 which, if I'm not mistaken, opens at 11:00. The price for parking goes up after 12:30, IIRC .. we park at the far back right-side corner, close to the sidewalk, so we can put up the canopy (canopies are not allowed in the lot itself). The EARLIER you can get there, the better, as we can form a "Gathering" section / blockade.

GOLD LOT #2 (link) (Opens in new window)

There's an illustration in above link - park along BACK CORNER [lower left in the illustration] (southwest), next to North Shore Drive and Art Rooney Ave.

I know money's tight for everyone right now (oh, boy, do I know it!), but that's why everyone's bringing a little something - it adds up! It doesn't have to be anything extravagant - if you wanna pick up some stuff on the way - pretzels, peanuts, Cracker Jack - instead of cooking n'at... that's fine!

That said, if you are unable to bring anything, it's okay - we understand.. Don't kill yourself trying to bring something if it will cause any hardship. The most important thing you can bring is YOU, with a smiling face, ready to talk Bucs baseball and have one HELL of a time!

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NOTE: JRoth, your payment arrived.

Steelreign-2 Tickets..... PAID
Kipper-2 Tickets
Cocktailsfor2-1 ticket Vlad - 1 ticket..... PAID
IAPF-1 Ticket .....PAID
soxdetox-2 Tickets..... PAID
WTM-1 Ticket..... PAID
bdeff-1 Ticket..... PAID
Beezy-1 Ticket
airleg1-1 Ticket.....PAID
Pagliaroni-1 Ticket..... PAID - but this ticket is going to PensFan024
War Machine-1 Ticket .....PAID
stanbelinda-1 Ticket ..... PAID
Schide-2 Tickets .....PAID
dr roxtar-1 Ticket..... PAID
lighthouse913 -2 Tickets..... PAID
burgherking-1 Ticket..... PAID
lfhlaw-2.....PAID
PghPinstripes-2..... PAID
JRoth-1 Ticket ... PAID
Yung-Han-1 Ticket..... Will pay at event
Steelergrl - 2 tickets.....PAID
Benny - 2 tickets.....PAID
Party Boy - 1 ticket..... PAID
ryebr3ad - 1 ticket..... PAID
insane_sanity - 1 ticket.....PAID

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WHAT WE HAVE SO FAR:

lfhlaw - Grill / burgers / buns / cooler

Cocktailsfor2 - batch of Bloody Caesars / beers / 1 extra chair

IAPF - Cooler / ice / water / soda (TBD) / strippers shame

War Machine - trash bags, plates, forks etc.

bdeff - Nathan's hot dogs and buns / baked beans / card table

dr _roxtar - CANOPY - YES! Thank you!

JSteelers86 - Beanbag (Cornhole) / chips / snickety snax

BurgherKing - Brats / Softballs (anybody got any extra gloves?)

stanbelinda - BEER

Beezy - Home-brewed BEER (and man, does he do it right, kids!)

Steelreign - Cooler / ice / water

PghPinstripes - Card Table / 2 Chairs / Cooler / ice / Water / the Cap’n / Coke (diet)

ryebr3ad - chips / Lacee

Yung-Han - cooler / water / ice / chips

Schide - beer / sheet cake

lighthouse913 - 2nd grill / cooler / ice / beer / Gatorade

WTM - (Note: TBD) chairs / diet soda

airleg1 - extra chair / cooler / condiments / adult beverages

ryebr3ad - Doritos

soxdetox - goodies TBD

insane_sanity - Cornhole / beans

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In my estimation, we're still in need of 1 more side dish (salad / slaw?)

And again, if you can bring a table or some chairs, that's a BIG help.

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Charlie, Vlad, anyone else?

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REMINDER: Sunscreen is a MUST!!!

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Can anybody help a brothah out? Dept:

I have a question for any of the locals - Mrs. Cocktailsfor2 and I are staying thru the weekend, and going to KENNYWOOD on Monday, the 23rd to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary! Does anyone have any source for discount tickets to the park?

Thanks to those who have responded both in the comments and via email about Kennywood tix. I will discuss it with MLW and advise.

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EDITED TO ADD: I and the lovely Mrs. will be getting in sometime prolly early afternoon on Friday - if anyone wants to have dinner or drinks in the evening, hit me up.

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ADDED 7/15: Mrs. Cocktailsfor2 won't be attending The Gathering, but has expressed an interest in going to Sandcastle Water Park (opens in new window) on Saturday... If anyone else's spouse (or kids?) are interested, please leave a comment or shoot me an email.