Midwest PetTalk Meeting?

I was just reading a topic under "General" about making friends thru PetTalk. They brought up the Texas meeting again. You guys are going to have so much fun meeting!!! I wish we could be there.

But, it was mentioned before about making a Midwest meeting sometime as well. Has anyone else come up with ideas about where or when? I would love to say we all meet in Grant Park in Chicago, right on the lake! Not sure if you can have dogs there though..... Since I'm new to the area I don't know all the good places. But, I sure do LOVE CHICAGO!!! We should all start brainstorming, if you haven't already:D

Wouldn't that be fun, Angel?? I'm not sure we could make one this year, but I certainly hope some of you could and we would want pictures and reports from everyone!!

Can't wait for feedback from Texas too!!

Helen and I are game for another trip to Massachusetts if Karen and Sandra can stand us. Maybe someday soon, we'll do it!!! :)

I would just love it if they had one arond here! That would be so great to go to and get to know some of the people I have met here this last month!

I have driven to Chicago before and I would drive to Chicago again in a second! I would really want to bring my dogs, though. I'd love to meet some Pet Talkers, and I'd love to meet up with Rachel again. That is very do-able for me, as long as the timing is good.

If someone lived in North Central or Central Indiana that seems to be pretty in the middle of everyone that's interested. Hey...how about Indy and liz can show us around!!! lol (Like how I volunteered you there liz? lol)

I will offer Fort Wayne again, but it didn't go over very well last time. I would be happy to make the necessary arrangements for anyone here.

We'd love to meet more people - maybe this summer? I know Kayann said her family vacations in the Midwest somewhere in the summertime ...

But let's see how Pet Talk Texas goes! :)

Angel gurl, you know I am game!
June might be feasible :( or if not I may have to wait until Sept or Oct *(wouldn't that be a great early birthday present for us Angel?)*
The girl I work nights with is gonna have a baby beginning of Aug. So July makes me nervous!
Anna, if you private message me the area of OH you are from maybe we can carpool?? Or follow each other? Depends on where ya at and the doggies. I know Phred/John is from Youngstown.

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Originally posted by Karen
We'd love to meet more people - maybe this summer? I know Kayann said her family vacations in the Midwest somewhere in the summertime ...

But let's see how Pet Talk Texas goes! :)

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I believe Kay Ann visits her sister here in Michigan. :D

I have a lot of trips planned for this year so I guess it depends on where we decide to meet.

I'm about 4 hours from Chicago and about 3 from Fort Wayne. :)

I'm SO FAR AWAY!! I would be game for anything anytime but would need lots of notice to plan! Angel, you know I would love to come to Chicago and Thelma and I had talked about doing it this summer sometime anyway.... No matter where we meet, it will be a long haul for me so I guess it really doesn't matter!! I would also want to bring Duncan with me but that may not be feasible! I would be willing to pick up anyone on my way in too if I pass anyone's hometowns on the way. Angel, you organize it and I'll show up!! How's that? ;) Unless you want to have it in Syracuse? Which is WAY out of the way for everyone!!!! Maybe in a few years when we take the "biggest mall" title. (Syracuse is building a mall that will be the biggest in the world with a park BIGGER than Central Park INSIDE!!) You can bet your fanny that I'll be campaigning for a dog park inside that park!! I hate shopping so I'm not thrilled but the inside park will be cool! Especially since it gets so gosh darn cold around here!!
Anyway, I'm getting off the topic....Pet Talk get-together in the Mid-West, count me in! :D :D

Indiana Dunes (Eastern shore of Lake Michigan) might be a good compromise. It is closer to Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, a hop and a skip from Chicago over the Skyway, AND really cool parks.

Sara you are so smart!!! Good idea.

Are dogs allowed on the buses and the "L" and other trains in Chicago? Anyone know?

I rode the bus and "El" to work for five years. That's been a couple of years but at that time only service dogs were allowed. I doubt it has changed. Although our mayor is very enviornmentally oriented his focus is bicycles -- which are allowed on some trains and buses.

If the dog (or cat) was in a carrier you could probably get away with it -- at least on the El (no conductors anymore :o )

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Originally posted by Edwina's Secretary
Indiana Dunes (Eastern shore of Lake Michigan) might be a good compromise. It is closer to Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, a hop and a skip from Chicago over the Skyway, AND really cool parks.

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That sounds like a "centrally located" sorta place! What's there for animal folks to visit - other than each other, of course! :)

Kayann - when will you be in Michigan?

Phred and Cinder and Smokey - would that be too far for you all to pile inta a truck and come? Boots, being a cat, might liketa stay home, but how 'bout you guys?

Well, it looks as thought we could get this put together. I believe this year is out for us too. We will have way too much going on. But if we organized an annual PetTalk meeting, say every April, we could change the location every year! The first annual meeting is in Texas of course! The 2nd annual could be where Edwina's Secretary mentioned.... can't remember.

I am still new so I don't know all the best places yet, or the geographic locations of everyone.

I happen to live VERY close to Indiana. The border is only about 7 miles away. We go there to gas up our cars cuz it's WAY cheaper! ha ha ha ha:) So, if my fellow Illinoians and midwesterners can brainstorm I'm sure we will find the perfect spot.

Leslie, I WANT TO MEET GRAHAM! So, if you EVER drive your happy butt down here again you bess tell me so I can meet you. You would love Hooch:) and Lexi of course:)

Oh, and Kayann does vacation in Michigan in the summer with her sister and aunt I believe.

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Originally posted by Karen
We'd love to meet more people - maybe this summer? I know Kayann said her family vacations in the Midwest somewhere in the summertime ...

But let's see how Pet Talk Texas goes! :)

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Indianapolis in the summer would work great!! I go home to Columbus, Indiana every summer anyway. I haven't planned on the date yet, so I would be flexible, and it would be neat to plan my yearly trip home around the Pet Talk meeting! LOL Gotta have my prioritys straight, huh? LOL LOL Columbus is only 40 minutes south of Indy, so it's my old stomping grounds:D I like Sara's idea about Indiana Dunes also. That's a fun place to visit;)
The idea for one annual event a year, to different places is also a good idea!!

Karen....

Brown County perhaps??? (Oops...giving away my Hoosier roots!)

Sara

Unfortuanatly my weekends are usually very busy, but if there was a gathering somewhere in midwest I would be interested...

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Originally posted by Edwina's Secretary
Karen....

Brown County perhaps??? (Oops...giving away my Hoosier roots!)

Sara

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;) :D
That would be too too awsome! Brown County is literally only 10-15 miles away from where my parent's house is! ;) Then from there it's only a hop-skip and a jump down to 'little nashville':)

My hubby can't believe that PetTalkers are actually getting together. He doesn't understand the online bond that we all have I guess. :confused: I think if there was an Indianapolis meeting while the Indy 500 was going on he'd probably be interested! :D :D He loves watching racing and WOW the Indy would really be a treat!

Indiana has a lot to offer for a Pet Talk get together.

Indianapolis has a great "downtown" area, with a lot
of park like settings. There is a canal walk area that
runs the length of the city(north to south). Good places
to eat,stay, etc. Dogs on leash are welcome.

Indiana Dunes State Park is terrific. Great for get togethers.

Brown County has great parks,scenery, and quaint shops
and lodgeings.

P.S. Dogs are welcome in all parks and walkway areas
but must be on leash, unless you're at a "bark park".

Illinois would be great!! Indiana would be doable.

Su I didn't realize you were in Illinois too! That's awesome! Guess I moved to a popular pettalk residence! ha ha ha:)