[B3NN3TT]

July 13-15 at Crowne Plaza, Columbus/Dublin:

https://www.crowneplaza.com/hotels/us/en/dublin/cmhdo/hoteldetail

We aren't booking a block of rooms, as there isn't a huge demand, and the hotel is large.

Check in and shenanigans on Friday, Cars & Coffee, karting, dinner and car show on Saturday, check out on Sunday.

United Ford Owners is holding an autocross at the Circleville raceway on Saturday; that will be an option.

RSVP here if you're coming!

1. B3NN3TT
2. Linkman
3. Nadthomas
4. Jaged
5. 00YellowCougarSE
6. stuartgrant

 

[LinkMan]

Me!

I may not make the Hotel as in the prior Columbus years, but I will be there.

(Let me know if you need any help "on the ground" preparing for the event.)

 

[B3NN3TT]

Yeah, I probably won't book a hotel room either, since it's just a few miles from my house.

Thanks Mark!

 

[nadthomas]

Nice, I wasn't sure it was actually going to happen this year.

I'm in a training class that week, but they normally wrap up early on Friday. So I'll join the fun as soon as the class is over. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help as well.

 

[jaged]

the wife doesnt want me to come at all so i might be there late. but bet your ass ill be there for karts, or we will make a second trip there lol

 

[mmc757]

Likely. Trying to get my Fiesta ST driving offspring to join me...
If she comes I'll have to find a different hotel as this one is not pet friendly, and thats a deal breaker for her.

 

[nadthomas]

the wife doesnt want me to come at all so i might be there late. but bet your ass ill be there for karts, or we will make a second trip there lol

That has been my problem for a number of years as well. Although for a number of years I haven't had a cougar either, so she had a stronger argument. Although, if its going to be in my backyard you better believe I'm going to be there.

 

[gulfcat]

Help - i need a room-mate & rides!

I'm looking for a room-mate and rides to and from the airport.

I REALLY don't want to miss another Fest, but I still haven't been able to afford the engine rebuild GulfCat needs after being drowned by an idiot's even more idiotic boyfriend. Last year's the only Fest I've missed since my first in Pigeon Forge in 2002, and I want it to be the ONLY one I ever miss.

Margaret & David (daughter & son-in-law-to-be) are using their vacation time/travel in the Smokies, and I can't drive Fest alone, so that means I'm now looking for a cheap flight, a room-mate, and rides at Fest. Please PM, post, or call or text!

For the last use 239 410 2318. I work third shift, so you'll probably need to leave a message if you're a normal person making a phone call.

If someone's only going to Fest on Sat night, I'll fly in Sat & out Sun.... I'm desperate!

PS - If you've got info on getting cheap flights round-trip Fort Myers (RSW) to Columbus, tell me how to do it, pls! This is going to put a major hurting on GulfCat's savings fund!

 

[B3NN3TT]

If you are able to get a flight, I'm happy to be your airport runner!

 

[gulfcat]

Thanks Andy!!

Surely someone wants to stay at the hotel Sat. night & save me some money?

PS - we need to find motels that are a little cheaper... Social Security or a kid's college funds make $85 a night a LOT more attractive

 

[B3NN3TT]

Well, we don't have any contract with the Crowne Plaza - they just have the best parking lot. Although now that the "crowds" aren't such crowds anymore, perhaps the size of the parking lot isn't really an issue anymore.

The Hilton Garden Inn is on the same loop as the Crowne Plaza, and is much more affordable - but has a much smaller lot. I'm open to discussion about switching hotels if people think it's feasible.

 

[ziggins40]

This is the same weekend as my girlfriends birthday. So unless I can convince her I'm throwing her a suprise party with people she doesn't know and everyone has a Cougar, I don't think I am going to make it. :banghead:

 

[nadthomas]

For cheap flights from Florida checkout Spirit Airlines and Allegiant Airlines. I don't recall exactly where they fly out of in Florida, but Spirit flies out of the main airport in Columbus(John Glen International Airport). Allegiant flies out of a much smaller airport(Rickenbacker International Airport) just a couple of minutes south of Columbus. Both Allegiant and Spirit will charge you for everything including a carry on and they have limited flights (ie once a day), but they are generally still the cheapest if it works for you. I don't fly much, so I haven't flow with either yet, but I have tickets to fly with Spirit Airlines to Orlando in September. A co-worker has flown with Allegiant to Florida several times.

 

[gulfcat]

Looking for savings on CougarFest 2018

Thanks Dan. I just finished a heavier than usual work week - and am now getting back to trying to attend Fest.

After reading Andy's comment about alternate hotels, I looked at the Hilton Garden Inn, - their prices are now more than the Crowne Plaza's!

If I'm going to be the only one staying in a hotel, I'll go real cheap & stay a few miles away at the Knights Inn Hilliard/Columbus, at 3950 Parkway Ln, Hilliard, OH 43026. It doesn't have very good parking for a gathering of cars, but it's only $60 a night! About what I'd pay at the Crowne Plaza if I had a rommate... HINT, HINT.


For the future: If we plan on Columbus again, and I'm still at my same part-time job, working for Columbus Hospitality Management (at Sundial Beach Resort & Spa, Sanibel, FL - nowhere near Columbus!) let me know as early as possible, and I'll see if we can get some kind of bargain through our HR. This year, nothing has any availability now.

 

[00YellowCougarSE]

You can count me in for now, I am about 90% sure I'll be there. I need to get the front bumper fixed on the Roush and get my e-brake fixed so I can get it inspected. I guess I'll work on getting the bumper off tonight.

 

[StuartGrant]

Sorry I screwed up on pulling something together and not really mentioning it to anybody, I've been working about 100 hours a week between work and school up until two weeks ago and just never got around to getting to the hotel to talk to them. The good news is that I'm now 100% done with school, so next year, I promise guys. No really, I do!

Edit: Booked.

 

[B3NN3TT]

Re: Looking for savings on CougarFest 2018

After reading Andy's comment about alternate hotels, I looked at the Hilton Garden Inn, - their prices are now more than the Crowne Plaza's!

Crazy! My cursory investigation showed around $89 for the Hilton; maybe I was looking in the wrong place...

Regardless, I really hope we will see you this year again, Marge!

 

[gulfcat]

I don't think I'm going to get to Fest in '18

It's doubtful I'll be able to make it, as much as I want to.

Fest seems to have become an auto break-down trigger for us. Last year, the black Coug was in the shop til too late to drive to Fest (went in Tuesday before, and just took forever), and this year we've gone from 3 functional cars last fall, to just the Coug for the last month - and it spent 2 days getting ball joint and tie rods fixed last week.

Tomorrow Margaret's '96 Honda Accord paper route work car, the 'Route Rat', goes in for a rack and pinion install. And next Tuesday David's CRX goes in for a timing chain install. David's used to working on our Hondas, and does all their normal maintenance and fixes, but these are just too much for anyone without specialized power tools.

PLEASE, be sure we have CougarFest 2019. I'll be saving for that as soon as we've paid off these repair bills!

 

[B3NN3TT]

20th anniversary, y'all!

 

[00YellowCougarSE]

I'll 100% be at fest this year, but I'm about 90% sure I will be Cougarless. The Roush front bumper isn't fixed yet, and it's been out of inspection since 9/2017. The yellow cougar still needs the tranny replaced, I plan on hopefully starting that next week. I'll probably be bringing either the Bronco 2, Monte Carlo, or S10 to fest this year.