Chasercon 2015

[JamesCaruso]

Even as an air traveler, I don't necessarily disagree with Shane. Going to a "non-hub" airport like OMA or OKC with a connecting flight is not necessarily more expensive than going to a hub airport like DEN. It does take a little more time though, which is a hassle especially just for a weekend trip. Even flying from DEN direct to my home airport of Philadelphia, I had to miss the last session and a half on Sunday morning to catch my flight (unless I was willing to get home much later Sunday night than I wanted to). But the two hour time difference didn't help either; from most other possible locations I would only lose one hour going back home.

But again that's just an air traveler's opinion. Clearly a Chasercon in OKC, ICT, OMA, etc. might draw a lot of drivers that would be otherwise unable to make it at all, so that would be a good thing.

Not that I should have much to say about it anyway... I only went in 2011 and 2014, am definitely not going in 2015, and will probably only go once every two or three years going forward...

Jim



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[John Farley]

It's official; it will be in Denver, February 13-15, 2015. In 2016 it might move to OKC, but for 2015 it will stay in Denver.

http://chasercon.com/

 

[Marcus Diaz]

If it comes to OKC, I'll probably go. It's just hard to swing a trip to DEN without taking an extra couple days off for travel.

 

[Todd Rector]

Heh... "President's Day Weekend"....

Now to figure out how to bundle this up into a "Romantic Valentine's Day Getaway to the Mountains" without my girlfriend wondering where I disappear to during the day.

 

[JamesCaruso]

Heh... "President's Day Weekend"....

Now to figure out how to bundle this up into a "Romantic Valentine's Day Getaway to the Mountains" without my girlfriend wondering where I disappear to during the day.

You'll be gone all night, too... There is usually a dinner on Saturday night with a speaker, and then chase videos are shown until past 11... Tough sell, not only for Valentine's weekend but for Valentine's Day itself!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Todd Rector]

Paraphrased phone conversation with fiancee this morning:

ME: Hey, babe! How do you feel about taking a trip to Denver next February?

HER: I am pretty low on vacation time. What for?

ME: Chasercon.

HER: CHASERCON? REALLY? (Then she started laughing)

This is not looking good for me.

 

[Doug Crisp]

I would like to see something like chaser Con to be held someplace like Topeka KS or Wichita closer to some of us that have never had the chance to Go.

 

[TJKLECKNER]

I would like to see something like chaser Con to be held someplace like Topeka KS or Wichita closer to some of us that have never had the chance to Go.

Agreed, Maybe St Louis, Kansas City....

 

[Brandon Sullivan]

Almost entirely certain it will be in OKC in 2016. What would be really interesting is to put it in central plains, or OKC even during the middle of May... Everyone takes a week chase and convention vacation!! I bet many would end up chasing and ditching the convention, ha!

 

[James Gustina]

OKC and ICT are the two best options because they're kind of in the heart of chaser country, but it does run into the issue of air travel time since people would definitely have to connect through Minneapolis, Dallas or Denver to get to either of those places.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Does anyone know the percentage of attendees that drive vs those that fly? I blogged about the distance of various cities in relation to the "chaser centroid" of OK/KS. Even if the convention were moved all the way east to St. Louis (I'm not suggesting that, just illustrating a point), the driving distance to STL would *still* be closer than Denver for the vast majority of chasers:

http://stormhighway.com/blog/jan1410a.php

 

[Bill Hark]

Dan, there is a big mixture. I don't think they have done surveys. Of course, there is a large group from the Denver area. As for people who live farther away, I think many will drive a long distance if they have the time. Carpooling saves money. As an east coast person, I am basically forced to fly which is expensive due to the President's Day weekend.

Bill Hark

 

[Ben Holcomb]

I still don't understand why people are complaining about connecting flights to OKC. It's a minimal hassle to connect and there there are plenty of direct flights to OKC from all of these following airports: SEA, DFW, ORD, LAX, ATL, DTW, MSP, SLC, DEN, BWI, MDW, DAL, HOU, LAS, PHX, STL, IAH, SFO, IAD, CLT.

With that said, 2015 will be the first year since my first ChaserCon in 2008 I will not be in attendance. Red Wings/Avs play on Feb 5 and I can't justify staying in Colorado for 10 days and burning money and PTO or turning around and flying right back to Denver. Next year should be in OKC and I will be there.

 

[David Reimer]

I still don't understand why people are complaining about connecting flights to OKC. It's a minimal hassle to connect and there there are plenty of direct flights to OKC from all of these following airports: SEA, DFW, ORD, LAX, ATL, DTW, MSP, SLC, DEN, BWI, MDW, DAL, HOU, LAS, PHX, STL, IAH, SFO, IAD, CLT.

With that said, 2015 will be the first year since my first ChaserCon in 2008 I will not be in attendance. Red Wings/Avs play on Feb 5 and I can't justify staying in Colorado for 10 days and burning money and PTO or turning around and flying right back to Denver. Next year should be in OKC and I will be there.

Considering gas is the cheapest its been in a few years I don't get why people are complaining (oh yeah, storm chasers...). One thing I'm miffed about is the online agenda is still not available and I won't decide to go until I see the speaker's topics. I may end up going up to Denver/Estes Park for Valentines that weekend anyway but I probably won't be attending the convention either.

 

[Dave C]

I suggest booking your hotels early if you don't stay at the venue. As a Colorado resident, I've observed that the pot trade has brought a lot of unwelcome tourism. A friend in the hotel business says they are always full now. Actually I don't really mind except that the roads and hotels are clogged with stupid from it.

Didn't enjoy my first trip to Chasercon at all last year anyway so for me I support moving it to wherever meets everyone's needs.