# This Saturday! GRF Annual Meet-up! Be There!



## monomer

Yes, its THIS SATURDAY!!!!
This is the FIRST one ever!
All the pertinent info can be found here.

So far the weather outlook is wonderful. Will be sunny to partly cloudy from Thursday afternoon on through the whole weekend and into next week... the high temp for the day is forecasted to be 78F. Hopefully the breezes will be light. You need only bring yourself, loved ones, and the dog(s). I will have some pop in a cooler and a few assorted doggie toys and treats.

PLACE: Norman F Kruse park in Muskegon, that's in Michigan... AKA "the dog beach"... go to the link above for more description and to see some pix

LOCATION: On the left at the very end of Sherman Blvd. You walk down the wooden walkway (its decking with lots of stairs and also wheel-chair accessible but that's the looooong way down) and its the quarter of a mile section of the beach to the right of the fencing. Its the part with the dogs running around. Go to the link above to see some pictures along with more detailed directions.

TIME: July 21... that's a Saturday. However if the weather is 'scary', like with lightening/thunder, huge choppy waves or a sand storm (in other words no fun), then July 22 will be the alternate date. I'll be monitoring the weather as that weekend approaches so as to get a better idea of the need to use the alternate date and provide some adequate notice via this thread... but so far, its looking really nice weather-wise. I will get there sometime just before 11AM and my wife and I are planning on hanging until at least 3PM... but we could stay longer... of course everyone is welcomed to stay as long as you'd like... well, not past 11PM which is when the park closes  plus it will be too dark to see the tennis balls anyway.

We are looking forward to meeting and hanging with the GRF crowd... whether you're new or old, shy or bold, please come out anyway... I mean really? what else did you have planned for this Saturday? Whatever it WAS, this will be a lot funner... for you and your dog(s). Goldens will rule the beach come Saturday!


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## Rosco's Mom

aw! This sounds like lots of fun! Please take lots of pictures!


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## sharlin

I agree with Nicole - please take a lot of pics for all of us.


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## cubbysan

I am jealous... have a good time.


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## bwoz

you guys are going to have an awesome time. please don't forget the cameras!!!!!


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## vrocco1

Sounds like fun. I can't wait to hear more about it.


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## TheHooch

I'll be there in spirit!!!!

Hooch


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## monomer

TheHooch said:


> I'll be there in spirit!!!!
> 
> Hooch


If that's true then I will put a tennis ball down in the sand and ask you to move it... and if it levitates then I will know your spirit was indeed on the beach with us... 

BUMP!


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## vrocco1

If you put a stick on the beach, I know Oakley can levitate it.


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## monomer

How about I set a lit cigarette down and see if he can put it out? 

BUMP!


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## monomer

*Just 3 more days to go!!!!!!*

BUMP!


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## justmejanis

Have a great time everyone. It sounds like a lot of fun. Do take lots of pictures!!! Safe journey to all of you driving there.


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## GoldRocksMom

Monomer, any news on the weather outlook for Saturday?


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## marshab1

I for one can't wait! We're still planning on it!


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## monomer

GoldRocksMom said:


> Monomer, any news on the weather outlook for Saturday?


Check it out for yourself here 
I'm actually monitoring 3 different sources... and all say either SUNNY or MOSTLY SUNNY with HIGHS between 78-80F....
...so far we're LOOKING GOOOOOOOD!!!!!! :crossfing


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## Lego&Jacub

Have any plans for lunch been made? Are we to eat b4 we get there... is there a BBQ we should bring stuff for... restaurant??


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## Joe

I wish we could be there... but we won't be able to make it this time. It is simply too out of hand for us. 
But enjoy your time and don't forget to post some pictures.


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## monomer

Joe, if you guys change your minds, you can stay with us... I got a big theater in the basement and agility (doggie toys) equipment in the back yard... you might want to reconsider...


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## monomer

Lego&Jacub said:


> Have any plans for lunch been made? Are we to eat b4 we get there... is there a BBQ we should bring stuff for... restaurant??


I don't really know if we can cook on the beach as I've never seen anyone else doing it but there is a park area away from the beach where we could do it... however the dogs would probably have to be leashed. We could just decide this stuff "on-the-fly"... I could do a grocery run or we could go 'fast food' or we could 'do' a restaurant thing, after all Muskegon is a city... which means we got lots of choices.

Suggestions anyone? Otherwise we'll just do it as it happens...


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## Lego&Jacub

oh yea... somehow I forgot about the pups... doh! Guess we can't really do a restaurant thing. Perhaps we should just have eaten before we get there.


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## marshab1

I'm thinking maybe a quick stop for food on the way. And bringing some snack stuff like pop and chips, etc for eating there and then dinner on the way home. 

Or we could do a grocery run, or take out run. 

We are flexible.


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## FranH

We're looking forward to it. Should be nice weather. There is a neighborhood get-together(as luck would have it) on Saturday evening, so we have to leave by 3pm. 

While in Muskegon last month, we took Holly and Rosie to the dog beach. It's quite a haul to the beach via the boardwalk.....especially with dogs that LOVE the beach and are doing the "major pull". A small cooler would be easy. 

This will be lots of fun for both goldens and owners!!!


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## FranH

Let's try to get a RSVP list together.....I will add my name first.

FranH (Fran and Mike) ...........Holly and Rosie


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## monomer

Me and the gang!!!!

(The Gang: wife, Ursula... big dog, Sidney... little dog, Sophie)

LESS THAN 24-HOURS TO GO!!!!!!!!!


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## GoldRocksMom

Monomer,
Count us in, 
see you in the am!


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## Lego&Jacub

We'll be there with tail a waggin' lol!! Sandra, hubby (Stu) and kiddo... (Geddy)

oh, and Monomer... your actual name is.....????


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## marshab1

We'll be there 

Marsha, Kristal (daughter), and of course Tinkerbell!


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## mybuddy

Hi Monomer

Make sure you take lots o' pictures ok? Looking forward to hearing all about it. Can you swing by Taiwan on your way back? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease!!!!!:yuck:


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## monomer

Let's see.... that means I just keep going West until... I fall off the edge of the Earth!!! Uh, pictures will just have to do.


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## mybuddy

kay......sniff ...sniff :yuck:


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo

*I hope you all have a wonderful visit *
*and **if traveling, *
*a safe trip!!!*​


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## FranH

*A few photos from the beautiful day in Muskegon!*

I have quite a few.....will post more later....


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo

Wow! A Sea of Goldens! Talk about finding a treasure!!!


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## Rachel's Mom

*awww!*



FranH said:


> I have quite a few.....will post more later....


Looks like heaven on earth! Goldens, water, sun, and sand! a perfect day!


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## FranH

*More photos*

I have lots more......not posting any with "people" without their approval


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## monomer

Thanks Fran... wonderful pictures. I will PM you later with my email address so I can get "copies" from you. It was a Golden day wasn't it? We didn't actually leave the parking lot until almost 3:30. Sid still had some energy left but little Sophie was really beat... she is out like a light. We sometimes refer to her sleep as 'growing' because whenever she wakes up, she's just a little bit bigger than she was when she fell asleep... its sorta like watching really hard to see the hour hand move (a popular past-time back in my hippy days... don't ask!) I'm really beat too... so after a couple of beers I'm off to bed too.

How was the soup?


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## Lego&Jacub

Fran your pics are beautiful!! We had a wonderfull time meeting everyone and every pup!! It was an amazing thing to show up for... and there were lots more goldens on that beach than just our group too... so that made it even more great!! Hubby and I are suffering a bit from too much heat lol!! I'm sooo red faced now and hubby's neck... eeech! Tomorrow I'll try to find some time to post a pic or two... and get permission for the ones with ppl! But for now I too am just as beat as my pup haha!!

p.s. Monomer... hubby thinks Sophie is just about as perfect as they get! He spoke VERY warmly of her on the way home!! And Sid was just tooo comical waiting for daddy to throw the frisbe back for him! One day we'll have to swing by your place to see your agility stuff!!!


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## marshab1

It was a fun time. I am suffering from too much sun. My face, neck, arms, and the back of my knees. I obviously spent too much time standing! And my daughter had a great time. She's been talking about it all night to anyone that will listen.

Tinkerbell was buckled into the backseat on the way home but managed to wiggle her head onto the console between the front seats, flipped over onto her back and slept the 2.5 hours home, snoring over the radio.

Since getting home she did finally wake up enough to eat but she then climbed into my bed and hasn't moved since about 9:30. I'm headed there shortly.

I hope to post some pics tomorrow. You can post pics of me and my daughter, I've posted some before so it is no big deal.


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## mybuddy

Your pictures are beautiful and the beautiful golden rays of light in the water!! How amazing it looks!! What a perfect way to spend the day. I hope you all had a wonderful time. If you are ever in Taiwan....???...... Lunch...ON ME AND BUDDY!!


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## RickGibbs

Sounds like it would've been a ton of fun......wish we could've gone....


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## davebeech

wow !! look at all them Goldens together, looks like you all had a great day out.


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## Lexie's Mom

Thanks for the pics. It looks as if everyone enjoyed themselves. 

It would be nice to have a Cincinnati based group meet up but i think all my other cincy connections have crossed to the "other side" lol


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## vrocco1

How, I be that was a lot of fun. I'm thinking we had some puppies slepping very soundly last night.


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## sholley

Lexie's Mom said:


> Thanks for the pics. It looks as if everyone enjoyed themselves.
> 
> It would be nice to have a Cincinnati based group meet up but i think all my other cincy connections have crossed to the "other side" lol


hey I'm still here...I know what you mean. I was off line for a while when all went down and tried to contact Shar and got no response. Still some OH people here. From north, Logan, Chillo. etc...I live on a Lake so that would be a cool place to meet.


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## FranH

*And a few more....*

More from yesterday's first annual GRF gathering at Muskegon Beach, Michigan......


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## Maggies mom

Looks like everyone had a great time and I bet here were some tired dogs last night...


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## Lexie's Mom

Sholley, we should try to plan something. I know, i haven't had any responses from her either. Not sure why but oh well. Maybe we could get something together. What do you think?


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## FranH

Mine were so clean when we returned yesterday afternoon. The sand just fell off

Our Michigan home is on a mucky channel between two lakes and Rosie decided she needed some more fun/swimming. If that wasn't enough, she proceeded to get back in the car She resembled a chocolate lab!

We would definately do this again. Great group of people and goldens.

Our Michigan home is very close to the Michigan/Indiana/Ohio border.


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## justmejanis

Whay a fun day for everyone! So glad everyone had a wonderful time!


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## cubbysan

Looks like you had a great time.


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## sholley

Lexie's Mom said:


> Sholley, we should try to plan something. I know, i haven't had any responses from her either. Not sure why but oh well. Maybe we could get something together. What do you think?


I think that would be awesome. Like I said I live at Lake Waynoka in Sardinia so it would be a great place. Small beach area. No leash laws that I am aware of it is a private gated community. But there are a lot of great places in OH. I would be willing to travel anywhere. I wanted to go yesterday but my Nephew got married. I know where Shar lives I am sure we could contact her.


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## Joe

Ah, so bad we couldn't make it. These distances are problem for many of us I guess.
Anyhow, your pictures make me really wish I was there. 
All Goldens look so happy and it seems the weather was also perfect.
Thanks Greg for organizing this meet-up.

I wonder if I should make a page, section of this forum, which would chronologically show all our meet-ups with pictures and some details and also link to a thread where such event was discussed... ???
What do you think?

BTW. any picture with people and dogs, all together?

Joe


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## FranH

Hi Joe

I have some photos with people. I would just like to get their permission before posting.

Great idea for a separate section for meetups!


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## Lexie's Mom

Joe, i like the meet up section too. 

Sholley, your location sounds great. Nothing around my area that i'm aware of. We'll see if we have any interest.  PM me with any details of people you locate etc. and i'll do the same


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## FranH

*more Muskegon photos*

and a few more....


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## monomer

Lexie's Mom said:


> Joe, i like the meet up section too.
> 
> Sholley, your location sounds great. Nothing around my area that i'm aware of. We'll see if we have any interest.  PM me with any details of people you locate etc. and i'll do the same


Why not start a thread on this? If you set it up for this summer (before I have to go back to teaching) we could come too... Ohio is not that far away from us. Anything within say ~4-5 hours driving time is do-able for us.

Fran thanks for the pictures.

Marsha where are your pix? Gonna post some? And YES, you have our permission to use our 'images'... but how you gonna get the okay from the 'strangers' way down the beach? 

Joe, good idea! Do it!

Mybuddy (Vicky) would that lunch be 'raw' by any chance?


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## marshab1

I'm working on the pictures, I've got a lot of glare and really dark pictures. I've never had this problem before. And then some are just fine. So as soona s I can get some cleaned up I will post them.


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## shenando

We're the ones from Logan and would be very interested in an Ohio meet-up. Muskegon was just a little far for us since we just took a 3 1/2 hour drive to Lake Erie last weekend...we're really sorry we couldn't make it. It looked like a blast!


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## monomer

Joe said:


> ...Thanks Greg for organizing this meet-up...


Actually I don't think I really organized anything... not in any formal way. Initially I wanted a bigger venue but the whole idea wasn't really 'flying' so well... then I thought, we go to this beach all the time and so I'll just ask if anyone wanted to join us and some did... It really was a nice time.

There's something so wonderful about dogs... I find I can relax around dogs and enjoy myself. I've learned sooo much from them. We humans live such cluttered and confusing lives, always mourning the past and worrying about the future, often it seems to interfere with our enjoyment of the present... however dogs only know how to live in the now, they don't ask, "Why?" (or "Why me?") and they don't need purpose, they know how to just 'be' (in the moment). When surrounded by dogs I too find I can just 'be' and feel the moment. And to be in the company of sooooo many Goldens, it was wonderful.

I've been participating on forums for many years but this is the first time I've actually had the opportunity to meet anyone from on-line in person. In the way our dogs show us one side of their personality at home and another when out in public... so to I think people are similar... on-line we have time to measure out our thoughts and think things through and so we show one side of who we are, but in a real-time situation with dogs about and on-going activity we show our other side (the more spontaneous side)... and I now realize that this makes us whole... you know? 'real' people. My wife for years had snickered and called everyone on these forums I belong to, my "invisible friends" and I understood her meaning... well, some of you are now 'real' to both her and me. I found this experience quite pleasant and so my perspective on some things has again changed. I'd like to thank those friends who hung out with me on the beach yesterday for giving me and my wife a fond memory.

Its an experience I would recommend others might want to try.

Oh, and thanks Kimberly for the nice gifts and toys and especially for that herd of Goldens you brought by... I only wish you and your son could have stayed longer... you too Harry and Harris.


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## mybuddy

Very well put Monomer! I feel the same way about dogs... I dont think I am ever as at "Peace' than when I am with them.

Raw lunch? Hmmm....never even occured to me to cook it. Yeah, we could try it that way.:


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## TheHooch

Looks like the doggies had a great time!!!!!

Hooch


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## bwoz

beautiful pictures of beautiful dogs. looks like you all had a great time. i can understand how it was peaceful.


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## sharlin

What a wonderful gathering!!!! Water, sunshine, Goldens and people that are owned by Goldens----Ya can't get better than that!!!!! Way to go you guys!!!!


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## Heidi36oh

Wish I could of been there, looks like so much fun, thanks for sharing the pictures there great.


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## shenando

so how about this ohio meet-up???


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## Lego&Jacub

Our pics from last weekend...



















Geddy's first swim...






















































Unfortunately, these are all the photos I got as we spent the rest of the time making sure that Geddy didn't wander off lol!!


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## FranH

Great photos of a wonderful day


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## Lego&Jacub

And here is Geddy sporting her GR Get-together tag that was lovingly made by *I believe* Goldrocksmom. They are soo cute!! It would have been nice to get a photo of all the dogs with their bandana and tags on!!










Close-up of the tag..








Isn't that adorable??


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## Carsonsdaddy

Am I jealous or what?!?!? Looks like you guys had a blast!! 

Rick, we oughta try and plan something out here....although we don't have as many members very close.... 

I do still have that pic from when we got together with Carson and Samson...


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## FranH

Yes, thank you Goldrocksmom for the wonderful bandanas with personalized name tags

Here is another photo from last Saturday....


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## Lego&Jacub

Fran these are great photos!! I love the panoramic view!!


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## monomer

All the pictures posted are wonderful and I think really captured the spirit of that day quite well. Too bad I left our camera in the car... my excuse is: the walk back to the parking lot was really too far. Thanks to everyone who's allowed me to 'bum' their pictures of the event... (especially Fran)

Hey Sandra, I didn't realize that was Geddy's first-time swimming... or did you mean first for the day? I think Tinkerbell's swim might have been her first time...? Marsha?


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## TheHooch

Dang you guys had doggie name tags and everything. LOL All the pictures were just great. Maybe we can get a southern one together in warm Florida during the winter. Hint Hint someone in Fl LOL

Hooch


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## Lego&Jacub

monomer said:


> Hey Sandra, I didn't realize that was Geddy's first-time swimming... or did you mean first for the day? I think Tinkerbell's swim might have been her first time...? Marsha?


Yup that was Geddy's first ever swim!! And I am just soo happy to have caught a few pics of it... esp. the one with her leaping right in. :


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## monomer

I talked to Marsha and yup it was Tinkerbell's first swim too! And she has pictures too! Pretty neat...


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