So it is that time again, like it or not.  Time for you to drop your laptop (ok, don’t drop it - set it down lightly), leave your cell phone (yeah right) and forget to charge your iPod (once again… yeah right) for one long weekend - and spend it in the wilderness with bear, deer and mountain lions. Or maybe just a few drunk friends and a BBQ pit?  Sounds a lot better. Once again we have decided to do another year at Lake Buchanan.  It is just too nice and considering the other options, it just made the most sense.  We did change the venue up a bit, staying at a new place: Driftwood Shores So here is the lowdown on the showdown on the mowdown with your fro-down son… 

The dates are August 15th (Friday) - 18th (Monday).  Looks like we will carpool out of Midland & also out of Roscoe/Sweetwater, with Buster coming in from Austin as well. We are staying at Driftwood Shores, which is not far from where we have stayed the last two years, however the cabin we chose (The Lodge - check it out by visiting the link above) will give us a ton more room with 7 beds.  So Benny doesn’t have to snuggle with Maabadi, and I don’t have to sleep in the floor (YEAH!)… good news.

This place also has a nice sandy/grassy shore so we should be able to cruise the boats up and park.  They used to have boat slips, however a recent storm tore up Buchanan - they fell victim to that storm.  R.I.P. boat slips… you had a good run. Also available at our drunken disposal… basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, washer pitchin’ (how’s that for country!).  Also they are supposed to have BBQ Grills, Bait, Swimming Beach & a Fishing Pier (that is French for catfish catchin’ dock thingy… I think).

So needless to say… we have upgraded.  We are taking $25 deposits at the moment, so if you haven’t already - send me (Dubz) your DAMN money.

We look to have a full house as well.  Of course the usual suspects will be there… James Cross (thats me, but you can call me Dubz) - self proclaimed intra-web-tra-net-blog-o-matic-fantastico-super-master-man, Benny Cornett - the baddest Cold Fusion developer to ever grace the planet earth and Mr. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHLY himself, Buster Collings - the king of online legal ticket scalping and Mr. make-a-search-engine-my-bitch. Those three will be going until either all the lakes dry up or everyone turns gay and it gets “awkward”.  Por favor believe it. 

James Maabadi, the Maab as some call him… is not for sure at the moment.  He recently moved, and so he status is up in the air.  From past experience, you never can tell… this is the dude that we (Benny, Myself & Buster) convinced to go at the very last minute… like as we left town, literally - one year.  So we shall see.

Beyond the O.G. members, it looks like Tim Tipton will be back?  Or will he.  He has this addiction we like to call, sellingyourhouse-itis.  He has a plan, leave him alone!  We will be happy in 3 years when we can have NU7 @ his lakehouse (PAID FOR IN FULL)… then we will all look like chumps because we made fun of him for not going to NU4.   We hope he can make it, we know he wants to.  He will, who are we kidding.

Chris Weddle… this dude is an honorary nerd.  This former FedEx superstar spends his time drinking lots of beer and telling stories about experiences that should not be shared.  That is why we like him.  This dude will stick a cigarette in his ear, then follow it with a splash of beer given enough beer and pain (it is a long story, but those that were there… love it).  Perhaps if you get Chris drunk enough, and by “get” I mean just wake him up in the morning… you can hear that very story.  Chris is in like gin (it fits, ok) - said he would never miss this thing.

Corey Molinar - no word from Speedy… which usually means it is a no-go.  One day we think he will make it… that is why we CC him on the email.  Give it time, give it time to grow.

Casey Phillips, this dude walked to the edge of the earth and jumped.  At least that is what we think… we have not heard a peep from him via email.  We assume that means… nope, no go.  Hope that I am wrong… but usually a lack of response means - no.

This next dude has been copied on emails for the past 2 years, but has failed to make it.  Rob Knight, or I call him Ralph (another long story that Capt. Morgan’s can bring out) RAAAAAAAAAAAAAALPPPPPHHHH!  haha  Rob is actually committed to going this year, he has NEVER been to a lake.  This dude loves to snowboard, ski and all that jazz - so he should love it to say the least.  Also this dude is into racing and video games more than anyone I have ever known… he will likely have the hardest time without his electronics.  He is in though, a huge plus.

Another new one to the mix is Keith Ramey, this guy is brought into the “cult” by our friend & co-founder Benny Cornett.  I assume he is cool, I don’t know… but if Benny wants to bring him, he has to have some amount of coolness about him.  Wait… he does associate with us though, what does that say about him?  Yikes.  We are happy to have him aboard.  Benny did say Keith is a “FISHING MF”.  Nuff said.

Looks like another Benny recruit is throw into our world as well, John Arnold - Benny works with him.  Benny says he is a “major geek”, there is nothing he can’t program - old school or new school.  So he should fit in well.

Looks to be an awesome year, lots of BBQ, beer, fishing, skiiing, kneeboarding, wakeboarding, beer and poker… did I mention poker!  AND BEER!  Get your mind right nerds… ’tis the season.

All you nerds, we have 2 days till the weekend trip.

I called Paul at Cottonwood Cove and he said that the lake looks great and that there isn’t any problems to worry about. So the weekend looks like it will be A-OK for plenty of fishing, boating, gambling, and BBQing. I asked Paul if we would be able to get to the water falls by boat this year. He said that we wouldn’t have any problem getting there unless we are drunk and get lost, haha.

Everything is ready so lets get going.

After long discussions and factoring in as much info as we could (gas prices, water levels, price, entertainment value, cabins) - we finally have some info on Nerds Unplugged 3.

Nerds Unplugged 3 will be at Lake Buchanon again - at Cottonwood Cove.

We are setting it for Friday August 24th - 27th (we have to go with these dates since availability is limited due to the water being up and everyone booking their stay).

So the plan is to go ahead and reserve two cabins for that weekend - and hope that we can fill them.  I think that we will be able to this year, however - I think that every year.  Worse case scenario we drop the second cabin a month before and go with the water front one.

Just a little FYI on the water state of Buchanan.  First of all, thanks to Buster for gettin’ info on it from Paul at Cotton Cove.  He said that Buchanan is full and that is good news.  What this means is…

This will not look like this anymore.

This will not look like this anymore either.

This would not be possible - Buster & Maab would be neck deep.

This means - good freakin’ news… when you go out back in cabin 2 to smoke a ciggie, you will be forced to check to see if any of the fishing poles are needing bait… or have any fish on them.  This means that instead of wandering off at 5AM to go “check the water level” (**cough BUSTER cough**) - you don’t have to walk a 1/4 mile.

So I say all of that to say this…

We need to start figuring out who is going.  I have been talking with all four people that made it to Nerds Unplugged 2, Benny, Buster  & Maab… and it sounds like all of us are in.  So we need to figure out who else is going.  Please chime in if you are in or out here in the comments area.

I will be listing the suggestions as they come in.

So here are a few:

Location

• Lake Brownwood
• Lake Buchanan (if the water is up)
• Possum Kingdom

Facilaties

• (Brownwood) Cabins at the State park…State Park
• (Brownwood) Tim’s RV (This would be fine if there were only about 4 of us going, crowded if more)
• (Buchanan) Cotton Wood Cove
• (PK) Bass Hollow

Dates

• I suggest that we stick with the early August dates like we have in the past. Second weekend in August is my vote.