Islandcon 2010!

[yendi]

In response to the monumentally stupid plan to switch ReaderCon 2010 into ÜberMegaFourthStreetCon 2010, Yuki_onna has proposed IslandCon 2010.

I'd still prefer to see a proper ReaderCon next year, but if not that, IslandCon sounds like the way to go.

(And no, that's nothing against single-track cons like 4th street, FarthingCon, etc. I just don't want to see Readercon -- with twice as many attendees and a very different feel and philosophy -- try to jump to that track.)

Comments

[themaskmaker.livejournal.com]

My first thought on reading this was, "Gosh, I wish I went to so many cons that I could actually have preferences about what a con was like." :)

[yendi]

Until I moved up here, I'd have been in that boat. I consider myself very lucky that Boston has four cons (even if 2008 was the only year in which I attended all four).

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

Ok.. I've a year to save up...I have so got to get a job...

[unquietsoul5.livejournal.com]

Actually my real problem with Yuki's idea is the usual simple one. Maine is far away for those who live only by public transportation.

I've been by bus to part of it, and it's not friendly for folks who are not car owners (and in the winter is plain not friendly for travel at all, but that wouldn't be an issue in this case).

But, I find Readercon in the same boat, which is why I've never been (though my wife managed to get a friend to bring her a couple of times in the past). Not really in a friendly place for public transit only folks.

[ckd]

Well, you wouldn't be tempted to commute to Maine each day for the con anyway. The Amtrak Downeaster runs all the way to Portland, so it looks like it's not completely silly to do a T-Amtrak-local bus-ferry routing out to Cat's place.

(I took the T to the #350 on my way out to Burlington, and got a ride to the #73 and then to the T for the trip back.)

[catvalente.livejournal.com]

Well, there is a bus and a train to Maine from Boston, so it's doable by public transport.

[unquietsoul5.livejournal.com]

I did say I've been to Maine by Bus. My wife has relatives near Poland Springs... that said I found it a grueling trip and when we got to the bus depot there was no taxi or bus service going anywhere else as far as I could tell on the weekend. (My trip was in the middle of winter with about 3' of snow on the ground and snow banks that were a good 12' tall all around the roads where they cleared them. Relatives met us at the bus depot and it was another 45 minute ride by car to where we were going).

So unless there's a bus service I don't know of that connects with the bus from South Station to Mainse that goes out towards where you're holding this its not exactly an easy trip to make for many folks.

Of course, I'm picky, a 4-5 hour bus ride was pushing my endurance level with a bad back and IBS. Its why I don't travel to many conventions or out of state often in the past few decades. Other folks may be a lot hardier than I am.

Ckd

[unquietsoul5.livejournal.com]

I took the bus up on my one trip up.... South Station to Maine... then got picked up by relatives for the 45 minute drive to where they were near Poland Springs.

Amtrak was not affordable, the bus was just barely so, on our budget.

[catvalente.livejournal.com]

I'd be willing to come get ya.