14th Annual N40 "H.O.P.S. Party" Invitation

Jay Honeck

Jay Honeck

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Jay Honeck
This is your official invitation to our annual HOPS Party in the North 40 during Oshkosh Airventure. ("HOPS" stands for "Homebuilt, Owning, Piloting, and Student" -- the old rec.aviation Usenet groups that pre-date the modern internet.)

Mary and I are long-term EAAers, and this will be our 34th consecutive Oshkosh Fly-In! As always, this party will be held at our campsite in the North 40 aircraft camping area on Wednesday during the week of Airventure. This year, that will be Wednesday, July 27, 2016.

If you're wondering what it's all about, here are some pix from each year's event. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...073741826.100000777116758&type=1&l=2c184c945a

It's laid back, fun, and allows all of us to put faces with the names we've seen on-line for years. Amelia's Landing Hotel provides the food, while "admission" is a six-pack of good beer from your hometown. Because we're from everywhere, this lets us all sample beers from all over the country. It's great fun!

How does one find this party, you ask, in a sea of aircraft? It's actually easy, with a bit of planning. Simply stop at the EAA booth at the entrance to the North 40, and either give them our name, or our N-number -- N14EG. They will vector you right in to our site.

Just remember that the EAA camping booth closes around 6 PM, so you should obtain the party location earlier in the day. (Someone usually posts it here as well.)

The party starts after the airshow ends -- we usually have a nice crowd watching the arrivals/departures that begin as soon as they reopen the airspace. Bring a chair if you can, as that's usually what runs out first.

If all else fails, look for the blood red RV-8A named "Amelia" in the North 40. It will probably be the only RV-8A out there! We also usually fly an enormously tall Texas flag over our site, so that should help to track us down, too.

Hope to see you there!
--
Jay & Mary
 
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Thanks for the invite.
 
The flag is how I found you last year. That and a flashing..um....toy of some sort on top. hahaha
 
I thought the Texas Tampon was pretty distinctive.
 
Reminds me I gotta go down and drain a couple of quart Coronas to get clear glass bottles for the LED wave-ins at the fence. I tried using those brown Bass beer bottles that the Oshkosh Air-Porter came in but the brown glass didn't let those LEDs sparkle like they can with clear glass.

JIm
 
Is the invitation still open? just managed to book my tix and will be at osh for the first time from wed until fri? cheers - not sure I can bring any beer through customs nowadays though.. :-(
 
Seems like the past few years I stop and get Jay his Special Amber, but then something comes up and I can't get to the party, and I end up drinking the beer myself. Last year I didn't go, the year before that I wasn't able to fly in until Thursday, the year before that I ended up not waking up from my afternoon nap in until 2:00 AM. I need to fix myself this year and make it.
 
I will be there - yet to make travel arrangements, but intending to camp in Scholler.
 
Biggles1998 said:
Is the invitation still open? just managed to book my tix and will be at osh for the first time from wed until fri? cheers - not sure I can bring any beer through customs nowadays though.. :-(
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lol The invitation is always open, my friend!

Oshkosh is the most inclusive place on the planet -- so long as you love aviation, you're welcome everywhere! Especially at the HOPS Party!
 
Cool . Really looking forward to it and meeting people I wouldn't normally be able to do so... Although the jet lag may be an issue.. Lol..

Is there anywhere where I can read up on and good hints and tips for a newbie to Osh? PM me if you've got any otherwise the thread might get misused.. Cheers

Mike G-BBBN
 
Basic common sense applies: comfortable footwear and clothing for all weather. I've been at Oshkosh when it's over 100 and when it's so cold that I've been glad Margy bought us 20 degree sleeping bags. You can count on at least one heavy t-storm to soak you during the stay. Insect repellant if you're going to be out in the evening (such as Jay's party). The state bird of Wisconsin comes out at sunset and is fierce.

Other than that, you're just going to be mesmerized by how much there is to take in. It took me five or six trips to get over that.
 
Lol.. 5 to 6 trips !! .. it's taken me 48 years to get this one under my belt... it's going to be a busy few days getting it all in.. and making the most of an experiance of a lifetime.
 
Biggles1998 said:
Lol.. 5 to 6 trips !! .. it's taken me 48 years to get this one under my belt... it's going to be a busy few days getting it all in.. and making the most of an experiance of a lifetime.
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It's an addiction.

Bring a good pair of already broken in walking shoes. There's a lot of ground to cover, including the EAA Museum.
You'll want to check out the International Visitors tent - at Airventure 2015 they registered a record 2299 international visitors from 80 different countries (that might include Texas ;)).
 
Biggles1998 said:
Lol.. 5 to 6 trips !! .. it's taken me 48 years to get this one under my belt... it's going to be a busy few days getting it all in.. and making the most of an experiance of a lifetime.
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This will be OSH #34 in a row for Mary and me. It's simply not negotiable to miss this event, even though it falls during our busiest time of the year at our aviation themed hotel in Texas.

(We have tried for years to convince EAA to move the event to a different timeframe. Strangely, they have thus far refused. lol)

We literally must bring in professional "inn-sitters" who, working with our existing staff, hold our business together for 10 days. It's worth it.

One thing you should start doing now: Walk! You will walk 5 - 7 miles per DAY at Oshkosh, so if you're not in "walking shape", start working on it.

That means comfy shoes. Mary and I are walking 2 miles a day now, just so our middle-aged bodies are prepared.

See ya there!
 
Oh, and if you plan on being at any of the evening parties for an extended time period, some practice stumbling would be a really, really good thing to get in too. Maybe crawling. Learning who might be good enough to get you back to your tent.

Seriously, walking is a must. We expect to get a treadmill in about a week so walking will happen regardless of the weather.
 
bflynn said:
Oh, and if you plan on being at any of the evening parties for an extended time period, some practice stumbling would be a really, really good thing to get in too. Maybe crawling. Learning who might be good enough to get you back to your tent..
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I understand Patty Wagstaff is giving a forum this year on the art of stumbling around the field in the dark. :p
 
Okay, things are getting real now!

1. The Oshkosh NOTAM was released today!

2. I just ordered the coveted 2016 HOPS PARTY T-shirts!

As always, the first 40 attendees will receive an absolutely free collectible 2016 HOPS PARTY T-shirt, courtesy of Amelia's Landing Hotel. Some of you guys have all of them, going back to when the Alexis Park Inn was on the shirts! (Sadly, I end up using them as "paint shirts" and don't have anything older than 2013...)

T-minus 65 days! https://countingdownto.com/countdow...wn-clock-51e8b0c7-b3a8-4698-b796-f4e9140e5138
 
It used to be that the EAA gave the volunteers a coffee cup every year. I have a 15 years worth of volunteer mugs. Someone suggested that they alternate between mugs and plates and bowls so we could get full place settings.

The EAA got chincy in the past few years and pulled the plug on the mugs. Now we just get the lousy t-shirts (with Bendix or whoever's name plastered all over it). EAA talks about how great they like their volunteers but the perks have gotten progressively wose over the years.
 
I could not pick one of these up to bring to the hops party.. I saw it at out local rare breads farm today whole having a birthday lunch.. it'll be packed to bring along..
20160525_132336.jpg
 
Looky what came in the mail today:



2891528f73d72b62d3758744ba895cfa.jpg
 
weirdjim said:
I'll wear one at my forum and in the Kitplanes booth during my "meet the author" gig on Tuesday if I can get one in advance. XL for me and XL for Cyndi if you are so inclined.

Thanks,

Jim
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Sure! We should be there on Sunday, so we will have ample opportunity to meet up.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Sure! We should be there on Sunday, so we will have ample opportunity to meet up.
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It would be more dramatic and "carny show biz" if you presented it to me at the forum and I took off my shirt and put yours on. Just ask Margie Natalie when I bet her that she wouldn't take her shirt off at my forum and put mine on when she lost a bet. Of course, she (and I) will have undershirts on to keep the "family" modesty of the show to a reasonable level.

I'll actually give you a minute or so at the microphone to explain about the gig if that is what you want.

Jim

.
 
image.jpeg
Biggles1998 said:
I could not pick one of these up to bring to the hops party.. I saw it at out local rare breads farm today whole having a birthday lunch.. it'll be packed to bring along..
View attachment 45544
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Allow me some indulgence, or feel free to delete, but I've found the tipple of choice for a number of reasons. and will be bringing some depending on weight of my case, so I found a brew called "Billericay Zeppelin" from my local microbrewery, and considering it is a centenary shooting down of l32 in Billericay and it seems there are a number of celebrations occurring at EAA . I couldn't refuse.. More details on my blog if your interested
mikelynnweb.wordpress.com
 
I got to looking around and realized that all of the local stuff seems to be cans only these days. Cans must be the new craze. If I show up with a 6-pack of cans, blame the hipsters.
 
I don't know of any locally brewed beers other than the ones made by my own hand. Is homebrew acceptable as admission to the shindig.
 
Cheese. Gotta be California. Happy Cows make happy cheese.
 
What's the procedure to get drinks the party, I've seen that there's a no alcohol allowed restriction at the gates?
 
Biggles1998 said:
What's the procedure to get drinks the party, I've seen that there's a no alcohol allowed restriction at the gates?
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Well, you can go around via streets, but usually a friendly smile and wave at the gate are enough to get through. At least via scholler they seem to understand you are just transiting the show. Also, do it later in the day when the bars start serving, I think 5 pm, and it shouldn't be a problem.

I have no idea if I will make it this year, as I may get to go as a booth babe :goofy:, if they need a spare. Will try to reserve some home brew if it turns out I am going, likely either a saison or Two Hearted clone.
 
Biggles1998 said:
What's the procedure to get drinks the party, I've seen that there's a no alcohol allowed restriction at the gates?
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Technically, alcohol is not allowed on the grounds.

In real life, the North 40 is absolutely awash in booze. The only people who don't have alcohol are tea-totallers and children.

That's one of those rules EAA put in place as a CYA, in case of a mishap.
 
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