Gang of 13 iOTWers Meet Up For Get Together – IOTW Report

Gang of 13 iOTWers Meet Up For Get Together

Friday, 19 July 2019, 11:15 illustr8r Uncategorized 90

We did it! Last weekend, thirteen iOTWers packed their cars and campers and escaped the confines of their crazy Liberal hometowns. Some came from the Portland, Oregon area and others from the greater Seattle area. One iOTWer drove all the down from British Columbia, Canada, a 5.5 hour trip!

First, we met for a dinner (the cardboard POTUS cutout appeared AFTER dinner as a safety precaution LOL). Outside at a hotel courtyard, we had beers and wine, and talked till midnight. We were not deterred by the dusty blustery wind that kicked up that night.

The next morning, we met again at a park for coffee and breakfast goodies. Conversations continued, parting gifts were handed out, many hugs were exchanged and a double Trump thumbs up was given to do this again next year. 


Finally, you guys thanked me often for organizing our meet up. However, I don’t think I’ve said it enough how cool it was to meet you in “real life” after seeing your alter egos almost daily on iOTW for close to a decade.

Everyone was sincere, smart, interesting and funny. I’d like to say thank you to, YOU, who attended our little get together. It was a hoot! ((hugs))
Till next time. 
:)illustr8r

90 Comments on Gang of 13 iOTWers Meet Up For Get Together

  1. This was fantastic, a real milestone in the history of this site.

    I was honored to have made a “vocal” appearance.
    I hope this inspires others to try this in their respective regions.

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  6. Now, if our “gang” could all decide on where to relo we could all be neighbors as well as friends! And a better bunch you would never find.

    Illustr*r forgot to mention that she and that person who was “with Illustr*r” drove all the way from an unknown location. I think it was from somewhere near Omak.

    I have to relate that it was a very unsettling feeling to finally meet people who you have known for so long. Not just the sensation of familiarity with their persona, but I still have the unshakeable sense of actually having met them in person at some point before our gathering. Very odd. Maybe it was the baby picture contest (?) In any event, we had an extremely nice time together and I highly recommend other regional IOTW’s to have their own gatherings.

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  10. OMG you guise I’m so jelly!!! And also really excited that you got to do this!

    Just came home from the cinema and hard enough to go to sleep, this made me so happy and now I’m wide awake!

    (@AbigailAdams, come to Alaska! 😀 )

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  14. AA, good thought. I’m trying to get Claudia to stop and visit me and would enjoy others in the midwest as well.
    Meeting any of the conservatives here would be a honor.

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  15. @PHenry… you can definitely count me in! I was just gonna comment that I would have packed my full-body condom and flown from PA to the left coast to attend this “meeting of the minds”.
    I’ll even be as bold as to suggest a venue… here: https://www.knoebels.com/
    I happen to know for a fact, the owner is one of us. 😉

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  16. GULF COAST: I’m pretty sure Bayouwulf is in my redneck of the woods. I’m on the Northside of Lake Pontchartrain. Anyone else?

    Hell, we could always make a papier machê statue of Robert E Lee and put it at Lee Circle!

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  20. What a great idea. I wonder if there’s anyone in the IOTW arena here on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi Biloxi – Ocean Springs area wouldn’t that be great meet new and different people with the same ideology of God – country – families and upholding the law. How does one get this started?

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  24. I’ve always wondered what would happen if you put a bunch of iOTWers together in one room. I should have known it’d be lots of fun.

    I wonder what folks will do come Trump’s re-election night landslide victory party?

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  25. I wish that I could’ve been there but my new baby granddaughter was born the morning of the meeting and I needed to stick around here for that. Mom and my son and baby are doing well, they went home on Sunday and today is my oldest granddaughters 3rd birthday. Next time I will be there.

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  27. I’m happy for you guys, what a blast. Count me in for Chicago/Midwest. I’ve been meeting online people around here since the ’80s BBS days. However, to this day only met a few iotwrs.

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  30. I attempted to meet up with Fur after driving about 2000 miles, but got messed up by a day.

    Congrats to all who managed to pull this off.

    Next time! It’ll happen. – bfh

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  32. Any IOTWers in MT and surrounds that would like to rendezvous? Plenty of places in MT – and no one would have to come to Nolackaloonies either, although it is well situated for fun and foods. I was going to go to the Illustr8r PNW event but it was a bit of a stretch given that my bride cannot travel and I’d have had to be on the road for 2+ days.

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  36. You haven’t truly met up, until you get picked up by some dude you don’t know from the next state over. Then drive with him 10 hours, 4 states further east to meet the rest of the group.

    I’ve met people online more times than I can count. Shared transportation, lodging and beer with near total strangers. Never once did I ever sense that I was in bad company.

    So I’d totally do a midwest meet. However, there’s one thing that will surely keep me from attending. I refuse to meet in Crook County or any other liberal shithole.

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  41. It was a great time. We met at a restaurant sat down and started talking like we were old friends, the morning talk was even easier.
    We have not chosen a spot for next year but Coeur d’Alene is on the short list.
    All who were there wants to meet next year Very fun.

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  42. How wonderful to see all of those happy, pixelated faces! 😁 This is one of the many reasons I love IOTW. I’ve had the privelege of meeting some IOTWers individually including LadyGun12 and Doc and would love to meet everyone else. Such a smart, funny and terrific group of people.

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  43. Wow, I bet it was refreshing to meet normal folks.
    I’m behind enemy lines here in sunny Southern California. I meet people and all will be going well, then their TDS kicks in!
    I truly liked someone of these people, but I lost respect for them. It’s kinda like seeing them naked, you just don’t want to do that!
    I’ve got my family & surprisingly we don’t have a looney lefty in the bunch. We’re just old school looney.
    Anyone ready to infiltrate the bluest of the blue states, let me know!

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  44. wOw, tres cool. It’s funny, but I think I would know any iotw-er if we met by chance.
    I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s a distinct unique facial characteristic we seem to have.

    I don’t want to jump the gun and make promises I can’t keep, but I’d love to invite EVERYONE for an all expense paid meet up, my treat……I found a fabulous deal, dirt cheap, on a tropical private island. It’s currently vacant and anticipated to be for the foreseeable future, so we can choose any date that works for all…. perhaps you’ve heard of it? St Jeff’s Island in the USVI.

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  45. We’ll have to have illustr8r and AA write a post about how they went about doing this, how they protected anonymity (if that’s what guests wanted), coordinated, etc. – a template to be used by other regions.

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  47. We loved meeting you all. It was like meeting old friends and it was nice to be able to speak freely. The food was great too! It was even fun at midnight talking and trying to listen over the long train going down the tracks beside us. 😀

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  48. I’m in Pensacola. Would be a great area for a meetup. Everyone I meet when I travel for work tells me “oh, we go to Destin every year.” I’d be interested in taking part in one, regardless of location. Sounds like a great time!

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  50. I’ve been coming here for a few years, but never comment. I love this site, & all of your insights. I live in Washington, & would have loved to join all of you. I’m signed up to comment now, Maybe next time? 🙂

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  52. @BFH – Heeheehee! You even pixelated Trump’s face for his protection! Loved being able to talk to you! I was so nervous! LOL! I felt like I had a hot potato in my hand with AA’s phone. That was such a surprising treat! Love to you and Illustr8r and the rest of the gang. Looking forward to next year.

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  54. Attention mid-westerners!

    Gee guys, whats wrong with Crook County? I’m thinking a little food place down at 35th and Cottage Grove. Admittedly it’s a mobile place, but they can’t bar you from carrying on the street. Although the mags are supposedly limited to ten.

    For those that understand the above, if anyone decides to try and organize from the socialist republic of IL, Mr. big has my e-mail. Although I’ll have to get permission from the Sicilian Boss (She Who Must Be Obeyed). As many times as He’s handed it out few want to play with me, sniff, sniff, tears…

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  56. @Illustr8r — LOL! I thought you’d pick up on that! Say “hey” to that guy for us. 🙂 And, we’d love for you to venture into the hot zone before summer ends for some Seattle hospitality.

    @Big Fur Hat: I didn’t have anything to do with the organizing. Heck, it took me the entire time just to figure out how to use the messaging on the app that Illustr8r made available, so she gets all the kudos for that. AND she even made goodie bags for everyone — IOTW art, name pins, magnets, patriotic confetti and everything. She’s the bestest party mom ever!

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  59. I’m sorry I couldn’t attend but we are right in the middle of trying to move from the Pacific North Left down to the RED state of Arizona. I have been lucky enough to have met several fellow “characters” over the years.

    Like a lot of the “Old Timers” here I started out as a lurker at the People’s Cube and then when Admin Girl, Big Fur Hat, Irony, and Hippie fired up IOTW about the time obama took office,I knew I was hooked.

    And thanks to characters like Cakes and Rebecca, a lot of us were able to connect via email and other medium, we have become like a family of sorts.

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  60. It’s wonderful to hear you all had such a great get-together!

    I’ll chime in for a Florida or Gulf Coast meet-up. TX would be a stretch from here in Sarasota County, but anything east of Mobile would be a pretty sure thing. Also, Florida east coast is very doable for us.

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  65. The best way I can describe the evening it was like going to a party and not knowing anyone including the host,but you left liking everyone had a great time and now have many new friends.
    F. Deranged what is FWIW? And yes we were thinking of you. The longest drive for the folks that were there to Idaho will be about 8 hours.

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  66. @Claudia:
    Last year’s “cookout” was very crowded and as Joe Dan mentions, the music was loud and it was difficult to talk to folks. I see he’s promised a better experience, so I’ll look for you there! See ya in August!

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  67. And I want to give a shout out to Joe6Pak and his lovely wife for the wonderful magnetic Trump signs. It’s such a fabulous thing for them to do to support our president. Everyone who wanted them — two versions — took them home. The Freedom Rider art by BFH is elegant. Many thanks, again, Joe6!

    (Fur — You might consider another contest for these. They’re wonderful.)

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  71. Is Fur or someone else going to do one in FLORIDA? Lemme know….
    3 ideas where we could meet:
    1) GATORLAND
    2) WEKIWA SPRINGS PARK (natural springs…short hop to Sanford for lunch)
    3) WEEKIE WACHEE SPRINGS (natural springs AND *real* live mermaids!)

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  72. 4) Everglades (for air boat rides), short hop to Naples for meals
    5) Pinellas County beaches (prettiest on the Gulf Coast!…and I’m lazy ‘cuz I live here & know the best pizza & beach bars)

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  73. “What a great idea. I wonder if there’s anyone in the IOTW arena here on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi Biloxi – Ocean Springs area wouldn’t that be great meet new and different people with the same ideology of God – country – families and upholding the law. How does one get this started?”

    @ Caroleigh & Uncle Al – It looks like we have four. Me, you two and BayouWulf.

    Pensacola wouldn’t be bad; the Navy Air Museum is located there and I’ve always wanted to go. Another spot is Mobile, the USS Alabammy battleship park.

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  75. @mansfield:

    That’s what I was thinking, too – the Naval Air Museum (and Blue Angels) is here along with great beaches, other forts and Historical sites, many local/craft breweries (which offer great space for gathering) and restaurants, all without big-city traffic.

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  76. Roman V JULY 19, 2019 AT 12:01 PM

    Actually I was being snarky about going into the city. Haven’t been there but once in many years and the one occasion was for my son’s graduation ceremony where they wear those funny hats. Not the ones with the motor boards, the floppy ones that all the people who think they’re extra smart wear. At least he had the sense to move to WI to work in a practice up there (eye doc).

    Know a few “on the job” in the city and previously worked in the jewelry industry so I’m paranoid big time about ever going in there (too many stories). The last ten years or more in the trade everything was handled via the phone and they’d send me a packets to pick and choose from. Drop shipped to addresses and then forwarded to avoid theft during shipping and names that did not reflect jewelry.

    Look forward to possible instructions or ways to coordinate/organize possible get together, even if I am a newbie by most standards. Not sure how many of us are say within 300 hundred miles of each other. Get some type of list and centralized location for maybe this fall before the snow flies.

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  78. It was so nice to break bread with such intelligent and thoughtful people. What a treat it was to spend time with you all and I CAN’T WAIT until our next meetup and reconnect, and hopefully meet new friends!

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  79. I would love to attend a Midwest gathering. I understand about Crook county, but we need the moral support — those of us who live in the belly of the beast. Im actually in Juicy Smollets neighborhood and I hear that’s “MAGA country” 😜

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  80. Redgrandma,

    My condolences on your location. Believe we can look forward to some sort of direction for forming up our militias…

    P.S. Any good places to buy rope in your neighborhood? I know there’s no ammo to be had.

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  81. “…we have become a family of sorts”. Yeah, Doc and I are the brother and sister that snipe at each other all the time.

    I haven’t met Doc yet, but he’s on my bucket list.

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  83. If we ever to ever meet in Coeur d’ Alene, Id., I’d be glad to show everyone around as I’m almost a native of CDA since my dad grew up there and we spent a lot of Summers there visiting my grandparents farm and with my cousins as well. The Park by City Beach in downtown CDA is a great place for a get together after eating at one of the many restaurants there. It’s one of the most beautiful lakes in the entire NW.

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  84. P.S. as it is late in the thread. Joe6Pak lived up to his name. Thank you Joe.
    Mr. Pinko you should have come this year. You would have loved it.
    Next year we will even have more of the great iOTW people.
    Now it is going to be the second meet up.
    If you miss it you might get fired by Us.

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  85. If it’s FL. Northern FL. Like st Augustine And BFH and MJA will be there, count me in. Id love to see the area and our friends. If it’s a weekend. Or headed into a weekend.
    Not all of us are retirees.

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  86. Well that’s just awesome! I know some of you, and I’ve met a few of you on my travels-all wonderful folks who share a love for this nation! My wish? More greetings. More meetings. And more handshakes and bear hugs of people who really are one.

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  87. @Mansfield Lovell, I am original from the panhandle of Florida (Pensacola) but have lived in East Tennessee near the Smoky Mountains since 1986. I do however, visit Pensacola at least once a year for family gatherings. I would very much like to attend an iOTW get together. Maybe Fur could make a tab at the top with area meetings/forecast dates as necessary.

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