Rocket Oven Pizza Party - Oct. 5th, 6th, 7th 2018 at wheaton labs

From this post in the thread for the rocket oven kickstarter, Paul announced:

paul wheaton wrote:The pizza party is now a sure thing!



October 5th, 6th and 7th.   Starting at 6pm on Friday, October 6th.  Although people can show up earlier in the day and get settled in and visit and stuff.    And it is expected that everybody will have moved on before Sunday, the 7th, at 5pm.

I will send out invites to lots of people.   Rocket mass heater people.  Rocket oven people.   We'll see who all wants to come.  

When the time comes, I will send something out via the kickstarter stuff.  Everybody who wants to come will send me an email.   I will then look up all those accounts and the top 20 kickstarter contributors will get an invite.    We did something like this during the world domination gardening kickstarter.   About 40 people said they wanted to come and 20 were invited.   One of those people got the invite because their pledge was $1 higher than the next highest pledge.   So they just added a dollar.   Some people added two dollars.

Once the 20 people are selected, those 20 people will be able to rent a bunk here if they want.  But early october is perfectly acceptable camping weather for here.  There might be snow, but it will definitely be above freezing during the day.

We will do a full tour of all of wheaton labs, including all of the rocket mass heaters.  And, of course, everybody will get a chance to use the rocket oven, the rocket griddles, the rocket cooktops, the rocket stoves, the rocket hot water ....   everything!

Any boots in the permaculture bootcamp will be able to attend also.  

This event will be at Wheaton Labs near Missoula, Montana.  


We are allowing four extra people to attend at $200 each.



4 spaces left!


Click here to send in $200 to attend the pizza party!







For the lucky folks who make the cut to the 20, we will send you directions privately. Though if you have other questions about the event, this is the thread for that!

We're looking forward to it!

For the 20 folks, it's just one individual per Kickstarter contribution who is invited, is that correct? What about folks who want to bring spouses, or family members, or friends?

We now also have a
two part roundwood timber framing workshop sep 24-29 and oct 1-5
happening right before the pizza and rocket-y things party weekend! Please look at the above link if you want to play.

In that thread, we had a question in this post:

Devon Olsen wrote:If one supported the kickstarter but has NOT been there before or paid the rapper fee, is it ok to come camp out for a night and attend ONLY the pizza party? If so will I have to also pay the gapper fee(kickstarter backing was not over 100 bux)

Ah, good question! We are limiting the party to 20 from the Kickstarter, so if we get all 20, I think we'll be full. I don't know the answer if we don't get 20 who want in. This might also apply to whether pizza party folks could bring family members or not, though I'll let Paul clarify that.

Thanks for moving this to the appropriate thread jocelyn, this was actually the thread I was looking for, also curious if I could being girlfriend along, probably would want to camp,  may possibly consider renting someth ing like the teepee

Jocelyn Campbell wrote:For the 20 folks, it's just one individual per Kickstarter contribution who is invited, is that correct? What about folks who want to bring spouses, or family members, or friends?

For the WDG event, we limited it to just one attendee per pick and that worked fine.   Of course, we didn't let them camp or anything like that.  

....   after great consideration, math and stuff like that ...  

I will make six spots available for $200 per spot.   First come, first serve.  https://permies.com/pp/200/pizza-party-ticket

Devon Olsen wrote:Thanks for moving this to the appropriate thread jocelyn, this was actually the thread I was looking for, also curious if I could being girlfriend along, probably would want to camp,  may possibly consider renting someth ing like the teepee

We will be renting out the strucutures for the event.  

If somebody is selected for the kickstarter and they wanna bring a friend, that'll be $200 for the friend (limit of 6 friends, total, for the event).

BTW:   as of now, the red cabin is taken.   The tipi, cooper cabin, the love shack and four bunks in the bunk room are open.  There might be some other cabins available for rent.

Me flying from Australia to US, Montana is totally impossible at this point. I will leave my place to others :-)

Thank you for the responses everyone, as I'm currently knee deep in losing money on my farming operations indpnt think that will be in the budget for the gf and I,  soon will also leave my spot open... and I think no may still be busy getting through all the wonderful candy that came from my kickstarter pledge (I'm still on the better wood heat part) which should satisfy my permie desires for now
Have fun everyone!

I'm currently out of town and have not sent surveys out about lodging or other details just yet. (For this or the roundwood event!) It will be another day or two before I can get those surveys created and out to folks. Thanks for your patience!

Thanks, Jocelyn!  

Anyone traveling from Missoula or from anywhere east?  (Boston, Billings, Albany, Buffalo, Columbus...?)  Bus arrives in Missoula at 7 something am, and I'd explore Missoula for a time, dragging my tent around some.  I'm seriously considering making the trek now, and it would be so cool to get to meet Paul and Jocelyn and Fred!!!  And Jeremy and whoever else is there now, boots and ants and other parts of the lab I don't even know about yet.  

Minions? does the lab have minions?

Correcting the date of the start--Friday October *5th* not 6th.  

Jocelyn Campbell wrote:From this post in the thread for the rocket oven kickstarter, Paul announced:

paul wheaton wrote:The pizza party is now a sure thing!



October 5th, 6th and 7th.   Starting at 6pm on Friday, October ***5th***.  Although people can show up earlier in the day and get settled in and visit and stuff.    And it is expected that everybody will have moved on before Sunday, the 7th, at 5pm.

I will send out invites to lots of people.   Rocket mass heater people.  Rocket oven people.   We'll see who all wants to come.  

When the time comes, I will send something out via the kickstarter stuff.  Everybody who wants to come will send me an email.   I will then look up all those accounts and the top 20 kickstarter contributors will get an invite.    We did something like this during the world domination gardening kickstarter.   About 40 people said they wanted to come and 20 were invited.   One of those people got the invite because their pledge was $1 higher than the next highest pledge.   So they just added a dollar.   Some people added two dollars.

Once the 20 people are selected, those 20 people will be able to rent a bunk here if they want.  But early october is perfectly acceptable camping weather for here.  There might be snow, but it will definitely be above freezing during the day.

We will do a full tour of all of wheaton labs, including all of the rocket mass heaters.  And, of course, everybody will get a chance to use the rocket oven, the rocket griddles, the rocket cooktops, the rocket stoves, the rocket hot water ....   everything!

Any boots in the permaculture bootcamp will be able to attend also.  

For the lucky folks who make the cut to the 20, we will send you directions privately. Though if you have other questions about the event, this is the thread for that!

We're looking forward to it!

Who should we contact if we are interested in renting a bunk during the event?

Eric Tolbert wrote:Who should we contact if we are interested in renting a bunk during the event?

Eric, that will be part of the survey that I haven't created yet. It will go out soon, really it will!

Great, I am in and I added a ticket through PayPal for my dad, who will also be joining me.

We would like to rent a bunk, so hopefully there will be enough.


Matt

Got the $200!

Thank you folks for your patience - the survey/registration form was just sent out tonight!

Next, we need to organize/update our rental info. We'll get that organized in the next few days and will get back to all those interested in renting here.

If anyone needs a ride from Seattle, I will be traveling from Seattle area, have room for one, one way, but must like cats (multiple) in vehicle.  Can pick up anyone along the main highway.

Leaving Seattle area the Thursday immediately prior (October 4th).  No plans to go back to Seattle but can bring to Missoula after event to get train / bus / plane.

After pizza party I'll be going down I-15, weather permitting, to Vegas area.

surveys/registration forms
About two-thirds of you have returned the surveys - thank you!! Directions and more info will be sent to the remaining third once the surveys are filled out. Check your spam folder if you think you didn't receive it.

bunks update
We're still working out the bunk scenario - the good news/bad news is that we will likely have some additional cool RMH pyronauts here (WOOHOO!), though that is making the bunks a bit more challenging. More as soon as I'm able!

bears
One attendee mentioned a concern about bears here. We have seen black bears on the lab, though we have not had any sign of black bears at base camp. There are no grizzlies in this area. Most of the activities and camping will be at base camp where we don't see bears at all, though we have had coyotes and a mountain lion (who ate the neighbors' dog).

Just be sure to keep all food in a cooler or container, (not just in bags, nylon, or otherwise able to be smelled through a tent). The black bears on the lab have been known to rip a tent for food that was not contained, or tear apart a compost pile, but have not touched coolers or containers.

Again, we have not had any black bears at base camp and even with their occasional presence on the lab, black bears generally run away from people.

immediately after the pizza party, we will be visited by several professional natural builders for this event which includes a rocket cook top:

https://permies.com/t/92034/permaculture-projects/days-natural-building-wofati-cob

My brother is an architect and has been a contractor for the the last 20 years. He is intrigued by the WOFATI's and RMH technology and is trying to see if he could clear his schedule to come out and see what is going on at the labs. I'm driving in from Kansas so I'm wondering if there are any of the $200 additional attendee spots for the party still open and, if there are, what would be the last day I could send you the money to bring him along to see in person what you have going on at the lab?

Thanks,

Eric

Hello All,

I will be travelling from the Seattle area for the Pizza Party and am looking for transportation options that do not require excessive use of my thumb (both ways).  My farm truck just could not make that trek.   I can happily chip in for expenses and can be fun to chat with or quiet as a mouse!  My schedule is flexible enough to accommodate different days/times and can meet somewhere along the way if there is not a one-shot option.  I will be tenting it.

Thanks!

Ron Bigelow
(I also have a valid drivers license and can share driving as needed!)

ron bigelow wrote:Hello All,...am looking for transportation options that do not require excessive use of my thumb (both ways)...

Hi Ron,

Replied to your Moosage. Still have space available for the one way trip to Base Camp, if you don't mind cats and the noises they make while traveling....  

I will be able to come for the pizza party also. I will bring a tent for camping, so no need for accommodations.

Sorry folks, I have family in Eastern Washington I will be visiting, so no carpool from me.

We will allow 4 more people to come to the pizza party for $200 per head.  Use this link for each person coming.

Therefore ....



4 tickets left!

Questions sent via e-mail:

What is the permaculture bootcamp program?  I guess I'm not sure how to read this or how it applies to some goodies.
"$40,000 stretch goal
So if we reach this stretch goal, everybody who has supported this Kickstarter for $100 or more will get all the same goodies as if they have paid the Gapper fee."

The gapper fee and the bootcamp fee are the same amount - $100 to come out to wheaton labs.
The bootcamp program includes simple food staples and lots of hard work and learning; read more about it in the bootcamp thread.
The gapper program is more of an on your own situation, you get the tour, though no food is provided, camping is available,plus taking part in some of our community activities; read more about it in the gapper thread.

Also will there be merchandise available while at Wheaton Labs?  Mainly DVDs?  

Yes! Paul's DVDs (all but the Rocket Oven DVD, which still needs to be printed) and the playing cards will be available for purchase.

Is there any further word yet on if there will be bunk space or rental space available during the event?

Eric Tolbert wrote:Is there any further word yet on if there will be bunk space or rental space available during the event?

Finally, rental info went out just now. On to prepping Taco Tuesday here. :-)

Thanks Jocelyn!

My dad and I are looking at sharing the rmh tipi, but the single mattress might not be big enough for the two of us. Is there sufficient room on the floor for someone to sleep in a sleeping bag?


Matt

Matthew DeAngelis wrote:Thanks Jocelyn!

My dad and I are looking at sharing the rmh tipi, but the single mattress might not be big enough for the two of us. Is there sufficient room on the floor for someone to sleep in a sleeping bag?


Matt

Hi Matt, thanks for your patience! The floor of the tipi is sand/dirt, though I'll be looking to see if I still have a cotton rug to put down there. It's a bit tight between the two sides of the half-circle bench, so it's doable, though getting out of bed you'd have to be careful not to step on your dad!

Edit: for the record, or for others considering the RMH tipi, I *think* the mattress is sort of between a twin and full size. It's a custom-made straw mattress to fit the unique shape of the tipi's RMH cob bench. It could be big enough for a couple that doesn't mind sleeping close.

We're doing back-to-back events, two weeks of roundwood before, and a week of natural building after the pizza party, with no real days off in between. The upside is that we have a lovely overlap of cool people being here for the pizza party!

The challenge inherent in this is that Paul, Fred, and I will be doing our best to keep up with it all. I think this is part of why Paul wrote this and I'm repeating it as a friendly reminder:

And it is expected that everybody will have moved on before Sunday, the 7th, at 5pm.

I started a new job today, so as a consequence I will have to bow out of the pizza party. They hired me quickly, since they are kicking off the new project next week. So I can't take any time off yet; I especially can't my first week meeting the clients.

Eat loads of pizza for me.

Here's a more clear schedule:

Friday, Oct. 5th
Please arrive later than 5 p.m. if possible. There will be a workshop going on - please do not interrupt the last few minutes of that experience and instruction.

6:00 p.m. rocket oven pizza!!! (around and maybe in the auditorium/shop at base camp)

Saturday, Oct. 6th

breakfast - on your own

9 a.m. tour* starts promptly

noon lunch - on your own

6:00 p.m. pot luck dinner together (in auditorium or FPH?)

Sunday, Oct. 7th

breakfast - on your own

9 a.m. tour* starts promptly

noon lunch - on your own

5 p.m. - please depart by this time since we have another workshop starting Monday morning

*tour for pizza party and roundwood workshop folks
the tour meets behind the auditorium/shop, and will be led by Paul. Each day will be one-half of wheaton labs, either base camp or the lab. Depending on questions and discussion and trying out of RMHs, each day's tour might continue after lunch. A sack lunch might be wise.

Thanks for the detail, Jocelyn.

For those of us coming a ways (and thus without camping stuff like a stove), is there somewhere we can cook for breakfast and lunch?

Matthew DeAngelis wrote:Thanks for the detail, Jocelyn.

For those of us coming a ways (and thus without camping stuff like a stove), is there somewhere we can cook for breakfast and lunch?

At base camp we will have rocket-y things (I think 3 that are basically one burner each, plus the rocket oven), an "egg" ceramic bbq (please bring/buy your own natural briquettes and we have those briquette chimneys so no lighter fluid please) and one 2-burner propane cooktop.

Chopping wood and kindling for the rocket-y things would be part of using them!

Since the roundwood timberframe workshop is going on around the shop/auditorium right up until 5 p.m. Friday, we might be doing some rather last minute set up of some shelter and all the cooking things at the back of the shop/auditorium.

There is a rocket hot water unit there, too, courtesy of a past ATC.

Thanks Jocelyn, that is helpful information.

I am now on my seventh transportation coordination effort to get from Seattle-Missoula-Seattle and have a final (hopefully) possibility for the voyage home.  If anyone is heading out from the Labs Saturday afternoon or evening and happen to be travelling by Coeur d'Alene or Spokane and are willing to accept a quiet (at times), useful (also at times), and gas-chipping-in passenger - {ME!} - please, let me know through messaging.



It is done......

see y'all Friday!

Ron

Last rocket oven pizza party we had, we ran out of cheese before I made my own pizza. And yes, I was the main cook. Uff.

That is not happening again if I can help it! Someone said they'd bring cheese (thank you!) and here, the shredding has started.

Organic mozzarella courtesy of our bad-boy robot coupe!

We also have a case of organic parmesan in the chest freezer. Red sauce, bbg sauce, olives, all kinds of peppers, onions, pineapple chunks, limited meats, are just some of the toppings we've been stockpiling and prepping.

It begins. (Or, more accurately, the prep has being going on for weeks with responding to folks, food orders, planning, etc. :-) )

Hi Paul and Jocelyn,

It is with deep sadness that won't be able to attend, much as was hoping to.  The land whale steed (truck) had an issue with the clutch.  Am still awaiting word from the dealer on how much pleasure it will be to fix.  Happened as came off the island.

Am stuck at an overpriced land whale yacht club till the trusty steed is fixed.  At least pets are warm and happy'ish.

Best wishes for a great and awesome Pizza party!

Richard

Richard, we were so sorry to hear about your travel challenges. A few others cancelled at the last moment as well - and we're sorry you missed you all!

Otherwise, I think last night's pizza party was a success! Ron and Ian really made it all come together - WOW. We might have been too busy making pizza, visiting, and eating the deliciousness to take pictures. I know I was a bit distracted by making sure we had all the things for the dinner, and that people had clean sheets and ash buckets, etc., so I did not take any pictures at all. Though if anyone else wiped the pizza goo off their hands to take some pics, please share them here!

This morning, we did get some pictures as we sampled paw paws before the tour of the lab. Here's one pic (note that that's Paul's hand, which is freakishly large, so these are really large pear sized paw paws), with more pics and where they came from here.