New Year's Eve and New Year's Day Overnight trip to Pennsylvania

Dear hikers, About 20 of us are going to go on an overnight trip to a lodge in Pennsylvania where we went last New Year's Eve and again in June. It's an 18th century stone house standing alone inside a little State Park. Last New Year's Eve, we had a lovely time in the house. Check out the photos to see how much fun we had and what the house looks like inside and out. Most of us are going to leave on December 31 after dinner, around 7pm, when rush hour is over. Some of us, including myself, might leave in the afternoon, so we can shop for some groceries on the way and cook dinner in the lodge. Because this is an overnight trip, you need to apply to be accepted for this trip. Members who have hiked with us before have preference. Those who I have not met yet are unlikely to get accepted. Dogs cannot come on this trip, sorry. GETTING A SPOT If you want to come, RSVP now with Waiting list. It is important that you answer the questions in the RSVP form. To maximize your chances of getting a spot, you should RSVP early. When you've been accepted, I will change your RSVP to Maybe. If I can't accept you for the trip, I will change your RSVP from Waitlist to No. Once your RSVP has been changed to Maybe and you've decided you want to come for sure, change it to Yes and send your non-refundable, non-creditable first payment of .... A second payment of .... is due by ..... at ... pm. On ...., I will try to find a spot in a car for everyone who has paid, perhaps even rent a van if necessary. Those who I cannot fit in, will be notified and will receive a full refund. Carpool info and directions will be emailed on ..... to everyone who has paid in full. ABOUT THIS TRIP I have reserved the entire house for us. There are 22 beds (bunk beds) in the house. Two rooms have 8 beds each, one room has 4 and one room has 2 beds. There's a large kitchen and a common room with two large dining tables (each for 12 people) and two sofas around a large fireplace. We will be leaving Wednesday afternoon or evening. The trip is 80 miles, about 2 hours. We'll make a fire, drink hot chocolate and tea, eat desserts and snacks, play Trivial Pursuit, Charades, and Ping Pong, dance, and maybe sing if someone brings a guitar. (Alcohol is not allowed on the property, sorry.) The next morning we'll cook breakfast, clean the house, and then go hiking. There is almost no elevation in the park, so the hiking is easy. The park has a mixture of wooded areas and fields. Last January 1, we had beautiful weather, the geese were in the field, and the afternoon light was golden. We are going to leave around 4pm, returning to NYC before dinner. TRANSPORTATION I will try to match up riders with drivers from the same borough or even neighborhood if possible, but if it's not possible, you will be asked to travel to a different borough or even to a PATH train stop in New Jersey. COST The cost for this event is ........ This includes: - accommodation - breakfast and lunch - organization If you cancel after you have sent the payment, you will not get a refund or a credit. Not included: - transportation (unless you are a driver giving rides) - any food on Dec 31 I expect the transportation charge to be about ..... per rider, but could be higher if I need to rent a vehicle. Once paid, there will be no refunds for this payment either. TO BRING - two sheets and one pillow case - a towel - Standard overnight stuff - dessert, snack, or non-alcoholic beverage for New Year's Eve - sneakers or hiking boots for the hike (which may be quite muddy!) PLEASE NOTE You will be sleeping in a bunk bed with several people in one room. I recommend earplugs. Everyone will be asked to help with cooking, doing dishes, and cleaning. I will only take people I've met before, preferably only people who've hiked with me in the past. If you haven't met me yet, make sure you come to one of our events. Cheers, Suzanne Our Lodge: http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/e/4/8/3/highres_3658499.jpeg We'll have this house all to ourselves: http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/b/3/8/event_2895160.jpeg http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/b/7/9/event_2895225.jpeg The park has a rural feel: http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/e/4/8/1/event_3658497.jpeg http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/e/4/8/6/event_3658502.jpeg