12th Annual Brooklyn Reality Tour (BRT) June 2, 2012

Announcing the 12th annual dhammer53 Brooklyn Reality Tour aka BRT. 2 seats available 5/9/12

Date: June 2, 2012
Time: 9:30, with pushback at 10:00.

Theme: Returning to our roots with a 25 passenger van.

Dedication: BRT 12 is dedicated to newself (Dave) who passed away last year. He rode on BRT 1.
Theme: We're going to anty up some money to the Captain Jason Dahl Foundation. http://dahlfund.org/ Details to follow.

The first 11 Brooklyn Tours were sellouts. BRT 4 - 7 I rented an airport type shuttle van. Last year we had a 50 passenger coach bus. We split the cost. This year, the cost will be about $60. per person.

Paypal details to be announced at a later date.

FYI, Catman will once again host the SoupDo on Friday night. Soup Do 9: Friday June 1 2012

We'll have WineDo 5 on Sunday evening. Thread to follow.

Pick up 10:00 Saturday morning in the Grand Central Terminal neighborhood. Drop-off at 10:00pm. We have a tradition of departing ontime.

Besides touring Brooklyn (my home town), we eat, and eat, and eat. Can you say 'real' Brooklyn pizza? Can you say 'delicious' bakery goodies? Just ask any of the folks who have been on this tour. We drive. We tour. We eat.

If you're new to Milepoint, the tour is a great way to make new friends.
At the end of the BRT tours 2 - 11, we went for dinner at an authentic Italian place in an authentic Italian neighborhood. Lots of jewelry showing. This may or may not happen this year. All depends on the number of attendees.

Figure about $25- $30 a person if we do a sit down lunch or dinner. This is less than what you would pay in Manhattan; and twice the portion. The show is better than the food. If we do lunch, the cost will be $15 - $20. Details to be worked out.

Last year, the sit down was lunch. 2012 plans will depend on how many riders come along.

The lunch/dinner will be open to everyone. If you're not on the Tour, you'll have to take the subway to the restaurant. It's about 40 minutes and $2.25 one way. Several years ago, we had a few hitch-hikers on the van back to Manhattan.

Start planning now. Springtime in New York is beautiful. Consider yourself invited.

If you've been on the tour before and want to go again, please sign up, and consider yourself waitlisted. If you're from New York, you're waitlisted too. Thinking about bringing a friend or relative? They have no status; so we'll have to wait and see if they clear the DM list. All of the above lists will clear by May 15. Don't wait to decide.

Past tour highlights include:

2001...poor AnnaS having a cold.
2002...Lisamcgu making us stop for White castle hamburgers.
2003...mjm insisting on a Starbucks break. After I stopped laughing at him for thinking that Brooklyn would even have a Starbucks... we found one.
2004...gorging on food at marysunshine's house...and this was a snack!
2005...cawhite knocking on the door of my childhood home; while I ducked for cover. It was a priceless moment. Details towards the last page of the 2005 thread. Also, a Tony Soprano type sitting at the bar added some extra flavor to our experience.
2006...Our van squeezing past a doubleparked car on a side street. You can just imagine the typical Brooklyn swearing. Also, the tour getting its 15 minutes of fame on Cable television News 12 Brooklyn. Check it out http://news12.com/BK/topstories/article?id=175940# use name: dhammer53ft, password: flyertalk (may not work).
2007... When cawhites 'friend' Larry (the guy who always sits at the bar), checked us out!
2008... "I had no intention of stopping at my childhood home. As we approached, I told the driver to slow down, then stop. Seems the front door was wide open. I took this as a sign from above. I stopped the bus.
A couple of years back, cawhite knocked on the door. I ducked for cover. This year I was apprehensive as I approached. When I told the woman that she bought the house from my Mom, she said in typical Brooklyn fashion whats her name? When I responded, she had a big smile for me.
This may have been the moment on BRT 8. Every year, there's always one moment that's noteworthy".

2009... We were filmed throughout the day for a documentary. Maybe it'll even come out one of these days.
2011... the bus went MX (mechanical). 90 minute delay.

Note:

We rotate seats on the bus. Seat 1A is reserved for a couple of long time attendees (yes, that means you).
We make plenty of stops.

No talking miles and points when I'm (ahem) lecturing on Brooklyn.

It takes a certain type of person to put up with other Flyertalkers for an entire day. If you're looking for an excuse to visit NY (Brooklyn) in June, the dhammer53 Brooklyn Reality Tour is it.

Please post below if you're interested. I've met a few of you along the road this past year and you have 'dibs' if you're interested in joining us for a fun day in Brooklyn.

If you're interested in coming along, I need you to pm me your:

-Handle and real name.
-Hotel you're staying at, when available.
-Cell #

The 2007 thread here... http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...light=brooklyn

2008 Trip Report here... http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=839107

2009 thread ... 9th annual Brooklyn Reality Tour. June 13, 2009 Saturday

2010 thread 10th Annual Brooklyn Reality Tour. Saturday June 12, 2010 Post 346 has a brief report.
Photos in 317 by tom911.

Note to new riders... I would suggest reading the 2011 thread to get a peak at what you can expect. 11th Annual Brooklyn Reality Tour - June 4, 2011. Saturday

Message sent!

Message sent!

The van holds 25 seats. Waitlist has been started.

So far:

Guest
cawhite

dhammer53 F/M
iluv2fly F
FortFun F
magic111 F
gipsss F
KathyWdrf F
CDKing F
canucklehead M
roadwarrior365 M
JosephMay +1 M
CMK10 F
kwildnj F
SFOTerry F
SFOMo F
JohnnieD M
Robin M
WanderLuster F
62asr F
ande777emt F
pfbloom M
JimBobDuggarIsABusyMan +1 F
dailycavalier
superdrew +1


Waitlist

Owlchick
belle3388
freqflyercoll +1
RapidTravelChai
jackal

Hashtag on Twitter #BRT12

A possibility, since I've been on the BRT in the past:
HPN-HRL
From NYC

F - Flyertalk
M - Milepoint

please add Joseph May and Mrs JM to the list.....

Message sent!

Updated.

Interested, though I know I’ll be double-waitlisted. PM sending.

violist will be in town, but will cede his spot on the van to a
first-timer if necessary.

Post # 4 has been updated.

If you're counting, there are 17 riders so far.

Better hurry up and sign up before the crowds get here. From the Frugal Travel Guy on Saturday 28 January... http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/

Please add me to your your list! I think it sounds like fun!!! Message sent!!

Wow, I miss, miss, miss going on this. It is less a tour about Brooklyn, more about having an adventure with a group of positive, like-minded people. This Tour is a gift Dan gives to this community, one I highly recommend!

I'm interested, I'm having issues starting a convo to you so I'll send it on FT.

Lisa,

I'm flattered. This is one of the nicest comments I've ever received about the tour.

Sent PM. Hope there's room, sounds like a great time.

I have actually had convos here, then forgot how to do it and couldn't figure it out! The key is to go to your inbox (tab in upper rt) and all will be revealed

I had issues using conversation using Firefox 9.0.1.. When I used Int Explorer, had no trouble at all.

If you use Firefox 9.*, there's a bug MP knows about with starting conversations and new threads.

Sign me up.... this looks very cool! Loved the accounts of years past. ..... just sent a PM, and let me add a big YES to doing the Italian dinner.

Milepost 4 has been updated. Welcome aboard.

24, with 1 seat available.

Update

I've started a waitlist. Unless Randy asks me to do a 50 pax bus, BRT 12 is sold out.

These suckers pay $75 for a 4 hour tour of Brooklyn. http://asliceofbrooklyn.com/pizza.html

The Travel Channel has a new reality show about this tour. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/holly-cara-price/travel-channel-slice-of-brooklyn_b_1326131.html

It's 0700 in New York, and I'm hungry for a slice.

I sent PM's on Flyertalk to everyone that signed up for the BRT. Payment is $60. Paypal or check. It was easier to send the PM's from one location.

Um...

...who copied who?!?

The Brooklyn Reality Tour started in 2001, did it not?