[MantAscona]

Hello Everyone,

I would like to open discussions regarding Octopelfest 2020. We would like to tentatively host this year's event on October 2-4, however, I'd like to hear thoughts from you all on whether you would consider attending or not.

Some of you may have taken notice of some crazy **** going on lately. With this in mind, I am trying to decide if we should hold the fest, or take a hiatus until next year. Lynn and I are fine with hosting as usual, but there's really no sense in having it if no one will be attending. So, please respond with your thoughts and intentions, so that we may make a final decision. We need to decide by the end of July to leave us ample planning and preparation time, should the consensus be to move forward with it. This deadline will also allow respectful advanced notice to anyone who plans on attending to make their vacation time and travel plans.

Thank you to everyone for your input.

Duane

 

[The Scifi Guy]

Gosh that's a tough call to make a decision on attending a 3 day close quarters drinking event while there's an invisible killer lurking out there and no vaccine yet. Prudence ad caution would say "Wait until there's a vaccine.".

I'm retiring within weeks to get away from a workplace full of front line workers, 20 of which have caught the virus and one has died. I'll be outta there by August 21st at the latest.

The right thing to do would be for everyone to wear masks, but that would totally suck to have to lift your mask every time you take a swig. I have to lift and lower my mask a 100 times a day as I alternately work on machines and talk with people. It totally sucks. The South, Southwest, and California are apparently having a particularly hard time controlling their outbreaks specifically because of family gatherings and drinking/partying events.

It's one thing for me to drive up there for a quick visit and a road trip to your wonderful neck of the woods and commeraderie, but 3 days of that seems foolish.

😩

 

[RallyBob]

I say take a year off. Imagine how you'd feel if somebody who attended got sick.

I can’t attend due to my shop move-in, but I wouldn’t attend anyway because I’m in the high risk group. I wouldn’t survive getting Covid-19.

As much as it would be great to socialize and knock back a few cold ones with friends, the risk is still there.

 

[P.J. Romano]

2020 is the worst year in my life. Corona, got very sick, sold my GT. They say bad things come in three but Octopelfest cancellation would be the fourth horrible thing this year.
It is probably too early to predict pandemic situation in October. Carlisle show might be a good indicator. If the show gets canceled in August, it is hard to believe that the situation will much change till October.

 

[opelgtboy70]

If you have it I will come for the day.

Karl

 

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

Gosh that's a tough call to make a decision on attending a 3 day close quarters drinking event while there's an invisible killer lurking out there and no vaccine yet.

Good news:
- There has only been 1 outbreak (in the world) from an outdoor event. Indoor events where the viral particles endlessly build up and contaminate people are far worse. Outdoor events are several orders of magnitude safer.
- Many businesses have adjusted protocols that will limit spread.
- More education is scaring at least some people into being cautious.
- Those most at risk are staying home.

Keep in mind:
- Events have been cancelled, so, lack of outbreaks at events might not actually say they're that safe, as there simply haven't been many.
- I'm not sure what magnitude of spread defines an "outbreak", but, small amounts of contagion still occur.

People staying distant would help. Those wearing masks would help (about 70%). Can people do this or are they going to just go back to old habits, sit in each other's cars, go to dinner afterwards, etc?

Bad signs:
- First wave wasn't successfully suppressed in the US. Suppression was abandoned. This is 4 months away still and numbers are now climbing faster than they ever have been.
- US CDC head Fauci recently commented the US President hasn't even talked to him in 2 weeks, doesn't seem to care to consult experts.
- US President recently announced in a rally that he's trying to force governors to reduce testing, because high infection numbers are bad for business (and/or election).

Some of these just indicate uncertainty, others indicate things are getting worse.

I suspect there's a yoyoing going on. Largely because people don't know anyone who's died, they're treating it like it's not serious. Tends to be true of anything, it's not real until it happens to someone you know. Not treating it seriously leads to spread. Spread leads to illness, overwhelmed hospitals and death. Ilness, overwhelmed hospitals and death lead to people treating it like it's serious. There's a medium amount of fatality that's necessary for people to act, but, to combine ostritch and tick analogies, it seems like as much as some people want to stick their head in the sand, they'll pull their head out if their ass lights on fire.

If anything, the first attempt at suppression was too successful, and has made people doubt it's seriousness. Some surges in the numbers will tame that.

...

What that adds up to is, I think it wouldn't be a good idea to book anything with deposits. But, a loose contingency plan of a half-assed event you could decide a week before might be worth putting a little effort into. Something scaled back but not dropped entirely, but also not as much work to plan as a real event.

 

[Gary]

With all the crazy **** going on, it is tough to make a decision for an event that is 4 months out.
I am undecided right now.

 

[samdog]

I am finally getting my Manta on the road. The motor is almost done and this car has taken FOREVER to complete. It was last inspected in 2002! If you host the Party I will be there. Something to look forward to. I am careful about the virus but I'm not going to live in fear!

 

[Gary]

I am finally getting my Manta on the road. The motor is almost done and this car has taken FOREVER to complete. It was last inspected in 2002! If you host the Party I will be there. Something to look forward to. I am careful about the virus but I'm not going to live in fear!

Ya mean this one?

 

[samdog]

Yeah...Thats the beauty. What a great car!!!