Here's a page listing out all the stuff that we did and the type of deals you can find on these outtings!For future trips, I've collected some useful info from some of our past First Saturday Trips. Here's how we usually make the full First Saturday trip up and back in just under 24 hours: -----BEGIN TRIP DETAILS----- Where/When? ----------- We usually meeting at our group's normal meeting place: http://xcssa.org/pics/XCSSA_map.gif at 9pm. Since the community center may be in use, please park your cars across the street in the lot behind the Long John Silvers. This is where they will remain for the next 24 hours (don't worry.. we've done this before. It's safe). I'll show up at around 9:30 in our rental mini-van. Hopefully we can load up, maybe grab a taco from Taco Cabana's next door, and be on the road by 9:45. In Dallas: ---------- If we leave before 10pm, then this will put us in Dallas at the first Saturday event (just north of down town) by 3am easy. It starts at midnight, and should be going fairly well by 3am. We try to all meet up at "The Wurst Wagon" (great sausage trailer) at aournd 3am... and will usually form a rendezvous plan from there. We're usually all geeked out by around dawn (7-9am) and probably be ready to head out and be looking for somewhere to crash. We can either find a local motel, or crash at my uncle's place for 2-3 hours. Just enough for a recharge. Then we'll have the rest of the day (until around 3) to slam back some great Mongolian BBQ, maybe hit west-end or visit Fry's Electronics. At around 3pm Saturday, we'll need to hit the road and head back home to get back to the community center by 8pm so that I can get the mini-van back in time. Other Info: ----------- More info on First Saturday can be found here: http://www.sidewalksale.com/index-bak.html Prepare For The Trip: --------------------- Some things that you might want to do or bring if you have them: -Get some rest before hand (or at least try) -Good Flashlight/batts (head mount is best) -Good small/medium shoulder bag or backpack (not to big/heavy.. it'll KILL ya by dawn!) -Gas/Trip-Expense money: ~$15-20/person should cover rental & gas.. we'll vote if we want a hotel or my uncle's pad -Food Money: ~$15-20 depending on you... :) -Geek-Fund: ??? How much you got to spend? -Wet wash cloth in a zip lock bag (you'll find it very refreshing at around 11am!) -Small multi-meter sometimes handy (if you're that kind of geek.. and like to test your merchandise ;) -Snacks (optional) Please don't bring a lot of computer gear /with/ you. Bring a laptop if you simply must... but this is more about shopping and bringing stuff BACK.. NOT up AND back. We tend to score a lot of booty.. and we don't to unnecessarily waste our storage space. ;) Plus, if the minivan gets broken into... the group can not be responsible for any lost items. And trust me.. you DON'T want to have to lug around anything heavier than a PDA all morning. ;) That's about it... If anyone has any questions/concerns... Please feel free to contact me. ^^^^^END TRIP DETAILS^^^^^ Your Fearless, "Reverse Dictatorially Elected Coordinator" Thomas Weeks