FMUKCON - Saturday, 8 April 2017 - Leeds

[asamaic]

Shaved off 1 minute 17 seconds and it was a harder course. I was really really pleased with myself. Fastest time since last June and a marked improvement from my last run which was a marked improvement from the one before then. I think I'm on the mend!

TheyCallMeMrGlass finished first, but it was pretty much the only thing I let him win all day.

[ejwrank]

Well many congratulations to both of you on that fine show! And may the skies be clear for the stargazing tonight and a good day tomorrow too.

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

good morning, all. I just wanted to drop a quick message before I leave Leeds later on, to express what a bloody great time I've had with the fmukers yesterday! It was lovely to meet old friends again and acquating with those I have not met before. Once again, PXC outdone herself with organising a most enjoyable dinner meetup conf with fun multiple prize quizzes (what lovely prizes too!), horse racing raffles and genuine care to make sure everyone is having a good time. I missed Diane's morning tour to run with Asamaic on our Leeds parkrun amongst 409 other runners and several volunteer marshals, giving this parkrun a most uplifting vibe and enjoyable atmosphere. The course as Asamaic describe was tougher than some of our London parkruns but we both still shaved off a couple minutes of our previous 5km run...naturally, we were superchuffed! Diane and Steve took us around Leeds some more after the con, including a nice little canal boat cruise where PXC revealed her extraordinary "You will wave at me" Jedi powers, I suspected she had such powers but I thought it only worked on me but no, it works on the strong mind too! I then realised Asamaic had similar powers as she kept making me lose to her at these children games in Leeds Museum, I mean that's gotta be the reason, right, hmphh!

Some fmuker overstayers then joined me for stargazing in the evening and as I attempted to explain certain celestial targets, their jedi powers came into effect again and made me see the universe in a completely different way, involving donuts, supermarkets and spiky moons. btw my ex landlord from day before, whom I rejected his bnb on arrival, came to join us! As well as my present bnb landlord.

So again, special special thanks to PXC, Diane, for giving us a wonderful fmuk day. And thank you Steve, Asamaic, PXC + OH for your great company during our stargazing session. And Asamaic, one more High five for the road, for our parkrun achievement

Also thank you ejwrank, stuartboy, jojojoanne, McG, yogi, westerhailes, yinster, for wishing us a great fmukcon, I am glad to say we made good on those wishes! Hopefully see most of you next time....talking of which...

Roll on FMUK Nottingham!!

[Diane65]

A massive thanks from me too to everyone for making yesterday's meet up so enjoyable and to everyone for their kind wishes. I feel really privileged to have made such wonderful friends on this site.
Thanks to pxc for organising the meal and quiz and to Steve987 for showcasing your lovely city.
I slept like a log after all the walking yesterday and feel full of beans again as just heading down to London to meet Canadian_Turtle.
Looking forward to FMUKCON in Nottingham 2018.

Thanks to asamaic and ejwrank for your compliments. As for asamaic if any of the WW's are wondering is so so pretty and don't know why she is on the thread.

[chelle1973]

Thanks pxc for another great meet and to steve9872 for showing us around! And Diane your knowlege is awesome! Defo my 'phone-a-friend' Was lovely to see you all again and to meet asamaic

We got home at 11.30 but when I realised An american werewolf in london was on, I had to watch it...not seen it for a while! So it was gone 1am before I got to bed!

Look forward to next year!!

[steve9872]

Thank you everyone for coming. It was a great day and it needed to be longer. There were a number of sites well outside the centre I could have taken you to see that would have involved bus rides, no time this time though. Maybe in a few years a completely different tour? Maybe hire a mini bus so we don't have to wait around for multiple buses.
Anyway, I don't usually walk that much and my hips, legs and feet are killing me. Still I wouldn't have missed yesterday for anything. You were all great company.

[asamaic]

I will admit to being surprised by how much I enjoyed Leeds - makes all the difference having a local tour guide! Thanks so much, steve9872. I will also admit to going for another little jaunt in the good ship Twee again today. Those little riverboats are fab.

I'm not sure how Diane65 has the energy to go traipsing around London today; my feet are killing me after all the running and walking!

It was lovely to meet chelle1973 and her mum and TheyCallMeMrGlass. Was also great to chat to steve9872, Diane65 and andrews as I didn't get the chance to at the first London FMUKCON. Pxc and her OH I do run into in London, but of course wonderful to see them and as TheyCallMeMrGlass said, pxc's Jedi powers were quite something yesterday! Enjoyed saying hello to lots of other people too, including the Manchester crew and all of TheyCallMeMrGlass's many landlords...

As TheyCallMeMrGlass says, roll on FMUK Nottingham!

[andrews]

Another cracking day out! it was wonderful to see so many familiar friendly faces and meet one or two new ones. Many thanks to Steve9872, Diane65, pxc for all their organising. Many thanks also to MrGlass for the astronomy talk.
What a great city Leeds is - so much to see and do - we only touched the surface really.
I expect we all enjoyed a good night's sleep after all that walking (18,432 steps for me), good food and fresh air.

Looking forward to catching up with you all next year in Nottingham

[prettyxcool]

What an awesome, awesome day! Beautiful weather, lovely peaceful Leeds and brilliant and wonderful company !!!

Thank you everyone for coming to our FMUKCON 2017. Hope you all enjoyed the event, the location, the food, the lucky dip, the quiz, the sweepstake, and the sightseeing! Great catching up with you all...Team FMUK rocks!

You all contributed in your special ways to a great event, from steve9872 showing us his home town, to Diane65's splendid sightseeing itinerary, MrG's sun and star gazing, Betty Bopper and OH helping with the Grand National Sweepstake, to all the photographers, yogi, suel3288's OH and Betty Bopper's OH and my OH. Well done to all who won the film quiz, asamaic, vealster, chelle, chelle's mum, Mr G, yogi, the fox's sister, Betty Bopper's OH, steve9872, and andrews!

Special thanks to my fellow helpers, steve9872 for recommending the venue and for his Leeds city advice, Diane65 for her tour guiding skills and itinerary, and MrG for giving us so much insight about the sun and star gazing.

We had a splendid time looking round the Armouries (steve9872 and the vealster testing their rifle/machine gun skills and crossbow). We visited Leeds Minster and York Cathedral (and learnt an interesting fact) and had a lot of fun at the Leeds Museum (with lots of interactive exhibits), and enjoyed the pop up park by the Town Hall. Also looked at the beautiful Corn Exchange, visited Kirkgate Market (birthplace of M&S), and Victoria Arcades. We also managed to have a lovely relaxing canal ride on the free water taxi before they closed! And for those staying the night in Leeds, a marvellous entertaining night of stargazing and teaching MrG a new stargazing vocabulary !

Finally, many thanks to the Fox suggesting Nottingham for next year's meet up. Looking forward to it already!

And lastly, congratulations to Betty Bopper/OH and Yogi for winning the sweepstake, first and third place respectively. Please own up if you have Cause of Causes, still remains unclaimed.

Grand National 2017 results:
1) One For Arthur
2) Cause Of Causes
3) Saint Are
xxx

If you are interested in what happened to your horse
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/racing/2017/ ... s-fallers/

[chelle1973]

You can rule me & my mum out pxc...we lost! Lol both won in the real race though

still LOL at the group photo, with us all rushing to the side where the fox and sis were sitting haha

Some of the sightseeing in Leeds: