West Coast Ale 2001

Jonathan Coxhead

Aleien Invasion!

We all know they brought us the pyramids, Atlantis, and Easter Island, but did you know that they also brought us the wonder that is Morris dancing? Who is ``they创? Alien beings from beyond this sphere (just as you must have suspected ...).

Berkeley Morris has recently brought to light startling new evidence that proves, beyond doubt, that Morris dancing was taught to our ancestors in a time before memory by pal鎜lithic visitors to this sphere. (We hope this will end the ``fertility rite创 vs ``good exercise with beer创 debate for good.) When they return, we must be ready to show our fellowship in the galactic community and demonstrate the worthiness of humanity. By dancing!

And before then, for three days and two nights, we will descend upon the Bay Area, sharing these ancient Morris traditions with the modern dot.com population ... as it wonders what has hit it. Aleien Invasion 2001---bringing the past into the future!

Getting There

Berkeley Morris is holding an ale from Friday, April 13 thru Sunday, April 15, 2001. It will be at the Henry E Bothin Youth Center (Girl Scout Camp), Fairfax, CA---Marin county, about 45 minutes north of San Francisco. If you磛e attended any of our last three ales, you磍l be familiar with it. The cost is $90 per adult (any mental age) or $45 per child (physical age 12 or less) requiring bed and meals. Babies and toddlers free, not requiring bed or meals. Sunday lunch is not included in the price.

Please complete and return the registration form (1 per team ) with full payment by February 14th. Make the check payable to ``Berkeley Morris创. Mail to Jonathan Coxhead, 660 Gail Ave #A3, Sunnyvale, CA 94086-8160. Registration changes/questions? Phone +9 (999) 999-9999, e-mail jonathan at doves.demon.co.uk. Only if you are not affiliated with a team should you submit your own form.

Late registrations may be asked to camp---only 75% of the accommodation limit is indoors. So: register early  to be sure of nice, cozy warmth.

When we receive your registration, we will send you more detailed information on tours, mass dances, accommodation, directions, etc. Instead of skits, we are inviting all teams to write a new dance for the new millennium, and demonstrate it.

A limited number of half price work scholarships are available. Please contact S韆nnan Gall. Phone +9 (999) 999-9999, e-mail glowing_friend at yahoo.com.

Do you need a ride from the airport? Oakland (OAK) preferred, but San Francisco (SFO) also possible. Please contact Lynne Cook as soon as you have your flight information. Phone +9 (999) 999-9999, e-mail lynne.cooke at whitecross.com.

Being There

Registration will be open from 5pm onward. Please don磘 arrive earlier than this. When you arrive, please check-in at the dining hall, which is the first large building on the left. There is limited parking here, so please don磘 leave your car here longer than needed. If the parking is full, the main lot is slightly further along the road, on the left.

At check-in you will be given a map, the location of your accommodation, and an identifying Aleien Artifact  which you must be wearing at mealtimes to get food. There will be a notice board near the check-in desk with last minute information. You may also post messages here. Advance order T-shirts should be picked up at check-in.

If you are on a work-scholarship, please contact S韆nnan Gall as early as possible Friday evening for further information on your duties. Please ask at the check-in desk if you can磘 locate her.

After check-in, you may drive to your accommodation to unload, but then please park your car in the main lot for the weekend. Although we do not recall problems in the past, please be aware that the camp has no security, and buildings are not locked.

At the moment, we are expecting to see people from 18 different sides

plus a few dedicated souls who are coming even though their team is not.

What to bring

Religion

We are not organizing any religious events, or anything involving rabbits or eggs or the ritual consumption of human flesh.

Camp Rules

Merchandise

T-shirts will be available. The sizes available are: S, M, L, XL, XXL. The design and price are not yet finalised. The only way we can be sure of meeting your request is for you to order in advance, which you need to do A S A P. Please email Lori Richloff, at loriloff at hotmail.com. Advance orders should be picked up when you check-in. Exact money, if possible, or a check payable to ``Berkeley Morris创.

Driving Directions

The camp address is 3125 Sir Frances Drake Blvd, Fairfax, CA 94930.

From the south, take the Sir Frances Drake exit from 101 and head west. Keep following this road. The camp (Henry Bothin) is on the left, approx 1.5 miles north of Fairfax.

From the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge, take the Sir Frances Drake exit, which will take you under 101, then proceed as above.

From points north, take the Lincoln exit from 101. Turn right on 3rd street and head west until you get to Sir Frances Drake Blvd. Turn right (north) and proceed as above.

No Skits!

There are no skits this year, however we invite original dances for the new millenium to be shown. If your team has such a dance, please contact Jonathan Coxhead so we can schedule a display.

Mass dances

The mass dances will be

The Programme

Details may change, but this is the approximate schedule we have planned:

Friday
5pm--10pmcheck-in at dining hall
6pm onsnacks, drinks, and later, Fajitas, available in dining hall
7pm on(or whenever critical mass reached) pickup dancing in dining hall
8pm onsinging circle led by Robin Gall of Berkeley Morris
Saturday
8--8:45breakfast, in dining hall
9tour busses depart
approx 10--3:30touring in San Francisco, including lunch
approx 3:30--5:30mass dance in Golden Gate Park
5:45--6:30bus back to camp
7--8dinner, in dining hall
8:30--9party games led by Kalia Kliban of Apple Tree Morris, in dining hall
9 onpickup dancing in dining hall
9 onsinging circle led by Roger Bramble
Sunday
8:30--9:30breakfast, in dining hall
9:30--11Longborough workshop with Dave Sielaff of Sound and Fury
9:30--11Molly workshop* with Jonathan Coxhead of Berkeley Morris and Gog Magog Molly
9:30--11Border workshop+ with Graham Taylor of Alton Morris
11:30please leave camp by this time
12:30 onmeet on upper floor of Pyramid Brewery

*The tunes for the dances are also available.

+The tunes for the dances are also available.

The mass dance in Golden Gate Park will take place on the Music Concourse, located between J F K, Lincoln, 10th and 6th Avenues.

The singing circles will be around the fire pit near the open-air cabins. These are located across the bridge, near the playing field, south of the dining hall. We are welcome to use as much wood as we wish, for outdoor and indoor  fireplaces. The wood is stored in the shed near ``Stone house创.

Saturday Tours

Lunch is provided on all these---they are pre-paid (with an exact head count) for all our registered guests. You must  be wearing your Aleien Artifact , or you won磘 be served!

Andromeda tour (1st bus)

9leave camp
9:50arrive Golden Gate Park, Children磗 Playground
10--11:10dance
11:15--11:30bus to Hyde Street Pier
11:30--12:45dance
12:45--1bus to Kells
1--2lunch
2--2:30process (5 blocks) to Washington Square
2:30--3:30dance
3:30--3:45bus to Golden Gate Park

Body Snatchers tour (2nd bus)

9:05leave camp
10arrive Mission Dolores Park
10:10--11:45dance
11:50--12bus to Villa Romana
12--2eat/dance
2--2:15bus to Twin Peaks
2:20--3:20dance
3:25--3:40bus to Golden Gate Park

Cardassian tour (3rd bus)

9:10leave camp (3rd bus)
10:05arrive Pier 39
10:10--11:45dance
11:50--12bus to S F Brewing Co
12--2eat/dance
2--2:10bus to Portsmouth Square (Chinese Cultural Center)
2:15--3:15dance
3:20--3:35bus to Golden Gate Park

Dalek tour (4th bus)

9:15leave camp
10arrive Ghiradelli Square
10:10--11:10dance
11:15--11:30process to Steelhead Brewery
11:30--1:45eat/dance
1:50--2process to Hyde Street Pier
2--3:10dance
3:15--3:30bus to Golden Gate Park

``So, where will be, then??创

Andromeda
Apple Tree, Mad Molly, Monarch Grove, Seabright, Sunset
Bodysnatcher
Alton, Bridgetown, Mayfield, Red Tail, Swords of Gridlock
Cardassian
Deer Creek, Pennyroyal, White Rats, Wild Wood
Dalek
Bedlam Bells, Berkeley, Moreton Bay, Mossybacks, Sound & Fury

Sunday---Pyramid Brewery

No formal tours are planned for Sunday. Instead, we will all meet at the Pyramid Brewary, 901 Gilman St, Berkeley, CA 94710. Phone: +1 (510) 528-9880.

To get there from camp, you can take Sir Frances Drake Blvd south, continuing all the way to 101 and beyond. Do not  get on the freeway. Sir Frances Drake leads to 580 East and the Richmond--San Rafael Bridge. Continue on 580 past the bridge, until shortly after the merge with 80. Take the Gilman exit, and head East several blocks. The Brewery will be on your left, and has a parking lot.

Alternatively, you could follow the MapQuest directions.

We have the upstairs mezzanine set aside for our exclusive use from 12:30pm on. We can stay as long as people want to. A large room is set aside for pickup dancing. A limited food menu (and a full drinks menu!) will be available, but each person will need to settle their own tab. Please be considerate of the waiting staff and your fellow dancers by settling---with appropriate tip---before you leave.

Because the Pyramid lunch is individually paid for, feel free to invite your local friends along too! (But not to lunch on Saturday.)

If any teams wish to tour the area, local maps and points of interest (within walking distance) will be available from Jonathan Coxhead.

Finding Out More

If you have any questions before the event, please contact Jonathan Coxhead. At the event itself, you can ask any member of Berkeley Morris---your hosts for the weekend---and if that doesn磘 work, search out one of the Aleien Abductees responsible for assembling the Ale from the raw materials of space, time and matter:

Julia Berger Jonathan Coxhead Michael Jones
+9 (999) 999-9999 +9 (999) 999-9999 +9 (999) 999-9999
uvula at abattoir.com jonathan at doves.demon.co.uk mfj at slb.com

Best wishes for 2001 from all of Berkeley Morris.