"How Many "Cranky Yankees" Attended Historicon?" Topic

Part Three of my informal post-Historicon survey.

In almost every discussion of Historicon, the argument is made that the reason for the decrease in attendance is because the convention has been dropped by a group (some would say cabal) of angry gamers from the North and Northeast.

Certainly, there are those who no longer attend the convention since "The Move" to VA. However, in my daily walk from my hotel to the convention center, I saw plenty of license plates from NJ, PA, MA, NY, CT, even MI, along with those from VA and MD.

I also talked to players in my games and to buyers and sellers in the flea market. I listened to stories about 9 to 11 hour train rides from the Northeast, plus flights from places such as FL and CA. There were also those who drove from our good friend and great ally, Canada. So, clearly, there are plenty of gamers attending from above the Mason-Dixon line, myself included.

If you attended Historicon from a Northern location and would like to rebut the charge that decreased Historicon attendance is all the fault of some "Cranky Yankees," here is your place to sound off.

BTW, I have come to love the term "Cranky Yankees." We may have to get shirts made up.

Cranky Yankees were a major reason I moved my family to South Carolina 11 years ago. A decision I've never regretted.

Left Philadelphia at 4am Friday. Made it to FCC by 8. Took secondary rpads back. No traffic to speak of. It's all in the plannimg.

I noticed the same with license plates---a lot from up north.

Drove from Massachusetts, 6 hours to DC, waited at a Hooters for 2 hours while after work traffic worked itself out and then finished the drive to Fredericksburg in about an hour and a half.

I don't mind the drive, I love the location and I am not at all "cranky" about Historicon in any way. I think HMGS is doing a great job on this convention.

I hate to tell you this Rrobby, but you're still a Yankee.
Sounding a little cranky to boot.

As to the point of the OP. I travelled down from SE PA by car on Wednesday night and stayed until Sunday. Ran a game for our group's club room and I also made several nice scores in the FM. Finally I enjoyed a couple meals at our favorite German restaurant.

Looking forward to next year.

TRU

I drove from Maine. I went to see good friends that I have not seen in years. That was my purpose for the drive. Attending Historicon was a bonus.
This was my first Historicon since '96.

Mike

I spoke with a couple of young fellows who'd flown in from Honolulu.

Sound Off

I love to invade the South like my forefathers. This was my fourth year and I just got the hotel reservation approved for 2016.

More of my gaming group are making the trip, but I also subsidized an Anti-Historicon for those that could not make the trip.(My Cranky Yankee Friends)

My group has not only supported Historicon in the South, we have run 9 Club games at each one, Helped out with Awards and advertised for the show at Northern events.

One can not lie the drive is not good south of DC. But we stay from Wednesday-Sunday and it takes about 3 1/2 hours
to Philly area.

That being said the reduced attendance (Vendors/Attendees) makes it feel like another Cold Wars or Fall-In only with warmer weather. Hopefully the new BoD will find ways for the shows to be…well different from each other. Historicon does not feel like the "Grand Daddy" of all the shows anymore.

I attended from Minnesota, but I flew into Dulles and drove down in a rented car. I know I wasn't the only person doing that.

Well it looks like I'll be changing jobs and moving to ……. Fredericksburg…so I'll probably cancel my hotel room for next year.

Gee I hope they keep it there for years to come

No idea how many cranky ones were there, but I did meet a man from the wilds of Maine who was thrilled to be attending his first Historicon.

This Cranky Yankee has knees that lock up after more than 2 hours driving.
'Nuff said b

114th well said and as far as the drive goes that area is the worst in the country. But I was lucky on the way down to take the HOV lane. Sunday traffic going home was heavy in the usual areas.

It was the typical 12 hour car ride for my wife and I from Southwestern Ontario. The last 3 hours was through D.C. or the last 30 miles. The traffic in that section was unbearable, but the trip was worth it in the end, just to see old friends and other friends that I hadn't seen in years. I also met and made new friends on this trip and look forward to seeing everyone again next year. I ran 4 games for others to have fun. People need to quit bitching and have fun!!

Capt K and I were again down from MA, so you may add two more sophisticated and urbane New Englanders who made the trip to Fredericksburg against all common sense. Why? For the same reason a lot of others do so: to see and game with old friends from other states. The value I place upon seeing my friends still outweighs the inconvenience of the 11 hour drive we now face. But believe me when I tell you that there is a great host of my New England gaming cronies who used to regularly attend HCon, but have written it off since its move south.

B

I come from western Ohio and it is about a 9.5 hour drive for me with stops for food and gas. I don't mind.

The two at Lancaster take me about eight hours. That's OK. What's another hour and a half for a four day convention?

Tom

Tom, I'm happy that the relatively small increase in the length of your drive from OH is not a matter of concern to you. Our drive time from MA has been nearly doubled as a consequence of the relocation of the HCon venue to a place materially more distant from the demographic center of the US East coast population. It makes no sense to me (based upon the fact that I have little confidence in the truthfulness of the arguments put forth by the responsible HMGS BoD for having done so).

B

It was the typical 12 hour car ride for my wife and I from Southwestern Ontario. The last 3 hours was through D.C. or the last 30 miles.

Was there a reason you went all the way to DC? Why not go down to Harrisburg to get to I-81 south and come in the back way through #66 and #17? You drive through some beautiful countryside that way too. Plus you only spend 5 minutes on I-95

A cranky Canuck

This is my 4th year driving from Western Connecticut on a Wednesday, and usually running at least 4 games. As long as I time it right to arrive at the hotel before 3PM, I can make the trip in a little over 6 hrs. The last hour South of DC is almost always the worst. Traffic coming back is usually worse, due to returning vacationers.

Overall, the drive to the VFC was the best, but I can live with this one. My habitual Historicon roommate flies in from the UK every year, so I can't complain much by comparison!

Waitaminit--When did we stop being "damyankees?" I resent the demotion! Give us back our "fear and loathing" factor inherent in our well-earned sobriquet! A hunnert 'n fifty years of guilt-by-geography and they forget who the real enemy is already!
Sheeeeeeesssshhhhh!!!

cpncarp, you are only a damn Yankee if you move down to the South and stay.

Kin I have temporary damyankee status if I come to visit?
Heck, I'll even ask "What's a grit?" and wear my Civil War Major's frock coat and green sash, whistling "Marching Through Georgia" when I come down.

Blutarski,

Crackers? Cheese?

JK, though you could start your own major con closer or is that too Midwestern/logical?

Bud of mine from N.Kentucky went.

and would like to rebut the charge that decreased Historicon attendance is all the fault of some "Cranky Yankees,"

And if I don't want to refute it because 2/3 of my local group, most of whom were long term members didn't go because they didn't want to spend the extra 4 hours each way?

I dunno, man, I'm loving "cranky yankees", myself.

As often as possible….. but never often enough.

I did left South Jersey, Thursday before 7am got there around 11:30. Came home Sunday leaving about 9:30 got home before 1 PM. I enjoy Federicksburg a lot, but it looks like less relevant vendors and attendees each year.

I am a damYankee!

I was forced to move down south due to lack of opportunities in PA when I was 18 now 59. Do not see any reason to move back north now.

Historicon was great and I hope it stays where it is.

My main problem is cost. A room at Lancaster is about $130 USD a night. A room at Historicon is $260 USD or more. The drive can be tiring, but we still do it What about the Traitorous Rebels from the South? Some of them are cranky too.

Steve1865, what hotels are charging that amount? I know a 2 bedroom suite at the Homewood will run that, but not for a single room that I am aware of at the other onsite hotels (heck I usually stay at the Hilton Garden Inn for work several times/year and only pay about $150 USD or less).

A quick check shows a lot of local hotels at the same price or less than the host.

Steve and BTC,

We've stayed at the Hampton Inn at Historicon every year since it moved to Fredricksburg. We paid $130 USD-135/night before taxes. There looked to be other decent lodging options in the $80 USD-$120 range within 5-10 minutes of the Fredericksburg Convention Center.

Steve, I agree that there's enough cranky to go around on both sides of the M-D line.

The first 2 years I did not go because I was intimidated by the drive from Philly. The last 2 years I have left Philly at 11AM and shot right down only to hit an extra hour of traffic the last 18 miles on 95. Besides the VA traffic, which is terrible. I had a great time the last two years. Next year I may stay an extra day and do the battlefields. However, I do not run any games at H-con, because of the travel time and I do run games at the other 2 cons. I do believe that GMing is a shared responsibility, but I think the lion's share should be shouldered by the local groups. There are so many fantastic gaming groups in the south like the Battlebarn Guys. I wish they did more.

I wanted to add that the hotels are the best. For $30 USD more than the Host you get such better accommodations. Its like Disney Land as opposed to the playground at McDonalds.

11 hours from Montreal but I take the 81 as far down as possible and then swing left into Fredericksburg – totally avoid NJT and Washington, 95 is a killer for traffic jams.
I have done the Host many times in the past, Valley Forge twice and Fredericksburg 3 times now.
I preferred Valley Forge as it was a really nice venue at the time.

Drive down from Rochester was close to 9 hours. Drive back was ugly since my AC blew on the beltway and hit a major traffic jam in Frederick. I have reservations for next year and will attend historicon as long as I can and still enjoy miniatures gaming

In from NJ. No problems.

I'm originally from Louisiana so I'm not even sure how to classify myself except for rarely cranky.

DM