At the age of 60, I was finally roped into taking a Myers-Briggs personality test because I already knew the result.  I am in the box in the introverted upper left-hand corner.  I belong to only two organizations — the America’s Great Loop Cruisers Assocation and the Democratic Party (which is the poorest excuse for an organization on the planet).  I do not like to talk to anyone I have not known for at least 10 years.So it was with great trepidation that I signed up for the AGCLA annual rendevous at fabulously beautiful Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville, AL.

It was great.  Three days of really solid information on the upcoming segments of the loop from expert navigators, technical details from the gurus, a great group of low-pressure sponors who really were there to help (I had to flip a coin between two for our upcoming Thanksgiving haulout).

And a really open, wonderful group of people who took all us new loopers in, even the shy ones. Because of the Internet you read the blogs and articles of all the people who are big in the AGCLA — Jim and Lisa Favors, Bob and Kay Creech, Alan and Susann Syme, Betsy and Rick Johnson — and you wonder what they are really like.  They are exactly like they sound — smart, funny, doing what you love to do, on the same wavelength.

John was the only young person there other than a four-year-old looping from Brazil.  He was a huge hit because he is outgoing and all these people miss being around children.  John is the honorary grandchild and Memsahib is the honorary funky old boat of the 2012 Loop.

Not too many pictures this time, because I sense my audience has a pretty good idea of a conference — 3 days in an exotic location sitting in a dark room watching PowerPoint slides.

Yup, it’s a conference

Looper boats lined up in front of Joe Wheeler Lodge

They let us dock with the big guys since we’re so pretty. At least 50 people toured Memsahib — most of which left thinking we were super-hardy guys for “roughing it” on a 50-year-old woodie.

Kismet — mini-tug owned by our favorite Loopers — Jim and Lisa Favors