A couple of years ago I called the lodge at Fontana to make reservations, the lady said all the rooms were booked. I left a message here saying that. Gary said he would contact them and find me a room, I said no thanks, because I had decided not to go anyway.
Mark then jumped into the conversation and criticized me for attacking Gary. Gary offered to help and I said no thanks. That should have been the end of it. Mark would not let it go, and demanded I apologize. I said no apology was necessary, end of story.
A new thread, honoring Fontana Lodge for their outstanding Facilities and Service, was posted. I commented the reason I don't go there anymore is because of the facilities and service. Mark then as usual jumped in with his wrong ideas about what happened. He dose not know any of the facts so he decided to attack me personally. Here is his latest comment, when I was asked what happened.

"What happened is that Wayne is a screwball.

Wayne, why the HELL did you start this again? So some desk clerk could not figure out how to find the Crossfires' contract in the computer - both Gary and I talked to Marie about that and she did all she could to get the person up to speed.

But that was not good enough for you, you took a shot at Gary and THAT pissed me off. I was over it until I saw your asinine post. "
I would have responded there except the thread was closed.
The reason I don't come to the Dragon meets has nothing to do with the organizers. I and my wife do not like the rooms, they are not designed for comfort or utility, the beds are uncomfortable. The food is not very good and the choices are few, but it is a long way to get to another place. There is hardly no phone service. This is some of the reasons. Everyone I talked to there said the same things.
I am trying to do three things here, One is to say why I do not think Fontana Lodge should get an award, and two, to say Mark does not know what he is talking about, and I am due an apology. Three, when this came up a couple of years ago, and today in the thread referenced above, the administrators of this board, deleted my messages, and the most recent one was closed before I could comment. I am made to look like the bad guy here, but I am the one being attacked without an opportunity to defend myself.
I will be at Eureka Springs in June, if anyone would like, we can discuss this then.
Wayne

 

Hay ! Wayne I know that Fontana not for everyone , but me and better half have been doing the Dragon meets for 10 years now and find Fontana to be a great place to have the Crossfire meet and find the Fontana crew to be helpful when needed and come to know them personally , they are great group , that being said , ya there is no cell phone service for a lot us but you do have land line that if needed you could have used and also know that no bed is like one I sleep in at home , and find the food to be good and plenty of other places to eat in the area , look like we will have up to 50 to 60 cars this fall meet , I also know that some people would not be happy with happy if it was in front of them , I think at this point defending yourself is pointless and we all understand that Dragon meets are not for you and we look forward to having a great time at CAA8 and maybe accommodations will be better for you and your better half .( P.S no more needs be said )

 

IMHO the OP hardly "clears things up."




Given it's location and size, there actually isn't a better place for our Dragon meets in the area. yes the rooms are minimal. The hotel is over 40 years old.
Sandals on the Caribbean it ain't.


Having stayed ah hundreds of Hotels, Motels, I can honestly say, they are not the best but hardly the worst. However, given the hospitality we have enjoyed, and sometimes abused, over the years, I cannot fault the Staff for much of anything.


I'll stand by the comments and compliments of both Gary and Mark. I seriously doubt I am in the minority

 

OK, where is my 'jiffy-pop'...


Isn't there enough drama on TV lately (most of which I don't watch anyway)?


Cant we all just 'get along'?

.

 

Thank all of you for your response. I don't think Fontana Lodge is a bad place, I have been a few times, and it is good. I just didn't think it was worthy of an award.
That was not the main reason for this post. I don't seem to get a chance to respond when someone attacks me, My messages are deleted or the post is closed before I get a chance to respond. If what I have say is not worthy of your attention, then simply go on to the next post. There is no drama on my end.

 

Wayne, we did not award THE LODGE, we awarded the PEOPLE at the lodge. How can you not see this? Look at the THREAD TITLE:
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...tml#post885086
Seems pretty simple to me, even without reading the actual thread. This was Dee's idea but all of us supported it - the lodge staff are FAMILY to many/most of us.

Are the beds horrible? You bet they are. I stayed at the Homewood Suites last week (in Leesburg VA), a Hilton property. The bed was as bad as Fontana - it's an industry policy to provide WalMart quality mattresses and I don't get it, either. (Of course, I have a sleep number bed at home, so there is NO making me happy.) I actually, FINALLY asked someone - the general manager of the Homewood about this. "Why does a HILTON property provide such a mattress?" She tried the old "Market research" line with me. But since we went all week with ****-warm water (I'm not exaggerating, they had a gas regulator that, apparently, you just cant find replacements for) I didn't let her off the hook. She eventually admitted that it was all economics - the cheap hard mattresses last a lot longer than anything plush, pillow-top or comfortable.

Is the phone service poor? Sure is - it's a rural area. The cost of a cell site starts around $200,000 and can run a lot higher - no cell company is going to spend that money in such a sparely populated area. The Lodge actually spends their OWN money to provide a micro-cell - this had to have cost them several thousand dollars to install and also costs them monthly fees - with no way to recoup the cost other than a "resort fee" that no one wants to pay. They can't win.



AND, you left something out above, way back in that thread you made a statement about "the organizers" (back then, there was one: Gary - We now have committees that plan these events, but back then, it was just Gary). You laid blame on Gary and I took offense with that. I'd have been less offended if you took a shot at me. My defense of Gary stands.

 

No worry Wayne..this thread (your thread) will remain open
I closed the other thread you refer to because I created that thread and it was created in the CICCI awards section because it was a recognition award given by the club.
This other thread was not closed to stop you specifically from further response.

I did not want my Award thread with a positive announcement to be subject to negative opinions.
I should have closed that thread right after I created it.

As Mark said the award was for THE STAFF
The award was presented to THE STAFF
The award was Not for the beds, Not for the rooms, Not for the food.
The management has provided us all for 10 years rooms for only $79 to $89
The management has become a sort of Crossfire extended family and I feel many of us who have attended from the beginning feel that way.
This was the reason for the award.
Recognition to the Fontana Village Staff


As for the posts you say were "deleted" from the Fall 2015 thread where all this began:
This was the only post that was deleted in the Fall 2015 thread ....
Originally Posted by ewaynec 07-30-2015, 03:23 PM
Well, I just called Fontana Lodge to make reservations for the TOD and was informed they are completely sold out for the four days.'
There is nothing available.
Ya'll think about me.

This explanation above was also posted in that thread to clarify what had been "deleted" and why.
I removed it was because I didn't want others to read it and think the lodge was full because after I spoke with them I discovered that it was not full
This single missing post does not create confusion when reading the posts in the order they have been submitted.

The rest of the back and forth conversation began in POST 188
Your first post was made at 3:23pm which I saw within minutes
My post was made at 3:47pm and I had already called the lodge and verified they had rooms available
I sent you a PM at that moment to let you know that you could call them again and book a room.
At no time prior to me calling the lodge did you tell me you didn't want my help.
You didn't even know I was trying to help
It is my nature to rectify problems like theses if they occur
I am the one who signs the contract with the lodge so naturally I involve myself quickly if I am able and I was able on that day
There was obviously someone on the phone who was not helpful when you called but within 25 minutes that was resolved and you were informed of this.
This link had pretty much summed it up in the Fall of 2015 >> HERE

I share all this because this is my opportunity to "attempt to clear up a controversy" as the thread title here says

 

It appears as though this attempt to clarify didn't work. No one wants to discuss the points I made in my post. All you want to do is discuss the merits of Fontana Lodge.
Thanks Gary for at least trying to show where these misunderstandings occurred. You have been cooperative during the room availability issue. I never intended to blame you for the mistakes made by the Lodge. Mark, then and now has "flew off the handle" and made stupid statements trying to make me look bad to people who don't know me. This says a lot more about Mark that it does about me.
I have my response now, and as far as I am concerned, that's it.
Wayne.

 

Hey....I remember Jiffy Pop. Is it still available? Squirrel Crusher

 

Squirrel
It's still made, see the link below.....
Dennis
DTMenace

https://jet.com/product/detail/a22bd...a:2&code=PLA15

 

Mark,,,;
Absolutely on the mark about Gary. he has been the heart and glue of this crowd for along time.


Three thumbs up on that post!

 

I have to step in and support ewaynec he has taken abuse that no one should take on this forum. The worst comes from a so called leader. Big man stands behind his keyboard and insults a person twenty years his senior. Big man indeed, I wonder if he would be so keen to insult someone his own age or even someone twenty years younger than himself who was going to see him at the Dragon, I think not.
The following quote is from the CICCI awards thread. I cannot see why this was not deleted. I guess we have rules for some and no rules for others.
Maybe we can get a pal of ewaynec at the Dragon can get you to call him a asshat to his face.

By the way pizzaguy the capital letters sprinkled through your posts these days make you look a bit of a nutter, just thought I would tell you in a nice friendly and open manner. Remember to keep away from those microwave transmitters, they are not good for the brain waves.

 

Now that's funny!!!

As a forum, we are bad at times in "ripping" another who's opinion may differ from others. We have all been guilty of that! And we tend to let an issue "fester" for days, even weeks, rather than let it die a peaceful demise. (Note: Me responding to this thread is an example! ) No matter where this group goes for an event, there will be some of us that will not like the facilities, the planned activities or possibly the locale. Not a big deal! Folks have the option of not returning and that's okay with me. It should be for everyone else.

Okay - Let me have it!!!!

 

Wow Dave, that really hit me. You could have said ANYTHING else to or about me and I'd have just moved on, but that worked.

EVERYONE, WAYNE:
Dave is right. My calling Wayne a screwball was way out of line. I'd edit the post, but that would be dishonest, I said it and in "adulthood" there is no "I take that back".


Wayne-
I do apologize for that remark, it was out of line. I SHOULD have said something like "You know, Wayne, you are kinda coming off as a screwball when you keep bringing this up." That may not be fact, it is only my opinion. You criticized the lodge in a thread that was intended to spread the word that we recognized the Fontana staff. Your post appeared to be way out of place and of a tone that, well, some here thought - made us all look kinda bad - and with that, I shot off my mouth with "Wayne is a screwball". That was simply wrong of me. Now you (and everyone) know why I said it.

Dave is right, this is not how someone who leads, would act. Again, I do apologize for that remark, Wayne. (And PLEASE take note that I hate those beds as much as you do.)







(Funny now, if enough time passes, you can read something you wrote and find that you think, "Did I really say that?")

 

A gracious apology. A moments thought at times and we all would not have said what we put out there. Believe me I know.
Well done.

 

Thank you Mark. I take that as, "heart felt and sincere". It takes a big man to say , I was wrong and, an even bigger man to say, I'm sorry. I'm just a bystander reading along , but I hope Wayne accepts your apology in this matter and we can put this situation , behind us. Then plan for the fall Dragon. (Air mattresses, optional). Lol.....

 

Did I mention that twice now, I've taken my air mattress to the fall dragon?
If I could take it on business trips, I would.




Thanks Dave, Steve.

 

Do I feel a group hug coming on here

 

Here it is, aah!

 

Thanks Wayne,
My intention between the lodge and the guests is to try to see that conflicts are resolved in a situation such as room availability etc.