Grab Your Business Plan and Suitcase - Bellingham, WA to Portland, OR!

This sounds truly fun - and is a great way to do business and build sound, strong relationships while enjoying the region! What a great idea Lori and Tshombe! This is thinking way outside the box of community building!

We're sending Christian with the Flip cam so you guys can share the adventure with everyone else on Biznik. What a brilliant idea you guys.

This sounds really great!

Cool event idea!

Thanks Dan! Yes, this is going to be Tony-the-Tiger GRRRRREAT! We can't wait. :-)

Not sure if I can make it yet, but this is a really cool idea!

Ok I am so there! Can I jump on in Olympia when the train stops here? What a fantastic idea!!

Wow, this sounds like fun Lori and I wish I could go but do have other commitments. Enjoy the ride!

Maybe you can join us next week for my first event that I am hosting? Bellingham's Walk and Talk at Lake Padden Park on Wednesday, May 6, 9AM?

Take Care, Holley

WOW!!!

What an amazing idea! I wish I could be there!

Oh man I am so there. Except I will be in Eastern Washington then. Gawd this sounds like a crazy good time; I'm really missing out :-(

Okay, the Dunn's will be jumping on board the "magic train" in Tacoma. What fun!!

Hope you can make it, Russ. The Olympia Amtrak station is just north of you. The people there are great. (Wo)manned entirely by volunteers.

Can't wait to meet you in person, Tammy, and super-glad you'll be joining us!

We'll be thinking of you, Holly, Aimee, and Leila as we pass by on the Biznik Train :-)

I'm happy to welcome our most recent fellow travelers, Bob and Judy Dunn! Welcome aboard!

AAAHHHHH...that sounds like so much fun! We'd be coming if we weren't in the middle of packing and moving a rowdy group of 6! What a spectacular idea! Have fun!

WOO WOO!! Booked my tickets. Looking forward to being cooped up on a train with new about to be friends for 6 hours....bring you hamonica!!

Hello, You Biznik Train Travelers, You!

Here's the Event Options so far.

Please RSVP to any and all that you plan to attend, so we have accurate numbers:

• Join me on the first leg of the train trip from Portland to Bellingham (or anywhere in between).
  
  Incidentally, if you know anyone in California or in British Columbia who would like to join us, they are most welcome, too!  Send them to the event pages for information and to sign up.
  
• Sign up to jump on Amtrak #513 from Bellingham (or Vancouver, BC) to Portland!  Of course, we will be picking up Bizniks all along the way.
  
• After checking into your places of lodging, join us for The Contribution Game in the historic Pearl District.
  
• Have your late morning coffee (or tea or juice) at local coffee shop Stumptown Coffee downtown, where we will brainstorm The Future of Collaboration.
  
  An option following this event is to explore the Portland Saturday Market (The Saturday Market is held also on Sunday) and have lunch before returning on our way back to our destinations.

It looks like I'm not going to be able to go on this trip. I'm totally bummed!

I'm bummed, too, Chris!

Will you continue to spread the word to other Bizniks (or Bizniks-to-be!)?

Lori, How can we get on your "special people" list to learn about these events earlier? Not enough notice for this one :-( Margit

Hey Lori, this social experiment needs more push...to prove 'hamsters can be run out of town on a rail!?!

I'll speak to my 'sources'!! Hey we need a landing pad...in the same walkable vicininty? LEMME KNOW! (might bring my bike)

Hi Margit,

Yes, it can be a challenge keeping up with events that are happening out of your "home" area.  If you are interested in the Bellingham-area events, you can direct your browser to http://biznik.com/bellingham and click on events.

As far as lodging is concerned, it's been a challenge to get "good" rates, as we've entered the high season.

However, Lori is so awesome and was able to find the $80 deal at the Mark Spencer.  Note that this is an internet special and doesn't actually show the rate on the web site until after you initiate your reservation.

Another option is the Economy Lodge Downtown.  They have rooms at $89 and $99, depending on whether you need 1 bed or 2.  If you don't mind sharing a room, the $99 is a good deal, as it's then $50 per person.

Of course, there is also the Hostel option for under $30.

And a rare find if you desire this option and are quick about it, Portland has a couple of European-style Guest Houses.  The one on Elliston is located in a hostel, but the guesthouse on Flanders is an old 1908 craftsman style home with 5 private rooms.  I believe the Flanders guest house has their suite still available at $85.

Each of these options is walking distance (or a short streetcar, bus, or light rail ride) to various attractions in Portland, including the other Biznik activities we have planned.

Hey Lori, that is really weird, we went into the site this morning, gave it a test and see that the $80 rate is still there. At least this AM.

What we did is click on reservations, at the bottom of the next page click on promotional rates, then click on 20% off best web rate.

What may be confusing people is the 20% web rate is is at the top of the page you land on, and some may think that the rate you see is that rate. But again, you need to do what I said in the previous paragraph.

Hope this helps!

I'm not sure who all is reading this page. I'll send a note to all of the RSVPs.

Booked the Portland Hostel for $25 bucks...it looks like a great old house and sure to be interesting. How far from the action is it? Assuming we can take tea with the elites at the Mark Spencer?

Lori and Tshombe...

What a great idea for an event. I would love to attend but I will be out of the great Northwest and have to miss it.

I hope it turns out great for all of you. ...Howard

You're so funny, Susan. Yes, I've stayed at that hostel on 18th & NW Glisan.

It's actually very close to everything and just up the street from Amtrak.

Sorry we'll miss you Howard. Spread the word to all you Seattle-lites :-)

Welcome April. Lori has told me a lot about fabulous YOU and the big things you are up to in the world. Can't wait to meet you in person.

Please, please, please do this again. It's not going to work this time for me, but I LOVE the idea and several folks I've talked to about it love it too!

Now I can make it, because I'm able to get a ride back up to SEA. What if I'm not in Bizplan stage yet, but have a good concept that I need some more help with? Can I still come?

Becca

This is SO GREAT that you can make it. I noticed you signed up once before and am so glad you are able to come.

You are most welcome, and we're super-glad you will be on the trip with us.

Thanks, Lori for mentioning this. It is going to be really fun and I've actually never rode Amtrak up here before, only in the Bay Area. Looking forward to it and meeting new people

Yes, I love travel and doing new things...now I'm just trying to find a place to stay, everything is booked or expensive!

Wow Diane. This is great! So glad you are joining the Biznik Train even at this late date. Hooray! is right :-)

Well dang. Life has taken a bit of a turn, and I need to spend this weekend doing other things than hanging out with a bunch of groovy small businesspeople in a ground-breaking event.

My apologies for backing out at this late date, but I do hope you all have a blast, take lots of pictures, and write about the experience!

This is truly a remarkable thing to be able to organize, put together and run a weekend excursion through a social media site. It truly shows the power of how new relationships, new community collaboration and technology can forge new ways of doing business.

This is very nice. Thank you Tshombe and Lori, for doing this. It is innovative. I am looking forward to the weekend alot.

Joy

have a blast! sorry to miss out on this clever adventure. next time.

Ok everything is set. My Hubby will be coming along for the fun too. We are at The Mark and get on board in Olympia. Please save room for him on the train too!!

Looking forward to connecting and site seeing with new friends!

Anyone bringing a ukulele or harmonica?

Sorry everyone - I have to bow out because I just got a gig to shoot the Seattle Pride Parade on Sunday :-)

We'll miss you, Karen!

Can't wait to see your images (and I think they chose the perfect person! Too bad it is so last minute, but thankfully you were/are available!), as I will miss Seattle Pride Day.

Susan -- You crack me up! Can't wait to meet you :-)

Had a great time at this and the train to Portland event. Just got back and wanted to say THANK YOU to Tshombe and Lori for making it happen. I think we all had some "Aaha" moments.

Now it's time for the Portland Bizniks to come to Seattle!!

Thanks again!!

I agree Diane...although I'm not sure that Seattle should be the end destination...how about Bellingham?

It was an amazing trip though!

HUGE, HUGE thank you to Lori and Tshombe for creating and coordinating this event. IMO, it was an enormous success...even with a couple of tiny glitches...and next time will be even better. If you guys ever need help organizing and arranging future events...give a shout, I'd be happy to help!

Hey Lori and Tshombe--- fantastic!!!!!

This was an amazing two-day Biznik event. Lots of great connections, time shared and laughter. I loved the opportunity to really get to know those who attended, and the conversation was wonderful, whether it was at one of the events, on the train or simply walking through the market on Sunday.

Thanks again to everyone for making this such an enriching time together.

~bob

Lori and Tshombe,

You made it all so comfortable for us. I feel that I made many new friends! I really liked the 2.5 hours or so on the way down. No hectic traffic to fight and time to get to know each other. It really set the stage for the collaborations and relationship building in Portland.

It seems you are on to something and I wouldn't be surprised to see more of these type of events in the future.

Thank you for being such gracious hosts.

This event was most remarkable. It showed me how the new world will work as people learn to meet each other around topics of interest, and how fast we can establish relationships, share knowledge and wisdom and move it forward.

In the past geographic location was the way that society connected...and the time it took to organize and put together a trip like this would have overwhelmed most groups...so it would not have happened.

Now because of ease of the ease of communication through Biznik, together with the removing of resistance to attendee inclusion, and the ability to unite under specific topics...this event went off great!

It is truly a physical demonstration of how the Law of Attraction works in the world of business.

So much came from this regarding how to do business differently...I will never be the same. Thank you to everyone for your full out participation.

Lori, Tshombe and new friends!

What an amazing. intense experience our trek to Portland was! Since I spend so much of my time solo-preneuring and 'being there' for my clients and vendors and feeling like I have to hold up that professional front for all...this was a chance to be myself...no holds barred, so to speak. I truly appreciate everyone's generosity, compassion and willingness to engage in very human way. I came away feeling that I had met one major goal: To meet new friends! That is an honor. Thank you all! Susan

Thank you SO MUCH Everyone for your inspiring comments. I am super-glad you enjoyed yourselves and took away key insights and key relationships.

When Lori and I initially discussed the idea of the train event, the overall concept was of informality. Overwhelmingly, the feedback was to have more structure, so next time we do this, that's what will have!

I appreciate you all!