xenodamus

I live in a small town and there is 1 meeting within 10 minute driving distance. I attended this one a few days ago and there are a few outgoing people who make for interesting conversation. But, about 70% of the room looked like they didn't even want to be there. There were several times that the conversation turned into silence and someone saying, "Well, we have 25 minutes left...anyone wanna talk?".

Before this experience I had been to one meeting previously. It was in a much bigger city and was 5 times the size in attendance. There were lots of people who love to ramble, which I enjoyed listening to.

I'm sure there are other meetings just like this one in bigger cities. If I were willing to drive 30 minutes or more there are 100 different meetings I could choose from.

So, I'm wondering if other people travel longer distances just to be with a group of people who are more upbeat and enjoyable to be around? At the same time I feel like I might could improve the local meeting with my attendance and conversation and should if possible.

Goat

I live well outside a small town. There is a meeting 30 minutes away that is full of thumping bibles, and they almost always bring a preacher for good measure.

There is another meeting 30 minutes away in the other direction that is mostly full of people who have to be there because they got a DUI.

If I want a decent meeting I have to travel well over an hour. Often, it is worth it. I don't go as often as I'd like, obviously, but when I go I'm glad I did

-Goat

Wolfchild

i walk to just about every meeting i go to. There are 27 N.A. meetings & 50 A.A. meetings throughout the week in town. Anytime i want to go to a meeting in a different town, i ring up someone or take a bus. In a radius of about 30 miles, there are over a 150 meetings (A.A. & N.A.) that are there to go to throughout the week. Not all of them are what i would consider "healthy", but i know that for that amount of time we will stay clean & sober. i know that i will hear something or see something that will help me in my recovery. i know that there will be someone there who might need my help and is willing to ask for it. i have realistic expectations of the meetings i go to and i have not been dissapointed (although i do get irratated at times!).

It's great that you realize the possibility to be of service by sharing your experience, strength, & hope!!
i hope you will offer someone else a ride and that you will keep going to meetings.

sailorjohn

More than a little ironic, there is a meeting about 5 minutes walking distance from me that I rarely attend, just never quite liked the feel of it, for whatever reason.

Most of the meetings I attend are about 10 minutes away, one of the advantages of living in a metro area, a lot of meetings 7 days a week, and even at odd hours, like early afternoon.

Ago

As far as necessary, 15-30-45 minutes not being unusual, I have gone through periods where 1-2 hours each direction 4 times a week was the norm.

right now 15-30 minutes is the norm, there is a meeting hall across the street I will attend if I miss my normal meetings on account of work, truthfully I don't get anything out of them but it keeps my hand in and the habit of attending meetings up, I get more out of meetings on the phone with sober alcoholics but find it's beneficial to even attend a "bad" meeting if necessary

"willing to go to any lengths" to me translates to "do what it takes to get it done no matter what"

sometimes that means a great deal of effort, sometimes it doesn't

es0919

As far as necessary, I've ridden my bicycle for a few miles to get to a meeting.

yeahgr8

Sounds like my Tues and Thurs night meetings! They have even re-arranged the meeting time to start earlier so a couple of people that go to it don't miss the soccor matches now they are in season again...it really is giblalaland! Coffee after consists of me and my sponsor usually...and thats only on thursdays...

Saturdays we drive about 40 mins up the coast, this is the one i love the most...coffee before and after, meal most weekends...always run out of time for everyone to share...

TTOSBT

I am spoiled as I live in a metro area and there are soooo many meetings within a 30 minute drive. I am very involved in the meetings in my small community but sometimes I drive down to the beach for sunset and/or bonfire meetings for a change of pace (25 minutes). There is a candelight meeting in downtown San Diego I enjoy and that is probably 20-30 minute drive.

nogard

I travel on average around 100km or 60 miles to meetings
one small local meeting but I need to go to other meetings as well
No problem as I used to do whatever was necessary, whenever necessary, wherever necessary to get blasted. So i dont mind traveling a little for meetings.

Astro

Love it. Am I willing to do whatever it takes to maintain my sobriety? We used to have a member here on SR who lived somewhere in Europe, the nearest meeting was a 2-hour motorcycle ride away, but he made it once or twice a month.

My daily meeting is only 8 miles away, some days I've driven back and forth 3-4 times to make it to meetings. I really enjoy traveling to new meetings, doesn't matter how far the drive is, here in Phoenix we have over 1500 meetings per week to choose from.

Next week I'm traveling to Greece and I've got the address and times for an English speaking meeting in Athens. So is half-way across the world far enough?

barb dwyer

The first time I was in AA - 50 miles round trip. I also lived in a small town that HAD a meeting - but was run by the ex-wife of the man I was living with - and she couldn't put principles before personalities... so I drove over here to Butte.

Now - a few blocks. I live here now.

CAPTAINZING2000

10 blocks is about what i drive to the 3 meetings in town give or take. I go to a rehab about 26 miles away and another one about 20 miles away frequently.


It's good to have the windshield time if, you take a few people along

barb dwyer

xeno -

one thing when you've got that much spare tyime left - somebody could read an article outa the Grapevine? or even play a speaker tape... just an idea throwing out there...

aasharon90

If I could get out in the pouring rain,
flooding streets to make it to the club
that night. Going to any lengths to go
party and drink, then it was suggested
that going to a meeting at anytime or
place shouldnt be a problem.

I went to a many many meetings one
day at a time to get me where I am
today in my recovery.

Missybuns

I made my home group an hour away for about a year and a half. Right now my home group is local, about a ten minute drive.

My area is fairly small, so driving into Indianapolis is not uncommon around here.
I have still yet to attend all the meetings I'd like to in Indy.

I traveled great distances on a regular basis to make sure I had dope....I use the same determination in my recovery.

Peace,
Missy

Mark75

15-20 minutes, though there are a couple I like about 30 minutes away. There are some closer, but I like the ones I go to...

30 minutes ain't bad IMO.

Mark

traderjane

I'm lucky, too. Live in large metropolitan area and have my choice of meetings several times a day.

Interestingly, at the meeting I went to tonight, one of the court ordered DUI'ers spoke up. He said his name, that he wasn't an alcoholic but was forced to come because of his DUI, but that he really truly enjoyed being there was struck by the sharing, the feelings, the honesty and the fellowship and that it made him feel good to be there.

I guess I have been picking some good ones.

thirtybubba

Yeah, I live on the edge of a sprawling metropolis with possibly a thousand AA meetings. I like the one that takes me almost 2 hours to get to. That's the one I go to, I leave it feeling happy and positive and like I can go a while without another bottle. The nearest one is 15 minutes away, and the thought of having to go to that makes me... well, it's basically the opposite of what I'm supposed to be thinking. The 2 hours is worth it to me.

Haven't tried the other 998... yet.

tallcactus

There R so many AA meeting 2 choose from here in Tucson on any given day.
Time wise I travel b/t 20-40 minutes because of all the traffic. 10-15 miles in this traffic (depends on which one I go 2) takes that long. Never spend that much time finding a drink, there R grocery and bottles stores everywhere, usually 2-3 in a mile t/o this big city.

CarolD

My first home group was in a city.....D.C.
Could walk there in 30 minutes...taxi or bus available too.

Some of us would rent cars for Sunday
Drive down to the BlueRidge Club in the mountains of VA.
They served breakfast before an out dorr meeting.

It was great fun ... 90 minutes travel.

I perfer a home group close to my apartment
but it's neat to make AA road trips..