Here's a screenshot of the big finale. :)
http://www.geocities.com/darkfox021/Ding60.JPG
Thanks for all the congrats. :)
As for tips for leveling:
We (my GF plays next to me in RL) tried to avoid pickup groups as much as possible after around level 45, but rather tried to rely on creating groups with people we knew were competent and dependable. (The only way to find those people is to join or start pickup groups and keep track of the good team players and seek them out for future groups... And people you enjoy being around!!!! I can't stress that enough!) Once you have a balanced (or semi-balanced, we're bards afterall and can fill a few gaps :p) group of competent players you can head just about anywhere. 50+ we spent mass amounts of time at the zone-in in Chardok, various places in Sebilis, Burning Woods, Skyfire, Trak's Teeth, etc. Once Song of Twilight was fixed (we have never had a reliable enchanter to group with) we started doing Howling Stones - I think I was high 53 or low 54 at the time. Around 55, we spent a great deal of time in the Crypt in Sebilis trying for a BoH. About this time we decided to concentrate on getting experience and sacrificing some major raid type stuff (Kael for Thurgadin armor pieces) to do so. 56+ was almost ALL done in Howling Stones, but it almost requires having your group set up prior to zoning in. When you start taking people to underpopulated dungeons with excellent rewards (exp!), they start seeking you out. We normally have the problem of not having enough group slots for all the friends who want to join us on a given night :/. Although, we occasionally have the problem of not having a key class to do something... But, that turns into an opportunity to meet more people (/w all lfg 50 60)... it's a risk for that evening, but it could pay off in droves if they prove to be competent.
Part of that whole networking for groups kinda thing can be done within a guild, but don't limit yourself there. We were unguilded (by specific choice) until around level 45 and knew many many people from a variety of different guilds that we considered friends. I rarely looked at guild tags prior to 45 (seems odd now, because that's one of the first things I notice now, hehe) and still don't care or hold it against someone if they belong to a certain guild or not... I'll care or hold it against them if they turn out to be a jerk or repeatedly do something completely stupid to get evefyone killed. People make mistakes (I have made many that's gotten me and the whole group killed, heh), but you can tell when it's done with good intent but just a f-up or when it's due to extreme incompetence or apathy..
So, to make a long story short, I wouldn't recommend pickup groups as a long term strategy.. find people you like and trust and see the world with them. Once you know everyone knows their role, you can go anywhere you want and do fine. (Stay away from twinks who have been powerleveled.. they usually don't know their role!)
Darkfox
BTW, if you have any tips for us on places you loved to hunt from 50 on up,
I'm sure we'd all love to hear about it. I'm sure you didn't have to worry
about pick-up groups, but I'm also wondering if there are any 50+ zones
where you can find a pick-up group and not die repeatedly. ;-)
---Windleaf
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]