Announcement: NO Tri-state KY-WV-OH meet in December

[hbelkins]

I"m more than likely going to go ahead and host a KY-WV-OH tri-state meet in the Ashland-Huntington-Ironton area in December.

Looking at either Saturday, Dec. 3 or Saturday, Dec. 10 as the dates. My preference is the 3rd since it is the farthest from Christmas.

As soon as I can get a reasonable idea of which date might work best, I'll create a page on millenniumhwy.net and a Facebook event page and do an official announcement.

Items on the tour would include a couple of stub endings (OH 7 at Chesapeake and US 52 near Kenova), the new OH 7 Proctorville bypass, the Merritts Creek Connector in WV and the Industrial Parkway in KY, and some of the bridges across the Ohio River in the area. Other items that might interest some are the I-64 reconstruction between Exits 1 and 5 in West Virginia and the plethora of button copy in WV and OH.

Input and comments appreciated.

[Alps]

I know two people who would be interested in this, besides myself - I foresee a large-scale carpool from NJ. I'll check with them and see if either date works or not.

[getemngo]

Hmm...I'd take this over Bennington due to driving distance, having never been to WV, and since I haven't seen H.B. in forever.  We shall see...I RSVP "maybe" to every other meet, it seems. 

[froggie]

Sorry, will be in NYC for my birthday on the 3rd.

[hbelkins]

My birthday is the 2nd, so belated presents will be accepted at either meet. 

[Alps]

Let's get HB a care package from every state other than Kentucky!

[hbelkins]

One of the items I picked up at one of the trade shows was a little tape measure from Oldcastle Precast. It came in very handy trying to measure some things as I try to concoct a makeshift iPhone car mount.   

[okroads]

My preference is the 10th, but I'm probably in the minority.

[yanksfan6129]

The later the better for me. Best would be toward the end of the month or early January.

[hbelkins]

The last two Saturdays are Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, respectively, so they're out. And turnout would be dismal on the last full shopping Saturday before Christmas, which would be the 17th. Besides, the meet tour will take us by the tri-state's only Sam's Club, a major shopping area near Barboursville and Ashland's mall, so the level of traffic in those areas would keep me from wanting to go anywhere near them. And I'm not sure if Jeff Kitsko is going to do his annual SWPA meet around the holidays, so I wouldn't want to conflict.

If I do this, it's either going to be the 3rd or the 10th. I'm hesitant to schedule anything in January or February due to the uncertainties of the weather.

[codyg1985]

My wife and I should be good for the 3rd if you decide to do it then.

[ruffnerr]

I'll make either date, but would prefer the 3rd if only because the Bengals are away that weekend.

[hbelkins]

I'll make either date, but would prefer the 3rd if only because the Bengals are away that weekend.

Who Dey, indeed. This year makes being a Bengals fan fashionable again.

[wriddle082]

I will try my best to make it up there, as right now I have no December plans.

HB, which city are you leaning towards actually meeting up in?

[hbelkins]

I will try my best to make it up there, as right now I have no December plans.

HB, which city are you leaning towards actually meeting up in?

Ashland, since it's home turf and pretty central to the route I have planned for the tour.  Most likely restaurant choices are either Cheddar's or Texas Roadhouse, both at the Ashland Town Center on US 23. I've never eaten at either place, but I'm sure Texas Roadhouse is standard steakhouse fare (like Logan's) and maybe I will have a chance to try a Cheddar's to see if it would be good.

We could call this meet the Gilligan's Island meet because I have planned a three-hour tour. Driving time for the tour without stops is about three hours, so with stops we'd probably be looking at about three hours.

The tour route can be seen at http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1114260&code=53bfdd24f2eea67214f976cddc54d568.

Basically we'd cross the river and take US 52 and OH 7 to the stub ending, then old OH 7 through Proctorville to the new bypass, then the Huntington east end bridge to WV 2, then WV 2 to the Merritts Creek Connector, then I-64 east to US 52 south to the stub ending at WV 75, then back on I-64 to the KY 67 Industrial Parkway, take it to US 23, US 23 north to KY 10 and stop at the Greenup Lock & Dam for some photos of the bridge and the lock, cross the river, US 52 south back to the Ashland bridge and then back across the river to the restaurant.

[wriddle082]

I will try my best to make it up there, as right now I have no December plans.

HB, which city are you leaning towards actually meeting up in?

Ashland, since it's home turf and pretty central to the route I have planned for the tour.  Most likely restaurant choices are either Cheddar's or Texas Roadhouse, both at the Ashland Town Center on US 23. I've never eaten at either place, but I'm sure Texas Roadhouse is standard steakhouse fare (like Logan's) and maybe I will have a chance to try a Cheddar's to see if it would be good.

We could call this meet the Gilligan's Island meet because I have planned a three-hour tour. Driving time for the tour without stops is about three hours, so with stops we'd probably be looking at about three hours.

The tour route can be seen at http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1114260&code=53bfdd24f2eea67214f976cddc54d568.

Basically we'd cross the river and take US 52 and OH 7 to the stub ending, then old OH 7 through Proctorville to the new bypass, then the Huntington east end bridge to WV 2, then WV 2 to the Merritts Creek Connector, then I-64 east to US 52 south to the stub ending at WV 75, then back on I-64 to the KY 67 Industrial Parkway, take it to US 23, US 23 north to KY 10 and stop at the Greenup Lock & Dam for some photos of the bridge and the lock, cross the river, US 52 south back to the Ashland bridge and then back across the river to the restaurant.

Cool, I like the itinerary, and I like the restaurant choices.  I've heard that in the past, the Ashland Texas Roadhouse has actually won company awards for their service, and I've always preferred them over Logan's, so that would be a good choice.  But at the same time, I've never been to a Cheddar's either.

And despite the fact that my aunt lives barely a mile from the mall, I'm probably still going to get a room.  Might be a free room too if I cash in some Wyndham Rewards points for the Days Inn out on KY 180.  Let me know when you decide on a date and I'll book it.

Can't wait for this meet!

[A.J. Bertin]

As much as I'd like to attend, I'm going to have to say no to this one. I've been to a lot of road meets this year and need to take a bit of a break. Plus my partner and I will be in Florida from November 26 through December 3.

Sorry, H.B. I'd love to attend a meet that you're hosting, but I won't be able to make this one work.

[hbelkins]

After looking over the situation, the schedule and the calendar, I've decided not to do a meet in the Ashland/Ironton/Huntington area in December after all. My birthday, the University of Kentucky basketball schedule, possible weather issues (an early and harsh winter is being predicted for this area), Christmas shopping and the potential for conflicts with other meets all played into that decision.

I hope to try to put something together in the spring, either in the tri-state area or perhaps a day-long event in Western Kentucky to see the new Natcher and Pennyrile Parkway extensions and possibly the new I-69.

Once I figure something out, you'll be the first to know.

[A.J. Bertin]

H.B. - I'd be very interested in attending a meet in the Ashland/Huntington/Ironton area in 2012 if you are still thinking of having it there. I'd be more likely to attend such a meet if it's not in May.

Sorry to hear that this meet didn't work out for December. Hope you and your family enjoy your holidays!

[hbelkins]

Necro'ing this thread because the meet I had thought about doing in December 2011 became the one we just had earlier this month. Glad to see that some of the people who weren't able to attend back then were able to make it in April 2013.