Hampton Roads meet - March 22, 2014

[Laura]

Waiting to see an itinerary/concept for the Delmarva meet.

As of right now, we'll be scouting the meet over this coming weekend (2/15) and will have an itinerary shortly afterwards.

[mtantillo]

Is there a facebook group for this meet?

As of right now, I'm a yes for both Hampton Roads and Delmarva. 

[hbelkins]

I'm leaning heavily toward this as the second of the two meets I plan to attend of the four consecutive that are planned. (Well, technically it's the first one on the calendar since it happens the weekend before Tennessee).

[Takumi]

Is there a facebook group for this meet?

As of right now, I'm a yes for both Hampton Roads and Delmarva. 

Haven't seen one. I'm only in for Hampton Roads.

[froggie]

I was not intending to do a Facebook group.

[kharvey10]

this meet will be unlikely for me.  I'm about to change employers, and even Jason's meet the following weekend will be a stretch as I did not get vacation approved for that week.  I did get vacation approved for the week of the STL meet.

[Laura]

I can do a facebook event for the Delmarva portion...unless it would be weird to have an event for one half but not the other, if for no other reason than the fact that I know some roadgeeks who are there but not here.

As an update, Mike and I have two different itineraries. We scouted what we wanted to be our itinerary for this meet - Queen Anne's and Caroline Counties, but we're concerned that there won't be much to see with the 404 construction since it has just started. There's so much "quintessential Maryland" in that region though...

We are scouting out the Salisbury area on Saturday and will make our final decision between the two regions then.

[hbelkins]

I can do a facebook event for the Delmarva portion...unless it would be weird to have an event for one half but not the other, if for no other reason than the fact that I know some roadgeeks who are there but not here.

As an update, Mike and I have two different itineraries. We scouted what we wanted to be our itinerary for this meet - Queen Anne's and Caroline Counties, but we're concerned that there won't be much to see with the 404 construction since it has just started. There's so much "quintessential Maryland" in that region though...

We are scouting out the Salisbury area on Saturday and will make our final decision between the two regions then.

If I come -- and it's still very much up in the air -- I may stay three nights in the Norfolk area. Depending on what the itinerary looks like, I may just drive up Sunday morning from Norfolk and then drive back down there Sunday night, since I'd like to drive, for the most part, US 58 one way and US 460 the other.

[74/171FAN]

If I decide to do a meet that weekend, I would just do Hampton Roads so I could get back to Blacksburg sometime Sunday.  I might need some convincing though.

[froggie]

Of those who are interested in attending, who's interested in either A) a Navy Base tour, or B) the hockey game?

[hbelkins]

Interested in A, depending on when it's going to be. Not a hockey fan in the slightest, so definitely not B.

[Alps]

Of those who are interested in attending, who's interested in either A) a Navy Base tour, or B) the hockey game?

Does the Navy Base have ROAD SIGNS? (And would we be allowed to take photos)

[Duke87]

I wouldn't expect a military base to have anything special in terms of road signs. At least, the two that I've been on did not. They follow the MUTCD and there's nothing old.

[Takumi]

I'd be interested in a naval base tour, but only if my car friends in the area are busy. I'd be a maybe.

[oscar]

I'm definitely not interested in the hockey game.

I got a base tour with Froggie as part of his Norfolk road meet long ago, so I'm not overly interested in a do-over.

[froggie]

HB:  base tour would likely be mid-late afternoon, depending on whether we do lunch or not.

Regarding road signs, there really aren't that many on the Norfolk Navy base, but there are a couple gems here and there, including VA 170 trailblazers inside a long-closed entry/exit gate, for a road that hasn't been VA 170 in 35 years.  There's also remnants of ground-mounted horizontal traffic signals, and a VA 564 shield just off base.

Regarding photos on base, they're generally allowed, though to be safe, I'd be discreet with the photo taking and not do it when base police are nearby...

[Laura]

I think A and B would be fun; that said, if no one else is interested, don't go out of your way to do them just for us.

As for Delmarva, we have a location set (meet in Salisbury, MD) and will be exploring Salisbury and the surrounding MD/DE stuff for the tour. I'll have official details done and posted by midnight.


iPhone

[hbelkins]

HB:  base tour would likely be mid-late afternoon, depending on whether we do lunch or not.

So after the meet tour, then? Sounds like something I'd be up for, since right now I expect to be staying in the area Saturday night if I attend and then heading up to Salisbury the next morning for Laura and Mike's meet.

[brianreynolds]

It looks like I will have an unexpected trip to Texas in the next two weeks or so.  If so, it probably takes me out of the Hampton Roads/Delmarva weekend.  I may have an opportunity to make the St. Louis meet on the return trip.

[hbelkins]

Any lodging recommendations in the Hampton Roads area? I generally like Choice and Wyndham properties, along with Best Western and Red Roof. I'll check the facilities out on TripAdvisor, but I tend to like the motor lodge-style with exterior entrances where you can park right outside your room.

[hbelkins]

My Vue goes in the shop tonight. Some minor maintenance stuff (spark plugs and brake pads) but also something that may end up being more costly. Just how costly will play a big role in whether or not I'm able to attend.

I'm starting to look at the trip itself. What I want to do is take US 58 east starting at a point somewhere east of Damascus and proceeding toward the coast. What I really want to do is go to Tazewell and then take VA 16 south to Marion and then probably to US 58, then east through Independence and Galax to Hillsville. If I come, I'll be starting the trip on Thursday afternoon, so overnight could be anywhere in SW Virginia (Abingdon, Marion, Galax or Hillsville), depending on if I choose the VA 16 option or if I just go to Abingdon and then hit I-81.

(I drove US 58 between Damascus and Independence several years ago; it's a typical two-lane mountain road and I don't have a burning desire to drive it again so that's why I'd rather hit 58 near Independence.)

On Friday, I'll be heading east on US 58. Side trips will depend on time. What I'd like to do, once I hit the South Hill area, is to go south into North Carolina and then north on I-85 all the way to Richmond, which would clinch I-85 for me, then take I-95 south into NC to knock out another chunk of that route, then back to US 58 to continue east to the Hampton Roads area. If I have enough time, I might work on clinches of US 13 and/or US 258 in Virginia.

Lodging decision has not yet been made. That will depend on where the meet actually occurs. What I will most likely do is stay both Friday and Saturday nights in the same place and then drive north to Salisbury on Sunday morning for that meet.

I had originally thought about returning to Hampton Roads Sunday evening and heading out from there, but I'm rethinking my plans. I drove US 50 between Salisbury and the Bay Bridge fall before last and don't really want to do it again, but I'm not crazy about dealing with Hampton Roads traffic on a Monday morning when I head west. I can drive US 50 west and then I-95 south to Richmond, since I need most of I-95 between the Springfield Interchange and Fredericksburg as well, and I know most major traffic issues with that stretch are northbound instead of southbound on Sunday evenings. I could stay in the Richmond area on Sunday night, then take US 360 west to VA 307 to US 460, then take US 221 between Lynchburg and Bedford before getting back on 460, then I-81 south to Christiansburg, then 460 again back into Kentucky.

I'll post part of this in the Delmarva meet thread for opinions as well.

[74/171FAN]

I'll know next week whether I'll attend or not.  It would be very tough for me to do so, but I'm also unsure of when I would be in Hampton Roads again.

HB, I actually plan on taking US 58 east from Hillsville (I-77) to South Hill (I-85) tonight.  I wanted to go as far east as US 258 (Franklin), but the wintry weather coming will probably truncate my trip, and I am hoping I can get the rest of US 58 I need east of South Hill at a later date.

[froggie]

I had originally thought about returning to Hampton Roads Sunday evening and heading out from there, but I'm rethinking my plans. I drove US 50 between Salisbury and the Bay Bridge fall before last and don't really want to do it again, but I'm not crazy about dealing with Hampton Roads traffic on a Monday morning when I head west.

If you stay on the "Southside" (i.e. VaB/Norfolk/Chesapeake/Suffolk), traffic shouldn't be a huge problem.  I'm intending to look for a restaurant in Chesapeake, so if you stay there, worst you'll likely run into is a few minutes delay getting onto I-64, and a few minutes at the High Rise.  Otherwise, heading out to 460 shouldn't be a problem (since you'd mentioned an interest in taking 460 back west).

[Dr Frankenstein]

As much as I'd like to go to this meet, I either need 1. a new car, or 2. a serious and thorough tune-up on my current car. It's having significant engine and reliability issues at this time.

[Mapmikey]

Barring any issues with a windshield replacement on Fri March 21 (second one this winter!), I intend to attend the Hampton Roads meet on March 22...


Mapmikey