Pittsburgh - August 10th, 2019

Started by noelbotevera, August 30, 2018, 02:13:08 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Postmeet Activities

Kennywood Amusement Park
1 (16.7%)
Bridge tour (Three Sisters, West End)
4 (66.7%)
Tunnel tour (Wabash, Armstrong, Liberty)
4 (66.7%)
Nike missile sites
2 (33.3%)
Monroeville Mall
4 (66.7%)
Bigelow Mosaic (in case I choose not to have it on the tour)
3 (50%)

Total Members Voted: 6

cl94

I hope I didn't come across too harsh in this thread. Contrary to some of the people here, I like the ideas presented.

Personally, I like when things are different. Doing the same thing over and over again gets boring. Don't like the meet format? Then don't go! Easy as that. Nobody is required to attend a meet.

I'll do anything I can to help with this. Feel free to run things past me and see if they'll work. I have a decent amount of recent driving experience in the Pittsburgh area. Biggest thing I can say now is to budget time for traffic. I have been to meets were traffic time was not budgeted and they fell apart.

And here's something else: people without cars/licenses have hosted meets in the past. This will not be the first, nor will it be the last. Just requires a little bit more research and talking to other people, that's all.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)


cjk374

I am eyeing this meet as my first cross-country meet to attend. Too soon to tell, but I am interested.
Runnin' roads and polishin' rails.

CanesFan27

Patrick/Josh/AJ

My skepticism/concern of this event can be summed up in the following question to Alex.  (Which I should have asked  but didnt occur to me until now)

Alex,

Are your parents aware of your plans for this meet - and are they ok with it?


hbelkins

I don't think personalities or age or any of this old guard/new guard stuff have as much to do with any skepticism as much as familiarity and planning do.

I once went to a meet where the selected restaurant wasn't even open for lunch. That necessitated a scramble to find someplace else to eat before the tour started.

At that same meet, I carpooled with someone for the tour, but somehow ended up with someone else's possessions in my vehicle. That person either got lost or went off to do their own thing somewhere along the tour, so I either ended up having to wait to straggle in, or give their stuff to someone else (honestly, it's been several years and I've forgotten the specifics) before I could leave. I had a route and destination planned, but ended up getting delayed and lost some photography opportunities along the way because of darkness.

At another meet, most of the routing was done on the fly. That caused a really late return to the point of origin, but not before the host insisted that we stop to eat dinner somewhere along the way as a group. It had already been a long day, I was tired, and had made individual plans for the end of the day.

And the St. Louis debacle that so many people speak so fondly of would have been enough to cause me to pull my hair out, had I been there.

I'm not the world's most organized person by any means, and I'm definitely not OCD or anything like that, but for an event like a road meet, I like the itinerary spelled out in an orderly fashion. Be sure the roads are open, be sure there's parking at the chosen stops, and so on.

Would I attend this meet? If it was well-planned, it's likely. Pittsburgh's a neat city, it's close enough that I could attend at minimal expense and with little to no time off work, and I could get Sheetz along the way. If Alex gets a date set and an agenda that looks well-planned, the date works with my schedule, and I have the means to attend, I'd be willing to come take part in the experiment.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

noelbotevera

My parents are aware that I intend to host the meet. However, I still need help with scouting. If anybody has spare time to check up on some things that I plan on seeing, then just go out there and tell me what you saw.

'Course, I'll be considering factors such as parking, road construction, and sports games as well in the itinerary. I'll have to check the big team's schedules whenever they're having a home game. I plan to have maybe two or three stops, so this meet should be relatively quick.

Alps

I have enough knowledge of Pittsburgh to make sure this meet is well planned and won't get bogged down in traffic. There could be SOME traffic, and you can never predict what happens around Pittsburgh on a daily basis due to some accident or random street closures for construction. Ground knowledge would be MOST helpful, but since no one from the city has stepped up, better to give our best effort than none at all.
Also, those who don't think I'm a nice guy... tend to not be nice guys. Just sayin'. :)

cl94

Quote from: noelbotevera on September 20, 2018, 08:08:59 PM
My parents are aware that I intend to host the meet. However, I still need help with scouting. If anybody has spare time to check up on some things that I plan on seeing, then just go out there and tell me what you saw.

I have actually driven just about all of the route in the past few months. One big thing is that you can't U-turn at the 40th Street Bridge. Need to do that at 3B.

Other than that, your plans generally look good. I think lunch in Homestead may be a bit out of the way unless you have other things you want to see that far east, but as long as we're not taking I-376 both ways to/from 576 and there's stuff to see along the route, it can work. That ties into something else: try to avoid taking the same section of road more than once in the meet. Especially something like 376, which will be a parking lot.

Quote from: Alps on September 20, 2018, 08:40:06 PM
I have enough knowledge of Pittsburgh to make sure this meet is well planned and won't get bogged down in traffic. There could be SOME traffic, and you can never predict what happens around Pittsburgh on a daily basis due to some accident or random street closures for construction. Ground knowledge would be MOST helpful, but since no one from the city has stepped up, better to give our best effort than none at all.
Also, those who don't think I'm a nice guy... tend to not be nice guys. Just sayin'. :)
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

noelbotevera

Revision 1 of the meet itinerary...

Anticipated start time: 11 AM
Anticipated finish time: 3 PM
Pre-Meet: PA 837/PA 885

-Tour at least 3 or 4 movements
   Movement ideas: PA 837 through, PA 837 SB to PA 885 SB, Baldwin Road/Glass Run Road view

Lunch:

-From there, drive to Etna.
   Route idea: PA 837 SB to Homestead Grays Bridge to Browns Hill Road, which turns into Beachwood Boulevard, then merge onto I-376 West. From there, I'll pick between I-279, I-579, or the Three Sisters depending on traffic. Either way, merge onto PA 28 NB and take either exit 5A or 5B, depending on lunch location

-Drop off our cars...somewhere.
    Ideas: Sharpsburg Islands Marina, commercial center along PA 8 and Saxonburg Boulevard

PA 576 Construction:

-Drive to PA 576 construction site
    Route: PA 28 SB (for those who missed the premeet can view the revamp this way) -> I-579 or Three Sisters -> Pittsburgh city streets -> Smithfield Street and cross the bridge -> Carson Street -> Wabash Tunnel -> US 19 NB -> I-376 WB -> US 22/30 WB -> exit to Steubenville Pike -> Steubenville Pike -> Candor Road

-First possible chance, park along Candor w/view of the construction. Take group photo here.

-Follow PA 576 construction
    Route: Candor Road -> Beach Hollow Road -> PA 980 -> Laurel Hill Road -> Cecil Reissing Road -> Millers Run Road

-Stop along Beach Hollow Road. That should give us a pretty good view of any construction.

-Stop along Millers Run Road. Another view of construction.

-By the time we reach Millers Run Road and are near PA 50, that's about as far as I could trace the future alignment. There seems to be no exist roads that parallel PA 576 between PA 50 and I-79.

-So, break off here. Those who want to pick up their cars can drive up PA 50 to I-79 and make their way back to Etna. Those who want to do anything else can vote.

It's not a long meet by any stretch of the imagination, and I'm aware I'm lacking in stops. PA 43 is way too far out of the way. the stubs @ Pittsburgh International is out the way, so this was the best I can do.

SSOWorld

Quote from: Alps on September 20, 2018, 08:40:06 PM
I have enough knowledge of Pittsburgh to make sure this meet is well planned and won't get bogged down in traffic. There could be SOME traffic, and you can never predict what happens around Pittsburgh on a daily basis due to some accident or random street closures for construction. Ground knowledge would be MOST helpful, but since no one from the city has stepped up, better to give our best effort than none at all.
Also, those who don't think I'm a nice guy... tend to not be nice guys. Just sayin'. :)
If this guy can plan a meet in New York City - say nothing about anywhere else :sombrero:
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

brianreynolds

I hope this meet happens.  If possible I will attend.

kevinb1994

#85
If this meet goes forward and actually happens next July/August (if possible I will be there), there are multiple dead malls worth checking out in the area after the meet:

www.deadmalls.com/malls/parkway_center_mall.html
www.deadmalls.com/malls/northway_mall_pa.html
www.deadmalls.com/malls/monroeville_mall.html
www.deadmalls.com/malls/north_hills_village_mall.html
www.deadmalls.com/malls/century_iii_mall.html
www.deadmalls.com/malls/allegheny_center_mall.html

AsphaltPlanet

Quote from: Alps on September 20, 2018, 08:40:06 PM
Also, those who don't think I'm a nice guy... tend to not be nice guys. Just sayin'. :)

Nice guys tend not to have to tell people that they're nice guys.  Just sayin'
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

kevinb1994

#87
There should be a tie-breaker vote in order to decide between August 10th and August 17th. However the host can simply cast a tiebreaker vote whenever they feel ready to.

PAHighways

Quote from: kevinb1994 on November 06, 2018, 01:51:09 PM
If this meet goes forward and actually happens next July/August (if possible I will be there), there are multiple dead malls worth checking out in the area after the meet:

www.deadmalls.com/malls/parkway_center_mall.html
www.deadmalls.com/malls/northway_mall_pa.html
www.deadmalls.com/malls/monroeville_mall.html
www.deadmalls.com/malls/north_hills_village_mall.html
www.deadmalls.com/malls/century_iii_mall.html
www.deadmalls.com/malls/allegheny_center_mall.html

Not much to see of Allegheny Center since it is now an office building.  Monroeville isn't dead, unless referring to it tongue-in-cheek since it was the setting for the original Dawn of the Dead.  Who knows what Century III will be like by then since it was to be sold at auction by Allegheny County a few months back, and a last time walk-through was planned for the community, but then the sale fell through.

The 2000 XMAS SWPA took place just down the road from a then dead mall, Eastland, which the only things left are the sign and its parking lot.

Alps

Quote from: kevinb1994 on November 06, 2018, 02:16:09 PM
There needs to be a tie-breaker vote in order to decide between August 10th and August 17th.
I wasn't aware this was your meet.

rickmastfan67

Quote from: kevinb1994 on November 06, 2018, 01:51:09 PM
If this meet goes forward and actually happens next July/August (if possible I will be there), there are multiple dead malls worth checking out in the area after the meet:

www.deadmalls.com/malls/northway_mall_pa.html

Northway Mall is no longer dead.  It's VERY alive again.  Tons, and tons of new stuff there.

PHLBOS

Quote from: kevinb1994 on November 07, 2018, 12:41:37 AM
Quote from: Alps on November 06, 2018, 11:53:48 PM
Quote from: kevinb1994 on November 06, 2018, 02:16:09 PM
There needs to be a tie-breaker vote in order to decide between August 10th and August 17th.
I wasn't aware this was your meet.
True, but it shouldn't sit there like that with a tie. But the host can simply cast a tiebreaker vote whenever they feel ready to.
You do realize that this suggested dates for this meet is well into next summer (9 to 10 months from now)?  Not deciding on an actual meet date until sometime next year (around springtime) isn't going to make-or-break this meet IMHO.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

cl94

Quote from: PHLBOS on November 07, 2018, 09:20:31 AM
You do realize that this suggested dates for this meet is well into next summer (9 to 10 months from now)?  Not deciding on an actual meet date until sometime next year (around springtime) isn't going to make-or-break this meet IMHO.

This. IMO, we don't need a solid date until late winter even if we have people flying in. It's not like flights to Pittsburgh or nearby major airports (of which there are several) are hard to come by.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

PHLBOS

Quote from: cl94 on November 07, 2018, 11:56:47 AMIt's not like flights to Pittsburgh or nearby major airports (of which there are several) are hard to come by.
Out of curiosity, what other nearby airports are you thinking of and how far are such from the Greater Pittsburgh area?  Depending on where one is flying from; PIT has a greater variety/choice of carriers (including JetBlue & Southwest) than it did when it was a hub for then-US Airways prior to the early 2000s.

Either way, assuming one is flying within the continental US; one need not have to book a flight to PIT as far in advance as one would need to book an international, overseas flight.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

cl94

I forgot that PIT was no longer a fortress hub. Cleveland is the main alternate I was thinking of (little over 2 hours), but there's also some service to Akron.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

PHLBOS

Quote from: cl94 on November 07, 2018, 02:55:25 PMI forgot that PIT was no longer a fortress hub. Cleveland is the main alternate I was thinking of (little over 2 hours), but there's also some service to Akron.
CLE has the same major carriers flying out of it as PIT.  If a fare to CLE is cheaper than a fare to PIT; one will need to factor in the additional gas (& toll) costs getting from CLE to the Pittsburgh area into the overall travel budget (i.e. it could be a wash).

Canton-Arkon (CAK) only has four carriers serving it; the three legacy carriers (American, Delta & United) plus Spirit.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

noelbotevera

For those curious about dates, I'll probably decide on a date sometime in April or even May of next year. I just announced dates this far out just to be on the safe side, though I was too early.

No plans have changed, by the way; I'll probably revive this thread sometime in May, to finalize plans and ask for scouting help.

Dead malls sound interesting; I'm interested in Monroeville's solely because of the novelty.

tckma

Posting only to follow the thread.

PAHighways

Quote from: PHLBOS on November 07, 2018, 01:42:01 PM
Quote from: cl94 on November 07, 2018, 11:56:47 AMIt's not like flights to Pittsburgh or nearby major airports (of which there are several) are hard to come by.
Out of curiosity, what other nearby airports are you thinking of and how far are such from the Greater Pittsburgh area?  Depending on where one is flying from; PIT has a greater variety/choice of carriers (including JetBlue & Southwest) than it did when it was a hub for then-US Airways prior to the early 2000s.

Spirit also flies into/out of [Latrobe/Westmoreland County]/Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, although the routes are somewhat limited as are the departure and arrival times.

PHLBOS

#99
Quote from: kevinb1994 on November 16, 2018, 02:06:03 AM
Allegiant Air is the only carrier with direct (non-stop) flights to and from Pittsburgh via our city's international airport (JAX).
FYI, in commercial aviation terms; direct and non-stop flights are not necessarily the same thing.

Direct simply means that the overall routing of the flight (including stop(s)) is all under one number & no plane changes.  Such does make a difference with many air carriers' UM (unaccompanied-minor) policies (yes for direct flights, no for itineraries involving connections/plane changes).
GPS does NOT equal GOD



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.