Outer Banks NC "city meet" - April 30, 2022

[A.J. Bertin]

It's not like the Outer Banks will be disappearing anytime soon.

environmentally speaking...

Yes... that thought crossed my mind.  Perhaps they will be gone by, say, 2040 (sad to say)... but not by 2022.

[hbelkins]

It's not like the Outer Banks will be disappearing anytime soon.  They will still be available next year for us to explore

Don't tempt this year's hurricane season 

Has NC 12 offered an opinion yet?

[A.J. Bertin]

After giving this some careful thought, I've decided I am definitely postponing this meet by another year.  I know that some folks will support me in this decision while others will not, and that's okay because the decision is mine to make.  I wasn't planning on making my final decision until mid March, but a big reason I decided to settle on this decision now is because I know there are some folks who very much want to see an Outer Banks gathering happen in 2021, and I feel I am simply getting out of their way to allow them to create a gathering in their own innovative style.  I'll still of course attend other, traditional, meets this year, but I simply do not have the same mindset/motivation about organizing my own gathering until the pandemic is closer to being over.  It will not be over by April 24.  I am much more optimistic that we'll be closer to normalcy by April of 2022, and by then, I'm guessing I'll feel much more confident in my ability to host a gathering in the method of my choosing.  I'm just not there at this point.

For those of you who support my decision, thank you... and I hope to see you in 2022 in the Outer Banks.  For those of you who don't, I have no hard feelings and hope you have a great time in the Outer Banks in 2021, if you choose to move forward this year without me.  You'd still be welcome to join us in 2022 if you have the desire to explore the Outer Banks two years in a row.   Totally understandable if you don't. 

Not everyone in the road enthusiast community is an engineer (or an innovator in general), but everyone in this community deserves respect for the rational decisions they make.

[Alps]

AJ, I agree with your decision. The "city meet" concept works best when we can all gather together after to recount our experiences, and that would be difficult to do safely with COVID (outdoors, daylight limitations). I think you're not interpreting correctly the role of "engineering or innovating" as it applies to meets. The idea is that we need to keep our minds open to doing different things, and that specific concept was more being pitched to the general viewership, not you. I think we all know you understand that, as your city meet itself is exactly that - innovative.

[74/171FAN]

Not everyone in the road enthusiast community is an engineer (or an innovator in general), but everyone in this community deserves respect for the rational decisions they make.

The good news at this point is that I think we are good (for the most part) to do at least day trips wherever.  Part of my personal issue through all this is feeling told that doing things that are mostly safe (such as a drive by myself for a day trip) is considered bad even though the chances of spreading the virus is quite low in this scenario.

As I have stated earlier in this thread, I would be open to a socially distanced Raleigh/Durham Meet later this summer when the East End Connector is open.

[Alps]

Not everyone in the road enthusiast community is an engineer (or an innovator in general), but everyone in this community deserves respect for the rational decisions they make.

The good news at this point is that I think we are good (for the most part) to do at least day trips wherever.  Part of my personal issue through all this is feeling told that doing things that are mostly safe (such as a drive by myself for a day trip) is considered bad even though the chances of spreading the virus is quite low in this scenario.

As I have stated earlier in this thread, I would be open to a socially distanced Raleigh/Durham Meet later this summer when the East End Connector is open.

What we do is far enough out of the mainstream that they're not thinking of us when they list safe states and mandatory quarantines. How many people would drive 2 states over to check out a bridge and back home in the same day? That said, there's very little enforcement of "are you on the most direct route" that I'm aware of in this country (moreso in Canada).
I am in for East End. Name your weekend.

[hbelkins]

if you have the desire to explore the Outer Banks two years in a row.   Totally understandable if you don't. 

They weren't roadgeeking trips, but when I was a kid, we went to the Outer Banks two years in a row, taking different routes to and from each time.

[74/171FAN]

I am in for East End. Name your weekend.

I plan to start a thread on this later in the week.

[Alps]

Understanding this to be April 30 I am likely in now that my schedule conflict has resolved.

[Takumi]

Saving for South Africa. I'm out.

[A.J. Bertin]

I figure it's time for me to refresh this thread and confirm for everyone that, at this point, I am planning on moving forward with this meet on Saturday, April 30.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my third attempt at doing this will be the charm!  Just like the Providence RI gathering I hosted in 2019, this will be a purely self-guided adventure where the only things I will be organizing for the group will be the lunch and dinner.  I've never been to the Outer Banks before, so I'm inviting others to explore it alongside myself.

As it gets closer to the date of the meet (perhaps over the next few weeks), I will decide and announce the meeting times and restaurants for lunch and dinner.  At some point before too long, I will also create a Facebook event.  I completely understand that COVID is still very much a reality we are all dealing with, but lunch and dinner will still take place at restaurants... possibly indoors and possibly outdoors, depending on what the options are and how many attendees I will anticipate having.  I will do my best to prioritize outdoor dining to accommodate folks who might be uncomfortable with the idea of indoor dining right now, but I cannot make any guarantees.  Folks will have to decide what they are or are not comfortable with, and I will completely understand if folks decide not to attend either lunch or dinner if either of these options are indoors and they are not comfortable with that.

The big difference between this meet and Providence from 2019 will be that the lunch and dinner will be in separate cities, so the logistics will be different.  Lunch will be in the Nags Head area, and dinner will be in Elizabeth City.  Some folks may decide to attend lunch only, and some may decide to attend dinner only... which is totally fine!

I recognize that this meet will not be everyone's cup of tea (it's still part of the experiment I started in 2019), but everyone is invited and I look forward to seeing some of you there!  More details to come.

[A.J. Bertin]

Hi, everyone!  I thought I'd share an update of how things are progressing with my Outer Banks gathering in a couple months.

A few weeks, I created a Facebook event for this gathering.  Even if you didn't receive an invitation on Facebook, you're still invited and welcome to join us for lunch, dinner, or both.

I am considering moving the lunch location from Nags Head to Kill Devil Hills, but that's not finalized yet.  (Of course, I haven't selected the lunch restaurant yet.)  I did, however, select the dinner restaurant in Elizabeth City.  We have a reservation for 7 p.m. at Grouper's Waterfront Restaurant - 400 Water St., Elizabeth City, NC 27909.  I made a rough guess as to how many folks we might have for dinner, but I figure I can adjust that number as it gets closer to the date, if necessary.  They have an outdoor patio, which I requested for seating if the weather is suitable.

If you haven't received the Facebook invitation and would like to join us, please let me know here whether you plan to attend.  I'll share another update once I select the lunch restaurant.

[Alps]

Hi, everyone!  I thought I'd share an update of how things are progressing with my Outer Banks gathering in a couple months.

A few weeks, I created a Facebook event for this gathering.  Even if you didn't receive an invitation on Facebook, you're still invited and welcome to join us for lunch, dinner, or both.

I am considering moving the lunch location from Nags Head to Kill Devil Hills, but that's not finalized yet.  (Of course, I haven't selected the lunch restaurant yet.)  I did, however, select the dinner restaurant in Elizabeth City.  We have a reservation for 7 p.m. at Grouper's Waterfront Restaurant - 400 Water St., Elizabeth City, NC 27909.  I made a rough guess as to how many folks we might have for dinner, but I figure I can adjust that number as it gets closer to the date, if necessary.  They have an outdoor patio, which I requested for seating if the weather is suitable.

If you haven't received the Facebook invitation and would like to join us, please let me know here whether you plan to attend.  I'll share another update once I select the lunch restaurant.

Yelp suggests you may want to keep looking for restaurants...

[Jordanes]

I live in Currituck, and might want to meet for both lunch and dinner! I am a native of Pennsylvania, but have lived here for about 20 years. It would be great to have a lovely convertible day at the Outer Banks and Elizabeth City on April 30th!

[A.J. Bertin]

Yelp suggests you may want to keep looking for restaurants...

I usually rely on TripAdvisor for restaurant reviews.  I didn't see anything too concerning there about the restaurant I selected for dinner.

[Alps]

Yelp suggests you may want to keep looking for restaurants...

I usually rely on TripAdvisor for restaurant reviews.  I didn't see anything too concerning there about the restaurant I selected for dinner.

I may or may not be wedded to Yelp, but I saw a lot of "seafood isn't fresh" issues!

[A.J. Bertin]

Yelp suggests you may want to keep looking for restaurants...

I usually rely on TripAdvisor for restaurant reviews.  I didn't see anything too concerning there about the restaurant I selected for dinner.

I may or may not be wedded to Yelp, but I saw a lot of "seafood isn't fresh" issues!

Hmm... thanks for bringing this to my attention.  I'm open to the possibility of selecting a different restaurant if you feel strongly against Grouper's based on the Yelp reviews, but part of the reason I chose Grouper's was its location near downtown and along the water, the nearby (free) parking, the outdoor seating option, the menu prices being reasonable, and their ability to split up the check for a large group.  We might not get all of those things with a different restaurant, but I'll certainly consider it.

[Alps]

Yelp suggests you may want to keep looking for restaurants...

I usually rely on TripAdvisor for restaurant reviews.  I didn't see anything too concerning there about the restaurant I selected for dinner.

I may or may not be wedded to Yelp, but I saw a lot of "seafood isn't fresh" issues!

Hmm... thanks for bringing this to my attention.  I'm open to the possibility of selecting a different restaurant if you feel strongly against Grouper's based on the Yelp reviews, but part of the reason I chose Grouper's was its location near downtown and along the water, the nearby (free) parking, the outdoor seating option, the menu prices being reasonable, and their ability to split up the check for a large group.  We might not get all of those things with a different restaurant, but I'll certainly consider it.

Up to you. I'm not the host, it's your call, and I'll meet you wherever for dinner.

[A.J. Bertin]

Yelp suggests you may want to keep looking for restaurants...

I usually rely on TripAdvisor for restaurant reviews.  I didn't see anything too concerning there about the restaurant I selected for dinner.

I may or may not be wedded to Yelp, but I saw a lot of "seafood isn't fresh" issues!

Hmm... thanks for bringing this to my attention.  I'm open to the possibility of selecting a different restaurant if you feel strongly against Grouper's based on the Yelp reviews, but part of the reason I chose Grouper's was its location near downtown and along the water, the nearby (free) parking, the outdoor seating option, the menu prices being reasonable, and their ability to split up the check for a large group.  We might not get all of those things with a different restaurant, but I'll certainly consider it.

Up to you. I'm not the host, it's your call...

True, but that doesn't mean I'm inflexible.  I value your input and am certainly considering utilizing it.

[A.J. Bertin]

We're now just a little over 4 weeks away from our gathering in the Outer Banks.  If you received an invitation on Facebook and haven't responded yet with either a "no", "maybe", or "yes", I would ask that you please select one of those options.  If you're still undecided about going, it would be super helpful if you could mark yourself down as a "maybe".  If you are currently in the "maybe" category and have an idea as to whether your "maybe" will shift to a "yes" or "no", please mark yourself down accordingly.  If you haven't received the invitation on Facebook, you're of course still invited!  If that's the case, just reply here letting me know that you'll be attending.

As of now, I think the minimum number of participants we'll have (including myself) will be five.  I could see us having perhaps up to 10 or 12 participants for lunch, dinner, or both.

I've made my final selections for our lunch and dinner locations:

• At 11 a.m., we will gather for lunch at Dirty Dick's Crab House - 2407 S. Croatan Hwy., Nags Head, NC 27959.  (Hilarious name!)
• At 7 p.m., we will gather for dinner at Cypress Creek Grill - 113 S. Water St., Elizabeth City, NC 27909.  (This is an update from the restaurant that was previously announced.)

For lunch at Dirty Dick's, we will be arriving when the restaurant opens.  I was assured that a party of 10 (I had to guess) shouldn't have difficulty getting a table.  (They don't take reservations.)  For dinner at Cypress Creek Grill, I made a reservation for a party of 10.

Between lunch and dinner, of course, everyone is free to explore the Outer Banks on their own.  If anyone is only able to join us for lunch or dinner but not both, that is totally fine!

I'm looking forward to seeing some of you in a little over 4 weeks!

[getemngo]

Work finally gave me the time off. 

[74/171FAN]

I am unable to find the Facebook Event, but I do plan on attending.

[A.J. Bertin]

I am unable to find the Facebook Event, but I do plan on attending.

That's great!  I wasn't able to send you the Facebook invitation when I first created the event because you and I weren't connected on there.  A little while ago, I accepted your friend request and will send you an invitation so you can respond there too.

[oscar]

I'll be attending, both lunch and dinner.

My plan is to take the ferry to Ocracoke from Swan Quarter (long ago clinched the other ferry route to Ocracoke) the day before the meet, then head north on NC 12 via a short free ferry crossing. Hopefully, the new "jughandle" bridge over the east edge of Pamlico Sound near Rodanthe, between that free ferry crossing and the new Oregon Inlet bridge (opened 2019) and about a half-hour south of Nags Head, will be open to motor vehicle traffic by the time I get there. Once we're done in Elizabeth City, back home via NC 615 and its ferry crossing of Currituck Sound. My plans between Nags Head and Elizabeth City, TBD.

[A.J. Bertin]

Well, we're down to the final week before our gathering in the Outer Banks next Saturday.  Goodness... I've waited something like 2 1/2 years and we're almost here, finally!  The forecast for the Outer Banks, as of right now, looks quite pleasant for next weekend... partly to mostly sunny and temps in the mid to upper 60s (maybe a tad warmer in Elizabeth City) which should be quite pleasant.  Of course, the forecast could change but it's looking pretty good.

If you haven't responded to the event either here or on Facebook and you think you'll be joining us, please let me know as soon as possible.  I'm looking forward to seeing some of you next Saturday!