AARoads Forum

As most of us know, the East End Connector project (https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/east-end-connector/Pages/default.aspx) is currently scheduled to be completed in June 2021. 

Having stated that (and with the postponement of the Outer Banks Meet for another year), I have decided to put together a meet in the Raleigh-Durham area this summer to focus on the East End Connector (obviously including a clinch of the newly designated I-885 of course).  I am also looking into other road-related sights in the areas of Durham and the Research Triangle Park (RTP) worth seeing.

As with other meets during the COVID-19 pandemic, this will be another BYOL affair.  Right now, I am expecting the meeting place to be at Northgate Park (across from Keystone Church at (2500 Arcadia St, Durham, NC, 27704)).

Anyway, there will be more details to follow.  I will edit this post as time gets closer.

Right now calendar is wide open and I'll need to burn a week of vacation time anyway.

I am interested, but with the other road meets that are on tentatively on the calendar for 2021, I'm not sure how likely it is that I'd be able to attend this one.  I'd love to explore that part of North Carolina, though.

No preference. I’m only 2 hours away so as long as I’m off work I should be in. If I can parlay that with a Triad-area Cars & Coffee, even better. (As best I can tell, Cars & Coffee Raleigh is the second Saturday of each month, which in this case would be the 10th, but is currently on hiatus due to the plague. We’ll see if that changes by July.)

I'd love to get back to Durham, though it would be weird driving along Erwin Road and seeing where my apartment used to be since the building was demolished. I don't know whether this summer will work at this point because it depends on a possible trip to Florida, which in turn depends on vaccines.

I would suggest 885 (really the connector is going to be blink and you miss it) and drive down to Fuquay and tour the 540 construction between there and 40 in Garner.

Quote from: CanesFan27 on March 06, 2021, 08:56:13 PM
I would suggest 885 (really the connector is going to be blink and you miss it) and drive down to Fuquay and tour the 540 construction between there and 40 in Garner.

You had mentioned something to me about 440 as well. Not familiar with what's still ongoing, thought they finished those improvements.

Quote from: Alps on March 06, 2021, 09:53:49 PM

Quote from: CanesFan27 on March 06, 2021, 08:56:13 PM
I would suggest 885 (really the connector is going to be blink and you miss it) and drive down to Fuquay and tour the 540 construction between there and 40 in Garner.

You had mentioned something to me about 440 as well. Not familiar with what's still ongoing, thought they finished those improvements.

440 is being widened from Wade Ave to 40.  I'm not sure if there are any good vantage points of it versus just a drive-thru (Granted I'm in Charlotte now so I haven't been on it in two years)  There's the pedestrian bridge/bike trail that is over 440 at Wade Avenue but it's not that easily accessible for a meet.  Have to walk a bit from either the Museum of Art or Meredith College to get there.

Quote from: CanesFan27 on March 06, 2021, 10:17:50 PM
440 is being widened from Wade Ave to 40.  I'm not sure if there are any good vantage points of it versus just a drive-thru (Granted I'm in Charlotte now so I haven't been on it in two years)  There's the pedestrian bridge/bike trail that is over 440 at Wade Avenue but it's not that easily accessible for a meet.  Have to walk a bit from either the Museum of Art or Meredith College to get there.

There's a trail parking lot a half-mile from the bridge on Horton St.  We've had past precedent for such walks at meets.

One could also probably park at the Whole Foods at Wade & Ridge.  Similar distance as the trail parking lot and there's a trail connection from that intersection.

Quote from: CanesFan27 on March 06, 2021, 08:56:13 PM
I would suggest 885 (really the connector is going to be blink and you miss it) and drive down to Fuquay and tour the 540 construction between there and 40 in Garner.

My issue with heading towards Garner is how long it would take, but since it is summer, we will have plenty of daylight.  When I had my internship at NCDOT in Morrisville, I stayed south of Garner (along NC 50), and it took a good 40 minutes to get to/from the office every day.

I will definitely look further into it.

Quote from: froggie on March 07, 2021, 09:44:50 AM

Quote from: CanesFan27 on March 06, 2021, 10:17:50 PM
440 is being widened from Wade Ave to 40.  I'm not sure if there are any good vantage points of it versus just a drive-thru (Granted I'm in Charlotte now so I haven't been on it in two years)  There's the pedestrian bridge/bike trail that is over 440 at Wade Avenue but it's not that easily accessible for a meet.  Have to walk a bit from either the Museum of Art or Meredith College to get there.

There's a trail parking lot a half-mile from the bridge on Horton St.  We've had past precedent for such walks at meets.

One could also probably park at the Whole Foods at Wade & Ridge.  Similar distance as the trail parking lot and there's a trail connection from that intersection.

This may seal the addition of I-440.

I'm definitely interested, but I'm not staying in hotels until I'm vaccinated, so this might be a little too early.

Quote from: dgolub on March 13, 2021, 08:03:33 AM
I'm definitely interested, but I'm not staying in hotels until I'm vaccinated, so this might be a little too early.

Really?  We've been promised that every adult who wants a vaccine will have one by the end of May.  This is in July.

Quote from: Brandon on March 13, 2021, 09:10:00 AM

Quote from: dgolub on March 13, 2021, 08:03:33 AM
I'm definitely interested, but I'm not staying in hotels until I'm vaccinated, so this might be a little too early.

Really?  We've been promised that every adult who wants a vaccine will have one by the end of May.  This is in July.

I think July 4 is realistic for everyone to be vaccinated. I just wish everyone who could be vaccinated would get one so we could squash this bug.

Quote from: Alps on March 13, 2021, 10:20:07 AM

Quote from: Brandon on March 13, 2021, 09:10:00 AM

Quote from: dgolub on March 13, 2021, 08:03:33 AM
I'm definitely interested, but I'm not staying in hotels until I'm vaccinated, so this might be a little too early.

Really?  We've been promised that every adult who wants a vaccine will have one by the end of May.  This is in July.

I think July 4 is realistic for everyone to be vaccinated. I just wish everyone who could be vaccinated would get one so we could squash this bug.

Either way, this meet is after those dates.

I decided to set my FB page cover photo to the current state of I-885: walkable :D

Quote from: Brandon on March 13, 2021, 09:10:00 AM

Quote from: dgolub on March 13, 2021, 08:03:33 AM
I'm definitely interested, but I'm not staying in hotels until I'm vaccinated, so this might be a little too early.

Really?  We've been promised that every adult who wants a vaccine will have one by the end of May.  This is in July.

We've been promised that everyone will be eligible May 1.  That means they can get in line then.  In NY, it's generally a couple months between when you can get in line and when you can get your first shot.  Then add a few more weeks for your second and a couple more for it to take effect, and I don't see how we'll have the entire nation immune by Memorial Day.

Now, Biden did talk about SMALL gatherings for July 4, but not large ones, and nobody's said anything about travel.

Quote from: vdeane on March 13, 2021, 09:32:21 PM

Quote from: Brandon on March 13, 2021, 09:10:00 AM

Quote from: dgolub on March 13, 2021, 08:03:33 AM
I'm definitely interested, but I'm not staying in hotels until I'm vaccinated, so this might be a little too early.

Really?  We've been promised that every adult who wants a vaccine will have one by the end of May.  This is in July.

We've been promised that everyone will be eligible May 1.  That means they can get in line then.  In NY, it's generally a couple months between when you can get in line and when you can get your first shot.  Then add a few more weeks for your second and a couple more for it to take effect, and I don't see how we'll have the entire nation immune by Memorial Day.

Now, Biden did talk about SMALL gatherings for July 4, but not large ones, and nobody's said anything about travel.

A road meet is a small gathering. No sense in belaboring this discussion. Let's see where things stand a month out.

Quote from: dgolub on March 13, 2021, 08:03:33 AM
I'm definitely interested, but I'm not staying in hotels until I'm vaccinated, so this might be a little too early.

I still don't understand the fear of hotels.

Quote from: hbelkins on March 13, 2021, 11:36:15 PM

Quote from: dgolub on March 13, 2021, 08:03:33 AM
I'm definitely interested, but I'm not staying in hotels until I'm vaccinated, so this might be a little too early.

I still don't understand the fear of hotels.

There are enough posts about people not being masked in lobbies, hallways, and other common areas to give me pause.  And the uneven implementation of COVID protocols making it so you don't know what you're going to get until you get there unless you use a more expensive chain.

Quote from: hbelkins on March 13, 2021, 11:36:15 PM

Quote from: dgolub on March 13, 2021, 08:03:33 AM
I'm definitely interested, but I'm not staying in hotels until I'm vaccinated, so this might be a little too early.

I still don't understand the fear of hotels.

Nor do you need to.

Quote from: vdeane on March 13, 2021, 11:42:25 PM

Quote from: hbelkins on March 13, 2021, 11:36:15 PM

Quote from: dgolub on March 13, 2021, 08:03:33 AM
I'm definitely interested, but I'm not staying in hotels until I'm vaccinated, so this might be a little too early.

I still don't understand the fear of hotels.

There are enough posts about people not being masked in lobbies, hallways, and other common areas to give me pause.  And the uneven implementation of COVID protocols making it so you don't know what you're going to get until you get there unless you use a more expensive chain.

I would think that Yelp reviews should be able to help you out on this by now.  Personally, I am still more concerned about restaurants (and even going to church) over anything outdoors.  My family and I have had arguments over eating out at restaurants.

Quote from: 74/171FAN on March 07, 2021, 09:51:17 AM

Quote from: CanesFan27 on March 06, 2021, 08:56:13 PM
I would suggest 885 (really the connector is going to be blink and you miss it) and drive down to Fuquay and tour the 540 construction between there and 40 in Garner.

My issue with heading towards Garner is how long it would take, but since it is summer, we will have plenty of daylight.  When I had my internship at NCDOT in Morrisville, I stayed south of Garner (along NC 50), and it took a good 40 minutes to get to/from the office every day.

I will definitely look further into it.

Quote from: froggie on March 07, 2021, 09:44:50 AM

Quote from: CanesFan27 on March 06, 2021, 10:17:50 PM
440 is being widened from Wade Ave to 40.  I'm not sure if there are any good vantage points of it versus just a drive-thru (Granted I'm in Charlotte now so I haven't been on it in two years)  There's the pedestrian bridge/bike trail that is over 440 at Wade Avenue but it's not that easily accessible for a meet.  Have to walk a bit from either the Museum of Art or Meredith College to get there.

There's a trail parking lot a half-mile from the bridge on Horton St.  We've had past precedent for such walks at meets.

One could also probably park at the Whole Foods at Wade & Ridge.  Similar distance as the trail parking lot and there's a trail connection from that intersection.

This may seal the addition of I-440.

My very rough draft intinerary includes the NC 540 construction, I-40 construction, and I-440.  I want to clarfiy how I want to handle the stuff I want to look at in the Morrisville area before linking it here.

EDIT:My rough draft itinerary at the moment: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X5BT-hS7LiwmQqh5Svzu0jE7Zx3JZtON/view?usp=sharing

I am sure that this will change many times up to the chosen date for the meet.

Any obligatory stop at 11 foot 8 plus 8?

Quote from: Brandon on March 24, 2021, 02:57:40 PM
Any obligatory stop at 11 foot 8 plus 8?

I did not even know that existed until you posted it.  It is probably worth mentioning in the itinerary whether I can easily include it or not.

The Peace Street Bridge in downtown Raleigh is better than the 11'8" bridge.  If only because Doug Kerr has posed in front of it with a 'SEND HELP' sign.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/1668/25261796931_80e93b1423_3k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Euij7X)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/Euij7X) by Adam Prince (https://www.flickr.com/photos/adamontheroad/), on Flickr

I wasn't originally planning to cast a vote because I didn't think there was a good chance that I'd be able to attend this, but the more I think about this meet, the more I want to see what I can do to attend it.  There are other meets this year that I am trying to attend as well, and if this one is spaced out far enough from other meets I want to attend and from other things I'll have going on in my life, it might be possible for me to attend.  (I've already got a travel itinerary in mind if I can make it.)

I voted for the two earlier dates in July.

Quote from: 74/171FAN on March 24, 2021, 04:30:06 PM

Quote from: Brandon on March 24, 2021, 02:57:40 PM
Any obligatory stop at 11 foot 8 plus 8?

I did not even know that existed until you posted it.  It is probably worth mentioning in the itinerary whether I can easily include it or not.

Literally the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread was 11 foot 8+8. It's obligatory if you're going to Durham.

I'm really interested in this meet and voted for the 17th and 24th!

Am waiting for the actual opening of I-885 before considering any tangible options (I voted "other"), but this is on my radar.  :-|

Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on April 08, 2021, 06:31:59 PM
Am waiting for the actual opening of I-885 before considering any tangible options (I voted "other"), but this is on my radar.  :-|

I was not planning on officially picking a date until there are further updates on that.

Quote from: 74/171FAN on April 08, 2021, 08:09:28 PM

Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on April 08, 2021, 06:31:59 PM
Am waiting for the actual opening of I-885 before considering any tangible options (I voted "other"), but this is on my radar.  :-|

I was not planning on officially picking a date until there are further updates on that.

Still "June 2021". Let's say the date is June 30. If they don't announce it until mid-June, that doesn't leave us enough time to plan. I would suggest give us a tentative date.

Quote from: Alps on April 21, 2021, 06:57:12 PM

Quote from: 74/171FAN on April 08, 2021, 08:09:28 PM

Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on April 08, 2021, 06:31:59 PM
Am waiting for the actual opening of I-885 before considering any tangible options (I voted "other"), but this is on my radar.  :-|

I was not planning on officially picking a date until there are further updates on that.

Still "June 2021". Let's say the date is June 30. If they don't announce it until mid-June, that doesn't leave us enough time to plan. I would suggest give us a tentative date.

I am attempting to contact NCDOT to see if there are any updates on this.  I will schedule a tentative date by May 1st.

An item to consider - Governor Cooper today announced that nearly all restrictions - specifically capacity at restaurants, etc. - could be lifted by June 1 - with the exception of the mask mandate.  https://abc11.com/politics/cooper-expects-to-lift-most-restrictions-except-masks-by-june-1/10534505/

Personally, I'm fully vaxed, and I would be comfortable if a restaurant lunch does occur.   Brier Creek may be a good area for access to 885 and 540.

I have decided on a tentative date of July 17, 2021.  Note that I will be fully vaccinated within the next couple of weeks.

Personally, I want to stick to the BYOL affair to save time, but we can still discuss meeting up at a restaurant.

Quote from: 74/171FAN on April 23, 2021, 10:14:10 AM
I have decided on a tentative date of July 17, 2021.

Is this firm enough of a date where those of us who need to request time off from work in order to attend can do so with little chance that the meet will be held on a date other than July 17?

Quote from: A.J. Bertin on April 23, 2021, 07:19:22 PM

Quote from: 74/171FAN on April 23, 2021, 10:14:10 AM
I have decided on a tentative date of July 17, 2021.

Is this firm enough of a date where those of us who need to request time off from work in order to attend can do so with little chance that the meet will be held on a date other than July 17?

As long as nothing changes with the opening of the East End Connector, I would say so.  That is part of why I filled out the contact form on NCDOT's website last night.

Quote from: 74/171FAN on April 23, 2021, 08:19:26 PM

Quote from: A.J. Bertin on April 23, 2021, 07:19:22 PM

Quote from: 74/171FAN on April 23, 2021, 10:14:10 AM
I have decided on a tentative date of July 17, 2021.

Is this firm enough of a date where those of us who need to request time off from work in order to attend can do so with little chance that the meet will be held on a date other than July 17?

As long as nothing changes with the opening of the East End Connector, I would say so.  That is part of why I filled out the contact form on NCDOT's website last night.

Unfortunately, because we can't predict the future, we'll all be hoping it opens in time. I'll be there anyway.

I'm considering this meet for the main reason that I could use it as an excuse to knock out some stuff I wanted to do on a cross country trip (photograph the entire Charlotte Lynx system, lots of Amtrak stops and roads) so that trip's run from BUF to ATL is simpler.

I'm going to spend 100% of the time complaining about the weather most likely, but whatever.

The response I received from NCDOT last night:

QuoteHello Mr. Moore,
East End Connector will not be open to traffic in June 2021. The contractor is completing final construction items throughout the project before they place the final layer of asphalt. I am unable to give an exact date of opening right now. Although the entire project will most likely not be 100% complete by the end of the year, we do expect the connector from NC 147 to US 70 (I-885) to be open to traffic by that time.
Please do not hesitate to contact me again with any questions or requests for updates.
Kind regards,
Liam Shannon, Resident Engineer

Basically, this meet is officially postponed.  Obviously, we will keep checking for updates and go by that.  I know this could now come in conflict with AJ's Outer Banks City Meet, but we can discuss that as we move forward.

Also I think that we will all be comfortable to meet in a restaurant by that time as well.

Thank you Alps for giving me motivation to check on this.

Thank you for looking into this for us. In addition to a completed I-885, doing this meet next year will mean another year of progress on the 40, 440, and 540 projects so there will be more to see there as well. Always look on the bright side of life.  :-|

Quote from: 74/171FAN on April 26, 2021, 09:43:46 AM
The response I received from NCDOT last night:

QuoteHello Mr. Moore,
East End Connector will not be open to traffic in June 2021. The contractor is completing final construction items throughout the project before they place the final layer of asphalt. I am unable to give an exact date of opening right now. Although the entire project will most likely not be 100% complete by the end of the year, we do expect the connector from NC 147 to US 70 (I-885) to be open to traffic by that time.
Please do not hesitate to contact me again with any questions or requests for updates.
Kind regards,
Liam Shannon, Resident Engineer

Basically, this meet is officially postponed.  Obviously, we will keep checking for updates and go by that.  I know this could now come in conflict with AJ's Outer Banks City Meet, but we can discuss that as we move forward.

Also I think that we will all be comfortable to meet in a restaurant by that time as well.

Thank you Alps for giving me motivation to check on this.

Thanks for this update!  As far as my Outer Banks meet is concerned, I'm nowhere near ready to officially announce the date, but I am planning on having it either April 23 or April 30, 2022.  You can certainly schedule your Durham meet whenever you'd like, but as long as you are not planning on hosting it at the end of April, there won't be any conflicts... unless you decide to host it during a time frame that's close to mine and would force potential attendees, who want to attend both, to choose one or the other.  I'm not sure how many folks that might impact, but it's something to consider.

As for me personally, it's not likely that I'll host/attend two separate meets in North Carolina in the same year... so I'll probably pass on attending the Durham meet if it's held in 2022.  But who knows.

Another alternative would be to schedule both meets for the same weekend and have a roadmeet double-header.  It's not unprecedented, and the locations aren't far from each other.

Quote from: vdeane on April 27, 2021, 12:38:15 PM
Another alternative would be to schedule both meets for the same weekend and have a roadmeet double-header.  It's not unprecedented, and the locations aren't far from each other.

That's an interesting thought.  If Mr. Moore is interested in hosting his Durham meet on, say, the Sunday after Outer Banks, that's cool.  The dinner portion of my meet will be held in Elizabeth City, so if there are attendees who want to attend both (including wanting to be at the dinner portion of my meet), they would just have to plan on driving from Elizabeth City to Durham between Saturday dinner and whatever time on Sunday the Durham meet starts.

OBXRDU!

I may do something late summer regardless of 885's status.

Quote from: CanesFan27 on April 27, 2021, 09:29:06 PM
I may do something late summer regardless of 885's status.

I am personally thinking about heading to Charlotte to at least so the Monroe Bypass.

Quote from: A.J. Bertin on April 27, 2021, 06:00:32 PM

Quote from: vdeane on April 27, 2021, 12:38:15 PM
Another alternative would be to schedule both meets for the same weekend and have a roadmeet double-header.  It's not unprecedented, and the locations aren't far from each other.

That's an interesting thought.  If Mr. Moore is interested in hosting his Durham meet on, say, the Sunday after Outer Banks, that's cool.  The dinner portion of my meet will be held in Elizabeth City, so if there are attendees who want to attend both (including wanting to be at the dinner portion of my meet), they would just have to plan on driving from Elizabeth City to Durham between Saturday dinner and whatever time on Sunday the Durham meet starts.

There is, indeed, precedent. Froggie hosted a Hampton Roads-area meet on a Saturday several years ago, and then Laura hosted a Delmarva meet up the road in Salisbury the next day.

Quote from: Alps on April 27, 2021, 06:42:07 PM
OBXRDU!

He played for UK several years ago. Don't know what happened to him.

(Referring tongue-in-cheek, of course, to former Wildcat Lucasz Obrzut.)

Linking to the I-885 thread so we can revisit this in December.  (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=13255.msg2646086#msg2646086)

AJ, you can put this on the calendar for 2022.  We can discuss further via PM on whether this fits with your Outer Banks City Meet or not.

Regarding the 11foot8+8 bridge, take note there are a lot of restaurants and pubs right around that area, along with a decent amount of parking. Some of them that were there in my Duke Law days (1995 to 1998) are still around, too–a lot of us liked Devine's.

Hi Everyone, sounds like an interesting meet I would like to check out but I am planning on hosting my first central PA road meet in 4 years on Saturday April 23, 2022. I will be doing more scouting next month when I am back in the York\ Harrisburg area.

Yeah, I am still planning to host this meet sometime in 2022 at the moment. 

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=13255.msg2677618#msg2677618

Well, I guess I do not have to worry about figuring out if this may conflict with AJ anymore.  Hopefully, it will open by June/July.

I am thinking about scheduling this for November 12th after the recent news posted in the I-885 thread. 

I would like some feedback on how much we can do with less daylight that time of year.  I think that I may need to stick with Durham and the RTP unless we are willing to start as early as 10 AM and do an after-meet lunch or dinner.

Quote from: 74/171FAN on February 16, 2022, 06:26:50 PM
I am thinking about scheduling this for November 12th after the recent news posted in the I-885 thread. 

I would like some feedback on how much we can do with less daylight that time of year.  I think that I may need to stick with Durham and the RTP unless we are willing to start as early as 10 AM and do an after-meet lunch or dinner.

It said open by summer, why wait so long?

Quote from: 74/171FAN on February 16, 2022, 06:26:50 PM
I am thinking about scheduling this for November 12th after the recent news posted in the I-885 thread. 

I would like some feedback on how much we can do with less daylight that time of year.  I think that I may need to stick with Durham and the RTP unless we are willing to start as early as 10 AM and do an after-meet lunch or dinner.

Just a thought - when looking at a fall weekend for a meet, might want to see if any local universities (like Duke, UNC, NC St, etc) have a home football game scheduled for that weekend, which could affect availability of lodging and/or pose traffic issues.

I'd love the excuse to get back to the RDU area (I lived there Sep 1998 to April 2002) and see how things have progressed.  I passed through last July and liked what I saw.  I have Veterans' Day off so I'll have to think about it.

Quote from: Alps on February 16, 2022, 10:41:08 PM

Quote from: 74/171FAN on February 16, 2022, 06:26:50 PM
I am thinking about scheduling this for November 12th after the recent news posted in the I-885 thread. 

I would like some feedback on how much we can do with less daylight that time of year.  I think that I may need to stick with Durham and the RTP unless we are willing to start as early as 10 AM and do an after-meet lunch or dinner.

It said open by summer, why wait so long?

I think my concern (beyond personal convenience) is that the road meet calendar for 2022 is filling up quickly. 

Quote from: dlsterner on February 16, 2022, 10:59:36 PM

Quote from: 74/171FAN on February 16, 2022, 06:26:50 PM
I am thinking about scheduling this for November 12th after the recent news posted in the I-885 thread. 

I would like some feedback on how much we can do with less daylight that time of year.  I think that I may need to stick with Durham and the RTP unless we are willing to start as early as 10 AM and do an after-meet lunch or dinner.

Just a thought - when looking at a fall weekend for a meet, might want to see if any local universities (like Duke, UNC, NC St, etc) have a home football game scheduled for that weekend, which could affect availability of lodging and/or pose traffic issues.

Fair point.  I would rather do this in the summer, but I do not want to dilute the roadmeet calendar than what is already there.  I think I can go with mid-July (16th or 23rd) as long as that area remains open.  I guess it is hard for me to commit to a date in that range because all of us have a lack in trusting NCDOT in regard to this project.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about other meets unless they are close by.  July will allow for viewing of 540 construction - which you still can do in November.  If you choose November, I would focus more on 540 construction vs. a one mile stretch of road everyone can drive at their leisure.  Plus if advertised enough - a lot of local Raleigh area folks will show up (so I wouldn't worry about out of state attendance.)

Football games shouldn't be concerning - 1) no one goes to Duke games 2) Carolina games would be more at Chapel Hill 3) State games - there are plenty of hotels in the area that shouldn't be a problem.

Brier Creek area is a good meeting point - rather quick to 885 and central enough location for RTP and 540.

Quote from: CanesFan27 on February 17, 2022, 08:09:56 AM
Personally, I wouldn't worry about other meets unless they are close by. 

Just FYI, the Extra Miler Club Annual Meeting is on July 23rd in Hampton, VA. I know there is some crossover between roadgeeks and extra milers.

Quote from: Laura on February 17, 2022, 09:07:44 AM

Quote from: CanesFan27 on February 17, 2022, 08:09:56 AM
Personally, I wouldn't worry about other meets unless they are close by. 

Just FYI, the Extra Miler Club Annual Meeting is on July 23rd in Hampton, VA. I know there is some crossover between roadgeeks and extra milers.

Yep.  I am hoping to get to the EMC meet on the 23rd.

Would July 9th be a favorable date potentially even though it is right after the 4th of July?

Quote from: 74/171FAN on February 27, 2022, 11:06:13 AM
Would July 9th be a favorable date potentially even though it is right after the 4th of July?

I've removed the poll. Can you readd one?

Quote from: Alps on February 27, 2022, 08:08:53 PM

Quote from: 74/171FAN on February 27, 2022, 11:06:13 AM
Would July 9th be a favorable date potentially even though it is right after the 4th of July?

I've removed the poll. Can you readd one?

Thanks for that.  I'll probably do that tomorrow.

No guarantees but whatever date you pick is fine with me.

A new poll has been added.

Going with the latest date in the poll.

Quote from: 74/171FAN on February 28, 2022, 09:27:39 AM
A new poll has been added.

Multiple choice might be preferable... Given that July 4 weekend is already a roadtrip for me, I'm going with the 30th. Still not sure I can make it but with Raleigh I can never be ruled out...

Voting for November because I'll be back from South Africa by then.

I'm not voting for any of the options at this time. Definite schedule conflicts for July 30 and November 12, and the other two dates will likely also have conflicts.

My only work on this recently honestly has been to consider maybe doing a pre-meet of sorts to drive through the I-40 widening project.  Of course, this is probably the result of me driving through the area during morning rush hour to clinch the four US 70s of Selma-Smithfield.

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=13255.msg2734957#msg2734957

So oddly enough November 12th barely won the poll that I previously ran.  I think it is best that we go with a revote so that we can clarify that date is what we want.

I am hoping for a mid-June opening date at this point.

Otherwise, if we do November 12th, I am thinking about having us meet up at the Sheetz on NC 42 at Cornwallis Rd at 10 AM so that we can hopefully tour the I-40 construction without too many issues.  In this format, we would do a late afternoon lunch/dinner after the tour.

Also, please clarify if you can vote in the poll.  I do not know if you are able to vote at the moment.

Quote from: 74/171FAN on May 04, 2022, 04:42:36 PM
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=13255.msg2734957#msg2734957 (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=13255.msg2734957#msg2734957)

So oddly enough November 12th barely won the poll that I previously ran.  I think it is best that we go with a revote so that we can clarify that date is what we want.

I am hoping for a mid-June opening date at this point.

Otherwise, if we do November 12th, I am thinking about having us meet up at the Sheetz on NC 42 at Cornwallis Rd at 10 AM so that we can hopefully tour the I-40 construction without too many issues.  In this format, we would do a late afternoon lunch/dinner after the tour.

Also, please clarify if you can vote in the poll.  I do not know if you are able to vote at the moment.

I cannot vote.

Quote from: kevinb1994 on May 04, 2022, 08:56:06 PM

Quote from: 74/171FAN on May 04, 2022, 04:42:36 PM
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=13255.msg2734957#msg2734957 (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=13255.msg2734957#msg2734957)

So oddly enough November 12th barely won the poll that I previously ran.  I think it is best that we go with a revote so that we can clarify that date is what we want.

I am hoping for a mid-June opening date at this point.

Otherwise, if we do November 12th, I am thinking about having us meet up at the Sheetz on NC 42 at Cornwallis Rd at 10 AM so that we can hopefully tour the I-40 construction without too many issues.  In this format, we would do a late afternoon lunch/dinner after the tour.

Also, please clarify if you can vote in the poll.  I do not know if you are able to vote at the moment.

I cannot vote.

FIXED!!!!

Thank you for fixing it Scott.

Voting worked for me.

November 12 won't work for me, since I'll just be getting back into the country the week prior.

I voted for July 30, the only date with no obvious conflicts for me. But my interest in the meet is moderate, I might clinch I-885 on my own some other weekend.

November 12 makes a lot of sense, since it minimizes conflicts with other summer activities, and also takes advantage of the Veterans Day long weekend. Alas, that's why one of my nieces scheduled her wedding that day.

Quote from: 74/171FAN on May 04, 2022, 04:42:36 PM
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=13255.msg2734957#msg2734957

So oddly enough November 12th barely won the poll that I previously ran.  I think it is best that we go with a revote so that we can clarify that date is what we want.

I am hoping for a mid-June opening date at this point.

Otherwise, if we do November 12th, I am thinking about having us meet up at the Sheetz on NC 42 at Cornwallis Rd at 10 AM so that we can hopefully tour the I-40 construction without too many issues.  In this format, we would do a late afternoon lunch/dinner after the tour.

Also, please clarify if you can vote in the poll.  I do not know if you are able to vote at the moment.

At this point, Just have it whenever works best for you - if Someone can make it They make it. If They can't, They can't.

I voted for July 30th. I'd like to make it as early as possible,

One thing to keep in mind is that Nikolai is planning on hosting his Janesville/Beloit WI meet, likely in September.  As of now, on his date poll, September 10 is in the lead so it's possible he will select that as the date of his meet.

This is not to say that two meets cannot happen on the same day, but there may be folks who might want to attend both of them.

Quote from: A.J. Bertin on May 05, 2022, 07:14:14 AM
One thing to keep in mind is that Nikolai is planning on hosting his Janesville/Beloit WI meet, likely in September.  As of now, on his date poll, September 10 is in the lead so it's possible he will select that as the date of his meet.

This is not to say that two meets cannot happen on the same day, but there may be folks who might want to attend both of them.

I added that date without looking at his poll.  I pretty much have moved on from attending that meet anyway due to taking so many longer trips already.

AJ,

The two meets are 900 some miles apart.  Unless the attendance of Jason Ilyes or Brandon Gorte is that big of a draw for additional attendance, it's not that big of a deal.

Then again - I may be wrong. 

The individuals who are hosting their respective events ought to pick the dates and venues that work best for them and not worry so much about deferring to what others have to say. We've had occasions over the years where there were two meets on the same day (in different parts of the country), so this would not be unprecedented should it occur here.

On a side note, I am planning on hosting a York County\ central PA based road meet on Saturday 9/24/22, I plan on making it "Facebook official" with an event and as of a week ago have a lunch venue lined up that I think a lot of you will like

Sometimes meets have national appeal, but more often than not they have mostly regional attendance with a person or two flying in for the occasion. I suggested that Mark not have this meet on 7/23 because the Extra Miler Club Annual Meeting is in Hampton, VA that day, which has both regional and national appeal as a larger number of folks plan longer vacations around those meetings. Same deal for the National Meets that Alps hosted in NYC in 2014 and Dan is hosting in Philly this August. St. Louis in 2014 was a rare occasion where a regionally focused meet turned into a meet that attracted national attention and folks flew in and drove long distances to attend.

That's my thought behind meets being on the same day - are they close geographically? If not, does one of them have national appeal?

As of now, it looks like WI and Raleigh's meet are attracting different, more regional crowds of roadgeeks. It sucks for the few who would consider attending both, but as meets have gotten more popular and there are only so many dates in a year, I don't see a reason these couldn't be the same day.

As for polling, if the host is flexible on the date I don't see an issue with polling. Sometimes it makes a big difference on attendance. There's also nothing wrong with a host picking the date that works best for them. I've done both when I've hosted meets.

How often does the "two meets on the same day" thing happen?  I'm struggling to think of a specific time when two official meets lined up that way.

As a point of information in the other direction, I remember when I was scheduling the Capital District meet around Birmingham, people were saying not to worry about it, and fortunately I did as both myself and half the northeast contingent of roadgeeks went to Birmingham.  So it can be hard to predict sometimes which meets will go big and which will stay local.

I guess I need to clarify that I was not telling Mark that he must avoid a specific date because of a different meet happening on that day.  All I was doing was saying it was something he should "keep in mind".  Of course I understand that hosts can certainly have their meets on whatever date they choose.  I wasn't trying to suggest otherwise.  Some hosts will consider the possibility that potential attendees might want to attend two meets happening on the same day, while others won't consider that.  It's okay; different hosts have their different styles.  But whenever I see the possibility that two meets might happen on the same day, I'm always going to say something about it... as a way of advocating for anyone we know about or don't know about who might want to attend both.  Just because I speak up about it doesn't mean I expect the host to do what I'm requesting.  It's their decision.

As far as whether meets are "national" or "regional", I think it's silly to label them as such.  I've probably attended several meets over the years that would have been labeled as "regional" even though I was driving from far away to attend.  A road meet is a road meet... regardless of whom it draws.  There's always the possibility that someone from far away might attend, even if the host was only considering it to be "regional".  If it's announced in advance on this forum, it can be attended by anyone coming from anywhere.  If the host doesn't want folks from outside a certain geographic area to attend, it probably shouldn't be announced on this forum.

Quote from: jpi on May 05, 2022, 11:45:27 AM
On a side note, I am planning on hosting a York County\ central PA based road meet on Saturday 9/24/22, I plan on making it "Facebook official" with an event and as of a week ago have a lunch venue lined up that I think a lot of you will like

Right.  That was why I did not add 9/17 or 9/24, but only added 9/10.

Quote from: A.J. Bertin on May 05, 2022, 01:14:05 PM
As far as whether meets are "national" or "regional", I think it's silly to label them as such.  I've probably attended several meets over the years that would have been labeled as "regional" even though I was driving from far away to attend.  A road meet is a road meet... regardless of whom it draws.

Ok, well, the next time you host a "National Meet"  or a "City Meet" , you can call it whatever you want. Your decision.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand. I echo mine & Adam's remarks from earlier in stating that hopefully Mark will pick the best possible day to hold his event and will make a decision in plenty of time for us folks considering attending to make our own decisions and travel arrangements accordingly. One of the things that I think has frustrated people over the past year or so is this general lack of decision-making when it comes to the hosting of these events. To Laura's point, there are only so many weekends in a year that people would be available to begin with, and folks generally like to know what the calendar looks like well in advance so they have enough time to decide what their meet-related travel plans are. And I do think that the see-sawing back & forth that has occurred in some instances has contributed significantly to an overall diminished level of interest in these certain events. Everyone is different, but I think that people in this community generally appreciate it more when the host gives it to us straight - tell us when/where and we'll be there. And if there happen to be two meets on the same day in different geographic areas, then I guess folks would have to choose between them. Nothing wrong with that either.

In summary, as the late Bob Ross would say, "See, that's all it takes to make a decision - just decide!"

Quote from: vdeane on May 05, 2022, 12:42:32 PM
How often does the "two meets on the same day" thing happen?  I'm struggling to think of a specific time when two official meets lined up that way.

There were meets in Lawrence, Kan., and Columbus, Ohio, on the same date a number of years ago.

Yeah, oops, I've been guilty of the see-sawing thing myself...but these has been two of the weirdest years ever with the pandemic and people were nervous about planning things in 2020 and 2021.

Anyway, getting back on topic, I'd like to go to Raleigh and vote for November 12 because of the Veterans Day holiday being the day before. That gives me more time to drive down on Friday.

Quote from: CanesFan27 on May 05, 2022, 09:00:39 AM
AJ,

The two meets are 900 some miles apart.  Unless the attendance of Jason Ilyes or Brandon Gorte is that big of a draw for additional attendance, it's not that big of a deal.

Then again - I may be wrong. 

Well, there's my fifteen minutes of fame.

Quote from: vdeane on May 05, 2022, 12:42:32 PM
How often does the "two meets on the same day" thing happen?  I'm struggling to think of a specific time when two official meets lined up that way.

As a point of information in the other direction, I remember when I was scheduling the Capital District meet around Birmingham, people were saying not to worry about it, and fortunately I did as both myself and half the northeast contingent of roadgeeks went to Birmingham.  So it can be hard to predict sometimes which meets will go big and which will stay local.

It used to be more common when we were more regional. People lately have gotten into traveling farther for meets. Which is fine! But nothing bugs me about two being on the same day this far apart.

Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on May 05, 2022, 02:47:15 PM

Quote from: A.J. Bertin on May 05, 2022, 01:14:05 PM
As far as whether meets are "national" or "regional", I think it's silly to label them as such.  I've probably attended several meets over the years that would have been labeled as "regional" even though I was driving from far away to attend.  A road meet is a road meet... regardless of whom it draws.

Ok, well, the next time you host a "National Meet"  or a "City Meet" , you can call it whatever you want. Your decision.

Of course.  I guess it's not so much the "label" that I think is silly; it's more the idea that road meets should be categorized based on the geography of where potential attendees are coming from.  Call it what you want, but any road meet could (or should) be classified as a "national meet" because any meet could draw people from all over... unless only people from, say, a certain geographic area are invited.

Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on May 05, 2022, 02:47:15 PM
And I do think that the see-sawing back & forth that has occurred in some instances has contributed significantly to an overall diminished level of interest in these certain events.

I assume that's your personal opinion and that you're not trying to speak for the entire community.  Some folks will agree with you; others won't.

Quote from: roadwaywiz95 on May 05, 2022, 02:47:15 PM
I think that people in this community generally appreciate it more when the host gives it to us straight - tell us when/where and we'll be there.

Again... I think this your personal opinion.  Not everyone will agree with you, and that's okay!  Some of us in the community do appreciate the opportunity to vote in a date poll.  For the gatherings I've hosted, I do like giving folks the opportunity to vote so I have an idea of which date(s) will work for most people.  Nothing wrong with that.

Not all of us in this community share the same opinions about these matters... and, again, it's okay!  Differences in opinion can lead to good discussions and different ideas, as long as everyone is respectful.

I will not make it official yet, but I am planning to currently host this on July 30th.  With the amount of construction going on in the area, and my current plan of covering the I-40 and I-440 widenings via a pre-meet (that I will post about later), I need to have as much daylight as possible for this.

Quote from: kevinb1994 on June 02, 2022, 02:42:54 PM
This would be the hottest meet I've been to in some time. That being said, I'm still looking forward to it.  :D

I'm not in the shape I once was, but I'm still flattered.

Quote from: kevinb1994 on June 02, 2022, 02:42:54 PM
This would be the hottest meet I've been to in some time. That being said, I'm still looking forward to it.  :D

Are you saying that there will be scantily clad road signs?

Quote from: kevinb1994 on June 02, 2022, 02:42:54 PM
This would be the hottest meet I've been to in some time. That being said, I'm still looking forward to it.  :D

yeah unless i'm there it can't be that hot

Too bad it isn't a Sunday. Saturdays are a bit of a logistic problem for me if I'm driving down there for my annual vacation (I can alter the date if needed). I'm either driving in from NJ that day of the week, or I'm leaving the next morning.

I am planning to scout a potential itinerary tomorrow.  I will obviously not be able to drive the connector, but I think that is a minor inconvenience.

Has this meet been locked in for July 30th? I might just take an extra day off.

https://twitter.com/wraltraffic/status/1539568851519692808 (https://twitter.com/wraltraffic/status/1539568851519692808)

Quote from: NJRoadfan on June 22, 2022, 08:18:10 PM
Has this meet been locked in for July 30th? I might just take an extra day off.

I'd like to know as well.  Some of us from farther out will need to make plans/reserve hotel rooms.

Quote from: Brandon on June 22, 2022, 08:19:44 PM

Quote from: NJRoadfan on June 22, 2022, 08:18:10 PM
Has this meet been locked in for July 30th? I might just take an extra day off.

I'd like to know as well.  Some of us from farther out will need to make plans/reserve hotel rooms.

As of the Twitter post above yes.  I was just waiting on an announcement of the opening.

I will do the Facebook event and all that stuff next week most likely once I return from Brandon's meet this weekend.

Please post the details here as well. Some of us aren't on Facebook.

Quote from: 74/171FAN on June 22, 2022, 08:30:26 PM

Quote from: Brandon on June 22, 2022, 08:19:44 PM

Quote from: NJRoadfan on June 22, 2022, 08:18:10 PM
Has this meet been locked in for July 30th? I might just take an extra day off.

I'd like to know as well.  Some of us from farther out will need to make plans/reserve hotel rooms.

As of the Twitter post above yes.  I was just waiting on an announcement of the opening.

I will do the Facebook event and all that stuff next week most likely once I return from Brandon's meet this weekend.

My goal is to have everything posted this weekend. I have edited the original post to reflect the official date of July 30th.

Quote from: LM117 on June 22, 2022, 08:19:28 PM
https://twitter.com/wraltraffic/status/1539568851519692808 (https://twitter.com/wraltraffic/status/1539568851519692808)

Today's article confirming the opening this afternoon.

https://www.wral.com/durhams-east-end-connector-to-open-to-drivers-this-afternoon/20354564/ (https://www.wral.com/durhams-east-end-connector-to-open-to-drivers-this-afternoon/20354564/)

NCDOT press release announcing that I-885 is finally open.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-06-30-east-end-connector-durham-us-70.aspx (https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2022/2022-06-30-east-end-connector-durham-us-70.aspx)

The planned itinerary can be found here:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gopoJayA6JlUlBjhgbKhy5HLaDYKjSaY8-UaF72Zmnk/edit?usp=sharing

Pre-Meet:  Meet Time: 9 AM ET (leave time around 9:30 AM ET)
Starting Location: Sheetz on NC 42 at Cornwallis Rd (5502 Cornwallis Rd, Garner NC, 27529)  (This is between I-40 (Exit 312) and US 70 (I-42) (Exit 320).)

Tentative Lunch Location:  Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken  (8211 Brier Creek Pkwy #107, Raleigh, NC 27617) 
Meeting Time: 11:30 AM ET

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/699788244443352/?active_tab=discussion

I appreciate the invite. Alas, because of financial obligations, I must see myself out.

I had previously expressed interest in this, but I have to go to San Francisco for work that week and it would just plain be impractical to get to North Carolina afterwards–plus my wife and I have our anniversary on the 28th and we have to defer that to the weekend due to my travel. Oh well. I'll have to check out the new road next February when we visit the area for the NHL Stadium Series.

Looking forward to this meet about a week and a half out.  Please make sure to RSVP here or on the Facebook page ASAP.

I hope to do a second dry run the day before especially to help take care of some concerns I have with a couple stops.

Pencil me in for two spots at lunch. Don't know if I'm going to be able to do the whole day, but will at least be there for the pre-meet and lunch.

I'll be there starting for lunch, then for the actual meet itself.

For those of us that will not be going to the Sheetz and tour before lunch, are/will there be reservations? Or is it just seat yourself as it appears this is more of a quick-serve restaurant?

Quote from: CanesFan27 on July 26, 2022, 08:27:10 PM
For those of us that will not be going to the Sheetz and tour before lunch, are/will there be reservations? Or is it just seat yourself as it appears this is more of a quick-serve restaurant?

I am planning to call the restaurant tomorrow to check, but I am thinking more of the latter.

Quote from: 74/171FAN on July 26, 2022, 09:32:57 PM

Quote from: CanesFan27 on July 26, 2022, 08:27:10 PM
For those of us that will not be going to the Sheetz and tour before lunch, are/will there be reservations? Or is it just seat yourself as it appears this is more of a quick-serve restaurant?

I am planning to call the restaurant tomorrow to check, but I am thinking more of the latter.

The restaurant does not take reservations, but the person I talked to told me that they are not super busy at 11:30 so I think it will be a nonissue.  I checked the Google Reviews, and it does look like we just order at the counter like a Smithfield's Chicken-N-BBQ.

Confirmed, you order at the counter and then sit down.

Though my time at the meet was abbreviated, I enjoyed my first meet in nearly 11 years*.  Thank you Mark for hosting!  Flickr album with some photos from the meet (I-885 and the stop at the can opener bridge) can be found at the link below.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/adamontheroad/albums/72177720301012136

I did luck out and get an NC Amtrak crossing over the bridge.

*11 years does not count local meetups, weddings, friends stopping by, or Knightdale kickball games played among other things.