2024 National Road Meet - New Orleans, LA (February 17-18, 2024)

[Rothman]

Or...stay in a hotel in the city and walk...

[roadwaywiz95]

As we approach two months before the meet weekend, I've got some updates on the particulars of Day 1 (2/17/24) to share with you folks. Important details for Day 1, induding a schedule for the day, are listed below and are reproduced in the introductory post at the top of this thread:

10:00 AM - Coffee/"Meet & Greet" at Cafe du Monde, 4700 Veterans Blvd, Metairie, LA 70002
10:45 AM - Relocate all vehicles to Target parking lot, a short distance east on Veterans across from Clearview Pkwy
11:00 AM - Commence Day 1 driving tour from the Target parking lot
Meet Lunch/"Half Time" @ New Orleans Hamburger & Seafood Co., 12000 I-10 Service Road, New Orleans, LA 70128 (***This stop will be included in the driving tour notes/itinerary***)
Optional Post-Meet Dinner @ Middendorf's, 30160 Old US 51, Akers, LA 70421

An additional reminder that links to the Facebook Event pages for both days can be found at the links below. Please follow and RSVP accordingly.
DAY 1 Facebook Event Page:
https://fb.me/e/1iuM5fXTG
DAY 2 Facebook Event Page:
https://fb.me/e/17d2AtbBh

I'll have more updates to pass along in the next couple weeks, including a similar outline/timeline for Day 2 of the meet for those interested. Enjoy your holidays, everyone!

[Brandon]

^^ You may want to make all times Central due to New Orleans's location.

[roadwaywiz95]

With us two months away (to the day) from meet weekend in New Orleans, here's a reset where things stand for the weekend:

I have updated the post at the front of this thread with all pertinent information you'll need as far as the weekend is concerned, so please refer to that post to make sure you have all the updated information. You may also refer to the Facebook pages for the weekend, which contain the same information on a per-day basis; the links to those pages are included at the links below. The daily schedules, meeting locations, and itineraries for each day are pretty much set in stone at this point. This way, folks can take a look at what the plan is and decide if this is something they feel is worthwhile. The only thing I'm still chasing and looking to add at this point is a "Welcome" dinner on the Friday before (2/16) at a location TBD - I'll have an update on that when I've figured that part out.

We don't have nearly enough Road Meets in this part of the country, so I'm hoping a lot of you southerners come out for this one - and hopefully some new faces as well!

Link to DAY 1 Facebook Event Page:
https://fb.me/e/1iuM5fXTG

Link to DAY 2 Facebook Event Page:
https://fb.me/e/17d2AtbBh

[roadwaywiz95]

A meet-related webinar for you folks to check out this weekend:

This weekend will feature a special "Meet Preview" *live* webinar that will profile the New Orleans, LA metro area in preparation for the road meet that will be held there in February. This presentation will be hosted by yours truly and will feature contributions from folks across the AARoads Forum spectrum.

This presentation will be broadcast *live* on the 'roadwaywiz' YouTube channel on New Years Eve, Sunday, 12/31 at 3 PM ET. Whether you're on the fence about attending the meet, or are already looking forward to it, we hope that this will give you folks a good idea of what to expect and what to look for during your visit. We may also have some time for a *live* Q&A session regarding the meet itself if there is demand for it.

[Rothman]

Bought our flight tickets yesterday.  We'll be attending one of the days of the meet, but other plans yet to solidify will dictate which one. 

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Unfortunately my manager is taking vacation at this time, so attending will no longer be an option.

[cjk374]

Unfortunately my manager is taking vacation at this time, so attending will no longer be an option.

This sux! So far I'm still planning on attending.

[roadwaywiz95]

Doing a quick post here to summarize all of the New Orleans-related media my friends and I have put together over the last couple months as part of the lead-up to the meet next month. I certainly hope you've enjoyed our content and I look forward to seeing you folks down there next month!

"Gribblenation Roadcast" on Spotify:

Just Passing Through #045: Previewing the New Orleans National Road Meet (February 17-18, 2024)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3epmye1adugGbK0WKgi7iK?si=a784e11add0a4f35

Just Passing Through #033: Greater New Orleans Roads Talk, Part I
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1dF8WckHQ1O7u12Ba6UkQT?si=8FS756SKQV2H_2VNj-nm8g

Just Passing Through #034: Greater New Orleans Roads Talk, Part II
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tzmZk4S36ZV43V8G4OFXm?si=5iEJFNUsQm6KdNqus_dHzQ

Just Passing Through #035: Greater New Orleans Roads Talk, Part III
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7hGAJhUxHoTJrOwsxzLMcA?si=kr95kzmRTXqzK4iP5GGs2A

Just Passing Through #036: Hurricane Alley Chronicles
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3OeQrVFZYBCi78ZhuzTSZ0?si=5Rn-7rcaTvmBn27b0C6o-A
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"roadwaywiz" on YouTube:

Bridges of the Lower Mississippi River (Webinar)

Interstate 10 (Lafayette, LA to New Orleans, LA) (Virtual Tour)

The Interstates & Freeways of New Orleans, LA (Webinar)

[okroads]

Confirmed on Facebook, but will also post here that I plan on attending both days. Time off from work has been approved and hotel reservation booked in Metairie. Looking forward to it as I haven't been to N'awlins since January 2009.

[roadwaywiz95]

The provisional itineraries for New Orleans Meet Weekend are complete and available at the links below. These are subject to minor changes between now and mid-February, but I don't expect anything drastic to change off of what's presented here.

Day 1 - February 17
Full Version: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/re22crvnzm24k0u6qxirl/New-Orleans-Road-Meet-DAY-1.docx?rlkey=ae50ii0i6mqps232h5cmkpvkb&dl=0
Printer-Friendly Version: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5o3jzch8fpmlv2ywftjwi/New-Orleans-Road-Meet-DAY-1-Printer-Friendly.docx?rlkey=pn9rb7qp9sfjuzswzdkqr2y6t&dl=0

Day 2 - February 18
Pre-Meet Tour Full Version: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hxwdf5tepdq5k406ni5bq/New-Orleans-Road-Meet-DAY-2-Pre-Meet.docx?rlkey=msfoie1fodl3lhme195j6f660&dl=0
Pre-Meet Tour Printer-Friendly Version: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/u5teu3eay7lvw9qkvf5y3/New-Orleans-Road-Meet-DAY-2-Pre-Meet-Printer-Friendly.docx?rlkey=kw3i0pdz77woc472m1z4a81wh&dl=0
Full Version: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/qx7t5mohxuindt389vz7l/New-Orleans-Road-Meet-DAY-2.docx?rlkey=0l0ra9nxek32t3c6ez0omrvxj&dl=0
Printer-Friendly Version: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/s1vergqaxj2s56rz1f7h1/New-Orleans-Road-Meet-DAY-2-Printer-Friendly.docx?rlkey=rv502l43u18tpw6xvkt6pbnmp&dl=0

[Rothman]

Looking forward to it with my +1 (Day 1, anyway).  Thanks!

[Great Lakes Roads]

Looking forward to both days!

[Nikolai]

The provisional itineraries for New Orleans Meet Weekend are complete and available at the links below. These are subject to minor changes between now and mid-February, but I don't expect anything drastic to change off of what's presented here.

The New Orleans Hamburger & Seafood Co. location on the day 1 itinerary for lunch appears to have closed.

[SSOWorld]

https://nohsc.com/locations/

Looks to be missing.

[roadwaywiz95]

The provisional itineraries for New Orleans Meet Weekend are complete and available at the links below. These are subject to minor changes between now and mid-February, but I don't expect anything drastic to change off of what's presented here.

The New Orleans Hamburger & Seafood Co. location on the day 1 itinerary for lunch appears to have closed.

Yep, so this is something that was brought to my attention a few days ago and I'm going to be looking at other options in the days ahead. I think there are decent alternatives in this same area, but will let you folks know what's been decided.

[74/171FAN]

As of right now, I think I am going to end up backing out of this meet and going to Atlanta instead due to the car being repaired yet again.

Hopefully I will make a final decision Monday.

[jpi]

The provisional itineraries for New Orleans Meet Weekend are complete and available at the links below. These are subject to minor changes between now and mid-February, but I don't expect anything drastic to change off of what's presented here.

The New Orleans Hamburger & Seafood Co. location on the day 1 itinerary for lunch appears to have closed.

Based on the pic it looked like an old Shoneys

[74/171FAN]

As of right now, I think I am going to end up backing out of this meet and going to Atlanta instead due to the car being repaired yet again.

Hopefully I will make a final decision Monday.

Looks like my final decision will be Friday.  I really think New Orleans would be a much more interesting meet for me to attend than Atlanta so I want to hold out hope.

[jasonh300]

Based on the pic it looked like an old Shoneys

Pre-Katrina, I'm pretty sure it was a Shoney's.  This was an area that had 6 feet of floodwater.  Looking back on Google Streetview, it was a Chinese Buffet for several years, at some point after Katrina. Then New Orleans Hamburger.  But NO Hamburger shut down a bunch of locations last year.  I think they had too many in a saturated market.

[jpi]

Well everyone, I have not confirmed on Facebook yet, I plan to do that later today. 2024  is going to be a VERY interesting year for Steph and I, lots of changes for us are in the works but I am not going to say what at this point however one personal change for me is to get to more road meets this year, I have been averaging one road meet a year for the past 5 years and in some cases that includes ones I hosted like in 2022, I know when this was first announced I mentioned something about Dan paying me 2 grand to go to this road meet since it falls on the weekend of a very busy diecast toy show for me in Dayton, OH, well my side business is now being scaled back and this is one of the changes I am working on for this year, with that said it looks like I will be joining you all in New Orleans next weekend!! 

[Rothman]

Well everyone, I have not confirmed on Facebook yet, I plan to do that later today. 2024  is going to be a VERY interesting year for Steph and I, lots of changes for us are in the works but I am not going to say what at this point however one personal change for me is to get to more road meets this year, I have been averaging one road meet a year for the past 5 years and in some cases that includes ones I hosted like in 2022, I know when this was first announced I mentioned something about Dan paying me 2 grand to go to this road meet since it falls on the weekend of a very busy diecast toy show for me in Dayton, OH, well my side business is now being scaled back and this is one of the changes I am working on for this year, with that said it looks like I will be joining you all in New Orleans next weekend!! 

Whoa...pretty sure diecast toy shows have been your top priority, unless I'm mixing you up with someone else.  Big changes, indeed.

[jpi]

Yes diecast toy shows have been a top priority for me but so is meeting up with friends I have not seen in a few years and the fact that my inventory has been slimmed down in the past year too, I will still be doing shows just not as many as the past 10 years.

[roadwaywiz95]

A few bits of news and info for your reference as we get down to the home stretch:

1. The venue for the Friday evening "Welcome Dinner" has been chosen. Come join me at the Creole House, 509 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130. We'll meet at 6 PM and it should be a great time. Please let me know if you plan on joining us!

1A. For anyone interested in attending the Friday dinner, or simply looking to do some sightseeing in town either before or after the meet, the ferry/streetcar system is a great way to get around without having to deal with the parking situation in town. The Canal Street Ferry is a great way to get into town from Algiers Point and the streetcars along Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue are part of the quintessential New Orleans transitgeeking experience. In any case, please remember that these outfits only accept exact change and DO NOT make change. You CAN however, download the "Le Pass" app from the New Orleans RTA and pay for tickets electronically that way if you want to avoid the loose change headache.

2. As was referenced in a couple other locations already, the lunch location for the Saturday meet tour is no longer a feasible option, so I will be finalizing an alternate location prior to issuing the final version of the itinerary in the next week.

3. I would like to start to get a handle on a more definitive head count for both days of the weekend. A lot of people are listed as "interested" on the Facebook event pages - I'm not sure what that means. When I go to print the final version of the itineraries next week, I'd like to have a ballpark number of copies that will be needed. Your cooperation on this will help ensure that as many people as possible are accomodated.

4. Lastly, since I'm expecting a fair number of 1st time meet attendees, I'll be providing NAMETAGS for your use if you would like one. These are a very simple stickers that have a place for you to write in whatever you'd like to go by. They will be passed out at the start of each day so keep an eye out for those. (Note that this is NOT the same thing as the road meet lanyards, which is a separate item that is still in development at this time.)

That's all I have for now. Questions/comments/insight welcome in the mean time!

[SSOWorld]

Making a proper name tag...



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