Two potential Illinois meets

[Brandon]

I have two Illinois meets in my head right now.  The only decision I need to make is when and which one first.

1. Starved Rock/Illinois Valley.  We would meet at the Starved Rock State Park Lodge.  The lodge was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.  It has a decent restaurant and overnight lodgings for those who choose to stay there overnight.  It also has plenty of free parking for leaving vehicles safely.  The tour itinerary includes, but is not limited to the Starved Rock Lock & Dam, the IL-178 bridge, downtown North Utica, the I-39 Abraham Lincoln Bridge, the IL-351 and IL-251 bridges, the IL-89 bridge, and the AASHO test loop on I-80.

2. Southeast Chicago/Northwest Indiana.  We would meet at the Horseshoe Casino.  They have restaurants and free parking, and are close to where I want to be for the meet.  The tour itinerary includes, but is not limited to the 95th Street Bridge (the bridge Elwood Blues jumped in The Blues Brothers), Stony Island Avenue, a few old signs up near Cornell and Stony Island, part of the Dan Ryan Expressway, the Chicago Skyway with the oasis and the toll plaza (same place), and if there is time, the IN-912 Cline Avenue bridge work.

I just do not want to conflict with others for the dates for these meets.  If anyone has some input or ideas, please feel free to comment.

[getemngo]

Gah, beat me to it!  I was hoping to collect all the (American) ideas we talked about in Flint into one "future Great Lakes area meets" topic.  Maybe I still will...   

But yeah, those both sound great! I would attend either. Illinois Valley sounds better as a change of pace from your typical Illinois meet, but I suspect Southeast Chicago would attract a bigger crowd.

Perhaps a spring/summer thing next year, as we already have St. Louis, Cincinnati, and possibly Appleton in the Midwest this fall/winter.

[Brandon]

Much agreed about next year being a better time for both of these with St Louis, Cincy, and a possible Appleton meet this year.  I'm giving thought to hosting both of them in 2014.  The Illinois Valley meet would be in April/May, and the SE Chicago meet would be in Sept/Oct.

If you want to hold a Lansing, MI meet, Sam, I can help you as I am rather familiar with the area (you mentioned something about one last year).

[A.J. Bertin]

I'm very interested in the Starved Rock/Illinois Valley meet and am somewhat interested in the Southeast Chicago meet. I'll probably want to attend both.

[corco]

Illinois Valley would be a meet I'd make a good push to go to if it were next spring/summer. Southeast Chicago...eh, maybe.

possibly Appleton in the Midwest this fall/winter.

Whoa, there might be an Appleton meet? I'd probably be down this fall/winter to get over there. It'd give me a chance to clinch MSR 200.

[US71]

I have two Illinois meets in my head right now.  The only decision I need to make is when and which one first.

1. Starved Rock/Illinois Valley.  We would meet at the Starved Rock State Park Lodge.  The lodge was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.  It has a decent restaurant and overnight lodgings for those who choose to stay there overnight.  It also has plenty of free parking for leaving vehicles safely.  The tour itinerary includes, but is not limited to the Starved Rock Lock & Dam, the IL-178 bridge, downtown North Utica, the I-39 Abraham Lincoln Bridge, the IL-351 and IL-251 bridges, the IL-89 bridge, and the AASHO test loop on I-80.

2. Southeast Chicago/Northwest Indiana.  We would meet at the Horseshoe Casino.  They have restaurants and free parking, and are close to where I want to be for the meet.  The tour itinerary includes, but is not limited to the 95th Street Bridge (the bridge Elwood Blues jumped in The Blues Brothers), Stony Island Avenue, a few old signs up near Cornell and Stony Island, part of the Dan Ryan Expressway, the Chicago Skyway with the oasis and the toll plaza (same place), and if there is time, the IN-912 Cline Avenue bridge work.

I just do not want to conflict with others for the dates for these meets.  If anyone has some input or ideas, please feel free to comment.

Don't know if I'd have the time, but I'd be interested in both. Be nice to visit some old haunts around Chi-town.

[SSOWorld]

Illinois Valley would be a meet I'd make a good push to go to if it were next spring/summer. Southeast Chicago...eh, maybe.

possibly Appleton in the Midwest this fall/winter.

Whoa, there might be an Appleton meet? I'd probably be down this fall/winter to get over there. It'd give me a chance to clinch MSR 200.

MSR = Multi-State Route

Next year's better indeed.  Even if I got held over in California I could still attend the Fall one - the Spring one if I'm back in WI.

[NE2]

Whoa, there might be an Appleton meet? I'd probably be down this fall/winter to get over there. It'd give me a chance to clinch MSR 200.

MSR = Multi-State Route

corco = Udahoan

[kharvey10]

St. Louis will be late winter-early spring 2014 time frame, the actual date will be announced sometime in December.

[Roadgeek Adam]

I'd be up for the Hammond-SW Chicago meet, just depends where my family is living in 2014.

[getemngo]

possibly Appleton in the Midwest this fall/winter.

Whoa, there might be an Appleton meet? I'd probably be down this fall/winter to get over there. It'd give me a chance to clinch MSR 200.

I don't know. Michael (mgk920) was talking about back at Dubuque in May, and maybe a mention or two on the forums, but nothing in a while. I distinctly remember the word "fall."

If you want to hold a Lansing, MI meet, Sam, I can help you as I am rather familiar with the area (you mentioned something about one last year).

Oh no, a tangent!

Hmm... there was a Lansing meet in December 2008, and I guess there have been a number of changes since then:

• I-96/I-69/M-43 interchange (exit 93) converted from a cloverleaf to 6-ramp parclo
• Okemos Rd. interchange (I-96 exit 110) reconstructed, with eastbound lanes realigned slightly
• M-143 is now signed
• I think US-127 has had some lane reconfigurations, both at the northern interchange with I-496 and the I-96 interchange

...and the last meet didn't explore Old US 27 in or north of town, only south of it. Still, I'm not sure any of these are enough to draw people from other states, and Barry Camp is working on a Grand Haven (M-231) meet. With the way Michigan meets have been going lately, I'd just as soon wait until a year that has absolutely nothing planned here.

[jpi]

I was at the Lansing 08 roadmeet, not sure if I can swing an IL roadmeet in the next year, St Louis is doable for me especailly if it falls on a weekend that the local diecast car collecter club has a swap meet like late last year.

[Brandon]

For the Starved Rock meet, I am thinking of the following dates come next spring: April 26, May 3, and May 17.  I'm leaning toward May 17 myself.  If it conflicts with any other potential meets, please let me know.  I won't send out the invite via here and Facebook until January or February.

[corco]

At this point late March/early April is out for me (GIS conferences, Planning conferences I'd have to attend), but I'd make every attempt to make a meet on any of the dates you propose. May 17th would probably be the best.

[Alps]

For the Starved Rock meet, I am thinking of the following dates come next spring: April 26, May 3, and May 17.  I'm leaning toward May 17 myself.  If it conflicts with any other potential meets, please let me know.  I won't send out the invite via here and Facebook until January or February.

I think you're the first to aim at a specific date for a 2014 meet, so by all means.

[Molandfreak]

I believe I can make the 17th. It looks like that may be able to work for most people.

[hbelkins]

A bit far out for me to commit, but I'd make a reasonable effort to attend on any date selected if it worked out on my end.

[jpi]

I 2nd HB's comment, if I have no diecast toy shows and can get Friday off and finances are good, I am there.

[A.J. Bertin]

St. Louis will be late winter-early spring 2014 time frame, the actual date will be announced sometime in December.

I wanted to attend the St. Louis meet last December but couldn't due to other obligations. I really hope I can make it work this next time.

[SSOWorld]

Too far out - I should be back in that neck of the woods though.