2018 Road Meets

[cl94]

As of right now, the only meet outside the northeast I'm likely to attend this year is one that is still in the planning stages (and I'm not going to provide details/location because I'm not the organizer). I'd love to see the cool stuff going on elsewhere, but the cross country trip I'm planning in August to visit national parks and clinch I-70/I-90 won't be cheap.

That being said, the lists of potential places to visit on these meets will give me a ton of places I could stop/drive through on my long road trips next year, so keep them coming (especially if any of the sites are near I-70, I-5, or I-90. 

[hbelkins]

As of right now, the only meet outside the northeast I'm likely to attend this year is one that is still in the planning stages (and I'm not going to provide details/location because I'm not the organizer).

C'mon, spill the beans -- privately, if you prefer. I'm not to the point where I can attend a whole lot of meets, so I want to budget my trips judiciously to get the maximum bang for the buck (US/interstate route clinches, new counties).

Plus my brother is trying to nag me into going out west with him sometime. I'll have to save enough vacation days to drive out and back, since I don't fly, and that will impact the number of meets I can attend that will require travel on Fridays and Mondays (and possibly Thursdays as well). If all my illnesses this year hadn't eaten up all my accrued vacation time I'd be in a lot better shape.

[vdeane]

I'm interested in attending Hampton Roads, though it seems like everything is targeting the early part of the year.  Between CSVT and my trip to Florida next May, I think it's safe to say that I'm not attending any other meet requiring a hotel stay in that timeframe.  Fall would be preferable.

[US71]

Not a road meet pre-se, but the World Route 66 Festival will be in Shamrock, Texas  July 12-15

http://www.shamrock2018.com

[JMoses24]

Not at all sure if/when I'll be able to host a Cincy meet in '18 with a relocation looming to Oklahoma City. That said, I could be talked into something in the new home area once I get the lay of the land.

[hbelkins]

Will there be a St. Louis-area meet again next year?

[dgolub]

I'm interested in attending Hampton Roads, though it seems like everything is targeting the early part of the year.  Between CSVT and my trip to Florida next May, I think it's safe to say that I'm not attending any other meet requiring a hotel stay in that timeframe.  Fall would be preferable.

Also interested in Hampton Roads.  Never been to that part of Virginia.  Could also be an excuse to clinch the CBBT.

[cl94]

I'm interested in attending Hampton Roads, though it seems like everything is targeting the early part of the year.  Between CSVT and my trip to Florida next May, I think it's safe to say that I'm not attending any other meet requiring a hotel stay in that timeframe.  Fall would be preferable.

Also interested in Hampton Roads.  Never been to that part of Virginia.  Could also be an excuse to clinch the CBBT.

I'm using Louisiana as an excuse to clinch the CBBT (and US 13, for that matter). That thing has somehow never made it into a family trip.

[hbelkins]

I'd use a Hampton Roads meet trip as an excuse to clinch US 360, and possibly US 501 in Virginia.

[Beltway]

I'd use a Hampton Roads meet trip as an excuse to clinch US 360, and possibly US 501 in Virginia.

That is at least 3 people that have expressed interest in my proposal.  I will see what I can do ... is winter generally considered infeasible?  Maybe I should propose a few dates starting in March?

I did coordinate the I-295/I-64 Flyover Project meeting in 2007, and it wasn't difficult to do.

[cl94]

I'd use a Hampton Roads meet trip as an excuse to clinch US 360, and possibly US 501 in Virginia.

That is at least 3 people that have expressed interest in my proposal.  I will see what I can do ... is winter generally considered infeasible?  Maybe I should propose a few dates starting in March?

I did coordinate the I-295/I-64 Flyover Project meeting in 2007, and it wasn't difficult to do.

If you were to hold this thing in the fall, I'd definitely consider attending. I have never been to the Hampton Roads area and have no problem blowing tolls to clinch stuff. The meets this year all seem to be in the late winter and spring, which will prevent the people who are willing to travel long distances to meets from attending multiple.

[74/171FAN]

I'd use a Hampton Roads meet trip as an excuse to clinch US 360, and possibly US 501 in Virginia.

That is at least 3 people that have expressed interest in my proposal.  I will see what I can do ... is winter generally considered infeasible?  Maybe I should propose a few dates starting in March?

I did coordinate the I-295/I-64 Flyover Project meeting in 2007, and it wasn't difficult to do.

I already have a set weekend in April to go see my parents for their 40th anniversary.  So I would prefer later in the year as well.

[hbelkins]

I'd use a Hampton Roads meet trip as an excuse to clinch US 360, and possibly US 501 in Virginia.

That is at least 3 people that have expressed interest in my proposal.  I will see what I can do ... is winter generally considered infeasible?  Maybe I should propose a few dates starting in March?

Winter weather is so unpredictable. I'd recommend starting your search for dates in March.

[Beltway]

I'd use a Hampton Roads meet trip as an excuse to clinch US 360, and possibly US 501 in Virginia.

That is at least 3 people that have expressed interest in my proposal.  I will see what I can do ... is winter generally considered infeasible?  Maybe I should propose a few dates starting in March?

Winter weather is so unpredictable. I'd recommend starting your search for dates in March.

As a tentative proposal, how does one of these Saturday dates sound?
March 3
March 10
March 31

Since Adam F. recently lived in this area for several years, and could also help directing the road trips, I would put priority on a date when he could participate.  Also H.B., considering the distance traveled and the fact that he has attended so many meets in the past.

Again --
South Hampton Roads VA road meet, recently completed projects
-- Elizabeth River Tunnels project, new Midtown Tunnel, rehabbed existing tunnels, MLK Freeway Extension
-- Dominion Boulevard project, freeway upgrade and high-level bridge
-- Gilmerton Bridge project, replacement with high-level lift span bridge
-- Jordan Bridge, replacement with high-level bridge

-- Early construction on I-64 widening and new high-level bridge over Elizabeth River Southern Branch

Probably will look for a restaurant within a mile or so of the I-64/I-464 junction.

[A.J. Bertin]

As a tentative proposal, how does one of these Saturday dates sound?
March 3
March 10
March 31

Later is better (given the possibility of winter weather), so I'd pick March 31. However, I've also got my heart set on the Louisiana meet. The problem is that the Louisiana meet is also supposed to be happening in March. I wish I could attend both of these meets, but living in Michigan, it's doubtful that I would go to both Virginia and Louisiana meets in the same month - although I think the Louisiana meet might be happening on March 17. A two-week spacing between these meets might be feasible for me.

[froggie]

Since Adam F. recently lived in this area for several years, and could also help directing the road trips, I would put priority on a date when he could participate.

If this is the intention, then March 10 is definitely out as I have a conference that weekend.  That said, between the distance (12-13 hours) and the question mark of my job prospects come next month (when I graduate), I'm not sure if I'd make it down for a Hampton Roads meet.  We shall see.

Probably will look for a restaurant within a mile or so of the I-64/I-464 junction.

The 2014 meet lunch was at Kelly's Tavern on Greenbrier just south of 64.  Wasn't a bad spot.

[jpi]

If this meet does take place in March then I am out, I have a toy show every weekend scheduled and plan to do the Louisiana road meet too. I have been to the Hampton Roads\ Norfolk region many times over the years so not too big of a deal for me but I am always open to a road meet there if my schedule permits.

[dgolub]

As a tentative proposal, how does one of these Saturday dates sound?
March 3
March 10
March 31

Later is better (given the possibility of winter weather), so I'd pick March 31. However, I've also got my heart set on the Louisiana meet. The problem is that the Louisiana meet is also supposed to be happening in March. I wish I could attend both of these meets, but living in Michigan, it's doubtful that I would go to both Virginia and Louisiana meets in the same month - although I think the Louisiana meet might be happening on March 17. A two-week spacing between these meets might be feasible for me.

Agreed.  You can still get snow in March, which if it's bad could make the roads no longer passable, especially for those of us coming from further north.  (On the other hand, doing the 2015 Scranton Road Meet in the snow was rather fun, but there might have been no meet at all if we had had more snow than we did the day before.)

[Beltway]

Since Adam F. recently lived in this area for several years, and could also help directing the road trips, I would put priority on a date when he could participate.

If this is the intention, then March 10 is definitely out as I have a conference that weekend.  That said, between the distance (12-13 hours) and the question mark of my job prospects come next month (when I graduate), I'm not sure if I'd make it down for a Hampton Roads meet.  We shall see.

I'll just have to see what kind of interest there is for the various dates, before I decide what to do.

I didn't realize it was that far, but now I see on Google Maps that it is about 650 miles.

[froggie]

You can still get snow in March, which if it's bad could make the roads no longer passable, especially for those of us coming from further north.

Not really.  March snow that's beyond a dusting is uncommon in Norfolk, and rare by the end of the month.  And there have been NUMEROUS years where there was no March snow at all.

I didn't realize it was that far, but now I see on Google Maps that it is about 650 miles.

Most direct route from here is about 700 miles.

[hbelkins]

Since Adam F. recently lived in this area for several years, and could also help directing the road trips, I would put priority on a date when he could participate.  Also H.B., considering the distance traveled and the fact that he has attended so many meets in the past.

Don't schedule the meet around my availability. I would like to attend the Louisiana meet, but if it's in close proximity to a Hampton Roads meet, I'd have to pick between the two. Plus, a Louisiana meet would easily eat up six days for me (two days down, two days for the meet, and two days back) while a Hampton Roads meet would be much closer (a day and a half, given the route clinching that I would want to do on the way there, and I could easily make it back home in a day but would probably take two days to travel at a more leisurely pace).

I see that some have expressed a preference for a date later in the year, which would be OK with me. Once the schedule gets set, people will pick and choose which meets they wish to attend.

I still have in mind to do a small Portsmouth, Ohio meet, but can schedule that around whatever else that's bigger gets organized. Since Portsmouth is so close to where I live, I could put that together pretty easily, having already done some preliminary scouting.

[dgolub]

You can still get snow in March, which if it's bad could make the roads no longer passable, especially for those of us coming from further north.

Not really.  March snow that's beyond a dusting is uncommon in Norfolk, and rare by the end of the month.  And there have been NUMEROUS years where there was no March snow at all.

Sure, but for those of us coming for further north, we can still get snow at that point and may be unable to get there.

[A.J. Bertin]

Based on this discussion so far, here's what I see as a list of possible meets for 2018:

-La Crosse, Wisconsin
-Central Susquehanna Valley (PA)
-Fairbanks/Dalton Highway (AK)
-Louisiana
-Huntsville, Alabama
-Portsmouth, Ohio
-Northeastern Minnesota
-Arkansas?
-South Hampton Roads (VA)
-Northeastern Wisconsin (I-41)

Other ideas have been tossed around, but these are the ones that sound like they have a possibility of happening. Am I missing ideas that have been shared that are a significant possibility? I figured putting all these ideas into one list might be helpful.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

After thinking about it I'm dropping any NE Minnesota meet for next year. Maybe 2019 if I'm still in the area.

[Desert Man]

What? No West coast road "geek" meetup? I'm in southern CA and would it be great to a meetup in California or the western USA (anywhere west of the 100th meridian-or farther east to Kansas City, MO/KS). In fact, we need a 1000-person meetup in the middle of the USA or North America, so we all can meet up from east, west, north and south regions. And I figured out Kansas City will be perfect, close to the center of the mainland USA.