AARoads Forum

As mentioned in the 2020 meets thread, I have been considering holding a Greensboro, NC, area meet. After exploring the area a bit this weekend, I am officially announcing that the meet will go ahead.

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Where: Fisher Park parking area, 300 Fisher Park, Greensboro, NC 27401 (https://goo.gl/maps/xhMnb2XboGdZkgA66)
When: 12:00 EST, November 14, 2020. I will be there by 11:30 at the latest, and we'll try to start the tour no later than 12:15 or so.
How: Please bring and wear a mask at all times you are around other meet attendees. Carpool with other attendees at your own risk. Eat lunch before you come or bring lunch to Fisher Park if you'd like - there will be no lunch meeting beforehand. Use common sense in terms of your state's travel restrictions.

MEET ITINERARY AS OF OCTOBER 14 (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SBKjJeckRz946ytbbPDWP2YOD-PH3oYR/view?usp=sharing)

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I have a rough itinerary put together already, but will be fine-tuning it and releasing it later. For now, I just want to gauge interest. Potential sights include:

• The newest completed sections of I-73 and I-840 in and north of Greensboro.
• Construction progress on the final segments of I-840 on the north side of Greensboro.
• The US 64 bypass of Asheboro, scheduled to be completed in September. (This will probably be optional, since Asheboro is a solid 25 miles south of Greensboro.)
• The multitude of boulevards and urban interchanges throughout Greensoro.

North Carolina is currently a hotspot for Covid-19, so I think it's safe to assume it will still be an issue in November. Thus, this meet will likely be a bring-your-own-lunch, socially distanced, mask-wearing affair. More details will be determined once the date comes closer.

Please let me know if you have any comments, concerns, questions, or suggestions - this will be my first meet host, so I'd like to make it a good one.

It would be best to avoid Halloween or the Saturday before Thanksgiving.

Add to option list the new section of Future I-74 in Winston-Salem, which is 20 miles west of Greensboro.

I'm very interested as long as I can swing it.  I voted for November 14 because it's far enough away to be a good buffer after a long-distance road meet I'm attending a month before this (Kansas City) and because it's still early enough in November that the likelihood of winter weather affecting my travel will be low.  If this meet happens on November 7 or 21, I might still be able to make it despite them not being my first choice, but if October 31 happens to be the date, I probably won't be able to make it.

Interest but no preference, for now.

I’m cautiously interested. This would give me a chance to clinch US 311, and I haven’t explored Greensboro itself since high school. Under normal circumstances I’d recommend Elizabeth’s Pizza, but that’s obviously moot for now so Sheetz it likely is.

I can’t remember much of interest road-wise that was there 20 years ago, but I distinctly remember some signage remnants of US 421’s old alignment of Market Street in the Colfax area. Greenout and such. I’d be surprised if it’s still there.

ETA: The Goog shows a “421 Market & Grill” in the area to this day, but that’s it. The exit to Colfax off 421 looks like it’s been completely revamped since I was last there.

any green 40 signage still around?

I'd vote for the first two options, mainly because they're still on daylight time, which means an hour more of daylight for exploring unless you want to move the start time up an hour for the last two options.

Quote from: Takumi on July 21, 2020, 09:46:16 PM
any green 40 signage still around?

Not that I know of in Greensboro - but my experience isn't definitive. There are still plenty of Green 40 shields in Winston-Salem, seeing as it was only decommissioned earlier this year. From what I can tell, all references to NC 6 were removed a few years ago as well. Since that's in the vicinity of I-40, I'd wager there's not anything left of Green 40 either.

As far as other sights in the rest of the triad go, there's probably enough of note to hold a completely separate meet only for Winston-Salem. However, this meet will just deal with Greensboro (and maybe Asheboro), just to keep it simple. I'll probably include a quick overview of sights to be seen in Winston-Salem and High Point with the meet itinerary just in case people want to tour those on their own time before or after.

Quote from: csw on July 26, 2020, 07:16:06 PM
As far as other sights in the rest of the triad go, there's probably enough of note to hold a completely separate meet only for Winston-Salem. However, this meet will just deal with Greensboro (and maybe Asheboro), just to keep it simple.

Simple is good!

Quote from: csw on July 26, 2020, 07:16:06 PM

Quote from: Takumi on July 21, 2020, 09:46:16 PM
any green 40 signage still around?

Not that I know of in Greensboro - but my experience isn't definitive. There are still plenty of Green 40 shields in Winston-Salem, seeing as it was only decommissioned earlier this year. From what I can tell, all references to NC 6 were removed a few years ago as well. Since that's in the vicinity of I-40, I'd wager there's not anything left of Green 40 either.

As far as other sights in the rest of the triad go, there's probably enough of note to hold a completely separate meet only for Winston-Salem. However, this meet will just deal with Greensboro (and maybe Asheboro), just to keep it simple. I'll probably include a quick overview of sights to be seen in Winston-Salem and High Point with the meet itinerary just in case people want to tour those on their own time before or after.

Yeah, I meant the Forsyth one. I figure it's all long gone from Greensboro. Sometimes I forget it was even there in the first place!

Quote from: Alps on July 21, 2020, 05:35:09 PM
Interest but no preference, for now.

Upgraded to definite attendance assuming this is still happening. When can we pick a weekend?

I was hoping a few more votes would trickle in but it seems we have a winner - November 14th. Go ahead and mark that date on your calendar.

I've been working on the itinerary and will hopefully have it up in a few weeks. As of now it looks like maybe a 2-3 hour tour, so there would be enough time for people to head over to Winston-Salem, check out more of Greensboro, or head home early afterwards.

I am interested.  I will not say definite until October at the earliest though.

Quote from: csw on August 20, 2020, 11:27:29 AM
I was hoping a few more votes would trickle in but it seems we have a winner - November 14th. Go ahead and mark that date on your calendar.

I've been working on the itinerary and will hopefully have it up in a few weeks. As of now it looks like maybe a 2-3 hour tour, so there would be enough time for people to head over to Winston-Salem, check out more of Greensboro, or head home early afterwards.

I suggest making it more of a 3-4 hour tour, but do as you please.

Not saying I'm definitely in yet, as my new job still encompasses weekends, but probably.

I'm going to try to make this one.

I will throw my hat into the ring as a maybe. It depends on whether my wife has off that weekend.

I'm officially in. I'm going to stay with a retired NCHP trooper friend of mine in Cary NC. I might even convince him to come along.

Quote from: mattpedersen on September 07, 2020, 12:07:59 PM
I'm officially in. I'm going to stay with a retired NCHP trooper friend of mine in Cary NC. I might even convince him to come along.

As long as you don't bring any active ones. ;-)

I'm out.  That will be the end of the week that I will be visiting my family in KY and TN.

The first section of the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway opened last Saturday if anyone is interested.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-09-04-winston-salem-northern-beltway-opens.aspx (https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-09-04-winston-salem-northern-beltway-opens.aspx)

Quote from: LM117 on September 09, 2020, 03:06:17 AM
The first section of the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway opened last Saturday if anyone is interested.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-09-04-winston-salem-northern-beltway-opens.aspx (https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-09-04-winston-salem-northern-beltway-opens.aspx)

I was already planning to drive it myself if I come.

Still unknown, but within a reasonable notice for me to request the day/weekend off.

I'll be in attendance.

I am 90% sure that I will be in attendance.

Time for an update.

I made my last trip down to Greensboro on Saturday to check things out. This will be more of a "see-as-you-go" meet than a "stop-and-see" meet since a large portion of the itinerary is driving new roads and experiencing Greensboro's many funky boulevards. The few active construction projects or old alignments aren't very stop-friendly (i.e. minimal parking or access), so the two stops will be more historical sights than road-related sights.

I didn't make it down to Asheboro, but I don't think the bypass is open yet - the NCDOT site claims it will be done in September, but they are running out of time to make that a reality. It looks like the finish date has been pushed back before, so that may or may not end up being included in the meet.

I'll try to get the itinerary polished and posted in the next week or two. I will be pretty busy in the weeks leading up to the meet, so I may be slow to respond to any questions.

Quote from: csw on September 27, 2020, 10:54:01 PM
Time for an update.

I made my last trip down to Greensboro on Saturday to check things out. This will be more of a "see-as-you-go" meet than a "stop-and-see" meet since a large portion of the itinerary is driving new roads and experiencing Greensboro's many funky boulevards. The few active construction projects or old alignments aren't very stop-friendly (i.e. minimal parking or access), so the two stops will be more historical sights than road-related sights.

I didn't make it down to Asheboro, but I don't think the bypass is open yet - the NCDOT site claims it will be done in September, but they are running out of time to make that a reality. It looks like the finish date has been pushed back before, so that may or may not end up being included in the meet.

I'll try to get the itinerary polished and posted in the next week or two. I will be pretty busy in the weeks leading up to the meet, so I may be slow to respond to any questions.

I'd like to help with a draft version of the itinerary. As a veteran meet host, I can perhaps find a couple of places to stop, even if just for an overview of the construction site as opposed to walking into it, and make sure the time works out properly.

I maaay be able to do this as a day trip from Atlanta.

Consider me interested. Will probably be a week-of decision.

One month away from the meet date! Here is the draft itinerary. Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions.

Written itinerary (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SBKjJeckRz946ytbbPDWP2YOD-PH3oYR/view?usp=sharing)
Map of tour (https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=13PQwSROkKJk4Xx2vk-SeIUjFibqLTQ86&usp=sharing)

As of now, the Asheboro bypass is not open. If it is open by November 14, I will add an optional Asheboro leg onto the tour. If not, we will either just stay in Greensboro or head down to Asheboro to try and get a peek at the construction anyways. I think that will be a game-time decision but I'm open to comments on what to do with that.

I'm thinking the tour will take about 3-3.5 hours, so we'll probably try to get started by 1:00pm at the latest. I'll decide an official start time later.

Looks like we have about 4 confirmed and 4 more undecided so far. There's no pre-meet restaurant meeting so I'm not too concerned with final numbers, but if you're on the fence, please let me know one way or another a couple days before the meet.

Quote from: csw on October 14, 2020, 05:22:43 PM
One month away from the meet date! Here is the draft itinerary. Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions.

Written itinerary (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SBKjJeckRz946ytbbPDWP2YOD-PH3oYR/view?usp=sharing)
Map of tour (https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=13PQwSROkKJk4Xx2vk-SeIUjFibqLTQ86&usp=sharing)

As of now, the Asheboro bypass is not open. If it is open by November 14, I will add an optional Asheboro leg onto the tour. If not, we will either just stay in Greensboro or head down to Asheboro to try and get a peek at the construction anyways. I think that will be a game-time decision but I'm open to comments on what to do with that.

I'm thinking the tour will take about 3-3.5 hours, so we'll probably try to get started by 1:00pm at the latest. I'll decide an official start time later.

Looks like we have about 4 confirmed and 4 more undecided so far. There's no pre-meet restaurant meeting so I'm not too concerned with final numbers, but if you're on the fence, please let me know one way or another a couple days before the meet.

I plan to stay the night on the south side of Charlotte to clinch NC 16 on my way home, so Asheboro works fine for me.

Will know in a couple weeks whether I can make it. So far, I haven't had a Saturday off since starting my current job (Saturdays are typically busy for those auto shops that are open) but i might get my first one off then.

I plan on being there.

A miscalculation in my original plan has me ending up at greensboro at 2 unless I do some night driving. Not sure which leg of the trip I'll sacrifice the scenery yet.

Just saw this, and I'm interested. We'll see.

I'm out.

Unfortunately I'll no longer be able to attend.

The US 64 Asheboro Bypass completion date is now sometime in December 2020.

https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us-64-asheboro/Pages/default.aspx

Meet attendees might be able to view the unopened bypass in conjunction with the meet, even if it's not on the meet itinerary. However, I'll need to go there in December (or whenever the bypass is fully opened to traffic), to re-clinch US 64 after having clinched the route from end to end as one of my projects this summer. I'm disinclined to make an extra North Carolina visit for the meet.

What time will the meet be? 12?

Yep I think we'll try to get started at 12 so we have enough daylight. The weather on Saturday looks good for now but there's a possibility we get some rain - hopefully not too much.

I think we will make a game-time decision on Asheboro - if we get to the last stop in Greensboro and folks want to continue on to Asheboro (and there's enough light), we can do that. If not, we can wrap up in Greensboro.

I'll update the OP with the meet time and location.

I should be in for this as of today.

I'm out. My governor (Larry Hogan) has banned non essential travel to most states outside the NE corridor and the west coast. North Carolina is on the ban list, so if I went, I would have to quarantine 14 days and get tested. I started a new job, so I can't afford to do that, because I did something not allowed by lawful order, I would probably get terminated. I'm not happy, obviously.

Quote from: mattpedersen on November 10, 2020, 06:09:15 PM
I'm out. My governor (Larry Hogan) has banned non essential travel to most states outside the NE corridor and the west coast. North Carolina is on the ban list, so if I went, I would have to quarantine 14 days and get tested. I started a new job, so I can't afford to do that, because I did something not allowed by lawful order, I would probably get terminated. I'm not happy, obviously.

Source? Every report I am seeing is saying that Maryland only has an unenforceable advisory, so it's entirely up to your own judgment.

Quote from: Duke87 on November 10, 2020, 08:32:27 PM

Quote from: mattpedersen on November 10, 2020, 06:09:15 PM
I'm out. My governor (Larry Hogan) has banned non essential travel to most states outside the NE corridor and the west coast. North Carolina is on the ban list, so if I went, I would have to quarantine 14 days and get tested. I started a new job, so I can't afford to do that, because I did something not allowed by lawful order, I would probably get terminated. I'm not happy, obviously.

Source? Every report I am seeing is saying that Maryland only has an unenforceable advisory, so it's entirely up to your own judgment.

Right.  My understanding of the order (https://phpa.health.maryland.gov/Documents/2020.11.10.01_MDH_Order_Amended_Various_Health_Care_Matters_Order_Hospital_Surge.pdf) is that it is "strongly advised" to do quarantine and be tested.  PA is pretty much the same way. (https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Travelers.aspx)

Quote from: mattpedersen on November 10, 2020, 06:09:15 PM
I'm out. My governor (Larry Hogan) has banned non essential travel to most states outside the NE corridor and the west coast. North Carolina is on the ban list, so if I went, I would have to quarantine 14 days and get tested. I started a new job, so I can't afford to do that, because I did something not allowed by lawful order, I would probably get terminated. I'm not happy, obviously.

Ugh... that's a bummer, Matt.  :(

I'm very much looking forward to this meet, as well as my trip down and back.  I'll be taking a leisurely (and safe) drive down and back... leaving home tomorrow (Wednesday) evening.  I'll stay in Fort Wayne IN Wednesday evening and Charleston WV Thursday evening before arriving in Greensboro sometime on Friday afternoon.  I'll stay in Greensboro from Friday afternoon through Sunday morning.  My overnight stop Sunday on my way home to Michigan will be in Huntington WV, and I'll be home sometime Monday late afternoon or early evening.

I'm looking forward to exploring an area of North Carolina that I've never been to before... plus I'll have time to explore Charleston and Huntington.  I haven't fully decided on my routes to and from Greensboro, but I am leaning toward the most direct routes possible, with the exception of possibly veering off the Interstates but not too far.  This will not be a trip where I will maximize the number of counties I collect or new highway mileage, although I will of course accomplish a bit of those things.  My main focus will be on exploring these three cities in some depth.

Well, as of this moment, I think I am in.  My plan is to work a half-day tomorrow (Thursday), drive some of the way (perhaps to Muncie IN), overnight, then amble and ramble via unexplainable zig-zag to a Friday overnight at (maybe) Beckley WV, direct route to the meet Saturday AM, and directly back to (Beckley?) afterward, then a long-haul one day trip home. 

Mr, Murphy might have other plans for me.

Quote from: 74/171FAN on November 10, 2020, 09:12:11 PM

Quote from: Duke87 on November 10, 2020, 08:32:27 PM

Quote from: mattpedersen on November 10, 2020, 06:09:15 PM
I'm out. My governor (Larry Hogan) has banned non essential travel to most states outside the NE corridor and the west coast. North Carolina is on the ban list, so if I went, I would have to quarantine 14 days and get tested. I started a new job, so I can't afford to do that, because I did something not allowed by lawful order, I would probably get terminated. I'm not happy, obviously.

Source? Every report I am seeing is saying that Maryland only has an unenforceable advisory, so it's entirely up to your own judgment.

Right.  My understanding of the order (https://phpa.health.maryland.gov/Documents/2020.11.10.01_MDH_Order_Amended_Various_Health_Care_Matters_Order_Hospital_Surge.pdf) is that it is "strongly advised" to do quarantine and be tested.  PA is pretty much the same way. (https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Travelers.aspx)

No one would have to know that you went. We had a meet several years ago where one of the attendees called in sick to work so he could attend. He stayed out of the meet photo and AFAIK, his employer never found out.

Not everything has to be announced to the world. If you want to go, go, and don't tell anyone.

Quote from: brianreynolds on November 11, 2020, 07:12:09 PM
Well, as of this moment, I think I am in.

I'm glad to hear this!!  It will be good to see you there, Brian.

Thanks to everyone that came out. We had a beautiful day to explore Greensboro and all its freeways and boulevards. Hope everyone makes/made it home safely!

Quote from: csw on November 15, 2020, 07:41:25 AM
Thanks to everyone that came out. We had a beautiful day to explore Greensboro and all its freeways and boulevards. Hope everyone makes/made it home safely!

Thank you again for hosting this meet!  Yes... it was a beautiful day and you did a nice job hosting/organizing the meet.  It was very enjoyable.

Quote from: csw on November 15, 2020, 07:41:25 AM
Thanks to everyone that came out. We had a beautiful day to explore Greensboro and all its freeways and boulevards. Hope everyone makes/made it home safely!

Well, our thanks right back at ya!  The location/route/documentation were all first rate.  A success by all standards. 

If you are inspired to host again, your fine efforts this time will inspire bigger attendance next time.  Well done.

Here's my meet group photo, with part of the u/c I-840 extension in the background:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alaskaroads.com%2FGreensboro-minimeet-group-DSC_3198.jpg&hash=139a60dfdb7dc0a1828fac6c396b4e296256c121)

From left to right: Oscar, Chris (?), Mark, Brian, Steve (in front of Brian), A.J., Collin (meet host), Cody.

I especially enjoyed taking Bryan Blvd. and Benjamin Pkwy. into downtown Greensboro, which I had managed to miss (except the part of Bryan Blvd. absorbed into I-73) on previous visits to Greensboro.

The day before the meet, I took a peek at the construction of the new I-885 in Durham. On Saturday before and after the meet, I went off the Interstates north of Greensboro, largely on NC 87 and NC 89 (clinching the latter) between Burlington and Mt. Airy. I wound up making a last-minute hotel reservation in Mt. Airy, instead of trying to do all of the six-hour drive back home on Saturday evening. I got back home Sunday evening. 

Quote from: oscar on November 04, 2020, 11:47:34 AM
The US 64 Asheboro Bypass completion date is now sometime in December 2020.

https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us-64-asheboro/Pages/default.aspx

However, I'll need to go there in December (or whenever the bypass is fully opened to traffic), to re-clinch US 64 after having clinched the route from end to end as one of my projects this summer.

It opened yesterday, if you're still interested.

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-12-18-asheboro-bypass-opens.aspx (https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2020/2020-12-18-asheboro-bypass-opens.aspx)

Wish I could have been a part of this one. Greensboro has a lot going on for a city it's size.