Starved Rock Road Meet - May 17, 2014

[Brandon]

A lot of folks on the Facebook event are concerned about lodging. Just a heads up, Cody says that the Starved Rock Lodge isn't available one of the nights that weekend (he didn't say which).

Me, I'm likely staying somewhere in Indiana on Friday night, and either with Chicago-area friends or driving all the way home on Saturday, so it doesn't apply.

There's some hotels over by LaSalle-Peru (Exit 75) and Ottawa (Exit 90) as well.

[jpi]

I will be staying in Davenport, IA (Quad Cities area) Friday night then clinching what I need on I-80 on my way to Starved Rock. Plan to get LOTS of new counties in IL and IA on this trip. planning a rental car for this trip too.

[SSOWorld]

I'll be staying at my apartment

That is... IF I go.  I've been doing work travel quite regularly and have been needing to stay at home on weekends to mind the cat.  I may have to skip out on this one but I'm not going to make any calls one way or another until close to last minute.

[Alps]

A lot of folks on the Facebook event are concerned about lodging. Just a heads up, Cody says that the Starved Rock Lodge isn't available one of the nights that weekend (he didn't say which).

Me, I'm likely staying somewhere in Indiana on Friday night, and either with Chicago-area friends or driving all the way home on Saturday, so it doesn't apply.

There's some hotels over by LaSalle-Peru (Exit 75) and Ottawa (Exit 90) as well.

Those are where I'm looking to be for the night. If those who are staying over Saturday pick one before I book, I'll join them. If not, I'll coerce them.

[pianocello]

I might be able to make this one. It's definitely close enough, I just don't know if I'll have any conflicts arise.

[SSOWorld]

I'll be staying at my apartment

That is... IF I go.  I've been doing work travel quite regularly and have been needing to stay at home on weekends to mind the cat.  I may have to skip out on this one but I'm not going to make any calls one way or another until close to last minute.

Well, I'm going after all - Heading down the night before and staying in Ottawa after a week in Rockford.  Maybe I'll clinch I-55 while I'm at it

[Brandon]

OK, I have made the reservation.  It's a half hour earlier than I originally wanted.

11 am, Starved Rock Lodge.  We will need to be out of there by 12:30 pm.

[Alps]

OK, I have made the reservation.  It's a half hour earlier than I originally wanted.

11 am, Starved Rock Lodge.  We will need to be out of there by 12:30 pm.

Egads. But that'll help us see plenty more stuff during the day! I suggest putting together an after-meet to check out something else interesting in the area (covered bridge? abandoned concrete road?) with the available daylight.

[jpi]

Agreed, and have some dinner later, just throwing it out there but we do have a store in nearby Ottawa

[Alps]

Agreed, and have some dinner later, just throwing it out there but we do have a store in nearby Ottawa

Do they serve deep dish?

[hbelkins]

I will have to live vicariously through everyone's photos for this one.

[getemngo]

I'm reluctantly backing out over a variety of personal reasons, mostly financial. I'm not too happy with myself. Was looking forward to this more than any other Great Lakes area meet this year.

Sorry, guys.

[hbelkins]

Don't feel bad. Finances are what's keeping me from attending this meet -- and most likely any meets in the foreseeable future. I'm trying to figure out a way to do Toledo, but it's highly doubtful as well.

[jpi]

Agreed, and have some dinner later, just throwing it out there but we do have a store in nearby Ottawa

Do they serve deep dish?

No, just the usual southern comfort food

[JREwing78]

I plan to be in attendance. 

[pianocello]

I think I'm going to have to sit this one out as well. I'd like to go to others in northern Illinois in the future, though.


iPhone

[JREwing78]

It's a good thing I guessed the name the reservation is under correctly. I'm here sipping a Coke waiting for others to appear.

[GeekJedi]

This was a great meet - Brandon did a fantastic job putting this all together.  Thanks for inviting me!  It was great to see everyone again.

[JREwing78]

Thank you, Brandon, for a great meet!

I meandered a bit on my way back, following IL 251 to US 52 into Dixon, then following IL 2 into Rockford. That is quite a scenic drive.

[SSOWorld]

AASHO Test Site by ssoworld, on Flickr

Here's the first group photo loaded to AARoads - cause I'm that damn good!

L to R: Steve Alpert (Alps), Jason Risner (JREwing78), Jason Ilyes (jpi), Chris Tarr (GeekJedi), A. J. Bertin, Nathan Tarr, Cody Goodman (codyg1985), Eric Stuve (okroads), Scott Onson (SSOWorld) and Brandon Gorte (Brandon).  Missing: David Feryance (Was at lunch but got lost in transition to the lower parking lot, but did travel the route his own (See Brandon's post below))

This was taken on the site of - you guessed it, the AASHO test site non-destructive weather loop which parallels I-80 Northwest of Ottawa, IL

More pics are on the way at my Flickr album - https://www.flickr.com/photos/ssoworld/sets/72157644723089465/ and a few for Facebook as well.

Thanks Brandon for putting together a well organized meet.

I took US 6 all the way to quads and 61 to home. (swapping out IL-71 to take the opposing route from what we took today for the meet.)

EDIT 5/20/2014 - Add MIA. -sso

[Alps]

Did we ever find attendee #11? Poor dude.

[SSOWorld]

Feryance? No - we never did.

[hbelkins]

Feryance? No - we never did.

Did he get lost somewhere along the way? And didn't we lose him somewhere in Dubuque?

[Brandon]

Feryance? No - we never did.

I just read his comment on Facebook.  He lost us when we went down the hill to the lower parking lot, but followed the map I made (maybe I should scan it in as an example of how to give road meet directions) and saw everything we saw.  I suspect he may have been just behind us, and we may have missed him at each stop by a minute (minuet?) for two.

[Alps]

Feryance? No - we never did.

I just read his comment on Facebook.  He lost us when we went down the hill to the lower parking lot, but followed the map I made (maybe I should scan it in as an example of how to give road meet directions) and saw everything we saw.  I suspect he may have been just behind us, and we may have missed him at each stop by a minute (minuet?) for two.

Dude, before you get too cocky about the directions... you had places where the arrows left the main route onto side streets. You never named the side streets, so there would be no way to trace the route properly if one got lost. Helpful hint: provide both maps AND written directions.