Hampton Roads meet - March 22, 2014

[froggie]

I've updated the OP to reflect that I've selected a meet location:  the Greenbrier location of Kelley's Tavern.  It's a local Hampton Roads chain known for good burgers (the original location opened in the Ghent part of Norfolk in 1983).  I would like to get a head count of who's attending no later than Friday so I can give the restaurant our info.

[hbelkins]

I hope to know by then. How hard I get hit by my car repair bill will make all the difference in whether I can come or not. A vehicle insurance bill came in the mail today, and that doesn't help the situation.

[74/171FAN]

I'll know for certain by Friday.  Basically, if I don't post that I am coming, consider me a no.

[Takumi]

Consider me attending.

[mtantillo]

I would like to get a head count of who's attending no later than Friday so I can give the restaurant our info.

Count me in!

[hbelkins]

Pretty much have my travel plans set. Unless something very unforeseen happens this week, I'm coming.

The plan is to leave Thursday and go to Tazewell, Va., probably by way of KY 15, US 119, US 23, Alternate US 58 and US 19. Google Maps shows it being only 10 miles and 10 minutes longer than US 460 through Pikeville and Grundy. Then I want to drive VA 16 across to Marion, and from there on to Galax for the night. I've done VA 16 and US 58 through Mouth of Wilson and Independence to Galax, but heading west instead of east, and I can't remember if US 58 was four lanes between Galax and Independence at the time, as the Virginia official maps now shows. If time is an issue, Google says it's quicker to take I-81 and I-77 from Marion to Hillsville and backtrack to Galax. I picked Galax for the night because I can get a free night at a motel there at a minimal cost of Choice Privileges points.

Friday, I want to shoot east across US 58, detouring to clinch US 311 in Virginia, going all the way to South Hill. From there I'm going to cut across US 1 into North Carolina, then take I-85 all the way to its terminus, then back south on I-95 into North Carolina. Unless someone can present a better option to get to Franklin, I will probably backtrack on 95 north to Emporia and then continue across 58. When I get to Franklin, I am going to go south on US 258 into North Carolina and then backtrack north to Franklin, then continue via Isle of Wight and Smithfield to Benns Church. At that point, I need to decide if I want to back down to Suffolk via VA 10/VA 32 or continue on 258 for the clinch. I have 258 from Benns Church to I-64, and the one time I drove the Newport News and Hampton sections, I remember it being clogged with traffic, so I might be better served by going back to Suffolk and taking US 13 south into North Carolina for more mileage and to give me an opportunity to clinch that route in Virginia. That's probably what I'll do, as I can always go across I-664 to pick up what I need of 258 in Hampton. I'm thinking sometime on Friday, Saturday or Sunday morning I can finish off what I need of 13 in Chesapeake, Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

Right now I plan to get a room at the Red Roof in Chesapeake, which isn't too far from the meet location, and spend both Friday and Saturday nights there before heading to Salisbury Sunday morning.

Trip plans will continue in that thread. Comments on this route welcome and appreciated.

[Takumi]

Mind bringing some Ale-8? Glass bottles, preferably.

A back way from North Carolina to Franklin would be NC/VA 186 from I-95 (it was recently extended from US 301, which is east of I-95 there, to NC 48 west of it) to VA 35, then SR 671 from there to Franklin.

I'll probably leave my house around 8 AM, then take VA 10 down to Benns Church/Carrollton, then US 17/VA 164 into the area to clinch VA 337A and 196 on my way to the meet, and maybe another route or two depending on time. Last time I took VA 10 to Suffolk I got slowed down by tractors and rain.

[hbelkins]

Mind bringing some Ale-8? Glass bottles, preferably.

Any other requests? Speak now or forever hold your peace.

[/quote]A back way from North Carolina to Franklin would be NC/VA 186 from I-95 (it was recently extended from US 301, which is east of I-95 there, to NC 48 west of it) to VA 35, then SR 671 from there to Franklin.
[/quote]

Only reason I didn't consider US 158 across to Murfreesboro is that I drove it a few years ago.

[Mapmikey]

Pretty much have my travel plans set. Unless something very unforeseen happens this week, I'm coming.

The plan is to leave Thursday and go to Tazewell, Va., probably by way of KY 15, US 119, US 23, Alternate US 58 and US 19. Google Maps shows it being only 10 miles and 10 minutes longer than US 460 through Pikeville and Grundy. Then I want to drive VA 16 across to Marion, and from there on to Galax for the night. I've done VA 16 and US 58 through Mouth of Wilson and Independence to Galax, but heading west instead of east, and I can't remember if US 58 was four lanes between Galax and Independence at the time, as the Virginia official maps now shows. If time is an issue, Google says it's quicker to take I-81 and I-77 from Marion to Hillsville and backtrack to Galax. I picked Galax for the night because I can get a free night at a motel there at a minimal cost of Choice Privileges points.

Friday, I want to shoot east across US 58, detouring to clinch US 311 in Virginia, going all the way to South Hill. From there I'm going to cut across US 1 into North Carolina, then take I-85 all the way to its terminus, then back south on I-95 into North Carolina. Unless someone can present a better option to get to Franklin, I will probably backtrack on 95 north to Emporia and then continue across 58. When I get to Franklin, I am going to go south on US 258 into North Carolina and then backtrack north to Franklin, then continue via Isle of Wight and Smithfield to Benns Church. At that point, I need to decide if I want to back down to Suffolk via VA 10/VA 32 or continue on 258 for the clinch. I have 258 from Benns Church to I-64, and the one time I drove the Newport News and Hampton sections, I remember it being clogged with traffic, so I might be better served by going back to Suffolk and taking US 13 south into North Carolina for more mileage and to give me an opportunity to clinch that route in Virginia. That's probably what I'll do, as I can always go across I-664 to pick up what I need of 258 in Hampton. I'm thinking sometime on Friday, Saturday or Sunday morning I can finish off what I need of 13 in Chesapeake, Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

Right now I plan to get a room at the Red Roof in Chesapeake, which isn't too far from the meet location, and spend both Friday and Saturday nights there before heading to Salisbury Sunday morning.

Trip plans will continue in that thread. Comments on this route welcome and appreciated.

US 58-221 was 4-laned from VA 274 to VA 94 in the very late 1990s...

I can also vouch for using NC/VA 186, a bit of VA 35, and SR 671 to get from I-95 in the Weldon area to Franklin VA.

Mapmikey

[froggie]

Unless someone can present a better option to get to Franklin, I will probably backtrack on 95 north to Emporia and then continue across 58.

There's the option that Takumi and Mapmikey mentioned (which I've done as well).  If you're concerned about Emporia cops, I'm of the opinion now that it's more reputation than reality.  The only cops I've seen on 95 South or 58 in the Emporia area my last few times through there were state police.  Furthermore, with I-95 now 70 MPH and with 58 now 60 MPH between Emporia and Courtland, you can make good time.  186/35/671 is technically shorter, but you can make better time on 95/58 even if you stick to the speed limit.

I could also use an Ale-8-1 restocking.  Drank my last one in Vermont this weekend.

[hbelkins]

There's the option that Takumi and Mapmikey mentioned (which I've done as well).  If you're concerned about Emporia cops, I'm of the opinion now that it's more reputation than reality.  The only cops I've seen on 95 South or 58 in the Emporia area my last few times through there were state police.  Furthermore, with I-95 now 70 MPH and with 58 now 60 MPH between Emporia and Courtland, you can make good time.  186/35/671 is technically shorter, but you can make better time on 95/58 even if you stick to the speed limit.

I could also use an Ale-8-1 restocking.  Drank my last one in Vermont this weekend.

Not worried about Emporia law enforcement at all, just looking at different route options. I see something called the "Jackson Cutoff" in North Carolina that connects to 158 on both ends, so I might opt for that and then head north on 258 out of Murfreesboro.

Picking up the Ale-8 tomorrow around noontime.

[froggie]

Here's the preliminary attendence list:

Takumi
Mike & Laura
HBE
Mike Tantillo
Oscar
Mike Roberson (Mapmikey)
Mts83 and guest
Daniel Greenstein (from Facebook)
Brian LeBlanc
CP Zilliacus

If your name is in error, or you are not on this list but plan on attending, let me know ASAP.

[Mapmikey]

In addition to the goodies Froggie has indicated he is handing out, I will also be giving out 3-CD sets containing:

1932 VDOT County Atlas
75+ VA Officials 1922-2006
75+ NC officials 1922-2013
SC officials or commercial 1922-51

If you happen to have a laptop with you I might be able to also provide:
1958 VDOT County Atlas
1938 NCDOT County set
nearly 700 different SCDOT county maps from 1939-2005.

Looking forward to meeting everybody...

Mapmikey

[Mts83]

Looking forward to the meet!

[hbelkins]

I thought Brian Reynolds had sent his regrets due to his recent Texas trip.

[froggie]

If he did, it wasn't in this thread (or on the Delmarva Facebook page).

[hbelkins]

I thought it may have been somewhere in the St. Louis meet thread, but I could be wrong.

[Takumi]

If you happen to have a laptop with you I might be able to also provide:
1958 VDOT County Atlas
1938 NCDOT County set
nearly 700 different SCDOT county maps from 1939-2005.

I'll bring a netbook and a flash drive.

[froggie]

I made an error...Brian did mention something in this thread (that I must've skimmed over).  List has been updated accordingly with that and other changes.

[hbelkins]

As has happened frequently in the past with prior meets, veterinary issues may impact my attendance.

One of our senior felines has been in declining health and seemed to deteriorate quickly the past couple of days. We took her to the vet this afternoon, where she got IV fluids because of dehydration and a decreased appetite. She has to go back tomorrow night for more fluids and hopefully the vet will be able to draw enough blood to do some tests to see if she has kidney failure going on.

At the very least, I'll be altering my travel plans significantly. If I do come, I won't be leaving until Friday morning, which means I'll have to adjust my route. (I still want to do US 58, but this means no VA 16, possibly no I-85 and I-95 and US 258.) Worst case, I have to cancel my trip and drink the Ale-8 I bought today for those who requested it.

I should know for sure this time tomorrow evening. The bad part is the money I'd save by not coming will probably go for vet bills.

[froggie]

Update:  I'll have detailed itineraries at the meet, but in short, we'll leave from lunch up to 64, then onto 17 south, with 4-5 stops at various locations around the 17/Dominion Blvd construction. We'll then head up 464, across the Jordan Bridge, and scope out part of the MLK Freeway extension construction.  We'll then drive through part of that construction, up to and through through the Midtown Tunnel, and to a vantage point for the Midtown Tunnel expansion.

After that, it's pretty open-ended and will be in part up to the group.  There's the Nimmo Pkwy construction in Virginia Beach (which might be done now).  Or we could go on a sign scavenger hunt.  There's 2 of us that can access the navy base for any potential base tour, but that's not enough to get everyone on the base.....we'll play that one by ear.

Disclosure:  this route will incur two ETC tolls. Highly recommend that tour drivers have EZPass.

Lastly, if anyone will be in Norfolk early enough on Saturday or lingering into Sunday morning, there's a pretty good diner downtown i'd like to invite folks to breakfast at.

[Takumi]

I'll be meeting someone to sell a car part at some point, so I'll play things by ear depending on when the buyer wants to meet.

[hbelkins]

Still iffy for me, even after a vet visit earlier today. She seems better, but I'm going to see how she does over the next few hours.

I won't be driving on the tour, but if necessary we can take my EZPass along on the tour.

[Takumi]

I prefer not to drive, as I can take only one passenger (and I'll probably have a drink with lunch), but I can if absolutely necessary. My car's back seats are more vestigial than anything else, and its stiff suspension isn't very friendly to the bumpier roads around the Tidewater (as Sanctimoniously can attest). It's also on the loud side and has no AC, which might be a problem with temps looking to be in the mid 70s.

[Mapmikey]

I'll be driving to the meet stops as I am one of the two who should be able to access the Base.

I have EZpass so no worries with that...

I can fit 3 adult passengers comfortably or 4 if really needed...

Mapmikey