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[October 8th 2016] Birmingham Road Meet

Started by codyg1985, December 21, 2015, 01:14:54 PM

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codyg1985

So based on my scouting Saturday, I have six stops and three pit stops built into the tour. The first pit stop is a vehicle drop off stop at the Target in Fultondale, but it will occur around 20 minutes into the tour due to the route we will be taking to the Target. The other two pit stops are scattered around for restroom and snack breaks.

As it stands right now the tour will begin at 1 PM after our lunch. The tour length itself looks to be around five hours and 20 minutes. If the length is a concern, I can move the commencement of the tour up to 12:30 PM or we can remove a stop or two.

I also have the route set up so that for those that care about route clinching we minimize the amount of annoying gaps that some people may end up with.

Right now we would be wrapping things up at around 6:20 PM.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States


Brandon

Sounds great.  I've booked the hotels, so I will be there. :-)
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

jpi

Jason Ilyes
JPI
Lebanon, TN
Home Of The Barrel

SSOWorld

As mentioned on Facebook, I won't be attending any 2016 meets.  Many higher priorities came up both expectedly and - more so unexpectedly regarding local friends and especially family that resulted in me re-thinking my intents.  There is no guarantee for 2017 either, if an Alaska meet happens next year - I won't be there.  The eclipse is something I want to see since it's a rare event.  I will attend meets nearby me (whether it be a meet that Brandon or Kim organizes or if the chance that I organize one myself. I tend to be taking the opposing years of both)  I am planning a road trip toward Arizona for Christmas (My dad lives there) and the money must go that way.

Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

codyg1985

Here is a preliminary version of the itinerary. Please let me know if there are any steps that don't make any sense or if you have any thoughts on the stops or the length or any other thoughts in general. .

https://www.dropbox.com/s/eax8z160113pw36/2016%20Birmingham%20Road%20Meet%20Itinerary.pdf?dl=0
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

Alps

Quote from: codyg1985 on September 06, 2016, 09:08:46 AM
Here is a preliminary version of the itinerary. Please let me know if there are any steps that don't make any sense or if you have any thoughts on the stops or the length or any other thoughts in general. .

https://www.dropbox.com/s/eax8z160113pw36/2016%20Birmingham%20Road%20Meet%20Itinerary.pdf?dl=0
In general, I think stops last longer than you planned for - people get lost, stragglers need to be herded back to cars. My guess is your meet should assume 20 minutes minimum per stop, add 5 minutes if there's a group photo and add time for anything that requires walking. You may need to cut something out.

codyg1985

Quote from: Alps on September 06, 2016, 07:00:26 PM
Quote from: codyg1985 on September 06, 2016, 09:08:46 AM
Here is a preliminary version of the itinerary. Please let me know if there are any steps that don't make any sense or if you have any thoughts on the stops or the length or any other thoughts in general. .

https://www.dropbox.com/s/eax8z160113pw36/2016%20Birmingham%20Road%20Meet%20Itinerary.pdf?dl=0
In general, I think stops last longer than you planned for - people get lost, stragglers need to be herded back to cars. My guess is your meet should assume 20 minutes minimum per stop, add 5 minutes if there's a group photo and add time for anything that requires walking. You may need to cut something out.

Good point. What I have been doing has been allowing 15 minutes per stop, but with a larger group that number will need to go up more than likely.

I will make those adjustments and see where we are on time. One thought I am having is cutting lunch short so that we leave at 12:30, but I do worry about cutting lunch short by 30 minutes because I know lunches tend to run for quite a while, especially with a larger number of people.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

codyg1985

One thing I am also considering is having everyone meet at the Target parking lot at around 10:30 to leave their cars and make car assignments. That way we can save time during the meet.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

codyg1985

Based on Steve's feedback, I am considering changing things up a bit. Right now I have set up the itinerary such that we don't have any annoying gaps in routes in case any of you are interested in clinching US 31, US 280, or the interstates. I am seeing that we may be running into having this meet last for seven hours.

Do any of you care about route clinching during the meet? I may make it so that clinching can be done prior to or after the meet.

Also, I am thinking about having everyone meet at the Target parking lot at 10:30 to leave cars and make car assignments. This way we can leave from Mugshots directly to the first stop.

Thoughts?
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

oscar

Quote from: codyg1985 on September 07, 2016, 08:12:18 AM
Do any of you care about route clinching during the meet? I may make it so that clinching can be done prior to or after the meet.

For me, only the newly-opened I-22 segment.

I'm a "likely" at this point, but might first have to say no to a potentially conflicting non-roads event.
my Hot Springs and Highways pages, with links to my roads sites:
http://www.alaskaroads.com/home.html

jdb1234

I find it interesting that one of the stops is in my neck of the woods.  As for me, I am probable at this point, will know for sure within the next couple of weeks.

vdeane

Getting in the carpools before lunch could be a good idea, especially given the number of turns downtown after lunch, and is not unprecedented.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

Alps

Quote from: vdeane on September 07, 2016, 01:17:46 PM
Getting in the carpools before lunch could be a good idea, especially given the number of turns downtown after lunch, and is not unprecedented.
The Ottawa meet did this. I'm in favor of meeting at the lot for carpools. I also think it's perfectly fine to leave out clinching in favor of seeing more interesting sights on the meet, and let people pick up the clinches themselves (hey, there's 3 hours of daylight before the meet starts).

jpi

Like Oscar said, the only clinching I really need is the new section of I-22, other then that I have covered all interstates and most US highways including 31 and 280 so not a big deal to me, also Steph and I will go straight to the restaurant and then she will more then likely do her own thing after lunch and I will car pool with someone, both her and I have open schedules for the whole weekend.
Jason Ilyes
JPI
Lebanon, TN
Home Of The Barrel

hbelkins

All I need for I-22 is the new section between I-65 and Coalburg Road. The only other clinch I'd like to get while in the area is I-459, which could be done Saturday morning (depending on where I stay) or Sunday morning when I leave.

Although this might offer a chance for me to clinch all of US 411. I need everything southwest of I-75 in Georgia; I have everything northeast of there.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

TheHighwayMan3561

Unfortunately some changes at work and short-staffing will preclude me from attending. I hope everybody has fun!
self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

codyg1985

This is the most recent version of the itinerary and, unless any major things change, will be the final version. https://www.dropbox.com/s/zgououwmhda03bk/2016%20Birmingham%20Road%20Meet%20Itinerary%20FINAL.pdf?dl=0
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

Alps

Quote from: codyg1985 on September 15, 2016, 09:35:04 PM
This is the most recent version of the itinerary and, unless any major things change, will be the final version. https://www.dropbox.com/s/zgououwmhda03bk/2016%20Birmingham%20Road%20Meet%20Itinerary%20FINAL.pdf?dl=0
Considering the distance I'm driving on Saturday, I will have to meet y'all at the restaurant. I can either drive the meet or leave my car on a safe side street.

codyg1985

For those of you that haven't fully committed to attending, respond or let me know if you plan on attending so I will get an idea of how many people to expect.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

US71

Quote from: codyg1985 on September 23, 2016, 08:42:07 AM
For those of you that haven't fully committed to attending, respond or let me know if you plan on attending so I will get an idea of how many people to expect.

Unless my foot falls off, I'll be there ;)
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

hbelkins

Haven't booked rooms yet, but I do plan to be there. Thursday night somewhere in western Kentucky, Friday night in Fultondale, Saturday night in Bessemer, Sunday night probably somewhere in east Tennessee or possibly south-central Kentucky, since I plan to clinch I-459 and get what I need to clinch US 411 (it's southern terminus to I-75 in Georgia) on Sunday. I also hope to photograph the old TN 68 triangle in Madisonville and clinch US 321 in Tennessee (I need from Townsend to its terminus at I-40, but I imagine I'll drive from Maryville to Townsend and then backtrack so I don't have to endure the hell that is Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge on a Sunday afternoon).


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

codyg1985

Last weekend Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg was a special kind of hell with traffic.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

oscar

Quote from: codyg1985 on September 24, 2016, 12:18:39 PM
Last weekend Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg was a special kind of hell with traffic.

Thanks for the warning. My tentative return itinerary includes US 441 to both places, as well as the national park (to take advantage of an annual pass before it expires), during the Columbus Day long weekend. I'll make sure to do the park first, so any delay leaving the park to the north won't screw me up too much.
my Hot Springs and Highways pages, with links to my roads sites:
http://www.alaskaroads.com/home.html

hbelkins

Quote from: oscar on September 24, 2016, 02:18:01 PM
Quote from: codyg1985 on September 24, 2016, 12:18:39 PM
Last weekend Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg was a special kind of hell with traffic.

Thanks for the warning. My tentative return itinerary includes US 441 to both places, as well as the national park (to take advantage of an annual pass before it expires), during the Columbus Day long weekend. I'll make sure to do the park first, so any delay leaving the park to the north won't screw me up too much.

October is peak tourist season in the Smokies, so any weekend day along US 441/TN 66 between Gatlinburg and I-40 is going to be highly congested.

As far as using your annual pass, I'm not sure what areas of GSMNP are fee-based. There is no charge to drive into the park on either US 441 or TN 73, no charge to go to Cades Cove or to do the Roaring Fork one-way loop tour. You don't have to go through a gate like you do Yellowstone or Teton.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

cl94

Call me crazy, but I'm considering joining in. Let me check my schedule and I'll have a definitive answer by Monday. Never been to Alabama (or spent much time in the south at all).
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