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An idea for a different kind of roads gathering

Started by A.J. Bertin, June 30, 2018, 12:58:22 PM

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If I were to host a "city meet" (in either 2018 or 2019) as I'm describing in this thread, where should my first one be held? Pick one of these three choices.

Elizabeth City/Nags Head area, NC
8 (21.6%)
Omaha, NE
14 (37.8%)
Providence, RI
15 (40.5%)

Total Members Voted: 37

Voting closed: August 02, 2018, 10:06:23 PM

Duke87

Throwing a vote in or Omaha, with the previous caveat that it would probably need to be 2019 applying. Preference skewed by proximity to greatest number of roads and counties I have not already clinched (although I have been to Omaha itself once).
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.


signalman

I voted for Providence for the same reasons Josh did. Like him, I've spent little time in RI despite living close to the state my entire life. The other two options would allow me to get a decent amount of new mileage and counties (moreso with Omaha) but I'm not sure I'd have the time or money to attend a meet in either one of those cities. Whether I end up going or not I commend AJ for the idea and thinking outside the box.

Takumi

I voted for Elizabeth City/Nags Head as it would finally give me a reason to go there again. I keep saying I will and never do.
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Brandon

I voted for Elizabeth City/Nags Head as I've never been there; however, any of the three are good.
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MNHighwayMan

I chose Omaha because it's closest and thus gives me the best chance of attending.

A.J. Bertin

I might not vote in my own poll because I picked all three options from my long list (I have over 90 cities on my list!) and I'm not sure I want to influence the results. Majority rules. It's really about where everyone (else) prefers to go and where I'd have the best chance of getting more attendees. Obviously the date will matter because of everyone's availability, but I'm still not sure whether I'm going to aim for 2018 or 2019 for this.

The poll closes on August 2. Another reason I kinda don't want to vote is because I don't want to see the results until the very end. (I know... when I created the poll I could have chosen the option to not reveal the results until the end, but that's okay.)

It's been less than 12 hours since I created the poll. As of this moment, among those who commented, there's an even tie among the three cities. It will be interesting to see which city wins out in the end!
-A.J. from Michigan

US71

#31
Quote from: A.J. Bertin on July 04, 2018, 09:22:11 AM
I might not vote in my own poll because I picked all three options from my long list (I have over 90 cities on my list!) and I'm not sure I want to influence the results. Majority rules. It's really about where everyone (else) prefers to go and where I'd have the best chance of getting more attendees. Obviously the date will matter because of everyone's availability, but I'm still not sure whether I'm going to aim for 2018 or 2019 for this.

The poll closes on August 2. Another reason I kinda don't want to vote is because I don't want to see the results until the very end. (I know... when I created the poll I could have chosen the option to not reveal the results until the end, but that's okay.)

It's been less than 12 hours since I created the poll. As of this moment, among those who commented, there's an even tie among the three cities. It will be interesting to see which city wins out in the end!

I would say aim for 2019 as my dance card is filling up quickly for 2018. Also gives you more time to plan.

Omaha would be easier for me as anything east would require 2-3 days of driving time.
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

jpi

My vote is for Providence, I am ok with the other places too but I have only passed through Providence 1 time on I-95 and that was around Thanksgiving 1993 and have not been up that way since, there is several counties in the area I can get and check out the Newport Bridge which I always wanted to do. Omaha would be my 2nd choice since that is another area I have only been to once and that was in July 2013. As for Nags Head, been there done that, I would just hang out on the beach and check out the light houses, last time I was there was in 2001
Jason Ilyes
JPI
Lebanon, TN
Home Of The Barrel

SSOWorld

Omaha was my vote, but the Nags Head one isn't too far behind.  I've been there before, I've attended a meet in little Road-y in 2010.

If it were in 2018, any meet not within a day's reach would not work for me as I've already taken enough vacation time that I need to "give back to work" (yay for comp time).
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.
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cjk374

I voted for Omaha as well. Now it will be a matter of timing. We're going to Charleston, SC in May for a high school graduation (yay  :-| ) , then there is the future vacation schedule at work that will be submitted in December. I have 2 co-workers who have more seniority and they get their vacation wishes first.
Runnin' roads and polishin' rails.

hbelkins

I voted for Omaha, because it would be new territory for me. (I've been in exactly one county in Nebraska.) Plus there would be plenty of opportunities to get new counties and routes along the way.

The Outer Banks was a favorite vacation spot for my mom when I was a kid. I've been in Elizabeth City since then, but wouldn't mind going back. That would offer a chance to clinch US 158.

I probably wouldn't attend a Providence gathering, unless there was some way I could work in a county clinch of Maine on the trip.


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vdeane

Also voted for Providence, because somehow I've never explored much of RI (only time I've even been there would have been when my parents and I were passing through on the way back from Fall River.  Omaha would be a new part of the country and could also be in range if timed right and given enough time to plan.  Regarding NC, let's just say that whenever I pass though there I do so without stopping.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

cu2010

It might not be bad either for those far-off locations like mine that don't really have a lot of things you'd see on a typical tour, but have enough possible new roads for people or interesting things spread out that people could choose to explore as they wish as opposed to worrying about cobbling together a formal tour.
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PHLBOS

I voted for Providence for the same reason that Josh did.  Additionally, given that my college years were spent in Rhode Island (though in Bristol, not Providence); such would give me a good reason/excuse to head up there again provided that my Saturday activity calendar doesn't blow-up so to speak with respect to the selected date.
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froggie

Quote from: cl94Elizabeth City would be great as a winter or early spring location, as it's just far enough south to be out of snow range.

Not always...

(just one of many examples, BTW)

deathtopumpkins

I didn't vote because I'd theoretically be interested in all 3 locations. Having grown up in Hampton Roads I'm familiar with the OBX (and Elizabeth City, but honestly it's nothing special, I'd stick to the OBX and if you want to include a town on the mainland, go with maybe Edenton) and have family I could stay with down there. I also am very familiar with Providence given proximity and how often I'm down there. As for Omaha, I've never been to Nebraska, and I'm not sure a meet that far away would be feasible for me at this point, but I would definitely want to go if possible to give me an excuse to get there.

I really like this idea as a whole. I'm not a super big fan of formal organized tours - I feel like we're always waiting on people to catch up, and sometimes I'm done at a stop in 5 minutes but other people want to spend half an hour wandering and taking pictures. Plus this eliminates concerns like finding enough suitable parking at stops.
Disclaimer: All posts represent my personal opinions and not those of my employer.

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A.J. Bertin

Quote from: deathtopumpkins on July 08, 2018, 08:50:28 AM
I didn't vote because I'd theoretically be interested in all 3 locations. Having grown up in Hampton Roads I'm familiar with the OBX (and Elizabeth City, but honestly it's nothing special, I'd stick to the OBX and if you want to include a town on the mainland, go with maybe Edenton) and have family I could stay with down there. I also am very familiar with Providence given proximity and how often I'm down there. As for Omaha, I've never been to Nebraska, and I'm not sure a meet that far away would be feasible for me at this point, but I would definitely want to go if possible to give me an excuse to get there.

I'm glad you're interested in all of these places! These are all places that I've either never been to (Elizabeth City/Outer Banks) or places that I've only driven past/through and not stopped in (Omaha and Providence).

Quote from: deathtopumpkins on July 08, 2018, 08:50:28 AM
I really like this idea as a whole. I'm not a super big fan of formal organized tours - I feel like we're always waiting on people to catch up, and sometimes I'm done at a stop in 5 minutes but other people want to spend half an hour wandering and taking pictures. Plus this eliminates concerns like finding enough suitable parking at stops.

I'm glad you like the idea! I still enjoy attending road meets with formal tours, but I agree with what you're saying. There are times when I don't have as much patience to get through a formal tour as I'd like. With this option, it gives folks an excuse to visit a different place and it still allows them to hang out with other road geeks without the obligation to attend a formal tour that might run longer than they have the patience for. It also gives them the ability to customize their own tour that's based on their own interests.
-A.J. from Michigan

Alps

Today we had a more informal "mini meet". After lunch we walked over to a construction site, then all drove 5 miles to another site and walked there for awhile. That was it. Mostly talking as opposed to driving and I enjoyed that.

paulthemapguy

I can't decide in the poll...so I'll abstain.  Omaha would be easiest for me, but it would be the least interesting.  Since anything more practical would also be less appealing, and I favor both practicality and amusement, any opinion I would have would cancel itself out :D
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cl94

Quote from: Alps on July 08, 2018, 07:17:31 PM
Today we had a more informal "mini meet". After lunch we walked over to a construction site, then all drove 5 miles to another site and walked there for awhile. That was it. Mostly talking as opposed to driving and I enjoyed that.

Definitely. The free-flow thing doesn't work everywhere, but in places there's a bunch of stuff nearby (or there's a lot of traffic), it's perfect. Helped that there were 3 major projects and a couple smaller ones within a few miles.

I can think of several places where a format like this could work (and a couple more where it would work better if there were better restaurant options for groups). While formal tours are great if there are big things to see that are spread out, they can get unwieldy if planning isn't perfect.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

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codyg1985

I really like this idea. I encourage you to do it.

It is a nice way to see other things in the city besides roads, especially if there isn't anything noteworthy to see from a roads perspective.
Cody Goodman
Huntsville, AL, United States

SSOWorld

Do you have a year in mind for when you want to do this?
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.

dvferyance

Omaha I would like to check out the zoo there and it;s not too far away. I have already been to Nags Head and have no interest in visiting Providence.

A.J. Bertin

Quote from: SSOWorld on July 19, 2018, 10:13:45 AM
Do you have a year in mind for when you want to do this?

I'd really like to do this in the fall of '18 (October or November), but there's another meet coming up this fall which hasn't been officially announced yet that I'm planning on attending. There's a slight chance this may have to wait until '19 though.

Ultimately though, I would love to host a gathering along these lines once per year if possible.
-A.J. from Michigan

US71

Quote from: A.J. Bertin on July 19, 2018, 08:06:39 PM
Quote from: SSOWorld on July 19, 2018, 10:13:45 AM
Do you have a year in mind for when you want to do this?

I'd really like to do this in the fall of '18 (October or November), but there's another meet coming up this fall which hasn't been officially announced yet that I'm planning on attending. There's a slight chance this may have to wait until '19 though.

Ultimately though, I would love to host a gathering along these lines once per year if possible.

2019 would be better for me. 
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast



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