I've decided on a date for the Starved Rock/Illinois Valley road meet after consideration and input from others. The meet will be on May 17, 2014 about 11:30 am CDT at the Starved Rock Lodge, Starved Rock State Park, Utica, Illinois. There's a nice, but inexpensive restaurant there that overlooks the rock and was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
The tour will consist of:
The bridges of the Illinois Valley from Spring Valley to Ottawa,
The AASHO Test Loop along I-80,
The Starved Rock Lock and Dam ( at the park), and
Other assorted odds and ends from a tight cloverleaf at IL-251 and US-6 to non-standard signage.
Way. Too. Early. to start RSVPing. I will be going out West somewhere around that time, but I haven't even finished taking this year's vacations. Unlikely, but not impossible.
Too early to commit, for sure. But I'd definitely be interested.
I'll do my best to make this meet because I'd really like to- this sounds like a fantastic place to have a roadmeet and it's within reasonable (two long day) driving distance of Montana. I'm almost definitely going to go to the national meet in New York, so it'll just depend on whether I have the financial resources to make both happen.
No guarantees, but I am out of school by then! I could make the trek if nothing arises. Definitely possible for me. ;-)
Like HB said... If I have no toy shows and can afford it and take Friday off, will see :-)
Interested, but iffy at this time.
I'm planning on attending this unless something major comes up that particular weekend which prevents me from going. This will be fun!
Quote from: hbelkins on September 29, 2013, 01:29:06 PM
Too early to commit, for sure. But I'd definitely be interested.
As would I, for sure. But can't entirely commit just yet.
I know this is 5 months out but am seriously considering this meet. This would be my BIG county clinching road trip of 2014 since I don't plan on going out west this year. It would more then likely be me solo since Steph may not have the time off from here job. I also plan on getting a "missing link" I now have on I-80 from west of Joliet, IL to Iowa City, IA and get some more mileage on US 30
I won't be able to go because my cousin's wedding is that day.
Count me in... as long as we can clinch I-180. :nod:
Quote from: getemngo on February 13, 2014, 04:09:20 PM
Count me in... as long as we can clinch I-180. :nod:
I think we can manage that. :cool:
Not like it's all that long, or that far away. There's the old road nearby, but the bridge stubs are pretty much gone.
I've got a whole series of road meets planned for the future that concentrate on smaller areas of both Illinois and Indiana, i.e. not Chicago (even though one will be in Chicago).
I did some recon yesterday to see how much could be seen from the vantage points. For those of you interested, here's the website of the park: http://www.starvedrockstatepark.org/
I actually graduate from college that day so I will not make it.
I'm going to try to make this meet.
This is 98 percent unlikely for me.
Might be a consideration were I not making my own trip to Chicago in August. But because of that, this is too redundant to be worth taking time off for.
I'm really looking forward to this meet. It should be fun! :)
I don't really have a day to take off, so I'd be flying out Friday evening or even Saturday morning. Considering it.
EDIT: Doing it. Why not.
I'd forgotten this was happening, and booked a trip to the northeast leaving on the 15th. Damn.
Quote from: okroads on April 05, 2014, 11:13:07 AM
I'm going to try to make this meet.
My time off has been approved and I will be at this meet unless anything unexpected happens.
Same here! I am officialy going! :-)
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.
Where I stay Friday night depends on how much progress I make that day. I'll start that day in Kansas (most likely Emporia) and will be driving through Missouri & Iowa collecting some counties on my way to Illinois. I will likely just drive into the area of the meet Saturday morning, then I plan on heading north as far as possible after the meet is over to get a head start on my travels through Wisconsin & Minnesota on my way home.
Quote from: getemngo on April 20, 2014, 04:28:43 PM
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.
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.
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.
Quote from: Brandon on April 20, 2014, 05:10:56 PM
Quote from: getemngo on April 20, 2014, 04:28:43 PM
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.
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.
Quote from: SSOWorld on April 21, 2014, 07:01:18 AM
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 :P
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.
Quote from: Brandon on May 13, 2014, 01:47:42 PM
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.
Agreed, and have some dinner later, just throwing it out there but we do have a store in nearby Ottawa ;-)
Quote from: jpi on May 13, 2014, 11:48:06 PM
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?
I will have to live vicariously through everyone's photos for this one.
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.
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.
Quote from: Alps on May 14, 2014, 12:32:36 AM
Quote from: jpi on May 13, 2014, 11:48:06 PM
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 ;-)
I plan to be in attendance. :cool:
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
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.
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.
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.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5158/14186613206_c3187afc30_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nBC6Rq)AASHO Test Site (https://flic.kr/p/nBC6Rq) by ssoworld (https://www.flickr.com/people/41036707@N02/), on Flickr
Here's the first group photo loaded to AARoads - cause I'm that damn good! :bigass:
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
Did we ever find attendee #11? Poor dude.
Feryance? No - we never did.
Quote from: SSOWorld on May 20, 2014, 06:20:18 AM
Feryance? No - we never did.
Did he get lost somewhere along the way? And didn't we lose him somewhere in Dubuque?
Quote from: SSOWorld on May 20, 2014, 06:20:18 AM
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.
Quote from: Brandon on May 20, 2014, 04:07:11 PM
Quote from: SSOWorld on May 20, 2014, 06:20:18 AM
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.
Quote from: hbelkins on May 20, 2014, 02:23:37 PM
Quote from: SSOWorld on May 20, 2014, 06:20:18 AM
Feryance? No - we never did.
Did he get lost somewhere along the way? And didn't we lose him somewhere in Dubuque?
Not him, but Mike got lost on the route - we were able to talk him to the right spot, and Chris Tarr had to bug out due to an emergency.
I felt bad about what happened to David Feryance. I guess it's a good reminder that attendees should have the host's (or someone else's) phone number in case they get lost and need to get directions to join back up with the rest of the group.
Quote from: A.J. Bertin on May 20, 2014, 09:55:54 PM
I felt bad about what happened to David Feryance. I guess it's a good reminder that attendees should have the host's (or someone else's) phone number in case they get lost and need to get directions to join back up with the rest of the group.
As did I. That may be a good idea for the next meet. Place the host's cell number on the directions, or something given out so someone can call in and find everyone again.
Next meet, I'll do exactly that. Thanks for the idea, AJ. :cool:
At Baltimore, I had a spreadsheet of attendees and phone numbers. As we went inside, I knew exactly who hadn't shown up yet, and was able to call one or two. We've gotten away from that lately. It's definitely sound advice.
I don't think you need to go that far. As long as at least one person in each vehicle has phone numbers for at least one person in each other vehicle, I think you'd be fine.
Quote from: SSOWorld on May 20, 2014, 06:59:48 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 20, 2014, 02:23:37 PM
Quote from: SSOWorld on May 20, 2014, 06:20:18 AM
Feryance? No - we never did.
Did he get lost somewhere along the way? And didn't we lose him somewhere in Dubuque?
Not him, but Mike got lost on the route - we were able to talk him to the right spot, and Chris Tarr had to bug out due to an emergency.
OK, maybe he left the parking garage without anyone noticing his departure.
When Gene VanDusseldorp held his meet in Texas, there were only three of us there. I don't even remember who the third attendee was. He got lost before our first stop.
Lately, when I've been preparing the tour itinerary for meets I've hosted, I've included my cell phone number on the itinerary itself.
I gave mine to attendees when I hosted Pikeville and Ashland last year. It came in handy in both cases, as I had a couple of people call or text prior to both meets to say they were running late.
It is helpful not only for people to have the host's number, but also for the host to have the numbers of attendees. This became a mild problem at my New Haven meet in 2011. An unexpected detour due to a street which had closed within the previous week resulted in one car getting separated from the group, and the same sudden change in construction situation prevented us from stopping where I had intended us to stop. So when we came to a stop elsewhere, not mentioned in the directions, it begged a phone call. Unfortunately I discovered that I did not have the phone number of anyone in that car handy, and I had to rely on other attendees who did to track the lost car down and direct them to our location.