AARoads Forum

Never too early to announce for 2024, right? And since we're in the 2024 fiscal year in Nevada, why not announce what may be the first road meet in Northern Nevada?

Date: September 21, 2024, 11 AM
Lunch location: Brothers Barbecue, 618 S Center St, Reno, NV 89501 https://www.bbqreno.com/
(If you don't want barbeque, there's a great chicken place next door, plus nearby fast food options).

Potential highlights may include:

• Downtown Reno and the arches
• Lincoln Highway history and old alignments
• The Galena Creek Bridge, the largest cathedral arch span in the world
• The historic wagon roads leading to Virginia City
• Stunning high desert and Sierra scenery

[li]The ghost town of Boca and nearby abandoned US 40[/li][/list]

Time is TBD. I'm open to options. When we hold this will determine what can be seen. If there's enough interest, we could also throw this out to 2 days.

Why am I announcing so early? Curious what people have interest in seeing. There's a lot worth seeing here, so the tour may work best if tailored to only hit some sites.

Obviously I'm interested given I'm 4 hours away taking a direct route.

Having never been to Reno (only passed through on 80 but didn't exit) this interests me. Too far off in the future to commit but pencil me in as interested.

Gosh I would love to attend this... but with all the travels I have planned so far for 2024, it's very doubtful that I'd be able to swing it.

I would like to keep this in mind but will see, there may be alot of changes coming down the pike for Steph and I next year but would give me a chance to finish off counties in Utah and Nevada

I'm down to attend, given I live here!

I added a date poll to this thread so people can express opinions about potential dates. I am still thinking Fall 2024 and listed every weekend in both September and October.

My target for this was always late September or October, to balance weather with day length and ease of getting around town. I will not announce a date until late winter/spring 2024 at the earliest, both to give people time to express opinions and to make sure the meet doesn't conflict with any festivals, etc. that would close roads and eat up hotel rooms.

The meet would likely focus on Old US 40/ the Lincoln Highway and items along it. There is a lot worth seeing, and it wouldn't be hard to detour to check out area construction projects such as the work on US 395 and SR 445 if they've progressed significantly. Certainly enough for a meet along/near just 40/80 between the CA/NV line and Lockwood. But if people would rather do something around Carson City that focuses on Tahoe and the work in downtown Carson, I'm totally willing to do that next year.

Voted for 4 (9/7, 9/14, 9/21, 10/19); however, I would suggest September to avoid snow in the Sierras for anyone who wants to cross them.

I'm not going to cast a vote since I live in Reno and I'm really open to any of these, but commenting that I would prefer earlier dates. Work travel tends to crop up in later September or October that sends me to Vegas for a little bit, and those dates won't be set before the meet date would need to be set—but ultimately, I think I can finagle that travel around whatever weekend is decided.

I may well be in Las Vegas by the time this happens. If so, this would be a great first introduction to Northern Nevada for me.

I voted, but again, I live in this area, so I can attend anytime provided I'm not away on vacation or business.

I don't know if the poll is closed, or if you did not allow people to change their answer, or if I've just forgotten how forums work.

I voted for October 26 only, but it now appears that October 12 and 19 are available (and actually preferable) to me.

Quote from: getemngo on December 16, 2023, 02:42:42 AM
I don't know if the poll is closed, or if you did not allow people to change their answer, or if I've just forgotten how forums work.

I voted for October 26 only, but it now appears that October 12 and 19 are available (and actually preferable) to me.

I can't go, so I voted for those two dates on your behalf

Looks like I'm definitely going to be in a position to attend this, so long as it's not the weekend of October 19th (I was gifted tickets to a show that day, in the complete opposite direction from Reno). September would be ideal.

As for what to see—of course anything road related is great, but I'm also interested in seeing some of the sites related to Nevada history. Since I'm new to the state I'm soaking that stuff up like a sponge right now.

I boosted September because I have alternate plans (yurp) and wanted to save the Sierras.

Also interested and I voted for September. I haven't visited or driven to Reno yet so it's a good opportunity for me to clinch I-80, at least in California.

Thanks to everyone who has voted for a date. As of now, it looks like the middle 3 weekends of September are winning. I'll nail down a date in the first half of March, so try and get your votes in within the next 7-10 days if you have not yet voted and want to.

After some thought and discussion, I'm narrowing the scope to cover the I-80/ US 40 corridor around Reno. Plenty to fill an afternoon and a mix of old and new. Carson City and Tahoe are distant enough that they can be their own meet a couple of years down the road, hopefully when there isn't mega road construction along US 50 like there will be this summer.

What will this meet include? Lots of Old US 40, including at least one abandoned segment, possibly an abandoned interchange, and a large selection of the oldest road and rail bridges you'll find anywhere in Nevada. There will be a ~1-mile walking tour of downtown Reno that visits several road/rail/historic points of interest in a small area, so please know that will be happening when you decide to attend. I'll also get you a "before" drive along the Nugget Viaduct before that gets reconstructed in the coming years.

I *should* be able to go.  And being that every date is currently open with no real benefit of one weekend or another (looking at hotel and airline pricing currently, at this far out the pricing is basically the same), I just picked all the September dates.

I'm semi-interested, since I spent a lot of time field-checking the Reno road network last time I was out there in 2021. If I do the Bakersfield meet, that might soak up my 2024 quota for cross-country trips (though I did two last year). So I didn't vote on dates, though mid-September seems reasonable.

The walking tour is a bit of a worry (which you should wait on, until it's clearer that I'll attend). Right now I'm using a three-wheel walker to overcome my balance and lower-back pain problems. That slows me down a little when I'm on the move, but I'd also want some short rest stops where I can sit down. Cobblestone or other rough walking surfaces would make me miserable, though I don't recall seeing much of that during my brief walks in downtown Reno.

Noted the concern about the walking tour. I have it in there because it's the easiest way to see both Reno arches and the downtown bridges due to lack of free parking (and, well, the free lot we'd be using is also a good place to leave cars for a carpool), but feeding meters is always an option.

As a related note, I'll put this out now: if ADA accessibility is a concern for anyone, let me know anytime between now and a few weeks before the meet and I will make sure the tour is accessible to all. I have plenty of "backup" stops that are still interesting, but would involve step-free access and short distances. Biggest concern I have is the abandoned segment of 40, but there is one with flat access.

Based on how the voting looks and scheduled events in Reno/Sparks, I'm looking at September 14 or 21 as the date of the meet. September 7 is the balloon races and September 28 is motorcycle rally weekend. There seems to be a strong preference towards September dates over October, but I will caution that September sometimes has a late heat wave and smoke may be an issue if fire season is bad. Snow will be a non-issue in this timeframe (for the elevations we'll visiting, at least) and rain is unlikely as well.

Regarding the walking tour, we do have a way around that if people are willing to feed meters, but a couple of other stops will involve some amount of walking.

Any final thoughts before I pick a date?

I have settled on September 21 as the date of the meet. Meetup location/time TBD. Early thoughts for potential lunch locations are the restaurant at Club Cal Neva (the last inexpensive casino restaurant in town), Brothers Barbeque, and the Reno Public Market. As far as I can see, there is nothing major going on in the region that day, which means parking (and hotels for anyone staying the night) should be easy to come by.

There will be a decent amount of walking here, though it will be mostly flat and I guarantee it'll be worth it. Most of the cool road stops in Reno require a little walking, especially anything downtown, but we will have time to take it slow. Not saying we couldn't figure out ways around it, and it won't have as much walking as the 2019 Newburyport meet, but there will be several blocks of walking (mostly if not entirely paved) spread throughout the tour. Giving fair warning now because walking isn't for everyone, but it's really unavoidable if we want meet pictures at the iconic road spots (the arches and river bridges). At least one abandoned road, plenty of old bridges (one soon to be replaced), some Lincoln Highway history, and maybe even the region's big ongoing projects.

If anyone needs ideas for things to see/drive in the Reno area, let me know and I'll be happy to provide. Some of the best driving roads and most scenic places in the country are within a short drive of Reno.

Facebook event for the meet has been created: https://www.facebook.com/share/c7q4JGmGebN4ccAy/

I'll be near the world's largest Erector set (a.k.a. Tour Eiffel) at the time of the meet.

A very rough itinerary has been drafted. This is draft and subject to change, particularly the end of the meet. I still have a lot of details and background info to add for the stops and each leg of the tour, but I wanted to get something out there this month.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1haJL3BIm31idr8oOpscooBEDO40Od66coTYrpMYrWVE/

We have a few options at the end of the meet and I am willing to change up the last couple legs to see what people are interested in. Currently, I have our final stop before returning to our cars at the Geiger Lookout Point, an old WPA picnic area south of town with views of Reno and Pleasant Valley, including the Galena Creek Bridge. Other options include a visit to an abandoned section of NV SR 33 (today's SR 445) and the SR 445 widening project, bridges, views, and an abandoned interchange along I-80 east of town, and Alt US 395/I-580 in Pleasant Valley to get a closer look at the Galena Creek Bridge and the near-ghost town of Washoe City.

If anyone would prefer one of the above options, let me know. We are getting a couple of abandoned alignments elsewhere on the tour, so the idea with the Geiger Lookout was to mix it up a bit.

An abandoned interchange sounds pretty cool.

I told Jessica (my wife that several of you have met) about this meet given she's mentioned wanting to explore Reno and Virginia City.  I'm not quite 100% confirmed yet, but I'll more than likely be at the Reno Meet. 

I'll probably try to find a hotel this week and just drive over the 20th.  Fair chance that we'll split off at the Geiger Point Lookout given that puts us right by Virginia City.  That likely is contingent about Jessica wanting to go on the meet itself or me having to pick her up after in Reno. 

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 13, 2024, 05:22:30 PMI told Jessica (my wife that several of you have met) about this meet given she's mentioned wanting to explore Reno and Virginia City.  I'm not quite 100% confirmed yet, but I'll more than likely be at the Reno Meet. 

I'll probably try to find a hotel this week and just drive over the 20th.  Fair chance that we'll split off at the Geiger Point Lookout given that puts us right by Virginia City.  That likely is contingent about Jessica wanting to go on the meet itself or me having to pick her up after in Reno. 

you mistyped "pick up after her" at the end there

4 weeks out, I'm updating with a time/ lunch place.

Date/Time: September 21, 2024, 11 AM
Lunch location: Brothers Barbecue, 618 S Center St, Reno, NV 89501 https://www.bbqreno.com/
(If you don't want barbeque, there's a great chicken place next door, plus nearby fast food options).

Brothers is a counter-serve place with legit Texas-style BBQ. Service is generally quick and, if we get there at opening, we should be able to secure seating for everyone. Parking is on the street, but the lot I was planning to have people drop cars at is only a few blocks away.

If there is a desire, we could have a pre-meet somewhere or do the walking tour before lunch (as a pre-meet?). I doubt daylight will be much of an issue for us if we do lunch first.

Our plan is to hit the road in Fresno at 4:30 AM and drive across the Sierra. 

I'm going to consider these meet tour notes final unless there are new developments in the next 3 weeks.

Meet notes here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1haJL3BIm31idr8oOpscooBEDO40Od66coTYrpMYrWVE/edit?usp=sharing).

I can't make this meet, too busy with stuff in other time zones this month. If I ever make it back to Reno, I'll consult your meet notes for tips on things to check out while I'm there.

Quote from: oscar on September 01, 2024, 11:31:50 PMI can't make this meet, too busy with stuff in other time zones this month. If I ever make it back to Reno, I'll consult your meet notes for tips on things to check out while I'm there.

As oscar the Hot Springs guy probably knows, if at "Stop 3" they were to walk less than 10 minutes upstream along the Truckee River on the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail they would come to a warm spring soaking pool between the trail and the river.  It used to be a relatively "secret soak", but since the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail was completed through there a number of years ago, people walk their dogs on that trail and it's anything but a secret now.

By now, I assume most of you are aware of the Davis Fire burning south of Reno. As I write this, it is sitting at around 6,000 acres with no containment. A PDS red flag warning was issued for tomorrow, and it looks like the next 30 or so hours will be critical as far as how much they can keep the fire from spreading.

As of now, the meet is still on, but its status is questionable. A decision about whether or not to have a formal meet should occur by this weekend, as we will have a better sense of what will happen with the fire.

The safety of meet attendees, regional residents, and first responders comes before hosting a meet, and I do not want to do anything that either harms the response or puts any of us at risk. Similarly, I'm not holding a meet if an additional 10,000+ people are forced to evacuate, as those hotel rooms will be needed for evacuees. I live about 3 miles from the current evacuation zone, and an expansion north would have me evacuating, so me evacuating would obviously result in a cancellation.

I will not hold it against anyone if people wish to back out of the meet as a precautionary measure. It's quite poor timing for the immediate Reno area's worst fire in many decades, but fires happen on their own schedule. I will likely be around that weekend regardless (unless I'm evacuated).

I'm obviously used to the deal with fire season by now give I'm out in Fresno.  That being the case I'm not particularly worried about smoke.  Outside of the hotel cancelling on my reservation I plan on being in the area.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on September 10, 2024, 05:44:54 PMI'm obviously used to the deal with fire season by now give I'm out in Fresno.  That being the case I'm not particularly worried about smoke.  Outside of the hotel cancelling on my reservation I plan on being in the area.

Oh, I'm not canceling on account of smoke. We can work around smoke and modify the plan as necessary. A cancellation decision will be based more on risks to the regional population and important infrastructure, as well as how many people are evacuated. Nicer hotels are definitely filling up.

In the event that the meet can't go forward as planned, perhaps we could postpone it rather than cancel it altogether? (Obviously that would depend on how much you're personally impacted by the fire.)

Stay safe and keep us updated!

Quote from: Scott5114 on September 10, 2024, 08:42:43 PMIn the event that the meet can't go forward as planned, perhaps we could postpone it rather than cancel it altogether? (Obviously that would depend on how much you're personally impacted by the fire.)

Stay safe and keep us updated!

Postpone, definitely.

Thanks to some great firefighting over the past few days, the Davis Fire is surrounded by lines and hasn't really escaped the forest. Still waiting on containment numbers, but because of that good news, next weekend's meet is still on. A realistic scenario had the fire expanding well into Reno with yesterday's PDS red flag warning had it jumped the lines.

As of now, SR 431 is still closed over the summit, but they're hoping to reopen ASAP. All other major roads have reopened and most evacuation warnings/orders have also been lifted.

I look forward to seeing everyone next weekend! Early forecast is calling for some great September weather.

That's good news.  I'm trying to figure out what new stuff I can see on the way back Sunday after the meet.

For anyone coming in early or planning a circutous route, a couple of major recently-announced and extended road closures people should be aware of:

- In California, US 395 between CA 182 and CA 108 will now be closed through at least 5 PM on Saturday. Weather over this weekend and more rain/snow expected later this week have delayed construction of wildlife underpasses.

- In Nevada, US 95A will be closed over the Carson River, between NV 339 and US 50, all day Saturday and Sunday for railroad crossing replacement.

Despite the rain/snow and cool temperatures expected Wednesday and Thursday, this weekend is looking beautiful, with highs around 80 in Reno and clear skies. Mountains should be in the 70s. Expect temps in the 70s at most of our stops, and the lunch spot has a patio we could use if desired. Really looking like the best conditions we could expect in September. I cannot promise snow will be visible, but I can say that there was visible snow on the Sierra both yesterday and today, with more coming over the next 48 hours. NV 431 has reopened over Mount Rose Summit after the fire closure.

For anyone coming in early: there is a winter weather advisory above 8,500 feet through Thursday evening, with a few inches of snow expected. Very early storm that follows the one yesterday.  Carson, Tioga, Sonora, and Ebbetts Passes in California are above this elevation, as is Mount Rose Summit in Nevada. Tioga, Sonora, and Ebbetts will typically close for early storms until they are able to send plows through, while Carson and Mount Rose may be subject to chain controls (almost always R2). Caltrans/CHP do run chain checks over Carson Pass to make sure people have AWD/M+S tires or chains. I expect any restrictions/closures to be lifted by Friday evening unless the storm overperforms. US 50 and I-80 should be all rain.

Safe travels to everyone coming in from outside of the region!

Ran these maps just now on my phone.  Leg 4 map is duplicating Leg 1.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on September 19, 2024, 12:10:48 AMRan these maps just now on my phone.  Leg 4 map is duplicating Leg 1.

Fixed. Thanks for checking that. If any leg was going to be wrong, that's probably the best given how short it is.

I'll see you all there this Saturday! I'm planning on running through all 17 counties this weekend (Carson, Douglas, Mineral, Esmeralda and Nye on the way back and the rest on the way there)—we'll have a good laugh if this ends up being stupidly ambitious.

I'll be coming as well! I have to come in early Saturday because I have plans the night before but the weather seems to be pretty good by then so I should be fine.

Been out here since Wednesday evening. Drove around Lake Tahoe went to Donner Memorial State Museum yesterday, and drove up to Lassen Volcanic National Park today. Beautiful areas. Looking forward to the meet Saturday!!

Thank you to everyone who came out to Reno for this meet. I was not expecting a double-digit number to venture here, but we had a great 11-person crowd for lunch and 10 for the tour. Weather couldn't have been much better for September, and we were able to wrap up the formal part of the tour by 5. Some new faces for me and plenty of old ones, and I know it was the first meet for a couple of attendees. No major mishaps along the way, either, which is always a huge plus.

I don't know when the next meet in the Great Basin will be, but I have a few ideas for Nevada and eastern California. Lots of uncharted territory for road enthusiasts in these parts, and as we like to say in the hobby, it only takes 3 people to have a meet.

Thanks for arranging this! Even with this being local for me, we got to see some stuff that was new to me. And it was nice to put a few more names to faces. Looking forward to the next meet in these parts!

It was a lot of fun, thank you for hosting!

Thanks for organizing this. It was great to meet a few of you. I do have a group pic on my phone. Is that ok to post to this forum? Sorry I'm still a relative noob to these forums and don't know if posting pics of members is proper decorum or not.

Quote from: moabdave on September 22, 2024, 12:10:11 AMThanks for organizing this. It was great to meet a few of you. I do have a group pic on my phone. Is that ok to post to this forum? Sorry I'm still a relative noob to these forums and don't know if posting pics of members is proper decorum or not.

Posting meet photos to the thread is always acceptable, so post away!

In that case......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/moabdave/54012719879/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/moabdave/54012719424/

Absolutely, thank you for hosting this meet.  It was a lot of fun learning about an area to which I had never been to before.

 :clap:

Finished editing my photo album from the meet tour.  I wasn't too pleased with how Veterans Parkway came out aside from a handful of photos:

https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBJuLW

Thanks for researching and organizing the road meet and tour! Not only did we do some great sightseeing but I enjoyed the conversations I had with some of you. Looking forward to the next road meet, wherever it might be.