La Crosse/Winona - Poll added

[SSOWorld]

See https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=26371

I'm putting this out there to gauge interest but I do not have a concrete date range right now.  The  best option out there is June, however if there is more interest in postponement to next year we can do that as well.  Holding it in June allows for maximum utilization of daylight.  I know those going to AK will be quite fatigued since they will have trouble adjusting to night again  The meet will be held in 2020

Major Features of interest include:
* the Winona Bridge (MN-43/WIS-54) is under construction and access is restricted - the new bridge is open, but the old bridge is being rehabbed) - access under on the west side (bike path) is blocked, I'm going to check out the island side once the lousy smarch weather stops.
* Winona Historic Waggon Bridge
* the I-90 bridge (replaced in 2016)
* the Downtown La Crosse Big Blue Bridges (we'll likely start with this set)

I am choosing Big Al's as the lunch spot.  (Location on map).  Parking will be plentiful since the downtown La Crosse ramps are free - we might have to compete with tourists though.

Also of note is the Black Hawk Bridge in Lansing Iowa, but that requires a double-back through La Crosse/La Crescent with a 1.5+ hour ride.  I know how boring that will be.  It is likely that we'll use this as a supplementary after-meet stop so that those who want to leave right away have the opportunity.  There are overlooks at both La Crosse and Winona.

The details are extremely shady at this point as I would like to scout out possible spots other than these bridges and the downtowns.  The Great River Road is very scenic south of La Crosse on Hwy 35 to the Lansing bridge as the road pretty much parallels the river with bluffs right along it.  Same is true for US-61 along the river to Winona.  MN-26 provides some scenery but it's further away from the river channel.

[froggie]

Disclosure:  being slightly selfish with my comments below...

I'd rather Winona wait until they've finished rehabbing the old bridge, as then we'd have an opportunity to walk it.  If this means waiting until 2019, oh well. I'd also like more time before such a meet so I can coordinate it with a trip home (Twin Cities).

[Brandon]

Just about any Saturday in June is fine for me.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I'm in. And even if you decide 2019, I'd be willing to meet up during the scouting phase.

[cl94]

Interested, but 2019 would work better for me. Might be able to time it to coincide with other stuff and my brother's high school graduation, too.

[Alps]

Next year helps those of us with multiple debt payments attend.

[jpi]

Interested too but I think 2019 would be more doable for me, could tie it in with a visit with my cousin and her family in the Green Bay area

[JREwing78]

It's close enough for a day trip for me, and it's a cool area to hang out in. I would likely attend.

[hbelkins]

And after I just posted about curtailing meet attendance on another thread...

My inability to make Adam F.'s Twin Cities meet last year knocked me out of a planned road trip that would have involved clinches of I-90 and I-94 in Minnesota, I-29 and I-229 in South Dakota, and my first foray into North Dakota.

I could certainly accomplish that if I attended this meet.

[MNHighwayMan]

Gotta agree with froggie, I'd wait until the new bridge is finished/have better access to the old one. But count me as interested too.

[SSOWorld]

I'm going to do a scouting trip next weekend (Friday or Saturday depending on weather) to find out how restrictive the access it - but the consensus is likely right. I'm not going to make any changes until after that trip though.

[Highway63]

I didn't know the Winona Mississippi River bridge was replaced. Now I have to go there sometime to fill in my crossings over the river - and then again when the new US 63 bridge opens.

June is always going to be a tricky month for me. The good news is, I already asked for a week off with the plan being a four-day Wisconsin/UP trip. The bad news is, La Crosse is part of Wisconsin that wasn't on the route. But if I reversed my planned route, it would be super easy to come back from the Twin Cities via LC and then come down to Lansing and I can show you Mount Hosmer and then head back home. (Although then I'm driving west in the afternoon a lot.)

I have a limited amount of non-vacation days off I can ask for in June because I have to book every Tuesday for band practice. June 23 would be at the tail end of my trip (assuming good weather) and optimal for me; June 16 is likely out because I already need that Tuesday-Wednesday off; June 2 is out because we had to have May requests in Friday; June 30 is iffy because if comes near a holiday; June 9 is an option but I'd need to know in the near future.

It's theoretically feasible for me to do LC without an overnight, although I wouldn't be one of the first ones there.

[SSOWorld]

I didn't know the Winona Mississippi River bridge was replaced. Now I have to go there sometime to fill in my crossings over the river - and then again when the new US 63 bridge opens.

June is always going to be a tricky month for me. The good news is, I already asked for a week off with the plan being a four-day Wisconsin/UP trip. The bad news is, La Crosse is part of Wisconsin that wasn't on the route. But if I reversed my planned route, it would be super easy to come back from the Twin Cities via LC and then come down to Lansing and I can show you Mount Hosmer and then head back home. (Although then I'm driving west in the afternoon a lot.)

I have a limited amount of non-vacation days off I can ask for in June because I have to book every Tuesday for band practice. June 23 would be at the tail end of my trip (assuming good weather) and optimal for me; June 16 is likely out because I already need that Tuesday-Wednesday off; June 2 is out because we had to have May requests in Friday; June 30 is iffy because if comes near a holiday; June 9 is an option but I'd need to know in the near future.

It's theoretically feasible for me to do LC without an overnight, although I wouldn't be one of the first ones there.

Not replaced, but it's being expanded.  the old bridge will be the eastbound lanes.

[A.J. Bertin]

I'm very interested.

As far as 2018 vs. 2019 is concerned, I'm honestly not sure if I have a preference. If it happens in 2018, I'd be much more likely to attend if it's in June or July than, say, August or September (except for the second weekend in June). May is just around the corner and I'm planning on going to Brandon's Illinois meet May 19, and my husband and I have travel plans over Memorial Day weekend. My husband and I are going away on vacation for two weeks at the end of August and beginning of September, and there are a couple of road meets that are being discussed for the fall that I'm interested in attending.

I hope this meet happens, and I hope I can attend!

[Nikolai]

I'm interested regardless of which year it happens.

[Highway63]

I have to have June day requests in Friday. Is there any development on this meet?

[SSOWorld]

I have to have June day requests in Friday. Is there any development on this meet?

The meet will be held in 2019. 

[Highway63]

Thanks for letting me know. After getting admonished for asking for too many days this month, and given limits around holidays, I will be unable to attend if it's scheduled for the week before, week of, and week after Memorial Day, or the week before, week of, and week after Independence Day. Also the second week of June and the second weekend of August.

[Mdcastle]

Also of note the old Stillwater lift bridge will reopen in 2019 if anyone wants to go a bit farther up.

[MNHighwayMan]

I'm going to extremely necro-bump this to ask: are there any updates on this?

[signalman]

I'm going to extremely necro-bump this to ask: are there any updates on this?

No.  Sconsin is holding a meet in Milwaukee Labor Day weekend.  You should go to that.

[SSOWorld]

targeting 2020 - Winona's bridge set still under construction.

[A.J. Bertin]

targeting 2020 - Winona's bridge set still under construction.

Hey Scott... I figured I'd revive this thread to ask if you're aware of any updates to the Winona bridge construction. Are you still thinking you might host something in this area in 2020? If so, have you had a chance to think about what time of year you might do this?

[corco]

I'd actually like to try to make this next year if it happens

[cl94]

I'd consider tying this into a Northern Plains trip if it happens in 2020. I want to get to that area anyway.