2014 NYC National Road Meet (June 28-29, 2014)

[Alps]

Posted a Google Doc with ideas for road excursions not covered by the meet. Thoughts/additions welcome (though if it's on the meet, I won't put it in there). Also accepting non-roads ideas.

Full version of the document is now available.

[oscar]

Please count me in for both days of the meet, as well as the "Beforeparty", but not the baseball game. 

Depending on the day 2 itinerary, I might peel away a little early, but that depends on which direction I head after the meet and how much of my route-snagging agenda I can cover before the Beforeparty.  That agenda includes snagging US 9W south of I-287, US 46 (looks like a useless intrastate US route, but I want to finish off all the US routes in New Jersey while I'm up there), and parts of the Bronx River and Taconic State parkways I somehow missed over the Memorial Day weekend.  I can probably take care of the first two on my way to the Beforeparty, but the last will almost certainly have to wait until after I'm done with day 2 of the meet, unless I can do it early Saturday evening after people head out to the baseball game.

BTW, from its Facebook page, it looks like the "Beforeparty" location has changed.  Especially for those of us who don't live on Facebook, or if Facebook at some point limits access by non-users like me (happened with a previous meet), I suggest noting such major changes here.

[Alps]

Please count me in for both days of the meet, as well as the "Beforeparty", but not the baseball game. 

Depending on the day 2 itinerary, I might peel away a little early, but that depends on which direction I head after the meet and how much of my route-snagging agenda I can cover before the Beforeparty.  That agenda includes snagging US 9W south of I-287, US 46 (looks like a useless intrastate US route, but I want to finish off all the US routes in New Jersey while I'm up there), and parts of the Bronx River and Taconic State parkways I somehow missed over the Memorial Day weekend.  I can probably take care of the first two on my way to the Beforeparty, but the last will almost certainly have to wait until after I'm done with day 2 of the meet.

BTW, from its Facebook page, it looks like the "Beforeparty" location has changed.  Especially for those of us who don't live on Facebook, or if Facebook at some point limits access by non-users like me (happened with a previous meet), I suggest noting such major changes here.

Excellent point.

OFFICIAL MEET LOCATIONS
Friday night "Beforeparty": J.J. Bitting Brewing Co., 33 Main St., Woodbridge, NJ, starting at 6 PM
Saturday meet lunch: Pantagis Diner, 3126 Woodbridge Ave., Edison, NJ, from 11 AM-1 PM
Saturday night: Staten Island Yankees, 75 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY, NY, starting at 7 PM
Saturday night postgame: Nucci's North, 616 Forest Avenue, Staten Island, NY, NY, at about 10 PM
Sunday meet lunch: Fox and Hound, 250 Menlo Park Drive (in the mall on US 1 SB), Edison, NJ from 11 AM-1 PM
Sunday night: Harold's NY Deli, 3050 Woodbridge Ave., Edison, NJ

Fun fact: Friday night, Saturday lunch, and Sunday night are all on County Route 514.

[jpi]

Cool! I am in for all of the above venues but I would like to get to my hotel on Long Island (Medford) by around 10:30 so I will probably have to bail out around 8:30 Sunday evening, I am thinking 2 hours should be good with traffic, ect...

[Alps]

Cool! I am in for all of the above venues but I would like to get to my hotel on Long Island (Medford) by around 10:30 so I will probably have to bail out around 8:30 Sunday evening, I am thinking 2 hours should be good with traffic, ect...

Sunday will get played by ear post-meet. We may eat at 6, we may eat at 7:30.

[Roadrunner75]

I'm disappointed I won't be able to go to a road meet right here in my home state a few miles up the Garden State Parkway, but my 10 year anniversary is on the 26th, so that weekend is gonna have to be booked going somewhere else or I'll get clobbered.  I get away with boring my wife with occasional road related diversions, such as driving back and forth through the Big Dig on more than one Boston road trip, but this would be a tall order.

I was going to suggest Route 18 construction in and near New Brunswick, but I just saw that Alps has it on his list.  It's really impressive what they have done so far, both in New Brunswick and especially on the north side through Rutgers' Busch Campus.  When I was living on that campus 20 years ago, Metlar's Lane (now partly Route 18) was a two lane road that was constantly a parking lot with campus buses and both college and through traffic.  Now they have a freeway running right through campus, and much better bike access to the College Ave (main) campus in New Brunswick.  I'll be really interested in the Hoes Lane upgrade project to extend Route 18 north to I-287, but I'm not impressed with the proposal to route 18 to 287's existing interchange 8 (I see Google Maps jumped the gun and already has this routing designated as 18).

[jpi]

Cool! I am in for all of the above venues but I would like to get to my hotel on Long Island (Medford) by around 10:30 so I will probably have to bail out around 8:30 Sunday evening, I am thinking 2 hours should be good with traffic, ect...

Sunday will get played by ear post-meet. We may eat at 6, we may eat at 7:30.

That is fine either way, I do excpect to hit inbound traffic and can work my way to the LIE ok, it's bneen 12+ years sinmce I travelled around the freeways of NJ\NY but I should adjust fine

[Alps]

Other than Oscar, if you're coming to any part of the meet that's at a restaurant and you haven't RSVPed (or you're a "Maybe"), please do so on Facebook or in reply here. Because if you're not Oscar and not on Facebook, I've lost your reply.

Also, if you have a +1 that hasn't RSVPed, please have that person RSVP or please let me know as well. Headcounts!

[hbelkins]

I so wanted to attend this, ever since the concept was first floated.

Now, even if it was materially possible for me to attend, which it isn't, I don't have enough vacation days.

I'll probably regret missing this one more than any that I've not been able to go to.

I hope to see a plethora of photos of the road-related events.

[Alps]

Weather gods are smiling. Mid 70s on Saturday with some clouds, low 80s on Sunday with few clouds.

[A.J. Bertin]

Weather gods are smiling. Mid 70s on Saturday with some clouds, low 80s on Sunday with few clouds.

Nice! WOO HOO!!!

[Brandon]

Have fun, guys.  I won't be able to make it this time.

[Zeffy]

I so wanted to attend this, ever since the concept was first floated.

Now, even if it was materially possible for me to attend, which it isn't, I don't have enough vacation days.

I'll probably regret missing this one more than any that I've not been able to go to.

I hope to see a plethora of photos of the road-related events.

I'm in this same boat. I wanted THIS to be my first roadmeet ever, and I thought with my mother finally leaving that I could manage to find someway to attend this. Of course not. Hopefully I can manage to get a job real soon (I have two that are almost 75% guarantees at this point) and get enough money for my own car, gas, and everything else, because then I won't need to rely on the other people in my house.

[jpi]

Sorry to hear that Brandon but I am sure you will be there in spirit;-) I just checked the weatehr and it looks more like upper 70's both days and Monday looks like lower to mid 80's when I am on Long Island so yes the weather looks great for the whole weekend! :-)

[Alex]

Unless something changes in the next 24 hours, I likely will not be going now.   

[Alps]

Unless something changes in the next 24 hours, I likely will not be going now.   

CHANGE

[jpi]

Picked up my rental mini van today, also made sure I have an EZ Pass transponder is in it, hurry up 11pm so I can get some sleep then on the road in the morning! :-)

[Alps]

Meet itinerary is up.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8Oijd8o6XSNWmdhLWlyajFpR0k/

[froggie]

Meet itinerary is up.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8Oijd8o6XSNWmdhLWlyajFpR0k/

I see there's no side-trip to the Meachem-Froehlig BBQ on Saturday...

[jpi]

Just printed a few copies! 

[oscar]

Meet itinerary is up.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8Oijd8o6XSNWmdhLWlyajFpR0k/

Any restroom breaks/opportunities during the meet?  Might be some along the surface street parts of the itinerary, or in parks where we'll be stopping anyway, but there's also a fair amount of driving on facilities-free freeways.

[Alps]

Meet itinerary is up.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8Oijd8o6XSNWmdhLWlyajFpR0k/

I see there's no side-trip to the Meachem-Froehlig BBQ on Saturday...

If you want 28 meetgoers to show up unexpectedly and bringing almost nothing, provide directions.

[Alps]

Meet itinerary is up.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8Oijd8o6XSNWmdhLWlyajFpR0k/

Any restroom breaks/opportunities during the meet?  Might be some along the surface street parts of the itinerary, or in parks where we'll be stopping anyway, but there's also a fair amount of driving on facilities-free freeways.

Everyone should go before they leave on either day. There may be portable ones on Roosevelt Island, but NYC in general is a bad place to find restrooms, especially toward the west side of the city. NJ will have somewhat more opportunities if needed. I did allow a little float in the schedule as best I could, but people are encouraged to minimize stopping. In particular, I've been on meets where we stopped 3-4 times during a 5-6 hour meet for bathrooms. We should be able to stop once, if needed, and take care of everyone in that time.

That said, given the size of this meet, we're not all following each other. I'm going to do my best to get cars coordinated so that if someone needs to take a quick break, I'm aware.

[oscar]

I was expecting that restrooms would be hard to find, especially on day 1 largely in NYC where I  would expect few large chain fast-food places or service stations along our route (smaller ones in urban areas, I've often run into "Mr. Nogottabathroom").  Thus my question about where to find them without having to spend a lot of time searching for them, and particularly ones able to handle many people (and park many cars) at once without long lines if we want people to coordinate their breaks.

Working one or two planned breaks into the itinerary might encourage people to hold it in a little longer, knowing they won't have to wait too long for a pit stop.  That could help minimize the itinerary-busting multiple unplanned stops we've experienced at past meets.

[Alps]

I was expecting that restrooms would be hard to find, especially on day 1 largely in NYC where I  would expect few large chain fast-food places or service stations along our route (smaller ones in urban areas, I've often run into "Mr. Nogottabathroom").  Thus my question about where to find them without having to spend a lot of time searching for them, and particularly ones able to handle many people (and park many cars) at once without long lines if we want people to coordinate their breaks.

Working one or two planned breaks into the itinerary might encourage people to hold it in a little longer, knowing they won't have to wait too long for a pit stop.  That could help minimize the itinerary-busting multiple unplanned stops we've experienced at past meets.

I just don't know where these places are.  There's a McDonalds at 21st St./31st Dr. in Brooklyn that would come after the Roosevelt Island stop. That's about all I can find.