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

[Ian]

In case I hadn't said so before, I'm game for this little gathering.

[vdeane]

There's an interesting question here: has anyone ever walked to a road meet? From home, not from a hotel or other lodging. I most certainly have not, this meet will be the closest to home distance-wise that I have ever attended (Newark and Kearny in 2011 were closer to where I am now, but I still lived in CT at the time).

I walked to the St. Lawrence County meet (though cu2010 drove me back to Clarkson; I got cold).

[Laura]

I will be able to walk to the next Baltimore road meet that I host (late 2014/early 2015).

[codyg1985]

Psh, walking is overrated. Who wants to show up at their own meet in a limo?

[dgolub]

I'm definitely coming.

[A.J. Bertin]

Psh, walking is overrated. Who wants to show up at their own meet in a limo?

A limo would be quite epic! Would everyone be wearing tuxedos? LOL

[SSOWorld]

Psh, walking is overrated. Who wants to show up at their own meet in a limo?

A limo would be quite epic! Would everyone be wearing tuxedos? LOL

If I had the $$$

[jpi]

Now that I think about it, I have come to road meets driving a cargo van :-)

[Alps]

I've made a FB page for the Friday night "Beforeparty" dinner.
https://www.facebook.com/events/317224968432438/

If you don't have FB, it's at 6:00 PM Friday, June 27, at the Fox and Hound in Edison, NJ. There are three food options - flatbread buffet, sandwich buffet, or a la carte from the menu. Reply here for lack of FB, but of course I prefer to have all the replies in one place.

Is there anyone here who is going to the meet but isn't signed up on Facebook?

[oscar]

I'm a probable for the meet and the "Beforeparty" (still have to resolve some potential schedule conflicts).

I'm not on Facebook.  I was able to view your Beforeparty page, but won't be able to vote or RSVP there once my availability for the meet becomes more definite. 

[jpi]

At this point, I am definetly in for the Friday evening get together since I planned on getting into town around that time Friday evening.

[jpi]

Now it's official! Boss approved my vacation (figured he would ) so as long as a life or death situation does not come up, I will be there for all of the festivities! :-)

[froggie]

Going to have to take a pass on the NYC meet. The 28th/29th is our annual summer barbecue at the house, with numerous friends and family coming, plus the added celebration of both Meaghan's tenure and my retirement. If last year's event (which I was on deployment for) is any indication, it'll be an all-weekend affair for us.

[amroad17]

Congratulations on your retirement and I salute you, sir.

[Alps]

I've made a FB page for the Saturday night baseball game.

https://www.facebook.com/events/255847981284392/

If you don't have FB, it's at 7:00 PM Saturday, June 28, at Richmond County Ball Park in Staten Island, NY. Contact me if interested and not FB-enabled - I am looking to get people to pay upfront with Paypal to guarantee their spots and keep me off the hook for last-minute plan changes.

[A.J. Bertin]

My plan is to attend the Friday night gathering and Day 1 of the tour - but not the game. I will do my own thing on Sunday and won't join Day 2 of the tour. (I want to use that as an opportunity to drive up and down Long Island and possibly into some other areas around NY/NJ/Connecticut as time permits.)

[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.

[bandit957]

Will bunker blasts loom at this meet?

[vdeane]

As noted on Facebook, I'm now attending only day 1.  Between a higher cost of living, lower income, needing to replace the struts on my car, and getting ripped off by Newegg, I just can't afford to travel overnight at any point in the next few years.

[Alps]

Will bunker blasts loom at this meet?

I'll make sure of it.

[oscar]

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.

You mention the Pulaski Skyway closure, but not that (for now) the closure is northbound-only.  I drove it (carrying US 1/9 southbound) in the other direction over the Memorial Day weekend.  The long bridge is an impressive sight from other roads.  Driving it is not so great (you realize why the Skyway needs a thorough rehab), but at least it can get you back toward Newark and Edison.

[dgolub]

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.

The Long Island parkways actually don't have that many button copy signs.  The NSP used to have the most, but my understanding is that they did massive sign replacements in 2013, so most if not all of them are now gone.  Also, the bridges to Jones Beach don't have tolls; they have fee booths to pay for parking, but you can bypass them if you're not going to park at Jones Beach.  Also, if you go after hours, you can park at Jones Beach for free.

Another couple of cool highways to see on Long Island are the Bethpage Parkway and the Babylon-Northport Expressway (NY 231).  The former is a super-2, which you don't see every day.  It did have almost all button copy as of the last time that I was on there, but that was back in 2006.  The latter is a mostly unbuilt expressway that exists for a few exits down in Babylon.

Also, Queens Boulevard is part of NY 25, not NY 27.

[empirestate]

Also, the bridges to Jones Beach don't have tolls; they have fee booths to pay for parking, but you can bypass them if you're not going to park at Jones Beach.  Also, if you go after hours, you can park at Jones Beach for free.

Technically speaking, it's not a parking fee but a "vehicle use fee". New York State Parks are free for humans, but not for (motor) vehicles.

Although it is true that for Jones Beach, you can bypass the fee booths for the purposes of using the state parkways that run through the park, which has the effect of making it only a parking fee. But in other state parks, like Letchworth, you have to pay it to use the park roadways whether or not you stop the car.

Anyway, that's a random irrelevant thread hijack; carry on.

[vdeane]

Given that I'm now only attending the NYC meet on Saturday as a day trip, I'm curious what would be feasible to clinch in the area.  I was thinking of taking I-87/NJ 17 to I-80 and then the Turnpike down to clinch the eastern spur and taking I-278 to I-87 back.  I'd love to clinch all the NYC interstates (I currently have none, save for I-95) and I-78 east of the Turnpike, but it's just not in the cards.

[Alps]

Anyone going to the Staten Island Yankees game who is not on Facebook, please contact me offline for details - payment needed to secure your spot. ($15, or $22 for all-you-can-eat)

If you're on the fence or haven't RSVPed, you have until the end of the week. Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/255847981284392/