Canada's Capital Region Road Meet - 25th August 2012

[Dr Frankenstein]

Okay, then. Who else is available in September?

[oscar]

I could do it the weekend of 9/15.  9/22 weekend is out for me.  9/29 weekend works for me, as would the following weekend in October. 

[AsphaltPlanet]

The only weekend that I could do in September are Sunday the 23rd or Sunday the 30th. The first weekend in October is Thanksgiving, so I am out for that weekend

[vdeane]

If we're working with Sundays, I'm available 9/15, 9/16, 9/22, 9/23, and 9/30; Saturdays would be easier though (with the exception of 9/30, which is in fall break).

[oscar]

Adding Sundays to the mix doesn't help with my 9/22 weekend conflict, but a Sunday would work with the other weekends in play.

[vdeane]

Looks like Sunday Sept. 30 works best.  I don't know if you were planning to do the same set of three tours that Steve did; 8:30 AM is a bit early for me making the drive from Potsdam.

[Alps]

Looks like Sunday Sept. 30 works best.  I don't know if you were planning to do the same set of three tours that Steve did; 8:30 AM is a bit early for me making the drive from Potsdam.

Sissy.

[vdeane]

It's just a bit early, not undoable.  If Dr. Frankenstein does the 8:30 start, I will find a way (that would probably involve getting up around 4:45, but for the Sunday of fall break it's more workable than other times would be).

[Dr Frankenstein]

I'll do the 8:30 start if there's enough demand.

[vdeane]

Go for it; while I prefer not getting up really early, I think I like the idea of a nice long tour more.  It's my fall break anyways, so it's not like I'll have to be anywhere the next day.

[cu2010]

dude...Potsdam to Ottawa is two hours, tops. Hell, I've done it in about 75 minutes. No reason why you'd have to get up quite THAT early.

I'd go if it weren't for this thing called "work"...and this other thing of "no passport or EDL".

[vdeane]

If only it were that simple; Google says two hours, and I've never timed how long it takes to get from Potsdam to Ottawa with customs factored out (Google doesn't factor it in); it's probably longer for me than you, since I won't speed in NY.  There'd also be delays with US 11 in Canton or bypassing it with Waddington (I also tend to stick to main roads for long trips).  I do speed in ON, but that and the lower speed limits tend to cancel each other out, so it ends up being the same speed as when I drive in NY.  I'm also planning on factoring in half an hour for customs; I've never had it take that long, but better safe than sorry, especially since there's no way for me to pass the trip off as tourism (most people my age go with friends, stay for a weekend, and get drunk; I'll be traveling on my own, to a roadmeet (meeting with friends as far as customs is concerned, though follow-ups invariably lead to AA Roads)), though it probably won't be as bad as the Montreal mini-meet (where I was sent to secondary) simply because I won't be thrown off by being asked "where do you live" instead of "where are you coming from".  I've only talked to customs two times before, both this year, with one of them having the main work of explaining the trip be done by a car in front of me (it was the Honors Ottawa trip).  I also estimate that it will take about an hour and 15 minutes to get ready to leave; it doesn't always take me this long, but I have no idea how long my morning routine will ever take on a given day; it's as if time moves faster on some days than others.  Pretty much all of these times are probably over-estimates, but I prefer to err on the side of being early and staring at a map or hanging out with other people who arrived early rather than being late because something took longer than I anticipated.  I've been to a couple of meets where I expected to be way early and used up every second of the extra time I built in to my arrival plans.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Is everyone good with September 29?

[oscar]

Is everyone good with September 29?

9/29 is fine with me.

[vdeane]

Sunday 9/30 would be better for me; Saturday 9/29 is a hockey game (ironically, against Ottawa) and I try to make as many games as possible given that:
a. We don't have someone fully trained to take over for me (this will likely be the first production of any kind this year)
b. These productions are my only source of income this year
c. It's a break game and I'm not sure how many people will be around

That said, I'm not going to prioritize $24 over a road meet if I can help it.  We've survived without me before, and it's a women's exhibition game, so people aren't likely to care if the video switching quality is lower than usual.  Count me in for either day, unless I'm ordered otherwise.  Missing the hockey game might actually allow maintenance time to fix my dorm shower, which would be a plus.

[AsphaltPlanet]

I am out that day.  I have a wedding as I noted previously.  Have fun.

[vdeane]

WCKN says it's fine for me to miss that game.  Thankfully one of our new members lives 15 minutes away and already knows how to use the video switcher.

[oscar]

Has the date been set?  (This isn't on the AARoads calendar yet, so not sure if next Saturday the 29th is "official".)  I have an invite to something down here the afternoon and evening of Sunday the 30th, and need to figure out how much of that other event I can attend. 

[vdeane]

I was thinking it was just about time to ask when/where we're going to meet on 9/29.  I'm up for an early start if everyone else is, might even prefer it, since I could check out the US 11 construction in Canton, which I'd have to bypass for a later start.  My energy level has been a lot higher lately too.

[Dr Frankenstein]

It'll be the 29th then, same place and time as the previous meet. I'll post an invite on facebook too.

[oscar]

I'm interested, for at least the main and pre-meet (will have to start heading back home late afternoon ~5pm).

Could we shift the lunch place to something non-Mexican?  I can't stand Mexican food (I grew up near the Mexican border, so I know that from experience), and I can't find an online menu for the Bistro Mexicana to find out if there's enough non-Mexican fare on the menu for me to get by. 

[vdeane]

In that case, I'll meet you at the park and ride (I assume the one Steve meant is the one at the corner of Chemin Rivermead, 1.5 miles rather than 1 mile to the west; any particular part of the lot you want to meet at?) at 8:30 AM on 9/29.  Google says it's 1h 54m to get there, so if I leave up to a half an hour for customs, that would mean leaving around 6:00 (I think Google is overestimating how long it will take, but I don't know how much; I do know it takes 40 minutes to get from Potsdam to the Ogdensburg bridge; I do plan on checking out US 11 in Canton, but the long construction delays shouldn't be an issue that early).  I intend to use the usual visiting friends reason; any advice for what to give for answers to follow up questions or itinerary that don't lead to having to explain about AA Roads?

I may decide to return during the Seaway Bridge (to clinch ON 417), but that's dependent on time and where the meet covers; will decide there.  Interested in all three meet portions, all that matters for me is that I'm reasonably awake for the drive back to Potsdam (which probably means a 9:30-10 leave at the latest were I to go back via Cornwall).

For reference, I drive a red 97 Honda Accord with NY plates (not the new style) and a small rust hole in the right rear quarter panel.

[Dr Frankenstein]

I've actually never ordered a mexican item from their menu. They make excellent spaghetti bolognese. But you are right, they don't seem to have a menu online.

I'll call them later today to see what the other non-mexican options are.

EDIT: deanej, you're meeting up with a friend from Montreal and visiting Ottawa with him. That's all they need to know. If you want, I can give you my contact info.

[oscar]

I've actually never ordered a mexican item from their menu. They make excellent spaghetti bolognese. But you are right, they don't seem to have a menu online.

I'll call them later today to see what the other non-mexican options are.

Don't worry, spaghetti bolognese is a good enough fall-back option for me. 

I'll meet you at the park-and-ride at 8:30am.  I'll be driving in my blue Prius, with the Hawaii Superferry psuedo-Interstate H-4 bumper sticker.  I still have your cellphone # unless it's changed in the last year or two; please PM me if it's changed lately, and/or you need mine.

[Dr Frankenstein]

My phone number hasn't changed and I'm assuming yours has not either.