THE Northeast Caravan - Others welcome and wouldn't mind picking up a few on the way
 

Soooooo we're about 3 weeks away from leaving and I feel it's time to get this thing going. Here is what's happening. I'm picking up a friend from Islip LI's MacArthur airport on Tuesday night. We'll probably be heading out to PA that night and spending Wednesday in Lenhartsville :suspect: From there we're leaving at about 8 AM and we expect to be rolling into the NHV around 7pm.

We'll be traveling down 78 to 81 and from there.... well I'm not sure if we're going to take the dragon to get there or just head straight to the cabin. In other words, not sure if we'll take 81 to 26 or 81 to 40 to 129 as it would add about an hour to the trip.

So if you're interested in joining... post up and lets try to make something happen.

-Brian

Swing by here and I'll join in. :)

:rofl: Sure..... it's only 28 hrs out of the way... . When is your expected arrival?

Planning to figure out a way to actually join up this time.
You have a PM in response to your PM.

Are the Hampton Roads guys still hooking up with you? and are the plans still for Thursday drive down?

Cool, thanks David, I'll check that in a second.

Haven't heard anything from the hampton va guys. But yes, we plan to drive down Thursday, leave at 8 am and arrive between 19-20:00. I've found that mapquest is close to actual travel time while my gps is closer to driving time as I believe it calculates based on my moving avg. When/where are the hampton guys leaving from? What's their plan right now?

TTT - I'm heading down solo from the northeast corner of Maryland, but it sounds like I might be able to link up with you guys somewhere on I-81, depending on what time I hit the road.

My route takes me south on I-95 to the Baltimore beltway, then south-west via the I-70/US-340 route thru WV & VA till I hit I-81 south in VA. Lesson learned last year is I need to hit the road a little earlier this time around to avoid wasting too much time sitting in Baltimore beltway traffic. Figure if I leave home NLT 0630~0700, by 1000~1030 I should be having my 1st pit stop somewhere along I-81 for gas & eats.

How about we exchange PMs with cell #'s, and I can call during my first I-81 pit stop? Then we can figure out if/where a link up along I-81 is possible. I wouldn't expect anyone to wait up for me, and likewise if I'm way ahead of the caravan, I'll just press on solo.

Pete

Sounds like a plan to me! We're planning on rolling into NHV around 19:00-20:00 so if that's around when you plan on getting in, we should be good!

Last year I hit the road at 0730, which sucked b/c I wasted almost an extra hour stuck in B-more beltway traffic. I still made it to NHV by about 1830~1900 (direct route there), but I had to rush the food & gas pit stops to make up time. This year I figure if I hit the road 30~60 minutes earlier, I'll get ahead of the worst of the B-more traffic which should buy me the time to take more leisurely pit stops and still get to NVH around the same time. Don't know about you, but after 3~4 hours straight in the FC, I NEED a good stretch!

Sending a PM with my cell #, give me a ring when you hit VA on I-81 or make your 1st pit stop there and I'll do the same.

I'm still campaigning for a slightly earlier arrival into town on the Thursday, but other than that I think we will probably be in for the Thursday morning meet-up somewhere in PA.

So that puts you in Strasburg VA around 11am? I'm gonna be heading down from Rockville MD so could meet up along 81.

Nah, the RX8 seats are money.... 22 hrs in them, then a 3 hr nap, then back on the rd :willy_nilly: Then again.... I was filling up every 4 hrs or so and RUNNING to the bathroom, then back to the pump... then RUNNING to the bathroom again... so that was pretty much my stretching... sprinting across the parking lot yet puckering at the same time :rofl:

Got the PM.... been meaning to call to discuss... I'll try to do that tonight when I have a map infront of me so we can figure some shit out. Would love to pick up a few along the wa.

Love it! Where do you expect to be staying in PA on Wednesday night? I'd put money on you guys cruising right past Daves shop. Depending on where you're thinking of staying, and when you want to leave, I think we could definately meet up. We're planning on leaving Lenhartsville @ 08:00 which puts us in NHV ~7pm.

Do you have definate arrangements for Wednesday night in PA?

Per MapQuest, yes right around 11:00hrs. What about Bawb? Is he traveling with you? I think we're picking up Whoopie ~09:00 in Harrisburg as well.

Pete - does your route take you anywhere near Strasburg or are you heading south before you head west?

I haven't talked to Bawb about it yet I'll do that now. Is whoopie for sure driving his FC down then?

I hop on I-81S in Winchester VA, which is just a few miles/exits north of Strasburg VA on I-81, so yeah that would be a good meeting spot. The trick will be timing.

Last I heard he was going to, but I haven't spoken to him since I told him to stop whining and buy a different harness :rofl: I'd imagine he still will though. Lemme know 'bout you and Bawbers... he's bringing the grub, gotta have him present :rofl:

I agree, Timing is going to be the suck part. We're planning on leaving @ 08:00, I've got a buddy who's going to leave Stamford @ 05:30 so he can meet us in PA @ 08:00 which puts us around Strasburg around 11. If you want to leave earlier, beat the traffic and take the leisurely route/pitstops/food thing, we can communicate via cell phone and pick a spot farther south to meet, or leave later? I dunno... what do you think?

Actually, was planning to book accommodations this week and settle on the PA stop. Was hoping to get some input from you (and rest of the crew) on where would be a good place to stop. Looking for a decent inexpensive hotel just off the interstate that won't have us running too much risk of having the cars stolen/broken into/vandalized etc. Hard to know which would be the best place.
Is Lenhartsville the best choice? We were thinking maybe Harrisburg (get more miles down on the Wed) but not sure if that's got some good options or not.

I don't know Harrisburg that well to speak intelligently. I can tell you that Fogelsville area is pretty nice and that's exit 45 off of I78 and about 10 minutes East of Daves shop. There are plenty of hotels/motels there. BUT, staying there means an early morning and 11 hrs of driving. The farther west/south you get, the later you can sleep and the more miles you can put down Wednesday.

I txted Whoopie who lives in Harrisburg, hopefully he'll hop in here and give his opinion and offer some insights.

Harrisburg is an hr south of Lenhartsvill, so we'd be passing through around 9....

Whoopie, reporting for duty.

I plan to meet up with you guys at ~9AM on RT 81 around mile marker 69 (giggity).

You wanna stop in at the Turkey Hill off that exit, or just call when you hit exit 77 and I'll meet you on the road?

Yep. The only thing I *need* to do is re-wire my front primary injector at the injector. I will be driving it down rear interior installed or not. :)

If you want to stop near Harrisburg right on 81 outside of the city, may I recommend one of the hotels at the truck stops off Exit 77 (rt 39). There are several there.

If you stop in at the Comfort Inn there, I can tell the General Manager to keep an extra close eye on the parking lot that night as my company owns that hotel.

It's really a crap shoot with B-more traffic, so I think I'd be better off leaving early to beat it. According to Mapquest, if you start from Lenhartsville PA & I start from home, we both have about a 3 hour run to Strasburg VA. Given my planned start time, I should arrive there by 1000 or so. By then I won't mind stopping for a food break, so you guys will probably catch up with me. Did you have a meeting point picked out in Strasburg?

That sounds like it might be a winner. I'll try Exped-locity-hotels.com shortly to check on some rates and availability etc.

Cool, thanks.

Probably stop off at the Turkey Hill and grab a coffee or some Turkey Hill Iced Tea or something. I like it. Is it literally right off the highway? Easy on Easy off?

Meeting ya on the rd I feel has the potential for bad shit to happen. Either we'll fly right past ya, you'll attract the attention of a piggy, who knows. Probably better to meet off the highway. Quick meet though, gotta get to Strasburg by 11.................... ish

What's the traffic like around Hburg @ 09:00? Cuz where I am it's a bloody fucking nightmare

I don't have a spot picked out, I really have no idea where we could meet. Perhaps Rxtacy cold chime in? He seems to know the area somewhat well. If no one knows of a spot than I'll hop on Google Maps and find a spot with a restaurant and a gas station near by right off the highway. That way you can enjoy some b-fast and we'll just gas up, hook up, and split at a high rate of speed..... well, as high as the truck will let us :rofl:

So are you planning on meeting us at that Turkey Hill place @ 09:00 on Thursday? That would be really fucking kewl

I think so. Trying to find a hotel in Harrisburg as we speak... although I'm not sure what Turkey Hill is.

Turkey Hill is a local gas station convenience store chain.

Brian,

Yes it is right off the highway, you can see the ramps from its parking lot.

Take Exit 69, turn left at light at end of ramp. Turn left at next light, Turn left into T-hill.

Redshift. It is very easy to get to this place. Coordinate by phone when you're here.


Edit: Also there's a red 3rd gen with CF hood that drives past there a lot. I don't know who it is 'cause I just started seeing it the other day. With any luck he'll drive by and bricks will be shat.

kewl.... so meeting and getting on the rd @ 09:00 is good with you guys?

Think 7/11 only clean.... with a lot more options.... and much bigger... and with good food.... and beer.

Not be me... I own a MazdaSpeed rep CF hood ;) I'd be curious as to who it is and if he's aware of what's taking place in his backyard...:party:

I was thinking more along the lines of him looking up at T-hill going what the shit than us being amazed at his ride. :lol:

:lol: I don't really know Strasburg it's just where I would hit 81 so I used it as a point of reference. I can look at google maps maybe find a Wawa or something.

Not in PA it wouln't.

Hmmmmm.... what kinda food you looking for Pete? I could prob use somne food by then too. I'm thinking maybe a D&D or DD?

I'm not picky - a quick breakfast & coffee fix will do it for me.

After some googling Stephens City looks like it has a dunkin donuts right off 81. Exit 307. It's a slight backtrack for me but no big deal. What do you think? There's a sheetz and Exxon right there too.

That looks good - I just mapquested it, DD is easy to find with easy on & off access to I-81, and lots of gas stations right there.

Yeah, but then I have to give VA my sales tax money. I know I can get over 300 miles to a tank but I doubt I can get 307 + however many I will already be at...

I guess I'll live... but seriously screw those bastards.

Maybe I'll throw some 5 gal cans in. :)

Most of us will have to give the VA tax nazis our money no matter how you slice it. I leave home in MD with a full tank (after giving the MD tax nazis my $ but I digress...), and I should still have about a 1/2 tank left by the time I get to Strasburg VA, but will need to fill up before crossing the state line into TN. If you can get to Strasburg with more than 1/2 tank left, you might make it to the TN border without a fill up in VA

Most of you probably can't see close to 400 miles per tank. I can. I just ran 280 miles mixed driving with no 02 sensor and an injector hanging open part of the time and had 2-3 gallons left. Injector has been fixed, and O2 will be online by DGRR. It's not that my car is special. It's that it is slow. :rofl:

I could stop just before VA, fill up, and make TN, but I'm not trying to mess up the caravan just to keep a couple two tree dollars out of their hands. Just expressing how much I hate VA driving laws and traffic cops.

All right, looks like the arrangements are made and we should meet up with you all in Harrisburg. I'm starting to get pretty excited.
I really appreciate the help/advice from everybody.

Bit of an odd request, but did anybody need anything from Canada? My better half is taking orders from her Mazdas247 Protege friends who she's meeting at the Mitty for stuff (Tim Horton's coffee, some Canadian candy not available in the US etc.) Figure I owe you guys that much for all the offers of help and putting up with my stupid questions.

As for Gas stops.. I tried to make it the length of Virginia last year (just to see if I could) and didn't make it. Thought I was going to have to call AAA, but made it into a place short of the border. Although, if my AccessPort is tuned in time, hopefully I'll pick up a few MPG for a bit of buffer.

Breakfast sandwich sounds good around 11... maybe a quick refill of the ole' coffee mug and RedBull fridge as well.

If you guys are good with that than so am I. 11:00 @ the Dunkin then?

Mike, is Bawbers rolling with you and meeting us there as well?

So am I. The anxiety hasn't set in yet even though I completely stripped the front end of the FC tonight from the firewall forward for some hardcore cleaning/touchup painting.

Sounds like a plan for sure. So we're going to meet up with you guys at the Turkey Hill off exit 69 @ 09:00, correct?

I think I'm good, but thanks for the offer!

As for gas stops..... I just don't really care anymore with one exception. I'm a Mobil whore, I enjoy my SpeedPass. Does anyone have any objections to Mobil gas, if there are none that's who I plan on looking for.:biggthumpup:

Sure, rub it in. For some reason they don't accept a Canadian Speedpass in the US. Just because the Canadian brand is ESSO instead of Mobil.

What's the market like for cuban cigars up there? :suspect:

Sounds good to me. Ye looks like he'll be meeting us there as well. Not sure if I wanna wait for his old ass to make it down from Baltimore or just drive out there by myself. :rofl: