Topic: Anyone From SouthWest (CA,AZ,NM,etc) Driving To Austin Meet 2011?

[nooneyouknow]

This following post has been duplicated on six other Solstice/Sky/Kappa forums, however, please take note: I primarily use the Solstice Forum and all the latest news and updates will be made there first! So if you are interested in joining this trip with us, I recommend following this thread: Click Here. However, also note that I will do my best to keep this post updated also... Thank You.
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Original Message:

Hello All!

I plan on attending the 6th Annual North American Solstice & Sky Meet in Austin, TX June 20-24, 2011 and I was wondering if any of you out there who are from California, Arizona, New Mexico and other nearby regions would like to possibly organize a drive together to NASSM

This drive will start From Los Angeles County and will take place along the 60 fwy to the 10 fwy to the 290 hwy into Austin.

My family have taken this route before to get to Austin, TX to visit other family and The times we have took this route, We always stop at Las Cruces, NM each way to grab a room for the night as it is almost the exact center of the almost 1,400 mile trip.

If I were to leave to this event alone, I would plan on departing California on Saturday Morning (June 18th), grab a hotel in Las Cruces, NM, and make the final stretch the following Morning and arrive In Austin on Sunday June 19th, but if most of you who would like to meet up along the way and/or would prefer to arrive in Austin a day, two, or three earlier before the the main event and want to participate in organizing some sightseeing, stops, and meet & greets along the way, I would be fine with beginning the journey from Los Angeles a day or two earlier than planned.

So, if plan on taking any part of the same route (especially those of you from Any of the most Southern Western States (California, Arizona or New Mexico)) and would love to Meet up anywhere along our drive from CA to TX, Please reply as there will be many places along the way we can organize to meet up (restaurants, sights, tourist stops, etc).

I know this post may be a bit premature, but I feel at this point in time it may be good to gather any of your ideas of the places to stop, the places to see, and the places to meet up with other Solstice/Sky owners along the journey. We can also take this time to get everything prepared, all the details ironed out, and make all reservations (if needed).

Finally when time draws closer the the actual 2011 Meet, we could then create and organize the actual sign up list, finalize scheduling, and determine who wants to participate on this drive.

Yours Truly
    -Raven

[Gentleman Jack]

good chance I will be going.  A meet and follow sounds great so long as schedules allow.  Keep me posted as plans get created.  I'd be heading out the 8, but can find the 10 along the way from San Diego.

GJ

[nooneyouknow]

good chance I will be going.  A meet and follow sounds great so long as schedules allow.  Keep me posted as plans get created.  I'd be heading out the 8, but can find the 10 along the way from San Diego.
GJ

Yep, no matter where you may be in Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, etc. you'll most likely have to take the 10 fwy in your own journey and we can join up along the way

[nooneyouknow]

As of Sept 4, 2010, the current Two Day Long planned start of the journey will take place in the far east side of Los Angeles county in possibly with a light breakfast/coffee in uptown Whittier, from there we either drive up Turnbull Canyon Road and experience some beginner twisties on the way to the 60-E Fwy then to the 10-E Fwy or we could simply jump onto the 605-N Fwy from Whittier and merge on to the E-10 Fwy skipping Turnbull Canyon and the 60-E Fwy all together.

Then the planned longer reststops/restaurants/sightseeing will take place in Palm Springs, CA (Gas Up, etc if needed), then we can have lunch in Goodyear, Phoenix, or Tucson AZ (Waffle House could be nice), then finish off the first leg of our journey with Dinner and A Hotel in either Las Cruces, NM or El Paso, TX... Lets definitely gotta do Cracker Barrel for Dinner. It's simple yet delicious because there's none in CA and I miss that place... It's been years!

The following morning We can have breakfast in either city before we continue the journey with further sightseeing and/or reststops in the last leg of the journey, and finish off our journey with Dinner and Drinks in one of the many restaurants/bars, or even one of the the full food/bar service movie theaters in Austin, TX!


Now if the trip is extended to a three or more day run, it could include detours off the main route including visits to Angeles Crest Highway (great 100 mile+ twisty mountain/canyon road), or drives and photo ops at one of the great So Cal beaches, or up to the mountain communities of Lake Arrowhead/Big Bear Lake, A stop in some of Arizona's national parks which also include great twisty roads, photo ops, and sightseeing, and/or stops in New Mexico's many tourist destinations.


These rough plans above will most likely change over the months as ideas and planned stops are worked out. So with that said, please make your presence, input, and suggestions known if you are interested in this run.
Open To All Ideas!

[Gentleman Jack]

Sorrow,

are you retired?  I was thinking I might make the run in a day.  Will not be able to dilly dally too much I don't think.  But who knows.  I have not spent to much time studying routes.  Might be two days either way... Will depend on if I have a co driver I suppose.

Like you said, lots of time to plan.  Who knows, perhaps I will be retired by then

GJ

[nooneyouknow]

No I am not retired, I am 26.. But if you use common sense, regardless of a co-driver or not, the run from LA to Austin TX is at least 1,366 miles which is approximately 22 hours and does not include rest stops or time to eat and gas up. Plus it would probably bring the solstice to near death if not kill it all together! 22+ hours nonstop driving.. then expect to participate in the daily 4-10 hour runs during the meet... that's just a death sentence, especially for those with older Kappas with High Mileage...

I have been on long road trips before, and the furthest I've done was Milwaukee to Mt Rushmore nonstop 14 hours, oh you wouldn't believe how many times my eyes closed and i was rudely awaken by the cutaways they make on the side of the highways there (the cutaways that are designed to shake/vibrate your car violently and/or destroy your tires if drove in long enough to wake you up) then when I arrived in Mt Rushmore, even though it was still daylight, I was too dead to participate in any activities because I was forced to sleep (wasted a scheduled/planned day)...

Plus when you drive nonstop from point A to point B.. it's just not fun.. You skip everything in-between like sightseeing in tourist destinations or beautiful scenery/sights, the many national forest we'll pass, plus other possible great stops... not to mention all the great photo opportunities that would be missed.

Even though I am young and myself could push a nonstop trip or close to it... I am sure as the participants grow in this run, that the majority of Solstice/Sky drivers would not want to even as little as 6+ hours nonstop in their vehicle. Even the every run at NASSM have likely planned stops and/or rest areas in even their shortest run. Because the organizers know, some of the participants cannot or do not want to drive nonstop... and they also know that by driving nonstop, they will miss many great opportunities to Enjoy The Scenery up close and personal and more importantly, missed the opportunities to Socialize with fellow kappa owners!


So this is why the planned 2+ day Run from LA To Austin will include visits to National Forest, Tourist Destinations, Restaurants, Overnight Stays, and/or other stops along the journey. Plus having stops along the way, also makes it easier for others to join in because we know in reality Traffic and Schedules do not always work in our favor.

A quick example is Pretend we are driving nonstop: if those of us from California and Arizona have have planned to simultaneously meet up with a group of other Kappa owners From Albaquerque, NM in Las Cruces, NM around 5-6 PM... What if, one group ends up running into a major traffic accident that closed their route for almost an hour and cannot make that 5-6 PM meet. In a situation like this, The other group who did make it will then be forced to make unplanned last minute extended stay, an unplanned overnight stay, or most likely have to make the call to go on without the other group...

Due to unforeseen conditions and how difficult it would be to join up with other individuals who are driving nonstop, it is better to have plenty of stops, including an extended stay or two so that it will be much easier for us to more conveniently find each other.

[LiquidPT]

Day 1 seems pretty intense to me... that's 11 hours of driving, with 5 hours (of driving, assuming zero traffic) before lunch. Maybe I'm just a wus, cuz I think I'd break that into 3 days (2 longer and 1 short)...

[nooneyouknow]

Day 1 seems pretty intense to me... that's 11 hours of driving, with 5 hours (of driving, assuming zero traffic) before lunch. Maybe I'm just a wus, cuz I think I'd break that into 3 days (2 longer and 1 short)...

Yep I agree. Anything over 4 hours nonstop is killer on the body (I get all tingling and uncomfortable), as i said in my real-life experience above of a 14 hour nonstop from WI to SD, I nearly drove off the road a couple times.. also good thing that highway in SD is empty in November. When I made my plans that time, I did not plan on reality. lol

So yes, the run from CA to NASSM will be a 2 day(At Least) trip

[1LILNDN]

sorrowdemonica : I drove from Md to Colorado Springs in a total of 27 hours last year. only stopping for gas snacks potty and smoke ( Don't smoke in my Car ever) .that was just about 1,700 miles alone

[nooneyouknow]

sorrowdemonica : I drove from Md to Colorado Springs in a total of 27 hours last year. only stopping for gas snacks potty and smoke ( Don't smoke in my Car ever) .that was just about 1,700 miles alone

Come on 1lilndn and gentlemen jack, this isn't a pissing contest to see who could drive the furthest nonstop... we are organizing a real run from california to texas with real people with all kinds of various needs and wants. yes, there may be a few participants in our run who could push 10-20 hour drives, but then there are those who can only tolerate less, So you should get the idea why organized runs included stops and activities to do other than driving.

[Uranium-238]

I dunno, in spite of the fact that long car trips don't bother me, you lost me when you said that our Kappas aren't up to the task of driving that far...I'm getting close to 50k on the odo, I've been known to drive 250 miles in 100 degree weather, race the car all weekend, then drive back.

These cars have their issues, sure, but unless you're allergic to putting miles on your car there's no reason the average Kappa would be unable to make the trip. But I'm not planning on going, so my opinion really means zilch.

[nooneyouknow]

I dunno, in spite of the fact that long car trips don't bother me, you lost me when you said that our Kappas aren't up to the task of driving that far...I'm getting close to 50k on the odo, I've been known to drive 250 miles in 100 degree weather, race the car all weekend, then drive back.
These cars have their issues, sure, but unless you're allergic to putting miles on your car there's no reason the average Kappa would be unable to make the trip. But I'm not planning on going, so my opinion really means zilch.

I didn't say anything about someone not being able to make the trip. but not all of us participating on this Austin trip have the personal will or have Solstices/Skys that may be up to the task the others have mentioned (driving nonstop 23 hours from La to Austin). I am sure some would want to stop, sleep, and as for some of their kappas, nonstop runs increase the likelihood of wear and mechanical problems, etc. only during nonstop runs. But the main point some of you are missing, this drive from LA to Austin is not an endurance run, rather it is a time for us kappa drivers to meet up, socialize, and take the time to truly enjoy the many sights and destinations our country has to offer.

[Critterman]

endurance driving sucks, I have done it twice

solo 1300 miles in 13 hours, Belogne France to Rota Spain

Two drivers about 3300 miles from Oakland CA to New York in 44 hours.

Both drives sucked and were done 30 +  years ago.    I'm more of a 350-400 miles a day guy now, more than eight hours drains me.

[Gentleman Jack]

I respectfully temporarily remove my name from the list that has not yet been created due to unknown circumstances, parameters, situations and evaluations. If it is alright with everyone, I will keep my eyes open as time goes on and we get closer to next years event. 

GJ
thanks SHiNY

[SHiNY]

GJ
thanks SHiNY