My dad and I will be leaving from the Milwaukee area on Wednesday and following I-65 down to Indianapolis. We haven't figured out an exact time yet, but it would be in the afternoon. It's about a four and a half hour drive from our home to the hotel.
EDIT: We are likely hauling our two Fieros rather than driving, but we would love to bring up the tail of a caravan if we can meet up with someone!
Hopefully we can time it so you can meet up with a group from the Chicago area and then pick up some more people in merriville Indiana. if anyone from farther north or west wants to get into Chicago area on Tuesday night, I could put up a couple of people tues night.
[This message has been edited by mrfred8 (edited 04-01-2013).]
I am leaving WI/IL border by I94 sometime on Friday if anyone is interested in heading down with me.
If my roommate, snowblindburd, leaves at the appropriate time to meet up, I'm sure he'd be willing to take the I-94 route as opposed to the I-90 route (a whopping 3 minute difference) to meet up with you. However, he is leaving Stevens Point at noon, so it very likely would be too late to do so.
Hopefully we can time it ao you can meet up with a group from the Chicago area and then pick up some more people in merriville Indiana. if anyone from father north or west wants to get into Chicago area on Tuesday night, I could put up a couple of people tues night.
That would be great! Once you have an approximate time, please post it here. My dad and I don't have a time in mind quite yet. I'm keeping a close eye on this thread.
I'll be cruising up I65 from the south - likely driving the Mazda, so if anyone sees a shiny red rice rocket heading that way, being driven by a long-haired cracker... Yeah, that's me.
you guys coming up from the southern part of Missouri, Joplin through springfield can meet up with us in st. Louis. when it gets closes to the time, maybe we can get our time of arrival together
I know that I will be in Indy on Wednesday night. There are some 'show' things that will be happening on Thursday that I want to join. Plus... it is such a long trip, that I want to maximize my time in Indy. Not just show up Friday, do the show Sat, then leave on Sun. If I am having to take time off anyway... might as well get in as much as I can and treat it like vacation!
I have talked to several in NTFC and Texas... and I have in my mind, a day of exciting, twisty, scenic roads on Tuesday. Then overnight in Branson or Eureka Springs. Then normal roads to Indy on Wed. Probable caravan meet point would be Greenville TX off I-30. In Arkansas, I will probably dive off the interstate to take curves through the forests, lakes, and mountains of the Ozarks. Roads there like you would not believe! Branson has a lot to offer as far as lodging... it would be cool to catch a show or just walk the strip on Tue night. Eureka is similar, but much much smaller. The Tuesday route adds about 100 miles and 3 hours to the trip... but that is why it would be two days to Indy. If anyone wants to join, great! More the merrier. Route and Tuesday night stop and depart times are not set in stone... It would be cool to pick up some Okies or any others to join...
After talking to some others that are joining me on Tuesday... I think we will try to get into Indy by 5-6p on Wed night... have some down time to refresh, catch supper, then crash after a few days of travel. If you went to the 20th or 25th... you will remember that sleep during the show days is... well... infrequent and very precious!
For the trip home, I was just going to Interstate it the whole way, but am open to most anything if someone has another idea or detour. I have driven Indy to FW from the 20th in 1 day, and Detroit to FW in 1 day for the 25th. So if the home trip is split, that is fine... or 1 day... that is fine too.
I have been asked to head up the parking duties for the Saturday show. If anyone would like to volunteer from Texas, I'd be much obliged.
------------------ <---- did you buy Cliff a beer? ......................................................www.northtexasfieroclub.org
So it is just shy of 4 hours from St louis to Indy. Blake if you guys are planning to be in Indy around 5-6 you will probably plan to leave/pass through St louis by 12-1.
Im questioning if the Kansas City group would want to leave KC around 7:30am instead of noon to 1. This would allow us to be in the St louis area around the same 12-1 that you guys would be there.
If we can't make it work that is fine, but I thought it would be worth considering.
Blake would you guys have any problem killing a bit of time in St louis to meet up with all of us?
Blake would you guys have any problem killing a bit of time in St louis to meet up with all of us?
I imagine we could stay put in the St Louis area to meet up with a caravan. The big thing that was with my group of 3-6 cars was just not getting into Indy so late that it was dark and all you wanted to do was go to bed. Maybe an arrival time into Indy after 6p-7p?... that way one might miss bulk of rush hour traffic?
I know that I will be in Indy on Wednesday night. There are some 'show' things that will be happening on Thursday that I want to join. Plus... it is such a long trip, that I want to maximize my time in Indy. Not just show up Friday, do the show Sat, then leave on Sun. If I am having to take time off anyway... might as well get in as much as I can and treat it like vacation!
I have talked to several in NTFC and Texas... and I have in my mind, a day of exciting, twisty, scenic roads on Tuesday. Then overnight in Branson or Eureka Springs. Then normal roads to Indy on Wed. Probable caravan meet point would be Greenville TX off I-30. In Arkansas, I will probably dive off the interstate to take curves through the forests, lakes, and mountains of the Ozarks. Roads there like you would not believe! Branson has a lot to offer as far as lodging... it would be cool to catch a show or just walk the strip on Tue night. Eureka is similar, but much much smaller. The Tuesday route adds about 100 miles and 3 hours to the trip... but that is why it would be two days to Indy. If anyone wants to join, great! More the merrier. Route and Tuesday night stop and depart times are not set in stone... It would be cool to pick up some Okies or any others to join...
After talking to some others that are joining me on Tuesday... I think we will try to get into Indy by 5-6p on Wed night... have some down time to refresh, catch supper, then crash after a few days of travel. If you went to the 20th or 25th... you will remember that sleep during the show days is... well... infrequent and very precious!
For the trip home, I was just going to Interstate it the whole way, but am open to most anything if someone has another idea or detour. I have driven Indy to FW from the 20th in 1 day, and Detroit to FW in 1 day for the 25th. So if the home trip is split, that is fine... or 1 day... that is fine too.
I have been asked to head up the parking duties for the Saturday show. If anyone would like to volunteer from Texas, I'd be much obliged.
Blake.... I'm following you. Likely I will meet you guys in Highland, IL so I don't have to double back. 10 mpg is a killer to add an additional 2 hours. We need to exchange cell phone numbers and when you get ready to leave St. Louis (like an hour before), I'll hop on the horse and get to Highland just before you. My intention is for you guys to not have to stop. I'll just slip on in to the convoy. We are bringing the 2 way radios this time too, right?!? I highly recommend you plan on leaving St. Louis in the 12 pm to 1 pm range. You know how caravans can be. They almost always take more time than planned. IF it is okay, I was hoping to stick vary closely to the speed limit. Towing a 20 foot box can be difficult at speeds above 65 mph not to mention tough on my poor old truck (not a diesel). The good news is that I actually CAN maintain 65 this time. The Bronco could not do it but my Suburban can.
Again, I'll follow you. no worries on the time but I do agree that it would be good to get there at about 5 pm if possible. I have show duties as well.
I'm planning on going as well. Not sure what day exactly I will be leaving, but I'm thinking sometime Thursday. I will know more a little closer. I need to reserve my room or rooms. I will have my car on a trailer with a buddy of mine pulling it. I don't feel like driving it that far and having something happen. I missed the 25th, so the 30th is what I've been looking forward to for a long time.
-Amir
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[This message has been edited by Rare87GT (edited 04-03-2013).]
I'm planning on going as well. Not sure what day exactly I will be leaving, but I'm thinking sometime Thursday. I will know more a little closer. I need to reserve my room or rooms. I will have my car on a trailer with a buddy of mine pulling it. I don't feel like driving it that far and having something happen. I missed the 25th, so the 30th is what I've been looking forward to for a long time.
-Amir
I remember that.... I hope things go better for you on this trip.
...snip... Again, I'll follow you. no worries on the time but I do agree that it would be good to get there at about 5 pm if possible. I have show duties as well.
JR... talk is of having caravans in St Louis around 12-1p on Wed, and I think there may be a group coming in from further West that may get into St Louis later that afternoon/evening... though maybe they will leave earlier in the day to meet us. It is all talk at this point... I know our side wants to get into the show hotel no later than 7p... preferably much earlier.
With that time frame in mind... Paul your proposal sounds great... rendezvous somewhere East of SL sounds fine. Around 1p sounds fine. Going speed limit sounds fine. If there is going to be mechanical issues in my caravan, they will crop up on Tuesday while we are tearing up the curves in the Ozarks. (crosses fingers)
Here is the route my husband and me are taking; we will each be in a Fiero. I cannot speak for the others in our area but I will post their plans when or if I find out their plans.
The trip from Denver to the host hotel is about 16 hours with minimal stops, with stopping to meet others for the caravan, getting gas and other miscellaneous pit stops I am guessing it will take around 18 hours. We have not selected meeting locations I was hoping the people in the meet cities could select a safe and convenient location, hopefully a gas station, truck stop, or restaurant right off the highway so we can get off and right back on to save time and not have to worry about getting lost in an unfamiliar city. We are leaving Denver Tuesday morning and driving to Topeka/Lawrence, Wednesday we will drive the rest of the way to Indy, stopping along the way to add people to the caravan.
We want to do some events they have planned for Thursday so we will need to be in town Wednesday night, so we will have to add a night to the host hotel or find a hotel for Wednesday night at another location. Some people will likely skip the activities on Thursday and arrive Thursday night so there might be two or more groups traveling in caravans for this event.
We are planning to stay Tuesday night in Topeka or Lawrence, so if someone in that area can point us to a decent hotel we can stay at for the night that would be helpful, maybe we can make the hotel parking lot the meeting place to start the next day. Check out the event schedule in the main thread. https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/088485.html
Here is a map with the locations we plan to stop and pick up caravan participants so far. http://goo.gl/maps/SQGhs
You guys are SLOW, lol. I drove from Columbus to Okla City and back in one weekend. I left early Sat morning and had a late dinner in Okla City. Visited family Sunday morning and left in the afternoon. Was back early enough that nite to go to work on Monday morn.
If there is going to be mechanical issues in my caravan....
Keep in mind too that it is always nice to have a rolling shop in the convoy. I can help if tools are needed or there is a mechanical breakdown. I have a work bench in the front of my trailer a tool box and a floor jack.
I remember that.... I hope things go better for you on this trip.
Oh man, the caliper or transmission gear selector, I can't even remember but we didn't leave Wichita that Friday until 9pm haha. Crazy it's been 7 years since the show I came to in St. Louis! I miss all the events. Life has just gotten so hectic and busy it's been hard to keep up. Look forward to meeting up with you again and having fun!! Talk to you soon!!
The time to the 30th is getting closer and I would like to see if anyone in Topeka could recommend a good hotel in a convenient location to stay the night that is also a good meeting place for the people in the area to meet us Wednesday morning for the caravan to Indy.
In the first post in the thread the times to meet are posted below and I have a few changes that might work better given the time to get between cities
Wednesday: -A group will be driving from Topkea to Kansas City, MO to meet up with others, leaving around 11am (8am suggested new meeting time) -A group will be driving from Kansas City to St. Louis, Mo to meet up with others leaving around 1pm
We are planning to be in this group so we will need to leave Topeka around 8am so we can meet the people in St Louis at 1pm, we will need to meet in KC around 9am as it only takes an hour to get from Topeka to KC. It is 3.5 hours to St Louis so if we meet in KC at 10am we can be there around 1:30pm if we want to meet the group in St Louis at 1pm we will need to leave Topeka around 8am and meet in KC closer to 9am to make the 1pm meeting time in St Louis.
So if I have calculated this correctly the times to meet will need to be: Leave Topeka at 8am (1 hour drive to KC) Arrive in KC at 9am and leave for St Louis around 9 to 9:30 (3.5 hour drive to St Louis) Arrive in St Louis around 1pm and leave for Indy around 1:30pm (3.5 hours to Indy) Arrive in Indy around 5pm
Maybe we need more time at the meeting point for everyone to get together for the next legs of the trip so the meeting times could change so it would be a good idea for us to exchange cell phone numbers before we set out for the trip.
Let me know what think of this schedule if you plan to be in this caravan group.
I will be driving up on Thursday. I will be taking 75 to 84 to 65....or maybe 75 to 74 (depends on what the GA group is going to run). I will be retuning Sunday evening along the same route.
I will be towing the convertible up...partially because it sucks to drive it in the rain (and that is too long of a weekend to rely on good weather the whole way), but mostly because it gives a backup plan for the other NC and GA people should they have any issues (I can drive the convertible the rest of the way and tow their car if needed).
[This message has been edited by CowsPatoot (edited 04-19-2013).]
So if I have calculated this correctly the times to meet will need to be: Leave Topeka at 8am (1 hour drive to KC) Arrive in KC at 9am and leave for St Louis around 9 to 9:30 (3.5 hour drive to St Louis) Arrive in St Louis around 1pm and leave for Indy around 1:30pm (3.5 hours to Indy) Arrive in Indy around 5pm
Hey Chirstine... If the NTFC caravan (maybe only 3-5 cars at this point) could meet up with you guys and R Runner (and anyone else interested!!) around 1-1:30 East of St Louis... somewhere near'ish the border of Illinois... that would work out pretty good.
Maybe we could find a truckstop with some fast food or locally famous restaurant right off the interstate for everyone to rendezvous... being that it is in the time frame for lunch, so if one group is early or late... the others can just be chowing down for the wait. These 2 locations are not too far across the border... I found them just scrolling around in Google Maps. The reason I emphasize East of SL is because R Runner is on that side in Illinois, and trying to prevent him from having to backtrack too far (if any)
here's a likely place... advertises 'Foot High Pies!'... seems fitting given the club we are trying to hook up with has 'High' in the name... Blue Springs Cafe in Highland Illinois: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r...prings-Cafe-Highland
Hey Chirstine... If the NTFC caravan (maybe only 3-5 cars at this point) could meet up with you guys and R Runner (and anyone else interested!!) around 1-1:30 East of St Louis... somewhere near'ish the border of Illinois... that would work out pretty good.
Maybe we could find a truckstop with some fast food or locally famous restaurant right off the interstate for everyone to rendezvous... being that it is in the time frame for lunch, so if one group is early or late... the others can just be chowing down for the wait. These 2 locations are not too far across the border... I found them just scrolling around in Google Maps. The reason I emphasize East of SL is because R Runner is on that side in Illinois, and trying to prevent him from having to backtrack too far (if any)
here's a likely place... advertises 'Foot High Pies!'... seems fitting given the club we are trying to hook up with has 'High' in the name... Blue Springs Cafe in Highland Illinois: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r...prings-Cafe-Highland
I think either place could work as long as they have ample parking and it is easy to get off and back on the highway, maybe the St. Louis people can weigh in and tell us what they prefer. We will be making a few stops before we get to that area so I am not sure how many we will have at that point.
Topeka: I was hoping the Topeka folks would tell me a good place to stay in that area but I have not heard from any of them yet. If I did not hear from them before a couple of weeks out I will just pick a place to meet and stay the night then post it.
KC: We need to pick a place to meet there too, so if anyone from that area that is planning to meet us we need a good place to meet that is right off the highway, like a truck stop or something. If anyone has a good place in mind please post it. If I do not hear back I will just pick a place to meet for that stop too.
I will revise this map and add the actual places with addresses when we have decided on locations. The caravan coming from the west will be taking I-70 the whole way the map shows different highway number but it is still I-70 so if you want to meet us pick a place off of this highway http://goo.gl/maps/SQGhs If anyone coming from CA or other western states want to meet us near Denver let me know and we can pick a place to meet you off of I-70 when we set out Tuesday morning.
Just a quick reply, but I will get to more info hopefully soon, been busy with the weather getting better.
I have a connection that should be able to let us meet at the Kaufman stadium/ Arrowhead stadium parking lot, its just off I70 and will allow us to get right back on the highway and go, it doesn't give us a lot of options for filling up, but hopefully all the KC people will be fueled up and ready to go. Otherwise we can meet about 15 miles down i70 in Oak Grove at a big Truck stop with plenty of gas pumps and parking.
I am planning to leave NC on Thurs AM to go I-40 to I-75 in Knoxville. MapQuest says 9 hrs form Hickory, NC to Indie. Have driven it a couple of times and that,s not far off. Anyone going from this area on Thursday that would like to meet up?
I would like to plan something for as many people as possible that will be leaving from or heading through the Chicago Area on Wednesday.
Personally I would like to get into the hotel between 4 and 5 pm (and Zach just reminded me Indy is EST). That would put a caravan leaving the south suburbs around 12:30-1:00.
So who is coming thru or leaving from Chicago on Wednesday. I think Sadie and her dad are coming from Milwaukee and zmcdonal wants a pick up in Merrillville Indiana. Merrillville would be great place for anyone from Northern Indiana / Western Michigan to join in.
Also note that NIFE has posted "We will be departing from the Chicago Southland Lincoln Oasis along the Tri-State Tollway located near South Holland at 9:00am each day. Please begin arriving at 8:30am. " I believe its not going to be an organized caravan though, just whoever shows up. For me it seems to early, especially if we want to include some people from further out. That is a good location for meeting though, as its near where 80/94/294 all meet.
------------------ --Jeff aka mrfred8 - 88 Yellow GT - 86 Silver SE (3800 in progress) Fieros For Sale
[This message has been edited by mrfred8 (edited 04-30-2013).]
Here is the route Bob, Kevin, and I are planning to take. Bob is coming from CA alone at this point and meeting us in Denver and we are diving together to Topeka and staying Wednesday night at the Best Western shown on the map. I included the Lunch break at Fuderburks Gas and Diner in Pocahontas Illinois; I like this one because it has a lot of parking, food, and gas so it can be a one stop shop. The stop at Arrowhead is going to be a quick stop to pick up folks for the caravan. I have a gas stop planned a little farther down. I can only go about 200 miles so the stops are as close to that as I could come without going too far over. (Except for the Arrowhead stop) Check out the map and give me you feedback and who is going to meet us where.
After we all agree on stops we can talk times to meet, so please give your feedback on this so we can finalize the west route. If anyone is coming from CA or any west state let us know maybe you can meet up with Bob for the drive to Denver.
I included the Lunch break at Fuderburks Gas and Diner in Pocahontas Illinois; I like this one because it has a lot of parking, food, and gas so it can be a one stop shop.
These are good points. Sounds like a plan, and we will get a 'firmer' lunch time range soon.
Christine, pick me up in Pocahontas. Hope all the other people in this area will meet with us there also
We will meet you there, we do not have a set time to meet yet but when we have the times set I will post the places, map and time for the meeting places.
Also note that NIFE has posted "We will be departing from the Chicago Southland Lincoln Oasis along the Tri-State Tollway located near South Holland at 9:00am each day. Please begin arriving at 8:30am. " I believe its not going to be an organized caravan though, just whoever shows up.
Note also that's only Weds-Thur-Friday. That leaves me for Saturday. So if anyone's going for JUST Saturday, than can caravan with me.
Also note that NIFE has posted "We will be departing from the Chicago Southland Lincoln Oasis along the Tri-State Tollway located near South Holland at 9:00am each day. Please begin arriving at 8:30am. " I believe its not going to be an organized caravan though, just whoever shows up. For me it seems to early, especially if we want to include some people from further out. That is a good location for meeting though, as its near where 80/94/294 all meet.
I am heading down Friday 9:00 is kinda early coming from the WI border...anyone else going to be there? (if i know some people might be there i will make it)
The mile High Fiero Club group is still planning to stay Tuesday night in Topeka. We have 3 so far.
<---- did you buy Cliff a beer? 
