Old Dominion Leaf Peeper's Assn

[luvtoride]

I admit it, I'm kinda lost here. Date(s) is/are 14/15 Oct (I got that) except that wx may move it to 21/22 Oct. We're going to stay in Summerville WV?? Ride Sunday is still up in the air on North or South from that point.
Depending on final meet location/routes chosen my participation may be limited to the hotel/motel meet/greet/eat/and drink! Lorie is not real interested in "long" rides (200 mi +). So, I may have to be somewhat creative in my planning to get her to come along. I agree Heidi, I think she'd really enjoy the ride and the views and I want her to come along.

What I'm thinkin' to shorten her time on the bike is to let her drive the car to Harrisonburg and leave it with our daughter at JMU - no, I wouldn't leave her the keys! And then ride with her to the meet point.

That's my challenge and I'll work it out.

I've got my liberty card this Saturday and will probably head west to check out Monterey/Warm Springs area. If there is any recon work you need done in that area just let me know and I'd be happy to nose around.

I reckon my question is - where are we staying?

Jim

Hey Jim, if you're confused about things, there might be others. I thought it was clear if the posts were followed... but guess not. The information is kinda' spread out.

Ok, meet date is to be the 14th-15th. We are planning to stay in Summersville once Jim (spklbuk) or I call the hotel & set something up. I'm planning on calling the Sleep Inn & make some sort of arrangements w/ them. They are right in the thick of things & you get 10% off your bill at nearby restaurants & they have a good cancellation policy in case we need to cancel due to weather.

If it looks like a washout for that weekend because of weather, the meet is going to switch to the next weekend (21 & 22). Summersville hotels are all booked up for the that particular weekend so we'd need to go elsewhere. I suggested Monterey... since I've spoken w/ the owner at the Montvalle & they have hotel openings. If we stayed there on the rain date, we'd need to change the route that we ride.

It hasn't been discussed where to physically meet up to ride together. I was thinking that the people riding in from NOVA, spklbuk & I could meet around the area of the 250/BRP/Skyline Dr split. & ride the rest of the way together. It takes me around 3.5 hours to reach that point. If I leave here at 7:30 I can be out there @ 11:00 in the morning.

I realize that there will be some people riding in from other directions. I guess they should look at the intended route & decide where they'd like to cut in on the group? What do you think of that idea?

In case there are people that didn't see it, there's an intended route posted:

This suggested route assumes Summersville area for rooms. Start out on 250 in VA. South from rt 250/219 intersect at Huttonsville and at Valley Head take Rt 15 S(W?) to Webster Spings across Gauley Mtn and on to Craigville -- a few nice sets of twisties and a bunch of scenery w/ some pull offs. STOP IN SUMMERSVILLE F/THE NIGHT. In the morning, Rt 39 to Richwood - thru the Mon national forest and it attendant leaves to top of Kennison Mtn (Cranberry Glades) and Rt 150 Highland Scenic Highway with vista pull offs galore. It is sweeper hell, but you won't notice b/c the red spruce high elevations make you giddy anyhow. A cruise up Snowshoe Mtn. would make for some nice views from the top and its sort of on the route. Rt 39 off Back Creek Mtn to MooMaw country and thru Goshen Pass just north of Lexington would definitely be the way to go on Sunday for those wishing to pick up I-64/81 home.

Sklbuk suggested a few more roads past that but that is for anyone that feels adventuresome & wants to ride after checking into the motel. This route above is the proposed route.

Heidi

 

[Randy]

Heidi,

Any thoughts on meeting time/place for us Sunday-only types? I'm still not a definite, but, would like to know in the event I can make it.

There is a Shoney's at 901 Industrial Drive in Summersville, WV - 1/2 mile from the Sleep Inn.

 

[JimLor]

Heidi - thanks for putting it all in one place, I appreciate it!

Looks like a good plan and I'm with you. Let me know if I need to call and reserve a room - if you are going to reserve a block, I'll take one.

Thanks again.

Jim

 

[luvtoride]

Heidi,Any thoughts on meeting time/place for us Sunday-only types? I'm still not a definite, but, would like to know in the event I can make it.

There is a Shoney's at 901 Industrial Drive in Summersville, WV - 1/2 mile from the Sleep Inn.

Hi Randy, No I really haven't put any thought into where the Sunday person should meet us. Shoney's would be fine, I suppose... or at the hotel for that matter. How early would you be in? I'd expect the peepers to be on the road fairly early... not at the crack of dawn early... but sometime in the morning... like 8:30ish-9ish?

I know speaking for myself, if I'm on the road much later than that I'll get home at an unfavorable time. I don't like to get in after dark. There are other people who'll probably be riding a comparable distance as me & I'd expect the same applies to them.

I'm not sure how long it'd take you to get into them parts... but did you see the comment that spklbuk made about getting together in the spring & riding further north? Don't know if that ride might be more appropriate for ya'. Regardless, I know that you're an iron butt kind of guy. It'd sure be great to see & ride with you again if'n you come on down.

Heidi

Heidi - thanks for putting it all in one place, I appreciate it!Looks like a good plan and I'm with you. Let me know if I need to call and reserve a room - if you are going to reserve a block, I'll take one.

Thanks again.

Jim

Jim, not a problem...

about the rooms. I plan to call to see about a group rate (stated in an earlier post) & that's about it. Individuals will still need to call & make a reservation. I hope that doing it like this will at least put us near each other.

Good to hear that you're in,

Heidi

 

[Randy]

Hi Randy, No I really haven't put any thought into where the Sunday person should meet us. Shoney's would be fine, I suppose... or at the hotel for that matter. How early would you be in? I'd expect the peepers to be on the road fairly early... not at the crack of dawn early... but sometime in the morning... like 8:30ish-9ish?
I know speaking for myself, if I'm on the road much later than that I'll get home at an unfavorable time. I don't like to get in after dark. There are other people who'll probably be riding a comparable distance as me & I'd expect the same applies to them.

I'm not sure how long it'd take you to get into them parts... but did you see the comment that spklbuk made about getting together in the spring & riding further north? Don't know if that ride might be more appropriate for ya'. Regardless, I know that you're an iron butt kind of guy. It'd sure be great to see & ride with you again if'n you come on down.

Heidi

Ouch...Just saw that it's 326 miles each way. So, 650 miles plus leaf peeping sounds like a fun day! Doable, but, not sure if it's gonna happen. Won't know until after I get back from vacation next week.

 

[spklbuk]

Heidi,

Been up to my ears in elephants w/ non-FJR stuff the past coupla days, but am glad to see we're making progress . Have you reserved a block of rooms? Or do you want I should call - will be glad to. If so, how many in the block and any other instructions? Let me know.

All,

Will try to post a pic or two over time as the leaves progress just to whet the appetite and to perhaps help convince who I'm sure is the better half of JimLor to make the trip )

Jim (spklbuk)

 

[luvtoride]

Heidi,Been up to my ears in elephants w/ non-FJR stuff the past coupla days, but am glad to see we're making progress . Have you reserved a block of rooms? Or do you want I should call - will be glad to. If so, how many in the block and any other instructions? Let me know.

All,

Will try to post a pic or two over time as the leaves progress just to whet the appetite and to perhaps help convince who I'm sure is the better half of JimLor to make the trip )

Jim (spklbuk)

Jim, I haven't called the hotel, yet. Was gonna' do it last night but by the time I got the chance it was late. I don't know how many rooms to put in a block... or even if we have enough people for a block. I've seen that there are a couple who have canceled, too. Mike (brazos parker) had to bow, it doesn't look like Randy will be making it, either. Also, Cope bowed. I think that there was someone else, too... don't remember who it is. Oh yeah, playnguitar... he cancelled, also.

I'd suggest asking for 6 or 7 rooms together (on the ground floor)? If we fill 'em... very cool.. if not, then we pay full price for lodging. Also, I saw on their website they are advertising rooms @ $60.00 regularly priced. Didn't you say they quoted a group rate of $63.00? That must be one of those things that makes you go... hmmmmmm!!!!

Lets see... who's going... you, me, Gary, Jim, cafn8d, Adrian. Some of you guys will probably want to share a room, too. LUCKY MEN! Anyway, I think this is all. Please correct me if I've missed someone.

I heard from a neighbor in Chesapeake (Jaybird) who said that he might get a liberty card to go. I tried to email him today & he's out of his office... so, I'll talk to him upon his return to work.

I'm also going to drop a bug in my friend Jeff's ear & see if he might want to join us.

If not, it's just us few... which is good for me. We'll be a smaller train.

Heidi

 

[FJR Gary]

Heidi,

Route sounds good to me. I'm definitely in. I'll take a single room. Just let us know when to call the Sleep Inn.

As far as meeting on Sat. morning, that gas station there on 250 and the BRP in Waynesboro where we met last time sounds good. 11:00 am is fine. Takes me about 2-1/2 hours to get there. Any other NOVA peeps want to meet around 7:30 -8:00 Sat. morning and ride to Waynesboro together, speak up.

 

[FJR Gary]

Lorie is visiting her sisters this weekend so I think I'll saddle up and head out to Monterey, Warm Springs, and that area to check it out and to check out places to go fly fishing. If you want me to check out anything in the area just let me know.Jim

Jim, I'd love to tag along with you, but we're moving our office this weekend, so if I want to have a job on Monday morning, I think I'll be stuck playing moving man this weekend

 

[spklbuk]

Will call Sleep Inn tomorrow and see what they got and for how much - will bring up the advertised webiste price. Will post what I find out tomorrow evening.

 

[luvtoride]

Will call Sleep Inn tomorrow and see what they got and for how much - will bring up the advertised webiste price. Will post what I find out tomorrow evening.

Jim, already done... grassy ***! (thanks in spanish)

 

[AdrianNKY]

Sorry..Been gone all week on a biz trip to Springfield/Lebanon MO.

Still planning on making it (hoping to do a Fri-Mon trip) but might get shipped out to CA that week. Won't know the status of that until next week. :-(

At any rate, count me in for now and I'll let you know if the status changes. Been exploring routes to get downt here from NKY with Streets and Trips. Looks like I can have tons of fun getting there too!

Cheers,

AdrianNKY

 

[luvtoride]

Sorry..Been gone all week on a biz trip to Springfield/Lebanon MO.
Still planning on making it (hoping to do a Fri-Mon trip) but might get shipped out to CA that week. Won't know the status of that until next week. :-(

At any rate, count me in for now and I'll let you know if the status changes. Been exploring routes to get downt here from NKY with Streets and Trips. Looks like I can have tons of fun getting there too!

Cheers,

AdrianNKY

Good deal Adrian,

You might think about making a reservation at the hotel. They have a very liberal cancelling policy, so you'd have plenty of time to cancel if you got to go to Cali. Not sure how many people they get during leaf peeping. I've got 5 blocked out but not sure for how long or how many people that have reservations thus far.

Be meeting ya' soon, Heidi

 

[FJR Gary]

Just checked weather.com for the long range forecast for Summersville for next weekend. Looks pretty good. Upper 50s to 60 days, low 40s at night. Sunny with 20% chance of rain.

Its cloudy and rainy here today Temp in the 50s

 

[luvtoride]

Just checked weather.com for the long range forecast for Summersville for next weekend. Looks pretty good. Upper 50s to 60 days, low 40s at night. Sunny with 20% chance of rain.
Its cloudy and rainy here today Temp in the 50s

Gary, it rained its ever lovin' *** off here today. Not to mention the wind that we've had since early Friday. I still hear a gust now and then & it's after 11:00 pm on Saturday night.

Had gusts... really bad gusts. I'd say sustained around 35-40ish & gusts to 50-60.

Aren't you happy our ride is next weekend??? Hahaha!!!

I also looked at the long range forecast... so far so good! I'll definitely be keeping an eye on it as the week progresses.

Heidi

 

[JimLor]

Heidi - I can't find it and I'm not even sure someone posted this, but where are we meeting on Sat at 1100?

I rode yesterday morning from about 7-10 and it was windy as all get out. Didn't really rain - only "mist," but the wind was pretty interesting!

 

[luvtoride]

Heidi - I can't find it and I'm not even sure someone posted this, but where are we meeting on Sat at 1100?I rode yesterday morning from about 7-10 and it was windy as all get out. Didn't really rain - only "mist," but the wind was pretty interesting!

Hey Jim, the meet spot has been discussed. There are a couple of different threads going on. Not sure which it was posted in. Gonna' end my letter here and look for it... & 11:00am is accurate. Is this time ok for everyone or does it need to be modified?

Heidi

Ok Jim, here it is. I found it under "HEIDI/GARY suggestions":

Ok, Jim... the gas station... right where 250, 64, Blue Ridge & Skyline meet there is a rest area. More precisely where the "actual" meeting of the BRP & Skyline Drive occur... right were the BRP ends and Skyline begins, there is a rest area that's not very scenic. At that rest area you can see an exit ramp. (not the one onto 64) Take that exit ramp towards 250. There is a gas station/info center at the bottom & a direct route to 250W. Not sure how to explain it other than that. You'll see it when you're there... promise. Anyone, can you explain it better, please do.
If I can confuse you further, please write.

Heidi

And then Gary followed up with this:

That's a good description Heidi. The only thing I could add is that its Exit 99 off I-64

 

[JimLor]

Thanks Heidi, we'll be there.

 

[luvtoride]

Something else to add Jim, that rest area I wrote about is actually a small parking area... no buildings... just parking. from the parking area if you look across the street there is an exit ramp that leads down to where you pick up Rte 250 & there's a gas station. That is where we'll be planning on meeting.

See you next Saturday,

Heidi

 

[Randy]

Heidi,

Was hoping I could pull this off, but, I won't be able to make it. Hope you have a great/safe ride.