Community Forums

Don (W5IT) · 03-12-2006, 12:33 PM

Naaa, the REAL stuff just has a "Full bodied flavor" but is not HOT.

crudeman · 03-12-2006, 04:15 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by allendp:
Sounds great Don. Let's see what the other folks think. C'mon folks give us some input here. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey Don, Rayfords Crossing was what I had in mind as well for a meeting place, think we probably would come there Thursday night and leave that morning also.
Southern route sounds ok with me, I will go with the flow.

One suggestion I would make I think I would press on another 60 or so miles the next day and get thru B'ham and stay around Gadsden area. There are a few places around there and when you coming up 59 North we can take the I-459 and that takes you around B'ham and back to 59 N again toward Gadsden. I think its about 60 miles on to Gadsden. Boy I have drove that way to B'ham and beyond a many of time.
I will sit back now and wait.

Steve & Pat Wilson

Madame Boomer · 03-14-2006, 04:04 AM

Hi Convoyers -

I definitely think Rayford's Crossing is a good meeting place to head off to the National. We can all meet there on Thursday night.

The southern route appears to be the most popular with fewer miles than the northern route so we'll "head em up and move em out" that direction on Friday morning from Rayford's Crossing.

I'd like to suggest that we make miles while there's still daylight though rather than stopping in Baton Rouge overnight. If we leave Rayfords at 10am, we'll be in BR by 3pm. If we could press on for another 2 hours we'll be a little farther down the road, yet still have time to set up before dark and relax the rest of the evening.

I agree with Steve to press on past B'ham on Saturday as well.

The reasons for this is that I checked the National Rally Schedule and a welcome dinner is planned for Sunday night at 7pm. I'd like to see us get to Sevierville during the afternoon instead of the evening hours. We'll have time to set up the rigs, meet and greet everyone and still have time to rest up and freshen up a little before arriving at the Welcome Dinner.

I GREATLY appreciate W5it's offer for the overnight stay, but he won't even be there to rebelrouse with us that night! He'll already be in Sevierville waiting on us!!!! I really feel we need to press on a little further down the road that first day which will ultimately put us in Sevierville earlier on Sunday.

Thoughts?

Sandy

RustyJC · 03-14-2006, 04:49 AM

If we're trying to make this a 2-1/2 day run, let me suggest the following (mileages from MapQuest, starting from our home in Cypress, TX):

Friday - Cypress (Houston) -> Hattiesburg, MS = 458 miles

Saturday - Hattiesburg, MS -> Chattanooga, TN = 383 miles

Sunday - Chattanooga, TN -> Sevierville, TN = 140 miles

Starting from Rayford Crossing instead of Cypress would knock probably 20 to 25 miles off the Friday run. I haven't checked for campgrounds, etc. - I was just trying to even out the mileage.

Rusty

allendp · 03-14-2006, 08:16 AM

Rusty and Madame,

I agree getting to the rally point early on Sunday is necessary. Stopping in Baton Rouge would probably be way too early on Fri, but 450 miles on Fri after departing at even 9:30 AM would make a really long day. I'm worried about the Madame's hiney and mine too!

Another suggestion is:

Spring, TX to Picayune MS on Friday - 394 miles.

Picayune, MS to Fort Payne AL on Saturday - 392 Miles

Fort Payne, AL to Sevierville, TN on Sunday - 190 miles

All of this is dependent, of course, on finding RV Parks to overnight at whatever locations we choose.

Good discussions - let's keep it going.

RustyJC · 03-14-2006, 08:37 AM

Don,

Is there any particular reason you mention 9:30 AM? When we convoyed to Nashville for the 2003 National Rally, we were on the road by 8:00 AM as I recall. Personally, I'd rather leave early and shut down earlier than leave late and shut down around dark, but that's just me.....

Rusty

allendp · 03-14-2006, 09:01 AM

No particular reason Rusty and I totally agree with leaving early and stopping early. It's been my experience that when dealing with a group, if you say 8 AM, you might get away at 9 or 9:30. There always seems to be at least one to hold things up for whatever reasons.

450 miles averaging 55 MPH (a pretty good pace I think with stops etc.) will take 8+ hours. So if we shoot for 8 and get away by 9 we still should be at a campground by around 5 PM - time to set up and get some grub before too late.

Driving only 400 miles a day, of course, would shorten the time by 1 hour a day and add 1 hour to the last day. But I am agreeable - 1 hour a day won't make a whole lot of difference. Our hiney's are going to be sore regardless.

Stops in Hattiesburg and Chattanooga would be fine with me along with a planned departure at 8 AM.

RustyJC · 03-14-2006, 09:12 AM

Well, we can always say 7:00 AM and get out by 8:00 AM!

You're right, though - we won't make the time in a convoy that one could make running solo. Fuel, meal and rest stops take longer, the group gets split up by traffic, traffic lights, etc. and we have to wait on each other, and so on.

However we do it, it's not going to be an easy run. Sandy and I had an emergency at home on one trip and drove straight through from Chattanooga to Houston - it can be done, but I don't recommend it.

Actually, the last time we went to the Smokies, we drove from Houston to Meridian, MS (543 miles) on the first day, but we left from the RV storage lot in Cypress around 5:00 AM. We made the run to Gatlinburg in only 2 days that trip, and that was too much like work!

It really doesn't matter that much to me how we split up the first two days. I suspect a lot of it will come down to the location of decent campgrounds to stop and overnight.

Rusty

allendp · 03-14-2006, 10:02 AM

I did a google search for RV parks around Hattiesburg and Chattanooga and found a gazillion parks around each. Most of them in the $25 a night range.

Who is gonna be the "stuckee" to make the reservations for the group

My just look at that Boomer Convoy !

Don (W5IT) · 03-14-2006, 10:30 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">But I am agreeable - 1 hour a day won't make a whole lot of difference. Our hiney's are going to be sore regardless. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yall might want to stock up on some of this then.

RustyJC · 03-14-2006, 10:31 AM

Sandy probably will. She had said something to me about discussing this topic at the Easter Rally with those who are going to the 2006 National, so she may want to hold off until after Easter when everything gets firmed up. I'm sure she'll correct me if I've misspoken here.

Rusty

ruppr · 03-15-2006, 03:44 PM

'Well heck, just thought I would throw my 2 cents in, 'don't much care which way we go', but since Don is gonna be waiting fer us'uns in TN. instead of LA.,there are many smoother roads and less construction than I10 across LA.

I'll just put 'nother 10 lbs. in the air springs and cook some grub during the construction stops.

('course July is a fair ways away yet, Don Fauntleroy, any feedback on I10?)

Best,

Don (W5IT) · 03-15-2006, 05:28 PM

I-10 is open all the way across. It is rough between the TX state line and Lake Charles though.....

No construction delays as of now. But you will want to hit BAton ROuge at other than "Peak times" as with any fairly large town.

I-59 is in good shape as of the last time I went thru. Matt (MJSteph here) told me I-59 is still in good shape. He rolled across it a couple weeks ago.

As far as the rest of the way I really do not have anything recent.

Fuel and such are no problem now. Right after the storms fuel and other stuff ya need/want on trips was a BEAR to find thru LA. But not any problem now.

The only thing still hard to find is campground space. You can just about forget finding a place to stay all thru South LA. Amlost everything is taken up either by folks who suffered from the storms or from folks working to help rebuild. But if yall want a place to break for the night on the way home, the offer for our place is open for then as well.

ruppr2 (Kris) · 03-16-2006, 05:19 PM

OK, for a woman that likes to sleep, except when I travel ...

We need to get the he..l.. hockey stick .. out of dodge .... We need to be on the road by Friday, 8:00 a.m. No group breakfast .. of course, I don't eat anymore ... so ..

Oh, Bob and I will provide emergency rest room stops, no questions asked. No Cracker Barrels,

easy truck stop gasing for multiple filling.

Am I being toooo Type "A". Durn I am on vacation. ...

Let's get to Tenn and then relax. I really like Rusty's mileage and times.

AND THIS IS A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE (TYPE "A")

!GO NATIONALS GO!