ESTN 2012

[sprint_st]

To me the "when" is a calculated risk as far as weather is concerned.  Case in point the annual burger run.  Cold and rain. Except this past year, when it was just bitterly cold.

Planning on a long holiday away at the Baltimore Grand Prix on Labor Day, so anything real close to that is taxing for me.

Granted, I only made it through the first 4 pages of this thread...  

Will catch up on the rest of it tomorrow...

Weather is kindofa crap shoot.  There is the day to day weather of any location but that location also has climatology stats too.  Ignoring them ain't too bright.  Weather is like craps or blackjack, games of probability and statistics.  Climatology is knowing that the house always wins.  Sparta in August you might have a 70% chance of afternoon thundershowers but almost zero probability of snow.  Marlinton in late September, you just might get snow.

[maddjack]

Weather is kindofa crap shoot.  There is the day to day weather of any location but that location also has climatology stats too.  Ignoring them ain't too bright.  Weather is like craps or blackjack, games of probability and statistics.  Climatology is knowing that the house always wins.  Sparta in August you might have a 70% chance of afternoon thundershowers but almost zero probability of snow.  Marlinton in late September, you just might get snow.

  Yep history does help in the choices

[02VFR]

Weather is kindofa crap shoot.  There is the day to day weather of any location but that location also has climatology stats too.  Ignoring them ain't too bright.  Weather is like craps or blackjack, games of probability and statistics.  Climatology is knowing that the house always wins.  Sparta in August you might have a 70% chance of afternoon thundershowers but almost zero probability of snow.  Marlinton in late September, you just might get snow.

Try this site for long range weather.  It still a crap shoot.

http://www.theweatherwiz.com/forcast-usa.php

[keppyou812]

Granted, I'm the FNG here.  But what about the 3rd weekend in Sept.  and do it in Luray, VA. ???  
Interstates close by for those looking to get there quick.
Hotels in the area.
You can go either way on Skyline Drive.
Plus there are other roads that should make it interesting.

Just a thought...

Could ask Garry politely for some route maps, and when the date gets closer can send Cablebandit into Accuweather to kick them in the balls is they don't predict nice weather.  

[R Doug]

I like your train of thought. How about Buena Vista, VA for the same criteria but closer to great roads?  There's a neat little hotel there which may be right up our alley.

http://buenavistamotel.net/

[Max Wedge]

I like.   Call it.

[Skee]

I'll second it.  Do we have a quorum?  Can more than 2 people in this group agree about anything?  Other than Connies make a decent dual-sport ride

[sprint_st]

Lurray, Buena Vista and most VA sites have good riding if you don't go East.  Sparta, Marlinton, Elkins, Johnson City, Brevard, Clayton, Waynesville, etc have excellent riding 360 degrees.  

[R Doug]

Lurray, Buena Vista and most VA sites have good riding if you don't go East.  Sparta, Marlinton, Elkins, Johnson City, Brevard, Clayton, Waynesville, etc have excellent riding 360 degrees.  

Excellent point.  Plus, looking over Buena Vista last night on the PC and I found very little in the form of food.

Though, I don't believe you need to have excellent roads avaialble 360.  I'd take 270.  

I'm now reasearching Fancy Gap, Wytheville, and Galax as I'm starting to find out that SW Virginia has some EXCELLENT hiddent roads with VERY little traffic on them.      

[R Doug]

Take a look around Fancy Gap, VA.  There are several local hotels and resturants.  It's close to some drool worthy roads.  And, there's a KOA campground in town for those who prefer to camp!

I'll start researching hotels in the area.  How many rooms do you believe we'll need?

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g57725-Fancy_Gap_Virginia-Vacations.html



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[MrsCablebandit]

Take a look around Fancy Gap, VA.  There are several local hotels and resturants.  It's close to some drool worthy roads.  And, there's a KOA campground in town for those who prefer to camp!

I'll start researching hotels in the area.  How many rooms do you believe we'll need?

Well, we sold out a 20-room motel in a matter of days for the May meet, so I'd put a minimum of 20 rooms in your RFP.

 

[Skee]

Lurray, Buena Vista and most VA sites have good riding if you don't go East.  Sparta, Marlinton, Elkins, Johnson City, Brevard, Clayton, Waynesville, etc have excellent riding 360 degrees.  

Agreed - Tazewell is maybe 125 to 150 miles from Buena Vista, and I was thinking of making a day loop on 16 through Marion.  I would like to ride that again.  I think Sparta/Galax would be a lot better jumping off point.  I think Galax has more options these days.

[sprint_st]

Take a look around Fancy Gap, VA.  There are several local hotels and resturants.  It's close to some drool worthy roads.  And, there's a KOA campground in town for those who prefer to camp!

Agreed - Tazewell is maybe 125 to 150 miles from Buena Vista, and I was thinking of making a day loop on 16 through Marion.  I would like to ride that again.  I think Sparta/Galax would be a lot better jumping off point.  I think Galax has more options these days.

Sparta's only disadvantage is that it only has one hotel, a good one, but only one.  I'm not sure Fancy Gap has any but you are close to Sparta, Hillsville, even Mt.Airy.  I've been on MSTA events every May in Sparta plus ESTN07 and went up to Tazewell and the Snake the first couple times but now I ride gap roads, Piper's, Tuggle, Orchard, Squirrel Spur and VA 40 out of Woolwine.  Those leading edge of the Blue Ridge roads are fun.

[MrsCablebandit]

Sparta's only disadvantage is that it only has one hotel, a good one, but only one.  I'm not sure Fancy Gap has any but you are close to Sparta, Hillsville, even Mt.Airy.  I've been on MSTA events every May in Sparta plus ESTN07 and went up to Tazewell and the Snake the first couple times but now I ride gap roads, Piper's, Tuggle, Orchard, Squirrel Spur and VA 40 out of Woolwine.  Those leading edge of the Blue Ridge roads are fun.

You seem pretty well-versed on what's available in these areas you prefer. Perhaps you can offer up some more specific suggestions for motels, camping, and food. Share what you already know and/or do a little legwork to give us a better idea of what options are where.

[R Doug]

There are several hotels and camp grounds in the Galax and Fancy Gap areas.  This area is home to several country festivals.

[sprint_st]

You seem pretty well-versed on what's available in these areas you prefer. Perhaps you can offer up some more specific suggestions for motels, camping, and food. Share what you already know and/or do a little legwork to give us a better idea of what options are where.

I'm very familiar with roads because it is an area where I day trip to a lot.  I am familiar with Sparta and the Allegheny Inn which is the only hotel in town, great people who handle MSTA every year, plus a bunch of HD and BMW events.  Been there five times.  Those gap roads are not day trip material for me, I run out of daylight.  I'm not into camping but I know there are lots of them all over the good riding areas from Atlanta to Pittsburgh.  Sparta has several places to eat but nothing spectacular.  A lot like Marlinton, you go there to ride and the food is like gas, it just keeps you going.  There are a whole bunch of members who know these areas very well.  Once dates and place are decided on, logistics fall into "been there, done that" mode.

[Oilhed]

Granted, I'm the FNG here.  But what about the 3rd weekend in Sept.  and do it in Luray, VA. ???  
Interstates close by for those looking to get there quick.
Hotels in the area.
You can go either way on Skyline Drive.
Plus there are other roads that should make it interesting.

That I might just commit to!

[R Doug]

Fancy Gap follow up.

There's a very clean Day's Inn with rooms running $70 / night.

It's located beside a Kangaroo Express gas station.

There is a KOA campground nearby.  

There are several local restaurants between Fancy Gap and Hillsville including a famous breakfast place called The Hungry Farmer.  

And, it's a location we haven't tried before that has excellent roads right out of the hotel's parking lot.  

[jimmy]

I would like to have my preference recorded as "Next available room" for this event,  because "looking for a room mate" for the Spring ride didn't pan out!!  

[MrsCablebandit]

Fancy Gap follow up.

There's a very clean Day's Inn with rooms running $70 / night.

It's located beside a Kangaroo Express gas station.

There is a KOA campground nearby.  

There are several local restaurants between Fancy Gap and Hillsville including a famous breakfast place called The Hungry Farmer.  

And, it's a location we haven't tried before that has excellent roads right out of the hotel's parking lot.  

"Alright...time's up...let's do this! LEEEERRROOOOYYYYYYY, JJJJJJENNNNNKINNNNNNSSSS!!!"

Bonus: The Fancy Gap Deli right off the Parkway is a sweet little gem of a restaurant. SuperSlider introduced us to it on our way back from ESTN 2010 in Sparta. Super nice staff and delicious food.