2012 Fall Meet/Campout: Oakland, MD, Oct.19-21

[SWriverstone]

2012 FALL MEET/CAMPOUT
October 19-21, 2012

LOCATION: Western Maryland (Garrett County)
• 26 miles (30mins) south of I-68 (down US219)

MOTEL: Oak-Mar Hotel and Family Restaurant
208 North 3rd Street  Oakland, MD 21550
(301) 334-3965
• plain but nice
• cheap rooms: $66.08/night for 1 person (includes tax), $77.28/night for 2 people (includes tax)
• wifi
• restaurant!
• NOTE: This motel will not reserve a block of rooms for us, but they're wide-open now for that weekend---so make reservations now! (They have a 48-hour cancellation policy.)



DINING: Lots of options in Oakland

CAMPING: Swallow Falls State Park (7 miles from Oakland)
• 65 first-come, first served campsites
• 2-night minimum stay
• 3 bathhouses with hot showers
• http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/swallowfalls.asp



RIDING: Plenty of great riding in every direction!
• Countless loops available
• Rides can be in any/all of 4 states: MD/VA/PA/WV
• We have lots of people hopefully attending who know these roads well---I'll also post a few loops in the next couple weeks.

MAP: Here's a link to a Bing map showing the motel and campground:
http://binged.it/Osy3K9

Who's Coming?
Go ahead and post up below if you're pretty sure you can make it, and I'll start the official attendance list below.

SWriverstone
SLK50
Garry
Jesse
slayman (?)
vulcanbill (?)
sodapop6620 (?)
sleazy rider (?)
jimmy (on the kitchen calendar)
Scratch33 (tentative)
ChrisZRX (tentative)
JReazor




Scott

[Sport-Touring]

[Cobalt]

Count me in for at least driving down and hanging out one of the parking lot evenings. Making a longer trip of it depends on whether I'm up to riding by then, and budget.

[SLK50]

I'll be there.
If the planets align I should be there Friday evening.
Probably have Alex with me.

[kendenton]

Trying to decide on camping vs hotel brings me to the most important question - where will most people be hanging out at night?  Gathered 'round the fire in the woods or standing in a parking lot?  Hmm...

[garry]

IN. I ride the area regularly and can help with routes.

There is a chance of me trailering the 530 there  (2 hours from home) and doing dual-sport rides/exploration for three days.

EDIT: Hmmm.... It appears that you could visit the high point of PA (drive), MD (2 mile hike roundtrip), and WV (drive) in a nice 300 mile loop. Given the time of year, the fall colors may be good, or recently past peak at the higher elevations.

[SWriverstone]

IN. I ride the area regularly and can help with routes.

Alright!   I was hoping you'd chime in on routes Garry. This meet gives me a good excuse to head over that way and explore some more goat paths, which I hope to do before the meet.

EDIT: Hmmm.... It appears that you could visit the high point of PA (drive), MD (2 mile hike roundtrip), and WV (drive) in a nice 300 mile loop. Given the time of year, the fall colors may be good, or recently past peak at the higher elevations.

That would be cool. And what the heck---if we roped Mt. Rogers, VA into the loop, that would only make it, what---600 miles or so?  

Scott

[SWriverstone]

Trying to decide on camping vs hotel brings me to the most important question - where will most people be hanging out at night?  Gathered 'round the fire in the woods or standing in a parking lot?  Hmm...

Good question Ken! I vote for dinner in town...followed by hanging at the campfire at the state park. Not sure about alcohol in the state park? (Or whether discreet use can be gotten away with?) If it's cold, there's always hot chocolate with Bailey's.  

Scott

[R Doug]

Oakland, MD.   What a beautiful place to hold a meet.  I know Road Runner had a meet there a few years back.  I so wish I could get time off for this.  

Garry really knows the roads there, but here are some of my local atypical / off-the-beaten path favorites:

This section of road is beautiful.


View Larger Map


This road is like a roller coaster.  


View Larger Map

Due to traffic, I would avoid this section of Rt. 7.


View Larger Map

A MUST ride!  


View Larger Map

[R Doug]

Oh yeah, here's a cool little find for you.  Go explore the man made cave located here.  It's neat to park the bike and walk through the cave.  If you have a good DS bike with clearance, you can ride inside the cave.  

+39° 22' 27.30", -79° 42' 17.52"

(type 39.374251, -79.704866 into google maps to find)






The picture above doesn't provide a good size reference.  Here I am standing next to it.

[vulcanbill]

IN. I ride the area regularly and can help with routes.

There is a chance of me trailering the 530 there  (2 hours from home) and doing dual-sport rides/exploration for three days.

EDIT: Hmmm.... It appears that you could visit the high point of PA (drive), MD (2 mile hike roundtrip), and WV (drive) in a nice 300 mile loop. Given the time of year, the fall colors may be good, or recently past peak at the higher elevations.

DS!!!  DS!!!!  Do it, man.  If we can make this meet, we're totally in.  I was researching the ORV stuff in the area and it actually looks like just forest roads but I'd love to get out and explore off road if possible.  

edit:  http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/orv.asp

[R Doug]

DS!!!  DS!!!!  Do it, man.  If we can make this meet, we're totally in.  I was researching the ORV stuff in the area and it actually looks like just forest roads but I'd love to get out and explore off road if possible.  

edit:  http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/orv.asp

From Oakland, you can EASILY make a loop which includes Douglas Road (PR 18) and Loop Road (PR 13) around Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley State Parks in WV.    

[Skee]

O no, I just blew my allowance on ESTN

[jimmy]

As I didn't really get to catch up with anyone in WV, and I bailed on ESTN, I have prioritized
this event on our calender in the kitchen.

You likely have your own version of the calender in the kitchen, and know...

...that which is written here can not be undone!!!!!!!!

So, barring a Priest beside someone's bed, or a storm of Biblical proportions, Jimmy will be at this event! (but not camping, Jimmy like's his amenities)

[Cablebandit]

So, barring a Priest beside someone's bed,

If they are that far along they won't miss you.  Your STN'rs, however, will.  

[SuperSlider]

We are IN!  I'd  really like to camp but don't want to be the only one, who else is considering the camp option?

[SLK50]

We are IN!  I'd  really like to camp but don't want to be the only one, who else is considering the camp option?

I'm seriously considering camping, but I'll make that call closer to the date.

For now, I'm planning on staying at the motel. Easy enough to change plans.

[Scratch33]

Mark me down as tentative.

[SWriverstone]

Oh yeah, here's a cool little find for you.  Go explore the man made cave located here.  It's neat to park the bike and walk through the cave.  If you have a good DS bike with clearance, you can ride inside the cave.  

+39° 22' 27.30", -79° 42' 17.52"

(type 39.374251, -79.704866 into google maps to find)




The picture above doesn't provide a good size reference.  Here I am standing next to it.

Hmm...that's funny, I've ridden up and down 72 many times and never noticed that! (Was I blind? Or is it back off the road?) I'll have to look for it next time. Good roads Doug---and you're right---Garry knows these roads well, so I'm sure he could chime in. (Seems like I remember some great pics you posted somewhere Garry of Location Rd. and Sugarland Rd...) I'm hoping to sneak over there in the next few days to do some goat path scouting...


That section of Rt.7 you warned about is indeed bad---heavy, slow traffic (I think it's that way all the way from Morgantown). I've ridden it at 8am on a Saturday morning, though, and it was wonderfully traffic-free! So if you can catch it early in the AM on a weekend, it's a nice ride (especially the section from Kingwood to Terra Alta).

Scott

[vulcanbill]

We are IN!  I'd  really like to camp but don't want to be the only one, who else is considering the camp option?

If we are in, we'll be camping.  Well, we'll be at the campground.  Whether or not it's actually called camping is a matter of some debate.    

[vulcanbill]

Mark me down as tentative.

I can probably fit the 125 on my truck w/ our bikes.  You could ride the GS and still have your toy for parking lot antics.