June 8-11 STAR 2014 in Rapid City, SD

[Bob]

Oops--sorry guys. I deleted the whole damn thing trying to delete a redundant post using Tapatalk. Remind me not to do that again.

So--where were we?

I'm in.

[Ed]

Note to self: keep clicking "decline" to popup ads for Tapatalk

[Brick]

Ed nothing wrong with Tapatalk... It's a very easy way to keep up with forums.


Brick

[Brick]

Ok here is my situation on STAR in Rapid City, SD. Patricia has an opportunity to attend a training in San Antonio, TX June 2-6th and if she gets selected I will stay with our elderly dog until she gets home. Which means that I will either slab it out in two days and be at STAR late it not go at all this year. I won't know until they tell here and they seem to make this selection at the last minute. So you all make plans I will join if I can.
Lee I know we are supposed to share rooms and this leaves you hanging... I'm sorry!
I want to go but... Well you know how it is.
Perhaps I will be able to do the Three Flags this year then??


Brick

[LeeDavis]

So, does anybody else want to room share?

[Yarbi]

OK guys it is time we get serious about planning our ride out West. I talked with John today and we feel we should get together and plan out our trip there and back. I have a suggestion. Why don't we meet at my house in Denver, which is kind of half way between Morganton and South Charlotte. I have internet and a computer with Base Camp and if someone else would like to bring a computer we can hook you up with my high speed internet. So here are the two days next week that would work for me. This Sunday, 4 May, at 12 noon or on Wednesday, 7 May, anytime after 10 am. On Wednesday we could meet in the morning and then go for lunch after. Do any of these days work for the group? My address is 7892 Chapel Creek Drive, Denver, NC. Should be on your GPS. My home phone is 704-966-0338. Let me know. Don

[Bob]

Yep its crunch time. Either day works for me.

[Brick]

I'm with the Knobbies this weekend at the Iron Horse. But don't hold up for me anyway.


Brick

[Yarbi]

John and Lee can you both make to my house on Wednesday? That might be the best day for everyone. Don

[LeeDavis]

Wednesday works for me.

[Bob]

Wednesday works for me.

And me also.

John can make it any time--he never works.

[Brick]

So... Wednesday May 7th... should we come after lunch. I mean wouldn't that be easiest not to have to deal with lunch at your place?
Got a suggested time to be at your house?... I'm the one riding 56 miles this time. The weather looks GREAT for that day!

[Yarbi]

Yea we could do that if you like. If we want to meet after lunch we could make it at 1 pm. How does that sound to everyone? John, it sounds like that Wednesday works for everyone else, is this ok with you?

[Bob]

Wednesday at 1 is just peachy with me.

[Broz]

Wed works for me. See you then.
Broz

[Yarbi]

Ok we are set. My house on Wednesday at 1 pm. See you all then. Don

[Brick]

The routes for STAR are starting to be published for those attending.

http://ridemsta.com/mstaforums/index.php?topic=275

I have not looked at them but the say it the first of the routes and to the tourist stuff and includes a lunch ride loop to Devils Tower.



Brick

[Bob]

Those are a little different from the Roadrunner maps I sent out, which I had *assumed would be the official rally routes since they were promoting the rally. Hell, I'll load them ALL, lol. Nothing wrong with the tourist stuff is there Brick? Thats what we allun's be.

[Brick]

We definitely be tourons!


Brick

[Brick]

This from MSTA: http://ridemsta.com/mstaforums/index.php?topic=297


Brick

[Bob]

Hey Lee, can you post the route you showed us?

[LeeDavis]

I'm still refining it here and there making sure all the roads are OK. Also, working up the alternate return, I-90 across to MN then down the Mississippi.

[Bob]

Well can you just post the one you showed us--going out? We won't hold you to it lol.

[LeeDavis]

OK, the "To Colorado" part is fairly solid. There seemed to be a consensus at our meeting to end in Durango so I changed from the original Pueblo destination. This is an additional 230 miles. As for proposed daily legs discussed, we would have to make very good time and I believe they're optimistic. Morganton to Memphis: 575 miles. Memphis to Wellington, just south of Wichita: 600 miles. Wellington to Durango: 680 miles.

I thought the idea where we would determine our daily destination at lunch break then make hotel reservations was a good one.

Morganton > Durango : http://goo.gl/maps/JQlHA

Edited to add: I'm bringing my smaller laptop and anywhere there's Verizon data coverage it's online. We should be able to get good info on the fly if need be.

[Broz]

Lee,
Thanks for posting the route. Zoom in after the letter "J" in the AR secttion there is an errant run don a section of road, is that intentional? I have never ridden more than 400 miles in a day but that has been the rides from Charlotte to the twisties with a long day in the twisties and then home to Charlotte. That's starting at 8:00 getting home around 6:30. Not sure how realistic a 600 mile day is unless it is a lot of straight roads at high 65-70 MPH and still having to operate like its a military time-line and I dont know that anyone wants to do that. I know there is not a way to shorten the route but any options to make the miles go by quicker? Possibly a 150-200 mile section of slab that would speed things along? Just asking....
Broz

[LeeDavis]

Lee,
Thanks for posting the route. Zoom in after the letter "J" in the AR secttion there is an errant run don a section of road, is that intentional?
Broz

Oh, that's a Google-ism - Garmin does them too. Some intersections cause Google or Garmin to go wonky so you have to put a waypoint exactly at the intersection to sort it out. Here's a fixed version: http://goo.gl/maps/NT9QY

We're running roughly parallel to I-40. That's always an option.

[Bob]

Lee, how can I get that in a GPX or GDB ?

[LeeDavis]

Lee, how can I get that in a GPX or GDB ?

The Google route is so y'all can use satellite view and street view to check out roads and I can more easily edit changes. The final GPS version will include MANY more waypoints to overcome different GPS map versions and avoidance preferences. I've gotten things started with the attached simple GPX (note the small file size) that checks out on the current intended route in my Garmin setup. When we get agreement on the route I'll finish dressing it up.

[Bob]

OK, thanks Lee!! Lots of work, I know it will be thoroughly vetted.

[LeeDavis]

Y'all saw the return using the Oregon Trail and Ozarks - here's the one via I-90 and Mississippi River. What I tried to do with the Mississippi is follow The Great River Rd, that runs the length of the river, without getting too bogged down. The catch is, The Great River Rd, like The Oregon Trail, doesn't really exist except for a few stretches I used in Iowa. It's mostly a confederation of various roads, bridges, ferries, locks, dams, towns and attractions. Often The Great River Rd is two roads on both sides of the river - take your pick. The Great River Rd: http://experiencemississippiriver.com/

Here's a Google map of what I've done up to the point where Google maps runs out of letter waypoints. The rest of the route back to Knoxville isn't the important part so no big deal. Including Knoxville, total mileage is 1634 miles, 70 miles more than the Oregon Trail return route.

Google Map route: http://goo.gl/maps/oPZXB

Here's a Wikipedia list of roads for The Great River Rd: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Routing_of_the_Great_River_Road if anyone else wants to have at it, please do. It's a PITA.

[Bob]

If its hot as hell returning I could maybe see taking the slab east from RC and then doing the river road as far south as Bettendorf, at which point I might slab it SE towards Lexington, KY and then hit some back roads into Tri-Cities, TN. To sort of mitigate the heat exposure.

[LeeDavis]

The GPX for a return from STAR via the Oregon Trail is attached. That's finishes off everything I've done so far. I'll leave it all open for corrections and alternates through this weekend but next week I've got to finalize. Time is getting short.

[Brick]

Well Patricia had been told she is standby to go to the training. So she will probably be home... this means that I should be able to go to Rapid City for STAR. I'm glad I have been to all since 1993.
Now to get this bike ready.


Brick

[Broz]

So does that mean your going with the group?
Broz

[Brick]

As long as there isn't any long freeway... I'll be good. There still is a small chance that Patricia will get in this training... if she does I'm not going.


Brick

[LeeDavis]

As long as there isn't any long freeway... I'll be good.
Brick

The Mississippi River route uses I-90 to get to the river though if one prefers 2 lane it can just as easily be US-14 which runs parallel to I-90 all the way across.

[Brick]

Your talking about 90 across SD... right? That might be ok. I can cope if nessarry.

It's looking more and more likely that I will be ableto go.

As long as there isn't any long freeway... I'll be good.
Brick

The Mississippi River route uses I-90 to get to the river though if one prefers 2 lane it can just as easily be US-14 which runs parallel to I-90 all the way across.

[Buddhistbiker]

I will not be attending this event.

Enjoy and be careful.

[Brick]

Bummer Scott!


Brick

[Brick]

Or should they have used this photo?

Brick

The guy 3rd from the left looks like he really belongs there!
Bob
Well shit, I did it again. Sorry brick, was trying to "quote" you in my post but somehow it turned into editing your post and over-wrote the original. Can you re-post what you said?
If this keeps happening, I may have to ban beemerbob from the forum.