Caravan to NVE1 from the SW

[LeadfootRT10]

Since the announcement for the first VOA sponsored National Viper Event has occurred and Barry is regularly pushing me to take some initiative, i'm going to take some initiative and begin planning our caravan. We've discussed it in short at some of our recent gatherings and i know some have expressed interest in making the drive. I'm open to suggestions but my initial thoughts are if the event is the 18th, 19th, and 20th of July we should spend the 15th, 16th, and 17th traveling up....maybe the 14th too and then the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd driving back. Beyond that, at this point, it's an open book.

Anyone that wants to join or lives between Phoenix and Detroit and wants to offer suggestions on routes, hotels, restaurants, rest stops, road side attractions, or even thrilling pieces of road please let me know so i can try to work them in. Once everything is finalized, I'll post the route and any Viper owners along the way are welcome to join along.

Link to the announcement: http://driveviper.com/nve/index.php

[ITSQK]

Will we be going to Dayton and then caravanning to Auburn Hills? Dayton to Auburn Hills is 240 miles. I'm not sure how that's going to work. Other option is straight to Auburn Hills. Whatever the case it should be fun.

[LeadfootRT10]

Initially i thought no, thinking Dayton would be out of our way. However, now that I've Googled Dayton to Auburn Hills, it turns out Dayton is directly south of Detroit and would not be completely out of our way. I had no intentions of doing a straight, shortest/quickest route so i don't see why we shouldn't make that our final leg. I would need more info on the timing of the start of the VOA caravan to be sure.

Again, i have made NO plans, i'm looking for idea and suggestions so i can TRY incorporate something for everyone.

[ITSQK]

I like your idea of maybe leaving the 14th. A few more pit stops. We could keep it around 500 miles a day with the last day around 300 miles. If they are going to make lunch on Friday they will need to leave real early in the morning. Assuming 50 or more cars the speed will be lower and I would imagine at least 1 pit stop maybe 2. To cover the 240 miles with that many cars and pit stops might take 5 hours or more. Remember we also have to go thru downtown Detroit on a work day. We may need to leave at 6:00 am on Friday. Getting in mid afternoon on Thursday would give us a little rest time before the big weekend.

[LeadfootRT10]

Ok, so let's say that we will leave Monday the 14th around 8-9AM with the plan to arrive in Dayton Thursday night in time for a late dinner. That way we can make the VOA caravan to Detroit the next morning, early Friday.

Good, now we just have to fill in the middle part!

And the return trip! lol, i have every intention of taking a different route home, double our fun.

[Vprbite]

I like your idea of maybe leaving the 14th. A few more pit stops. We could keep it around 500 miles a day with the last day around 300 miles. If they are going to make lunch on Friday they will need to leave real early in the morning. Assuming 50 or more cars the speed will be lower and I would imagine at least 1 pit stop maybe 2. To cover the 240 miles with that many cars and pit stops might take 5 hours or more. Remember we also have to go thru downtown Detroit on a work day. We may need to leave at 6:00 am on Friday. Getting in mid afternoon on Thursday would give us a little rest time before the big weekend.

Plan on losing a few cars in downtown Detroit.

Ok that's not funny. But be careful up there boys. I wouldn't go without my "piece of mind" on my hip. Especially with that much time on the interstate and such.

[ITSQK]

Ok, so let's say that we will leave Monday the 14th around 8-9AM with the plan to arrive in Dayton Thursday night in time for a late dinner. That way we can make the VOA caravan to Detroit the next morning, early Friday.

Good, now we just have to fill in the middle part!

And the return trip! lol, i have every intention of taking a different route home, double our fun.

Just for starters: Monday, Albuquerque (478 miles),Tuesday, Oklahoma City (544 miles), Wednesday, Effingham, (600 miles), Thursday, Dayton, (265 miles). We could kick back a little on Thursday before we head out early Friday. Probably won't be joining you on the way home. Will spend some time in Ohio before heading home.

[ITSQK]

Plan on losing a few cars in downtown Detroit.

Ok that's not funny. But be careful up there boys. I wouldn't go without my "piece of mind" on my hip. Especially with that much time on the interstate and such.

There is a little truth to what you say. I certainly would not want to have a flat or break down going thru Detroit. Maybe the caravan will go around Detroit on I-275 and I-696.

[Vprbite]

There is a little truth to what you say. I certainly would not want to have a flat or break down going thru Detroit. Maybe the caravan will go around Detroit on I-275 and I-696.

Something like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwBoa-NbNL8


Safety in numbers. I don't know what the chances are of arranging for a legitimate police escort through town. They are stretched pretty thin as it is. Conversely, they might be glad to do it for pay as an off duty job, the way police here work security or funeral processions. They are still cops, just getting paid privately to work off-duty from their normal shift. Perhaps someone in the Detroit club can set that up? Truthfully though, safety in numbers and take responsibility for your own safety (I personally would break the law to carry on my person in some areas...better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6 sort of thing.) I wouldn't count on the police coming if you call, at least not anytime soon. Average response time is 58 minutes. That's for top priority crimes. They don't respond to property crimes/home invasions anymore.

http://money.msn.com/now/post--a-911...takes-how-long

Not trying to be a downer, just lookin out for my viper crew and making sure no one is naive about possible things to be aware of.

I think it's awesome to bring the Viper back to Detroit. I would love to see manufacturing return and proud american workers building good american cars and hats off to SRT for leading the way.

[LeadfootRT10]

I'm not too worried, i keep a 7ft broad sword on me at all times.

But seriously, i'll leave the planning of the Dayton to Auburn Hills portion to the National Club. They're smart enough and experienced enough to plot a route that will maximize safety. More than likely we will be nowhere near the slums of Detroit. I'm going to focus on the area between Phoenix and Dayton....

[daytonprowler]

Putting together a room block for people arriving in Dayton on that Thursday evening as well as a place for dinner.

CAAP is in Detroit. The hotels are in Auburn Hills a very nice and safe area.

It's a straight shot from Dayton to Detroit. I75 and I70 cross each other in a Dayton. Great place to meet for people coming from the west, east, or south. We will also meet with the more northern groups coming in from the east and west from I80 near Toledo on that Friday, then head the rest of the way to a Detroit.

[ITSQK]

Putting together a room block for people arriving in Dayton on that Thursday evening as well as a place for dinner.

CAAP is in Detroit. The hotels are in Auburn Hills a very nice and safe area.

It's a straight shot from Dayton to Detroit. I75 and I70 cross each other in a Dayton. Great place to meet for people coming from the west, east, or south. We will also meet with the more northern groups coming in from the east and west from I80 near Toledo on that Friday, then head the rest of the way to a Detroit.

Sounds like a lot of fun. Really appreciate you Ohio guys putting this together. I am a former Ohioan (Akron/Canton area) retired and living in Arizona. Am I right in assuming we will be leaving real early Friday morning? My guess is we need to be to the plant or lunch around 11:00 or 12:00 which would necessitate us leaving pretty early. This could end up being a large group. Keep us posted on the Dayton hotel arrangements.

[LeadfootRT10]

This thread is awful quiet......i was hoping for more input that this!!! I know not all of our AZ members frequent the forums, but it would have been nice to get some input from the Viper owners along the way. C'mon, there's nobody between Phoenix and Dayton that has a place we just gotta stop?

[WhiteSnake]

LF,
As soon as the registration is sold out I plan to send an e-mail blast to our members to see who is going. Then we/you guys should be able to start the real planning on the route, stops, etc. At that time I would expect to see a lot more activity as I will direct jour members to this site to stay in the loop on info. The Pres. of SoCal has already talked to me about joining us. Told him as soon as we get the plans together I'd let him know the details. I really appreciate you taking the initiative and the lead to pull it all together. It will be a blast once you start the drive. Something you will always remember.

[LeadfootRT10]

ha, i didn't even occur to me that people might not be willing to chime in until after the registration. Who wants to make plans until it's confirmed they can go??? Myself included, it's entirely possible all those who wish to go may not get in on the registration(i have a suspicion that all 500 slots will be filled within an hour). I have done some basic leg work on routes, but that's about it. I'll wait till after May 4th to go further.

[LeadfootRT10]

Alright, I'm registared....i know Eddie & Marie are....so who else is going?

[ITSQK]

Count me in. Always up for a caravan.

Mike

[daytonprowler]

Those coming to Dayton:

http://driveviper.com/forums/threads...ton-to-Detroit

[ITSQK]

[QUOTE=daytonprowler;51998]Those coming to Dayton:

http://driveviper.com/forums/threads...ton-to-Detroit[/QUOT
I just finished booking. All set to go.

[WhiteSnake]

As of 5/6/13 the AZ Region has 24 people going to the NVE-1 Homecoming in July. We have a mix of those driving, flying, shipping their Viper and renting cars in Detroit. So let the route planning discussion, pit stops and one night hotel stands begin! It will be an awesome event that will be fun for all who can attend.

[ITSQK]

I should have some tentative info on a proposed route by tomorrow. This would include hotel options and food. Then we can play with it.

[WhiteSnake]

I should have some tentative info on a proposed route by tomorrow. This would include hotel options and food. Then we can play with it.

Great! It will provide a good basis for everyone to make their plans based on their particular schedule.

[LeadfootRT10]

i was looking into routes a couple weeks ago. I was thinking for the route to Detriot we could go Phoenix-Albuquerque, NM-Dodge City, KS-Columbia, MO-Dayton, OH. Each leg is about 500 miles which is about 7 hours of drive time(at normal speeds). If we plan a 10 hour day we can expect 3 hours of pit stops. It keeps of off of I40 which would be one long boring drive, IMO. Also, i was working on two different return routes, a northern route and a southern route. (a particularly nice point of the southern route was a overnight in Bowling Green, KY....can anyone say crashing the Vette museum?)

WhiteSnake, how many cars/people should we expect to be driving? Have we heard anything from SoCal about joining up?

[ITSQK]

Todd thanks for the input. Your route is certainly workable. I do have a couple of questions. First, I've never been on the road from New Mexico to Wichita. It is not interstate and I'm not sure of the time or speed we can maintain. Second, I for one would like to get into Dayton early afternoon. It would give us a little kick back time before dinner and remember that they want to leave at 6:30 Friday morning and maybe earlier depending on how many cars are going. I'm working on a route that stays basically on I-40 and will post it later today. Let's take a look at both and maybe work something out. If not we might have two options for people to choose. In any event we can all start out together. No matter what we do it will be a blast.

Mike

[ITSQK]

I've posted my first pass suggestions on the the planning thread started by White Snake.