Spyderfest or Bust (FROM THE EAST COAST)

[Tango]

I like the 3 day route. Have Best Western for the 27th-the first of May. Have planned for a 2 day trip right now. Will keep an eye on this thread for sure. Tom

[Major spyder]

I'll join you guys in Springfield for the ride to Spyderfest......Unless you want to meet in Great Falls, Montana first and then ride to Spyderfest ..... Just funning you all....

Howard

[YIRYDE]

This reminds me of the group ride to Spyderfest 2013, which was the first year for Springfield. The group started out from NJ/NY and picked up riders along the way. I think there was about 25 riders by the time they arrived in Springfield.

Pack your raingear they encountered quite a bit a rain along the way.

I didn't ride with this group but rode with some first time riders to Spyderfest from MD and VA and we encountered rain also.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...yderfest-April

[Deanna777]

I'm all for doing it in three days. But if we do it in 3, I really vote for an alternate route. I'm driving the PA-OH-IN route now and it is BORING!

When mike( Blueknight911) and I went to Spyderfest in 2013,2014 we went PA-OH-IN and it was boring. Deanna

[armyspydervet]

There is a lot of time between now and then, but I would like to leave Sunday, meet up with you guys in Morgantown, WV on Sunday afternoon and go from there with an arrival on Tuesday.

[Brentc]

For those interested so far, it appears the three day trek is the one we are leaning towards?

I'd like to get my time off from work situated as early as I can and start exploring hotel options for us along the way.

OK, I have 2 google maps now. One map is a 2 day option with day one everyone meeting in Charleston, WV (Time to there varies) and then doing about 8-10 hours on day 2 to Springfield.

The second map is a 3 day option and I picked Louisville Kentucky as the stop for day two. So the three day option would be day 1 to Morgantown, WV (Time to there varies) and day 2 is about 6-7 hours to Louisville Kentucky, and then about 6-7 hours day 3 to Springfield, MO.

2 day link
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?m...hw&usp=sharing

3 day link
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?m...6A&usp=sharing

I am more in favor of the 3 day option and sleeping by the pool on Tuesday


Hotel Info: ( I'm a fan of Yelp, so here is the link to Hotels on the three day route)

Morgantown:
http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc...own%2C+WV&ns=1

Louisville, KY
http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc...Louisville,+KY

[armyspydervet]

For those interested so far, it appears the three day trek is the one we are leaning towards?

I'd like to get my time off from work situated as early as I can and start exploring hotel options for us along the way.

Thanks for the map links. They even open on the iPhone and still show the separate starting locations and stops. I have reservation at Coach House starting the 26th. I am all for the 3-Day, but that means I will need to leave Sunday. I think there are a few others (Bob D that I know of) that have reservations for the 26th. Would leaving Sunday be feasible for you as well?

[Trbayth]

My reservation starts on Tuesday the 26th. Leaving Sunday morning and arriving Tuesday evening would be my preference. But if the rest of the group would rather leave Monday and do it in two days I will go along with it.

[Brentc]

I would be fine to leave on Sunday. I also looked a bit more at the 3 day map. It presently has us doing Morgantown, WV to Louisville, KY to Springfield, MO. The second and third legs are approximately 6 hour and 7 hour respectively. If we were to make the day two stop Lexington, KY instead of Louisville we could swing through two national forests as part of the route and only add one hour to each day. Here is the map of that route for your enjoyment.



https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?m...6A&usp=sharing

[armyspydervet]

I would be fine to leave on Sunday. I also looked a bit more at the 3 day map. It presently has us doing Morgantown, WV to Louisville, KY to Springfield, MO. The second and third legs are approximately 6 hour and 7 hour respectively. If we were to make the day two stop Lexington, KY instead of Louisville we could swing through two national forests as part of the route and only add one hour to each day. Here is the map of that route for your enjoyment.



https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?m...6A&usp=sharing

i like your thinking

[Blade]

Hi, ArmyspyderVet,

I am not sure that I will go to spyderfest, but I think that you might want to look at taking I-66 to I-81 to I-64 to I-44. I live in the Hampton Roads Virginia area and that seems to be the most direct route. I retired from the Alexandria, VA area and have traveled I-64 and I-81 both are smooth drives and scenic routes. I have not traveled on I-44. I would definitely check with Missouri Hwy Dept. due to flooding in Missouri to findout how their roads are.

Just my thoughts. Good travels to you.


Blade

[Haze]

It looks like a 3 day ride is preferred by most.
I can plan to join up at the first night motel stop in WV.
Once we reach the SF site I'm planning to camp at the fairgrounds.
Pending the need to make fairgrond camp reservations

[armyspydervet]

Hi, ArmyspyderVet,

I am not sure that I will go to spyderfest, but I think that you might want to look at taking I-66 to I-81 to I-64 to I-44. I live in the Hampton Roads Virginia area and that seems to be the most direct route. I retired from the Alexandria, VA area and have traveled I-64 and I-81 both are smooth drives and scenic routes. I have not traveled on I-44. I would definitely check with Missouri Hwy Dept. due to flooding in Missouri to findout how their roads are.

Just my thoughts. Good travels to you.


Blade

That is the exact route I want to take, but realize it may not be as convienent for those coming from further north. But I think Brentc is onboard!!

[quasi]

I'm certain there was an interested party from Morgantown earlier and from there it was only 4 inches to Louisville and another four inches to Springfield, according to the map!

Yeah that be me in Morgantown. not 100 pct positive I can go as of yet. i'll know more in the coming week. have a job offer in Jacksonville Florida and not sure if I am going to take it or not.

[quasi]

ok, as for motels along I-79 in Morgantown, coming from the north at the first West Virginia exit on 79 there are 2 new ones there next to the Harley dealership. several places to eat there also. longhorn steakhouse, chili's, red lobster, olive garden, cheddars, and a few others. on the other side of the interstate beside cracker barrel there is a motel not sure of the name of it. Westover is the second exit and there is an econolodge there which from what I hear is very clean. westover exit is very close to me. and at the last exit on I-68 near the 79/68 interchange there is a ramada inn and I believe a comfort inn. also there is a holiday inn off of the first exit of I-79.

[Brian Kay]

I am in Duluth, GA and have a 2013 ST-S. No solid plans on whether I will attend Spyderfest or not as I am new to this forum and the spyder. If any other guys are driving up from the Atlanta area I would love to know

It's a solid 10 hour drive from Atlanta, and would love to attack it and meet the northeasterners at the interchange of I-24 and I-69 in western Kentucky. Maybe not this year, but one year in the near future. Let's stay in touch and maybe we can do other rides around Atlanta???

[trobbins27]

It's a solid 10 hour drive from Atlanta, and would love to attack it and meet the northeasterners at the interchange of I-24 and I-69 in western Kentucky. Maybe not this year, but one year in the near future. Let's stay in touch and maybe we can do other rides around Atlanta???

I am also in the Atlanta area and contemplating meeting up in KY. If other Atlanta folks wanted to join maybe we could meet the rest of the group with our group... lol.

[Trbayth]

That is the exact route I want to take, but realize it may not be as convienent for those coming from further north. But I think Brentc is onboard!!

You've got us all meeting up on I64 around Charleston so going a little further south on I81 before turning West seems ok to me, especially if Bob meets me in Northern NJ or near Harrisburg.

Last year when I went through Western Maryland into West Virginia is the only place I ran into bad weather. Got really cold in the mountains and had rain and some sleet.

[Brentc]

Yeah that be me in Morgantown. not 100 pct positive I can go as of yet. i'll know more in the coming week. have a job offer in Jacksonville Florida and not sure if I am going to take it or not.

Absolutely, good luck on the job! Please keep us posted and we'd love to add you to the list if it works out.

[Brentc]

That is the exact route I want to take, but realize it may not be as convenient for those coming from further north. But I think Brentc is onboard!!

I can see where the 66 to 81 route would be more direct, but I don't think that works from my starting point it puts an extra couple hours on day 1. We wouldn't meet up with that route until Charleston, and that puts us back to closer to the original 2 day plan.

Thoughts????

[Bob Denman]

Trb...
PM sent.

[Trbayth]

Trb...
PM sent.

Bob...
PM replied!

[Bob Denman]

This reminds me of the group ride to Spyderfest 2013, which was the first year for Springfield. The group started out from NJ/NY and picked up riders along the way. I think there was about 25 riders by the time they arrived in Springfield.

Pack your raingear they encountered quite a bit a rain along the way.

I didn't ride with this group but rode with some first time riders to Spyderfest from MD and VA and we encountered rain also.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...yderfest-April

I was part of the "Kayak Team", that made that ride... Three of the four days; we had some of the "Toad Stranglingest" Weather that I've ever seen on a bike. And a lot of it was in some pretty serious traffic! He's right; plan to bring a rainsuit that'll REALLY keep you dry! That includes your hands and feet also. When we arrived in Springfield; it was only 37 degrees, and we had been "in the damp", for about 550 miles...
Prepare for the worst, and you can always enjoy the pleasant surprise of it not being all that bad.
I think we might have maxxed-out at 23 riders: close enough!!

[armyspydervet]

I can see where the 66 to 81 route would be more direct, but I don't think that works from my starting point it puts an extra couple hours on day 1. We wouldn't meet up with that route until Charleston, and that puts us back to closer to the original 2 day plan.

Thoughts????

Probably right. I will link up wherever is easiest for the NY folk.

[armyspydervet]

I was part of the "Kayak Team", that made that ride... Three of the four days; we had some of the "Toad Stranglingest" Weather that I've ever seen on a bike. And a lot of it was in some pretty serious traffic! He's right; plan to bring a rainsuit that'll REALLY keep you dry! That includes your hands and feet also. When we arrived in Springfield; it was only 37 degrees, and we had been "in the damp", for about 550 miles...
Prepare for the worst, and you can always enjoy the pleasant surprise of it not being all that bad.
I think we might have maxxed-out at 23 riders: close enough!!

Good point, Bob. I will definitely need to invest in some ryding gear.