Hey Y'all - Last year I caravaned to Hagerstown with some other Mid-A members. It would be nice to do that to Pittsburgh this year. So...start posting your interest! I personally will be looking for a fun backroads route like the one I took to OH recently, but I realize alot of you just want to haul a-- up there on the interstates.

Update 10/20/04: PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR PLAN TO DRIVE IN THE CARAVAN. I will post confirmations below, along with where you will be meeting up. Show up with a full tank of gas and radios set to 13.1.

Here's a detailed route provided by George (gfacter) - thanks, George! PLEASE NOTE IT HAS CHANGED to avoid the PA Turnpike altogether. But I am leaving the other one in case some of you want to split off at the end of the trip and go that way. George and I favor the more scenic route and the first one will take us through downtown Pittsburgh. You might want to print out this post for reference.

Route #1

9:30 AM 0.0 Depart Tysons Galleria on Local road(s) (South) 54 yds
9:32 AM 0.4 Turn LEFT (East) onto SR-123 [Chain Bridge Rd] 0.6 mi
9:34 AM 1.3 Merge onto I-495 [I-495 Innerloop] (North) 3.9 mi
9:37 AM 5.1 Continue (North) on I-495 Innerloop [I-495] 3.7 mi
9:41 AM 8.9 Continue (North) on I-270 Spur 2.0 mi
10:10 AM 40.7 Merge onto I-70 [Dwight D Eisenhower Hwy] (West) 52.2 mi
11:00 AM 92.9 At I-70 Exit 1, turn off onto Ramp 0.2 mi
11:00 AM 93.2 Merge onto I-68 [US-40] (West) 8.4 mi
11:08 AM 101.6 At I-68 Exit 72, turn off onto Ramp 0.1 mi
11:08 AM 101.7 Bear LEFT (South-West) onto US-40 Alt 3.2 mi
11:12 AM 105.0 Turn RIGHT (North) onto SR-26 [N Orleans Rd NE] 5.9 mi
11:46 AM 115.7 Stay on SR-26 (North-West) 12.9 mi
12:13 PM 131.6 Turn RIGHT (East) onto US-30 Bus [E Main St] 1.3 mi
12:16 PM 132.9 Turn LEFT (West) onto US-30 [Lincoln Hwy] 11.6 mi
12:29 PM 144.5 Bear RIGHT (North) onto Lincoln Hwy 153 yds
12:29 PM 144.6 Bear RIGHT (North) onto US-30 [Lincoln Hwy] 6.9 mi
12:38 PM 151.5 At Lincoln Hwy, Schellsburg, PA 15559, stay on US-30 [Lincoln Hwy] (West) 27.6 mi
1:44 PM 206.1 Bear LEFT (West) onto US-30 Byp 1.4 mi
2:01 PM 207.5 Stay on US-30 Byp (South-West) 2.9 mi
2:05 PM 210.4 Continue (West) on US-30 [Lincoln Hwy] 10.9 mi
2:34 PM 230.3 Continue (North-West) on Ardmore Blvd 0.2 mi
2:34 PM 230.5 Continue (West) on SR-8 [Ardmore Blvd] 1.3 mi
2:38 PM 232.9 Continue (West) on SR-380 [SR-8] 0.3 mi
2:38 PM 233.2 Turn RIGHT (North-East) onto SR-8 [Blue Beltway] 12.3 mi
3:05 PM 249.7 Turn LEFT (West) onto Bakerstown-Warrendale Rd [Red Beltway] 1.6 mi
3:19 PM 256.5 Turn RIGHT (North) onto Dean Rd 0.6 mi
3:21 PM 257.1 Bear LEFT (West) onto Mt Pleasant Rd 1.2 mi
3:23 PM 258.3 Turn RIGHT (North-East) onto Franklin Rd 1.1 mi
3:26 PM 259.4 Turn LEFT (West) onto SR-228 [Route 228] 0.7 mi
3:27 PM 260.0 Turn LEFT (South) onto Walden Rd 98 yds
3:27 PM 260.1 Arrive 304 Walden Rd, Cranberry TWP, PA 16066

SUMMARY
Driving distance: 260.1 miles
Trip duration: 5 hours, 57 minutes
Driving time: 5 hours, 27 minutes
Cost: $14.88

Route #2

9:30 AM 0.0 Depart Tysons 54 yds
9:31 AM 0.1 Turn LEFT (South) onto International Dr 0.3 mi
9:32 AM 0.4 Turn LEFT (East) onto SR-123 [Chain Bridge Rd] 0.6 mi
9:33 AM 1.0 Turn off onto Ramp 0.3 mi I-495 / Capital Beltway / Rockville / Baltimore
9:34 AM 1.3 Merge onto I-495 [I-495 Innerloop] (North) 3.9 mi
9:37 AM 5.1 Entering Maryland
9:37 AM 5.1 Continue (North) on I-495 Innerloop [I-495] 3.7 mi
9:41 AM 8.9 Continue (North) on I-270 Spur 2.0 mi I-270 / Rockville / Frederick
10:10 AM 40.7 Merge onto I-70 [Dwight D Eisenhower Hwy] (West) 52.2 mi
11:00 AM 92.9 At I-70 Exit 1, turn off onto Ramp 0.2 mi
11:00 AM 93.2 Merge onto I-68 [US-40] (West) 8.4 mi
11:08 AM 101.6 At I-68 Exit 72, turn off onto Ramp 0.1 mi
11:08 AM 101.7 Bear LEFT (South-West) onto US-40 Alt 3.2 mi
11:12 AM 104.9 At 32857 US-40 Alt, Little Orleans, MD 21766, stay on US-40 Alt [National Pike NE] (West) 131 yds
11:12 AM 105.0 Turn RIGHT (North) onto SR-26 [N Orleans Rd NE] 5.9 mi
11:15 AM 106.4 Entering Pennsylvania
11:22 AM 110.8 At SR-26, stay on SR-26 (West) 4.9 mi
11:31 AM 115.7 Rest break (15 mins)
11:46 AM 115.7 Stay on SR-26 (North-West) 12.9 mi
12:08 PM 128.6 At 10417 SR-26, Everett, PA 15537, stay on SR-26 [Clear Ridge Rd] (North) 2.9 mi
12:16 PM 132.9 Turn LEFT (West) onto US-30 [Lincoln Hwy] 11.6 mi
2:05 PM 210.4 Continue (West) on US-30 [Lincoln Hwy] 6.1 mi
2:12 PM 216.5 Bear RIGHT (North-West) onto Ramp 0.8 mi I-76 / Pennsylvania Turnpike
2:14 PM 217.3 *Toll road* Merge onto I-76 [Pennsylvania Tpke] (North-West) 38.9 mi
2:50 PM 256.2 Continue (North) on Ramp [3] 0.5 mi US-19 / I-79 / Pittsburgh / Erie
2:51 PM 256.7 Continue (North) on US-19 [Route 19] 0.4 mi
2:51 PM 257.1 Turn RIGHT (East) onto SR-228 [Route 228] 0.7 mi
2:53 PM 257.8 Turn RIGHT (South) onto Walden Rd 98 yds
2:53 PM 257.9 At Cranberry Woods Drive , PA 16066,

SUMMARY
Driving distance: 257.9 miles
Trip duration: 5 hours, 23 minutes
Driving time: 4 hours, 53 minutes
Cost: $14.35

Weather is looking good for this drive. We can use our radios to keep in touch. Might not be bad to get cell phone numbers from a couple of peeps, although how well they will work in the mountains is questionable. Mine sucks...

Hotel address:
Pittsburgh Marriott North
100 Cranberry Woods Drive
Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania 16066 USA
Phone: 1-724-772-3700
Located on I-79 North, Exit #78 (Rt 228)

FYI - This thread is for those driving up on Fri. TubeDriver (Pete) has started another one for the Thurs group.

Morning - 9:30 departure from Tysons Galleria (upper parking deck outside Macy's, off International Dr). Addt'l meeting place at the rest area on 70W in Frederick 10:15-11:00, depending on traffic.

E-Heezy (Eric) - Confirmed (Tysons)
gfacter (George) - Confirmed (Tysons)
NO S8NT (Kevin) - Confirmed (Tysons)
MsPerky (Deb) - Confirmed (Tysons)
S TWO K (John) - Confirmed (Tysons)
TeamVirtuozity.com (Steve) - Confirmed (Tysons)
Matt_inva (Matt) - Confirmed (Tysons or 70W Rest Area)
Dr.Evil (Matt) - Confirmed (270 at Father Hurley Blvd)
doin'it (Colin) - Confirmed (270 at Father Hurley Blvd)
Mystery Member #1 - Confirmed (270 at Father Hurley Blvd)
Mystery Member #2 - Confirmed (270 at Father Hurley Blvd)
Silver S2k4 - Confirmed (70W Rest Area)
KAMcDonald (Keith) - Tentative (Junction of 70/68)

Afternoon - ?
jnn4v (Jeremy)
ScottnHeidi

 

^ I think it might be a little early for this thread... I'll bump it up in a month.

 

Count me in Deb.

 

I like the concept, but I agree that it's a bit early to think about it. I'll revisit the thread when you bump it next month.

- Jeremy (jnn4v)

 

You all should think about driving out to North-Western Virginia and hit the Blue Ridge parkway, if you haven't been up there it's pretty sweet, just have to hit it at the right time of day.

 

The BRP?FYI that's more like SW VA, A bit out of the way when driving to Pittsburg.

For one thing on this Caravan, Do not take the PA turnpike, it sucks.

For straight slab I-68 to I-79 is much much better. we could even think about taking Rt 40 ALT from Grantsville MD into PA for some nice backroads.

George

 

Absolutely agree with you, George. Avoid the turnpike at all costs! And I do like your backroad idea, of course. The BRP is a nice road but out of the way for those of us in NOVA. Plus, some of the Mid-A members have bad memories of that road.

 

so who all is goin from the NOVA area?

 

Riding in a pack is always more fun! Janet and I will be heading up Thursday morning after the children get off to school. I doubt anyone else is going up that soon.

 

^ Yeah, you are probably right. I'm planning to leave 9:30 or so on Fri. I think it will be about 5 hours on backroads/combo. We'll get the details togther later for those who want to drive up together. As for you and Janet, we will have to have a special toast to your attendance!!

I'm starting a list of interested peeps in the first post...