In our talks to get the next drive season planned out, an idea was brought up and we wanted to see what people thought about it.

The premise is that some of the drives we have done in the past, and want to do next season put us several hours from our destination PLUS several hours back home again which leaves very little time actually doing anything AT the location we go. We're looking at ways to "extend our reach/time" to some of the further locations we want to go.

We were pondering that on some of the longer distance drives, we have the start point somewhere closer to the destination than Portland to give us a "head start".

For instance (This is only a simulated idea, it isnt an actual drive plan...yet) - If we wanted to go to Ashland and go to the Shakespere Festival.
We would have to drive 5 hours (not including pitstops) to Ashland and then 5 hours back (not including pitstops).
Even if we do it as a two day drive, we spend half the day driving there, rush through whatever we want to do, spend the night, and then go home.

In that particular scenerio, would you guys be interested/willing to, say, take it upon yourselves (make up your own little mini-groups) to head down to Eugene on Friday night, EVERYONE start in Eugene on Saturday morning for the "official" drive and then take 3 hours to Ashland, spending more than half a day there before spending the night, and then take a leisurly sunday home?

In essence, a 2.5 day drive, as Garret put it.
It would NOT be an every-drive event, just on some of the drives that are a bit far to deal with even with a normal two-day event.

Upside - More time at the location
Downside - one extra night of hotels/meals -or- a really really early start for some.

Yes?
No?
Maybe?

Aaron and Ira

 

im down for this. just need time to know in advance so i can ask for the days off

 

It would be made known several months in advance if not earlier as part of the drive plan for whatever month the plan was for.

 

Calvin definitely keep an eye out for some impromptu drives to attend, they are a lot of fun.

The official ones are for local members only though. "our drives are exclusively for S2000s and the owners who are members of this forum - those who reside in Oregon and S.W. Washington."

 

Leave it to me to not even notice his location
I must be tired.

 

awwwww. but i wanna go!

 

2 day drives are expensive enough, if it's 3 days I'll most likely not make it

 

This starts to move from "drives" to "trips" and is a different feel. I am in favor of 1 or 2 of these, but I think they'll appeal to very different audiences. Not good, not bad, just different. It's one of those journey vs destination things

 

I think 1 to 2 of these per season would be ok. It would allow everyone to get to the start point on their own schedule and then start the organized drive from there. Last summer when Wendy and I drove through northeast Oregon and then down through Baker and John Day, we were thinking some of the area's would be nice for a group drive but difficult to do logistically in one day. If the start point could be say Bend, or something like that, then it becomes doable.

Just my two cents.

 

Our idea is to only do it once in a while if we find it necessary in order to have a reasonable amount of time at a destination.