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OK so let's get some details on getting a caravan going down there.There are two ways we can do this which one would you rather do?It's about a 4-5 hour drive depending on how fast we drive and traffic.1. We drive down the night before and find a hotel or somewhere to stay (camping? I have tents for up to 10 people)2. We leave early that Saturday.What I need to know is where would everyone want to meet? I have myself and one other person. That other person may have her own Vibe by then but we have to find one first .~Tim

Quote, originally posted by houseofbugs »OK so let's get some details on getting a caravan going down there.There are two ways we can do this which one would you rather do?It's about a 4-5 hour drive depending on how fast we drive and traffic.1. We drive down the night before and find a hotel or somewhere to stay (camping? I have tents for up to 10 people)2. We leave early that Saturday.What I need to know is where would everyone want to meet? I have myself and one other person. That other person may have her own Vibe by then but we have to find one first .~TimCloser to 4 hours (or less!) based on extensive Purdue-based experience, and that's from all the way up here in Palatine. Meet up at whoever is furthest south on 294/80/94 of course, since we all have to go south anyway to get to 65 (if you're going that way, which is easiest/fastest... unless you're J_TO_ENVY lol)And I dunno what you guys want to do, but I don't really do the camping thing. But whether we want to go down the night before or early the day of is important, and kinda depends on what time things will start down in Indy.

I would love to do a caravan, but I will more than likely be taking Route 47 south to I 74 east so I doubt we would really be able to meet anywhere without people going out of their way.I will probably just leave early Saturday since I am planning on staying Saturday night. I don't want to be driving home Saturday night in the dark (animals).

If it starts late enough, an early morning leave would be fine... stop for lunch somewhere and then have time to do a quick car wash when we get down there. Otherwise I know people in Indy that I can crash with.

Looks like a 4pm start time is being tossed around... if we all left at 10 (from wherever we are meeting... so I'd probably have to leave at 9 to get there) that would give us time to get there without rushing (but totally speeding of course, if you're me.... oh, I mean uh, NOT speeding. ever. cough.) and stop for food and get the cars re-washed. I'm hoping I'll have time to do a full detail/claybar/wax thing before I leave so that a basic wash when I get down there will easily clean everything off.

Now I am tossing around the idea of heading out Friday after work, but we will see as it gets closer.I will be doing a full detail before the meet too Michelle, so as you said, I will just need a basic wash.

I would be down for heading out Friday night.I can take the weekend off as well as my friend who is coming with me. I just want to know if there is anything else to do in Indy?As for finding a track how about we find a nice stretch of road that is secluded?

Quote, originally posted by houseofbugs »I would be down for heading out Friday night.I can take the weekend off as well as my friend who is coming with me. I just want to know if there is anything else to do in Indy?As for finding a track how about we find a nice stretch of road that is secluded? Plenty to do in Indy if you go downtown. Lots of restaurants, bars, shopping, etc. Never been to Indy? (I guess I've been more than a few times due to the whole Purdue University thing lol).

Quote, originally posted by houseofbugs »I would be down for heading out Friday night.I can take the weekend off as well as my friend who is coming with me. I just want to know if there is anything else to do in Indy?As for finding a track how about we find a nice stretch of road that is secluded? I am still waiting to see what's officially going on and such. I will probably have to decide a little closer to the actual date of the meet.Secluded or not I don't street race. Red light "racing" is another story .Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »Plenty to do in Indy if you go downtown. Lots of restaurants, bars, shopping, etc. Never been to Indy? (I guess I've been more than a few times due to the whole Purdue University thing lol).Michelle, I had no idea you went to Purdue !

Quote, originally posted by J_TO_ENVY »Michelle, I had no idea you went to Purdue !Really? She has like 10 Purdue stickers on her Vibe

Yeah I'm thinking of painting the whole thing Black and Gold with a giant P on the front... too subtle?

Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »Yeah I'm thinking of painting the whole thing Black and Gold with a giant P on the front... too subtle? Maybe. I think you would need matching plates and seat covers then. And possibly make your horn play their theme song

Wait, so you went to Perdue? Im lost!

Quote, originally posted by audiovibe »Wait, so you went to Perdue? Im lost! (removed)!

Quote, originally posted by audiovibe »Wait, so you went to Perdue? Im lost! I went to a chicken farm!

Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »I went to a chicken farm!LMAOGood one Michelle! I didn't even notice he spelled it like the chicken !

I told ya I'm lost I really did mean Purdue

So, we gonna talk about a caravan or what?

I will meet up anywhere for the caravan doesn't really matter to me. looks like map quest gives everyone 80 east to 65 south as the preferred route. Carrie also brought up taking 47 south to 74/72 east. Both routs are going to be about the same distance for me, so I will probably take the way the pack leads me. Are we still gonna stop for lunch or should we meet somewhere for a quick brunch?However I do know I will probably drop my spare off at the hotel before the meet.Aron

I guess the first thing we need to do is figure out when everyone wants to leave to head out there. It would be less stressful, in my opinion, to leave Friday afternoon because we wouldn't be rushing to get out there, clean the Vibes, get to the meet, etc. like we would if we left on Saturday morning.It's too bad we all couldn't meet somewhere and take Route 47 to I 74. It's a nice ride on back roads through small towns. No traffic, no cops. It's great. But obviously coming west and than going back east would be pointless for the Chicago area people.Just my $.02.

So... when is everyone wanting to leave...?

I think Chris and I want to leave Friday afternoon/evening, just to make it less stressful the next day.

I agree. So, let's keep track:Leave Friday afternoon/evening:- ponta2147- J_TO_ENVYLeave early Saturday morning:--Let's hear what everyone else wants to do. It would be great if we could all cruise to Indy together and if we could all stay in the same place as well than we could do a Chicagoland dinner or something Friday night.

Awesome. Hey I'm even willing to drive out on a different road because I am totally sick of I-65 at this point in my life having done it several times a year for what, seven years now? OR something?

I'll take a look at the atlas and see if I can figure out a place where everyone could meet up. Obviously I will have to head east anyway so I'm sure I can find somewhere where everyone could meet at a certain time i.e. truck stop, gas station, etc.

Quote, originally posted by J_TO_ENVY »I'll take a look at the atlas and see if I can figure out a place where everyone could meet up. Obviously I will have to head east anyway so I'm sure I can find somewhere where everyone could meet at a certain time i.e. truck stop, gas station, etc.Whoa, an ATLAS???? Like, an actual book, with maps in it, that you can actually touch!?!?!? My internet brain just exploded a little.

LOLYep, I'm old school, what can I say ?!

Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »Awesome. Hey I'm even willing to drive out on a different road because I am totally sick of I-65 at this point in my life having done it several times a year for what, seven years now? OR something? I did it for 6 years before moving to Detroit. Now my drive is even longer to see family, with I-69 being my route. Then 465, then route this, route that, country road this...

us GIS people know better than to trust technology. It literally will take you over a cliff. Pull over and take the map out. It will be your best guide. Since you all are technology savvy, perhaps you can stream the Indy gala on this site. That way, people stuck out in the Delta Quadrant due to the "debt that can never be repaid" can see all our cyber friends.

So, after finally sitting down and looking at the atlas and after using MapQuest as well, it seems the only logical place we could all meet would be just over the Indiana border. I'm sure there's a gas station or something that we could all meet at, but I am thinking someone should drive down to that area and check it out beforehand. It's about 50 miles from me so if anyone is closer and wants to go check the area out, feel free otherwise I will do it in a couple weeks or so. Or we could always just drive on our own if it would be easier for everyone. Let's hear what everyone has to say.

One thing I *do* know is 65 is under construction in various areas. I have family that has been avoiding it all together this year. After doing a couple searches, it seems most of the work centers around the 80/90/65 interchanges by Gary:"...construction of new ramps from northbound Interstate 65 to westbound I-80/94 and eastbound I-80/94 to southbound I-65, as well as the rehabilitation of three bridges within those areas.""... the reconstruction of I-65 in the area where it crosses over I-80/94, the rehabilitation of six bridges in that area and the reconstruction of the Colorado Street bridge."So, hopefully, you guys can get through the initial irritation, and have smoother sailing from then on. Not sure if it's worth taking some back roads to get you south of the interchanges, before jumping back on 65...

Quote, originally posted by jkm311 »One thing I *do* know is 65 is under construction in various areas. I have family that has been avoiding it all together this year. After doing a couple searches, it seems most of the work centers around the 80/90/65 interchanges by Gary:"...construction of new ramps from northbound Interstate 65 to westbound I-80/94 and eastbound I-80/94 to southbound I-65, as well as the rehabilitation of three bridges within those areas.""... the reconstruction of I-65 in the area where it crosses over I-80/94, the rehabilitation of six bridges in that area and the reconstruction of the Colorado Street bridge."So, hopefully, you guys can get through the initial irritation, and have smoother sailing from then on. Not sure if it's worth taking some back roads to get you south of the interchanges, before jumping back on 65...That area has been under construction for about five years. What a pain.There are several back roads or alternate routes to avoid that interchange, but all of them have their downsides as well. As long as it isn't rush hour, the traffic at the interchange hasn't been *too* bad.

I was blown away that it was still under construction when we drove through a month ago. Even worse? The I-90 Skyway in Indiana. My wife and I were dating in '99 when that was under construction and we went to Chicago for a weekend. Nineteen. Ninety. Nine.

I would honestly prefer to stick with my usual route to Indy of Route 47 to I 74 to whatever (can't remember offhand) to get to the motel. Unfortunately we wouldn't be able to do our cara-vibe because all of the Chicago area people would be back-tracking to take that route with me which would make no sense whatsoever. But the plus side of this route is that it is all country roads until you get to I 74. I have never encountered any major traffic (except right around Indy) and there are almost never cops. No traffic either. It's a nice relaxing, care free drive. I have personally driven the area around Gary in the past and prefer not to do it again . Let me know what you think Chicago Vibers.

I might come out to meet you anyway, just because I can (no time restrictions on leaving, and driving is awesome, and I am reallllly sick of 65).But then again, I like to... um... totally not speed at all ever... so I may not be a good caravan type participant.

It's up to you, but that would be fine by me. Aron would probably cara-vibe with us too since he is west of me. We could meet at either Route 47 & I 80 or Route 47 & I 55. I will probably do 5 over the speed limit like I did on my trip to the Dells to see how good of gas mileage I can get .

So is everyone driving down Saturday morning? I would prefer that as finances are tight right now and a hotel room is not in the budget.

Michelle (Chris), Aron (I believe) and I are planning on heading out Friday afternoon/evening. It's still up in the air whether we're all driving together or not though.

One of my friends suggested finding a 24 hours WalMart and camping out in our cars. LOL

You have fun with that, I require beds and bathing. Lol

Quote, originally posted by houseofbugs »One of my friends suggested finding a 24 hours WalMart and camping out in our cars. LOLQuote, originally posted by ponta2147 »You have fun with that, I require beds and bathing. LolI was going to say the same exact thing Michelle! Especially the bathing part and especially in July!

Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »You have fun with that, I require beds and bathing. LolQuote, originally posted by J_TO_ENVY »I was going to say the same exact thing Michelle! Especially the bathing part and especially in July!Viola!!!

Viola?

Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »Viola? Google yourself "voila and french" (behold, look here)

Quote, originally posted by ou.grizzly »Google yourself "viola and french" (behold, look here)You mean "Voila"?

Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »You have fun with that, I require beds and bathing. LolQuote, originally posted by J_TO_ENVY »I was going to say the same exact thing Michelle! Especially the bathing part and especially in July!Quote, originally posted by ou.grizzly »Voila!!!Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »Viola?Quote, originally posted by ou.grizzly »Google yourself "voila and french" (behold, look here)Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »You mean "Voila"? LOL! We're going to need a heck of a lot more than waterless soap, especially in July ! I love that because the company that makes that is Canadian, they left the e off the end of cantaloup ! Also, as Michelle said, I need a bed to sleep in. My Vibe's okay for a few hours at the drive-in, but I highly doubt I'd be able to sleep in it, again, especially in July. Plus I air conditioning and couldn't be without it in... you guessed it... July!

Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »You mean "Voila"? Yes, I mean Voila! Not Viola... Told ya I am lucky to even be able to spell. *looks around*I needed that laugh tonight!

LOL this thread has officially derailed ;P