Well, it's summer now, and that means planning has gone into high gear. I'm working on getting this year's handbook together, and this time I intend on making it handbook sized. Our routes and schedules are pretty firmly set with buffer time as advertised (buffer time allows us to be hours behind schedule and still on time, it's pretty amazing). The routes/schedules come from multiple departure points that all join together to make one long, geographically diverse line of cars to Seattle. For those of you who are new to us, we drive to PAX, across I-80, I-90 and I-94, with other routes coming in from other places in a long, continuous line in the time span of about two days. So saddle up and join us! Interested? Have questions? Leave a post and I'll get back to you as soon as my schedule allows (which is anything from immediate to twelve hours). Check out my profile for my contact info if you have a question you don't want to ask the entire forum, or just send me a private message. What It Is Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler The Cross-Country Supertrip is our pilgramage to the Penny Arcade Expo from points east. Our primary route runs the northernmost portions of the U.S. However, we have had people from points south join up to the main caravan, which is why I have already scheduled routes coming from multiple points across the eastern United States and from Canada. For those of you who are unfamiliar, we have done this for three years previous and had a great time doing it. One high point about traveling in a caravan is safety in numbers. When it's four in the morning at a travel station in the middle of nowhere, it's good to know twenty or more people in the immediate area, although it does make for long lines at the food establishments in areas far from normal civilization (I'm looking at you, now defunct Glendive, Montana McDonalds), but proper planning can help alleviate such things (props to Fargo's Jimmy John's and Glendive's Pizza Hut). It's also a lot of fun to watch all the cars changing lanes late at night, it's like a giant road snake. So, I hope you'll join us. Onward, forward and THAT WAY! How It Works Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler The Cross-Country Supertrip, or CCST, is divided by stops known as Waypoints. A waypoint is our official stop to get gas, rest and meet up with other Supertrippers along the way. Each waypoint is allotted so much time to allow us to stretch and rest. The points are separated on an average of 250 miles (sometimes less), but not more than 300 miles. After several years of doing this, we've discovered that most people will need to use the bathroom at about half that distance. Those stops aren't explicitly scheduled, but extra time is worked into the schedule for this purpose. Everybody is responsible for finding a ride and making your way to the waypoints, should you not be taking your own car. Payment comes in the form of your share of gas, snacks, etc. Specifics can be arranged with the group leader of your vehicle. If you want to be added to our list of participants, drop me a line to be added to the list. Use the following format for sending information. Group Name: Each car needs a unique team name for radio purposes. If names have not been chosen by a certain date close to PAX, I will choose one for you. Group Leader(s): These are the group's go-to guys. Usually the most active on the forums/internet. Main responsibility lies in relaying status updates between their group and the CCST and for getting their group together to depart from their location. Vehicle: Year, Make, Model, MPG, Miles per Tank and if it's a rental, owned by you or owned by somebody else Max. Desired People: Maximum number of seats that you want to fill (including your own) Starting Location: City, State/Province where the vehicle is departing from First Waypoint: The first of our pre-selected stopping points where the vehicle will stop. Riders: The people who will be in the vehicle. This section is for confirmed riders. See below for unconfirmed. (fill out this section once per person in the vehicle) Name: Person A Location: Location B First Waypoint: Waypoint A Driving?: Yes/No E-Mail: person@webmaster.com Cell: For the CCST Phone List. This information will be collected via e-mail or private message. Don't post your cell number publicly in the thread. Every car will require at least one cell phone. Numbers will be collected in the summer for the final list. Unconfirmed Riders: Number of unconfirmed riders not listed here (people who say they want to go but haven't made any final commitments yet) Space Available: Seats still available in your vehicle A WORD TO THE LURKERS: Forum registration is currently disabled due to a rash of spammers recently. As a result, some of you who may want to join on, are unable to register and post as such. If you would like to join the CCST and are unable to register/post, drop me an email at moe.fwacky at gmail dot com and I'll make sure you are added to the roster. What You'll Need Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler A Working Vehicle - This is a long trip, and we don't want to scrape your steaming wreckage off the side of the road, so do basic maintenance before you go, meaning: change engine oil, check air filter, top off engine coolant and washer fluid. Check road and spare tire pressures and tread ware and bring extra oil, coolant, fluids (brake, power steering, anything that ends in "fluid") to top off on the road with. A Cell Phone - You or one of your riders will need to be carrying a phone. A Two-Way Radio - At least five-mile range. These help us keep in communication on the road when cell usage is unavailable or impractical. These are particularly useful during night driving. Many have commented that the ongoing radio chatter has helped to keep them awake in otherwise exhausting situations. The CCST Handbook - This is a full guide on how to Supertrip. Qs23 and I wrote this up for last year and it worked out quite well in getting people up to speed on how we do things before we hit the road. It will also contain a full contact list of people on the Supertrip. It will be e-mailed to you shortly before departure. A Gallon Jug of Water - Good for you or your car. Other drinkables are good, but can't go in your car Non-perishible snackables - Food for the road, beef jerky is a good mainstay along with trail mixes and anything else you might like. Stay away from ideas like a cooler filled with sandwich fixin's. It may sound like a cool idea, but takes up way too much space and is very impractical, especially when you can buy a sandwich or other, more filling foods about every five hours or so. There's a more complete list that will be posted in the summer before PAX. Stay tuned. Frequently Asked Questions Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Q: It's hella expensive to eat and gas a car for the miles it's going to take to get there. Is it really that much cheaper than flying? A: There's a formula to calculate the gas costs. Distance divided by miles per gallon, and the result of that divided by the national average cost of gas (or at least the average from where you are to Seattle). As for eating, with the money you save not flying, you can afford to eat and still save money. It ends up costing one car, round trip, a little less than a flight, round trip. But that one car is usually split between three or more people, and that's what makes a big difference. Q: How much for a seat if I have no car but want to come along? A: That depends on the vehicle and how gas is being divided up, contact the person you're riding with for details. Q: How can I help make this baby happen? A: Number One thing anybody can do to help make this happen is word of mouth, give people links to the official Penny Arcade Expo website and to this thread. Additionally, if you have any skills to offer, either on the road or off, let me know and I'll find something for you to do. Q: What hotel should I stay at? A: We'll know that when the guys at Penny Arcade announce what hotels they've negotiated deals with. Don't bother reserving a room until after they announce the hotels and discount codes Q: When is the Cross-Country Supertrip going to arrive in Seattle? A: We're aiming for a Thursday, September 3 arrival at about 1pm Pacific Time. Protip: It's not as complex as this image makes it look And here, for your reading pleasure, Lessons from Geese Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler So, I've found something that pertains to the CCST that might help convince some of you who are still on the fence, as it were. It's called Lessons from Geese and it was transcribed from a speech given by Angeles Arien at the 1991 Organizational Development Network. Fact 1 As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an “uplift” for the birds that follow. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock has 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. Lesson People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier, because they are traveling on the thrust of each other. How this pertains to the CCST Traveling together is easier and feels faster because we're all oriented on a common goal. Also you save gas mileage riding in the wake of the vehicles in front of you. Fact 2 When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it. Lesson If we have as much sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others. How this pertains to the CCST This is pretty self-explanatory Fact 3 When the lead bird tires, it rotates back into the formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it. Lesson It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each others’ skills, capabilities, and unique arrangement of gifts, talents, or resources. How this pertains to the CCST Don't be afraid of driver rotation. The people in your car are with you all the way, when you're tired, allow somebody else to drive while you rest. Everybody needs rest, and you have other skills that could be put to use when you're not behind the wheel. Fact 4 The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. Lesson We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one’s heart or core values and to encourage the heart and core values of others) is the quality of honking we seek. How this pertains to the CCST Radio chatter is golden, especially during the later hours. Talk to each other and feel free to make jokes at the landscape's expense. I've been told in the past, that when everybody in the car is alseep, the only thing that kept the driver going was the fact that there were other drivers in the same situation within easy communications range (as long as your FRS radio has a 5-mile range). Fact 5 When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation to catch up with the flock. Lesson If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we’re strong. How this pertains to the CCST We help each other out. If a car should drop behind the group due to some unforeseen catastrophe--such as a tire blowout--we stay in communication, find out the situation, and slow down the pace to allow them a chance to catch up. If it becomes plain that they won't catch up before the next waypoint, we give them some extra time at that stop so that they can meet back up with the group. I hope this has been insightful. How Much Will Gas Cost Okay, here it is, the Energy Information Administration's estimates for gas this year. Source: http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/cfapps/STEO...noScroll=false Gasoline Regular Grade Retail Price Incl Taxes U.S. Average for September 2009: $2.299 (not sure I believe this right now) Typically our price is a few cents higher, here's those figures. US Average August 2006: $2.952 Our Average 2006: $3.00 US Average August 2007: $2.786 Our Average 2007: $2.93 US Average August 2008: $3.779 Our Average 2008: $3.80 That gives a difference of as little as 2.1 cents and as many as 14.4 cents. Given recent developments, I've decided to run my high-end estimates at $3/gal. For help estimating the cost of gas for your vehicle, bigwah has created this Google spreadsheet, just make a copy and change the yellow fields to suit your vehicle. The People (organized by first waypoint) Fultonville, New York Group Name: U.S.S. Minion Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Group Leader(s): VThornheart Vehicle: Dodge Caravan Max. Desired People: 4 Starting Location: Dover, NH First Waypoint: Fultonville, NY Riders Name: VThornheart Location: Dover, NH First Waypoint: Fultonville, NY Driving?: Yes E-Mail:on file Cell: on file ------------------------------- Name: Jeff (ukiyo e) Location: Mansfield, Ma First Waypoint: Fultonville, NY Driving?: yes E-Mail: on file Cell: on file Unconfirmed Riders: 1 Space Available: 1 Du Bois, PA Group Name: Super Awesome Villians Forever (SAVF) Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Group Leader(s): mentok1982 (Steve McBarnes) Vehicle: Silver 2005 Hyundai Accent, 30 MPG, 11.9 gallon fuel tank, owned by me. Max. Desired People: 3 Starting Location: Baltimore, MD First Waypoint: Du Bois, PA Riders Name: mentok1982 (Steve) Location: Baltimore, MD First Waypoint: Du Bois, PA Driving?: Yes E-Mail: on file Cell: on file ---------------------------- Name: Geekgrrl (Shannon) Location: Chicago, IL First Waypoint: South Bend, IN Driving?: Yes E-Mail: needed Cell: needed Unconfirmed Riders: 0 Space Available: 1 Elyria, Ohio Group Name: The Captains of Team Awesome Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Group Leader(s): Moe Fwacky, randomguy Vehicle: Chevy Conversion Van (rental) Max. Desired People: 5 Starting Location: Lakewood, OH First Waypoint: Elyria, OH Riders Name: Moe Fwacky Location: Lakewood, OH First Waypoint: Elyria, OH Driving?: Yes E-Mail: moe.fwacky@gmail.com Cell: on file -------------- Name: Spook Location: Cleveland, OH First Waypoint: Elyria, OH Driving?: Yes E-Mail: on file Cell: on file -------------- Name: Sarah Location: Cleveland, OH First Waypoint: Elyria, OH Driving?: Maybe E-Mail: on file Cell: on file -------------- Name: DaNerd Location: NYC, New York First Waypoint: Elyria, OH Driving?: No E-Mail: on file Cell: on file -------------- Name: Cuzza Location: Down Under! First Waypoint: South Bend, IN Driving?: Yes E-Mail: on file Cell: on file -------------- Unconfirmed Riders: 0 Space Available: could squeeze in 1 more De Forest, Wisconsin Group Name: Team Ramrod Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Group Leader(s): Bob Jackass Vehicle: 2006 Scion xB, ~30 MPG (~300 miles per tank) Max. Desired People: 4 Starting Location: Northern Chicago 'burbs First Waypoint: De Forest, WI Riders Name: Ken (Bob Jackass) Location: Round Lake Beach, IL First Waypoint: De Forest, WI E-Mail: on file Cell: on file ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Name: Mark (Werezwolf) Location: Naperville, IL First Waypoint: De Forest, WI ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Name: Rius (Howard) Location: Chicago First Waypoint: De Forest, WI Unconfirmed Riders: 0 Space Available: 0 Rogers, Minnesota Group Name: Geeks on Parade Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Group Leader(s): DKM (Greg) Vehicle: Mini-van rental through Hertz in my name. Advertised as a 2008 Toyota Sienna, but probably a 2008 Ford something or other. Averaging 20mpg. Planning on having 3 drivers on the rental contract. Max. Desired People: 6 Starting Location: Minneapolis, MN. First Waypoint: Rogers, MN Riders Name: Greg (dkm) Location: Minneapolis, MN First Waypoint: Rogers, MN Driving?: Yes E-Mail: on file Cell: on file ------------------------------------------- Name: Brian Location: Eagan, MN First Waypoint: Rogers, MN Driving?: Yes E-Mail: on file Cell: on file ------------------------------------------- Name: Patrick Location: Roseville, MN First Waypoint: Rogers, MN Driving?: Yes E-Mail: TBD Cell: on file ------------------------------------------- Name: Rachel Location: Minneapolis, MN First Waypoint: Rogers, MN Driving?: No E-Mail: on file Cell: on file Name: Angie Location: Minneapolis, MN First Waypoint: Rogers, MN Driving?: Potentially - Backup in case of last minute issues E-Mail: on file Cell: on file Unconfirmed Rider: Jeremiah Name: Jeremiah Location: Minneapolis, MN First Waypoint: Rogers, MN Driving?: Potentially - Backup in case of last minute issues E-Mail: on file Cell: on file Space Available: 0 Houston, Texas Group Name: Epic Default Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Group Leader(s): JonnyNero Vehicle: 2008 Toyota Prius, 4 Cyl, 40-45 mpg Max. Desired People: 3 Starting Location: Houston, TX First Waypoint: Denton, TX Riders Name: JonnyNero Location: Cypress, TX First Waypoint: Houston, TX Driving?: Yes E-Mail: on file Cell: on file ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: ClickPicTony Location: Houston, TX First Waypoint: Houston, TX Driving?: Yes E-Mail: on file Cell: on file --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Michael Location: Austin, TX First Waypoint: Houston, TX Driving?: Yes E-Mail: on file Cell: Unconfirmed Riders: 0 Space Available: 0 The 3rd Ground Fleet of the Pacific Northwest Ellensburg, Washington Group Name: Stealth Ninja Pirates (formerly Red Rocket) Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Group Leader(s): Liger Vehicle: 2001 VW New Beetle 1.8L Turbo, 21mpg city, 30mpg highway Max. Desired People: 4 Starting Location: PAX (that's right, driving east to go west) First Waypoint: Ellensburg, WA Riders Name: Accalon, MeeOk and Emorimiku Location: Seattle, WA First Waypoint: Ellensburg, WA Driving: No E-Mail: on file Cell: on file Unconfirmed Riders: drunk!Macca, other aussies Space Available: 0 Group Name: Selah Anti-Zombie Squad or SAZS Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Group Leader(s): Brett (teh1337ninj4) Vehicle: Jeep, Grand Cherokee Laredo,18-23 MPG, owned by me Max. Desired People: 4 Starting Location: Selah, Washington First Waypoint: Ellensburg WA Riders Name: Brett Location: Selah, WA First Waypoint: Ellensburg, WA Driving?: Yes E-Mail: on file Cell: on file -------------------------------------------- Name: Todd Location: Selah, WA First Waypoint: Ellensburg, WA Driving?: yes E-Mail: on file Cell:on file -------------------------------------------- Name: Jake Location: Selah, WA First Waypoint: Ellensburg, WA Driving?: No E-Mail: on file Cell:on file -------------------------------------------- Name: Jake J. Location: Selah, WA First Waypoint: Ellensburg, WA Driving?: ?? E-Mail: on file Cell:on file Unconfirmed Riders: 0 Space Available: 0 Group Name: Zombie Ninja Land Yacht Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Group Leader(s): Theros Vehicle: 2000 dodge intrepid Max. Desired People: 4 Starting Location: Richmond, BC First Waypoint: Ellensburg, WA Riders Name: eye-shuh Location: Seattle, WA First Waypoint: Ellensburg, WA Driving: No E-Mail: on file Cell: on file Unconfirmed Riders: 0 Space Available: 2 Group Name: CCST +1 Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Group Leader(s): plusone Vehicle: 2000 Ford Taurus Max. Desired People: 4 Starting Location: Tri-Cities, WA First Waypoint: Ellensburg, WA Riders: might possibly be just me ;] Driving?: Yes E-Mail: on file Cell: on file Unconfirmed Riders: BrokenAngel, Recruit, Mandarista Space Available: unsure

The Routes These are the northern routes. They all meet in Cleveland, Ohio with the exception of the one originating in Canada and running through Michigan. That one meets at South Bend, Indiana. New York City/New Jersey to Fargo, North Dakota Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Leg 1 - North Bergen, NJ to Du Bois, PA Departure Point: Thind Travel Plaza, 1810 Tonnelle Ave, North Bergen, NJ 07047 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 03:30 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 284 mi/5h00m (0:30 Buffer) Arrival Point: Pilot Travel Center, 1742 Rich Hwy, Du Bois, PA 15801 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 08:30 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 2 - Du Bois, PA to Elyria, OH Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 1742 Rich Hwy, Du Bois, PA 15801 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 09:30 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 190 mi/3h30m (0:21 Buffer) Arrival Point: Speedway Superamerica, 895 Lorain Blvd. Elyria, OH Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 13:00 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 3 - Elyria, OH to South Bend, IN Departure Point: Speedway Superamerica, 895 Lorain Blvd. Elyria, OH Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 14:00 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 232 mi/3h30m (-0:06 Buffer) Arrival Point: Pilot Travel Center, 6424 Brick Rd. South Bend, IN 46628 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 17:30 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 4 - South Bend, IN to De Forest, WI Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 6424 W Brick Rd. South Bend, IN 46628 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 18:30 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 256 mi/4h30m (0:25 Buffer) Arrival Point: Travel Centers of America 5901 US Highway 51, De Forest, WI 53532 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 22:00 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 5 - De Forest, WI to Rogers, MN Departure Point: Travel Centers of America 5901 US Highway 51, De Forest, WI 53532 Departure Time: Wednesday, September 1, 23:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 284 mi/5h00m (0:22 Buffer) Arrival Point: Travel Center of America 13400 Rogers Dr, Rogers, MN Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 04:00 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 6 - Rogers, MN to Fargo, ND Departure Point: Travel Center of America 13400 Rogers Dr, Rogers, MN Departure Time: Wednesday, September 2, 05:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 213 mi/3h30m (0:22 Buffer) Arrival Point: Petro Travel Center, 4510 19th Ave SW, Fargo, ND 58103 Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 08:30 CDT Downtime: 2 hours, we will be getting lunch from Jimmy Johns and relaxing for lunch. Route continues in Fargo Boston, Massachusetts to Fargo, North Dakota Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Leg 1 – Boston, MA to Fultonville, NY Departure Point: Commonwealth Sunoco, 850 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA Departure Time: Monday, August 31, 23:30 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 208 mi/3h30m (0:05 Buffer) Arrival Point: Travel Centers of America, 40 Riverside Dr. Fultonville, NY 12072 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 03:00 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 2 – Fultonville, NY to Corfu, NY Departure Point: Travel Centers of America, 40 Riverside Dr. Fultonville, NY 12072 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 04:00 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 221 mi/4h00m (0:32 Buffer) Arrival Point: Flying J Travel Plaza, 8484 Alleghany Rd, Corfu, NY Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 08:00 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 3 – Corfu, NY to Elyria, OH Departure Point: Flying J Travel Plaza, 8484 Alleghany Rd, Corfu, NY Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 09:00 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 241 mi/4h00m (0:04 Buffer) Arrival Point: Speedway Superamerica, 895 Lorain Blvd. Elyria, OH Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 13:00 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 3 - Elyria, OH to South Bend, IN Departure Point: Speedway Superamerica, 895 Lorain Blvd. Elyria, OH Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 14:00 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 232 mi/3h30m (-0:06 Buffer) Arrival Point: Pilot Travel Center, 6424 Brick Rd. South Bend, IN 46628 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 17:30 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 4 - South Bend, IN to De Forest, WI Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 6424 W Brick Rd. South Bend, IN 46628 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 18:30 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 256 mi/4h30m (0:25 Buffer) Arrival Point: Travel Centers of America 5901 US Highway 51, De Forest, WI 53532 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 22:00 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 5 - De Forest, WI to Rogers, MN Departure Point: Travel Centers of America 5901 US Highway 51, De Forest, WI 53532 Departure Time: Wednesday, September 1, 23:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 284 mi/5h00m (0:22 Buffer) Arrival Point: Travel Center of America 13400 Rogers Dr, Rogers, MN Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 04:00 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 6 - Rogers, MN to Fargo, ND Departure Point: Travel Center of America 13400 Rogers Dr, Rogers, MN Departure Time: Wednesday, September 2, 05:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 213 mi/3h30m (0:22 Buffer) Arrival Point: Petro Travel Center, 4510 19th Ave SW, Fargo, ND 58103 Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 08:30 CDT Downtime: 2 hours, we will be getting lunch from Jimmy Johns and relaxing for lunch. Route continues in Fargo Ottawa, Ontario to Fargo, North Dakota Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Leg 1 - Bainsville, ON to Mississauga, ON Departure Point: Summerstown Petro-Pass, 6350 County Road 27, Williamstown, ON K0C 2E0 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 02:30 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 244 mi/4h30m Arrival Point: Flying J's 1400 Britannia Rd E, Mississauga, ON L4W 1C8 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 07:00 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 2 - Mississauga, ON to Dexter, MI Departure Point: Flying J's 1400 Britannia Rd E, Mississauga, ON L4W 1C8 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 08:00 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 273mi/5h30m Arrival Point: Pilot Travel Center 195 Baker Rd Dexter, MI 48130 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 13:30 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 3 - Dexter, MI to South Bend, IN Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 195 Baker Rd Dexter, MI 48130 Departure Time: Tuesday, August 26, 14:30 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 165mi/3h00m Arrival Point: Pilot Travel Center, 6424 Brick Rd. South Bend, IN 46628 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 17:30 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 4 - South Bend, IN to De Forest, WI Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 6424 W Brick Rd. South Bend, IN 46628 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 18:30 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 256 mi/4h30m (0:25 Buffer) Arrival Point: Travel Centers of America 5901 US Highway 51, De Forest, WI 53532 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 22:00 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 5 - De Forest, WI to Rogers, MN Departure Point: Travel Centers of America 5901 US Highway 51, De Forest, WI 53532 Departure Time: Wednesday, September 1, 23:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 284 mi/5h00m (0:22 Buffer) Arrival Point: Travel Center of America 13400 Rogers Dr, Rogers, MN Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 04:00 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 6 - Rogers, MN to Fargo, ND Departure Point: Travel Center of America 13400 Rogers Dr, Rogers, MN Departure Time: Wednesday, September 2, 05:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 213 mi/3h30m (0:22 Buffer) Arrival Point: Petro Travel Center, 4510 19th Ave SW, Fargo, ND 58103 Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 08:30 CDT Downtime: 2 hours, we will be getting lunch from Jimmy Johns and relaxing for lunch. Route continues in Fargo Greenville, Virginia to Fargo, North Dakota Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Leg 1 - Greenville, VA to Nitro, WV Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 3541 Lee Jackson Hwy, Greenville, VA 24440 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 03:30 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 220 mi/4h00 Arrival Point: Pilot Travel Center, 4304 1st Ave, Nitro, WV 25143 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 07:30 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 2 - Nitro, WV to Elyria, OH Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 4304 1st Ave, Nitro, WV 25143 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 08:30 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 278 mi/4h30m Arrival Point: Speedway Superamerica, 895 Lorain Blvd. Elyria, OH 44035 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 13:00 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 3 - Elyria, OH to South Bend, IN Departure Point: Speedway Superamerica, 895 Lorain Blvd. Elyria, OH Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 14:00 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 232 mi/3h30m (-0:06 Buffer) Arrival Point: Pilot Travel Center, 6424 Brick Rd. South Bend, IN 46628 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 17:30 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 4 - South Bend, IN to De Forest, WI Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 6424 W Brick Rd. South Bend, IN 46628 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 18:30 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 256 mi/4h30m (0:25 Buffer) Arrival Point: Travel Centers of America 5901 US Highway 51, De Forest, WI 53532 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 22:00 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 5 - De Forest, WI to Rogers, MN Departure Point: Travel Centers of America 5901 US Highway 51, De Forest, WI 53532 Departure Time: Wednesday, September 1, 23:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 284 mi/5h00m (0:22 Buffer) Arrival Point: Travel Center of America 13400 Rogers Dr, Rogers, MN Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 04:00 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 6 - Rogers, MN to Fargo, ND Departure Point: Travel Center of America 13400 Rogers Dr, Rogers, MN Departure Time: Wednesday, September 2, 05:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 213 mi/3h30m (0:22 Buffer) Arrival Point: Petro Travel Center, 4510 19th Ave SW, Fargo, ND 58103 Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 08:30 CDT Downtime: 2 hours, we will be getting lunch from Jimmy Johns and relaxing for lunch. Route continues in Fargo

These are the Southern Routes. They meet each other in either Foristell, MO or Faucett, MO West Columbia, South Carolina to Fargo, North Dakota Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Leg 1 - West Columbia, SC to Knoxville, TN Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 3008 Charleston Hwy, West Columbia, SC 29172 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 02:00 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 271mi/5h00m Arrival Point: Pilot Travel Center, 5508 Lonas Dr, Knoxville, TN 37909 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 07:00 EDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 2 - Knoxville, TN to Oak Grove, KY Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 5508 Lonas Dr, Knoxville, TN 37909 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 08:00 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 227 mi/3h30m Arrival Point: Pilot Travel Center, 8190 Pembroke Oak Grove Rd, Oak Grove, KY 42262 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 10:30 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 3 - Oak Grove, KY to Foristell, MO Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 8190 Pembroke Oak Grove Rd, Oak Grove, KY 42262 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 11:30 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 299 mi/5h00m Arrival Point: Travel Centers of America, 3265 N Service Rd E, Foristell, MO 63348 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 16:30 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 4 - Foristell, MO to Faucett, MO Departure Point: Travel Centers of America, 3265 N Service Rd E, Foristell, MO 63348 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 17:30 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 245 mi/4h00m Arrival Point: Farris Truck Stop, 1303 Grand Dd Se, Faucett, MO 63348 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 21:30 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 5 - Faucett, MO to Beresford, SD Departure Point: Farris Truck Stop, 1303 Grand Dd Se, Faucett, MO 63348 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 22:30 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 288 mi/4h30m Arrival Point: Jet Truck Plaza, 1501 W Cedar St, Beresford, SD 57004 Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 03:00 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 6 - Beresford, SD to Fargo, ND Departure Point: Jet Truck Plaza, 1501 W Cedar St, Beresford, SD 57004 Departure Time: Wednesday, September 2, 04:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 270 miles/4h30m Arrival Point: Petro Travel Center, 4510 19th Ave SW, Fargo, ND 58103 Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 08:30 CDT Downtime: 2 hours, we will be getting lunch from Jimmy Johns and relaxing for lunch. Route continues in Fargo Reddick, Florida to Fargo, North Dakota Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Leg 1 - Reddick, FL to De Funiak Springs, FL Departure Point: Petro Stopping Center, 7401 W Highway 318, Reddick, FL 32686 Departure Time: Monday, August 31, 17:30 EDT Travel Distance/Time: 296 mi/4h30m Arrival Point: Great American Travel Plaza, 328 Green Acres Dr, De Funiak Springs, FL 32435 Arrival Time: Monday, August 31, 21:00 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 2 - De Funiak Springs, FL to Hammond, LA Departure Point: Great American Travel Plaza, 328 Green Acres Dr, De Funiak Springs, FL 32435 Departure Time: Monday, August 31, 22:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 265 mi/4h00m Arrival Point: Pilot Travel Center, 2111 SW Railroad Ave, Hammond, LA 70403 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 02:00 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 3 - Hammond, LA to Winona, MS Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 2111 SW Railroad Ave, Hammond, LA 70403 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 03:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 224 mi/4h30m Arrival Point: Pilot Travel Center, 403 SW Frontage Rd, Winona, MS 38967 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 07:30 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 4 - Winona, MS to West Memphis, AR Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 403 SW Frontage Rd, Winona, MS 38967 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 08:30 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 125 mi/2h00m Arrival Point: Pilot Travel Center, 800 Martin Luther King Dr, West Memphis, AR 72301 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 10:30 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 5 - West Memphis, AR to Foristell, MO Departure Point: Pilot Travel Center, 800 Martin Luther King Dr, West Memphis, AR 72301 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 11:30 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 310 mi/5h00m Arrival Point: Travel Centers of America, 3265 N Service Rd E, Foristell, MO 63348 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 16:30 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 6 - Foristell, MO to Faucett, MO Departure Point: Travel Centers of America, 3265 N Service Rd E, Foristell, MO 63348 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 17:30 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 245 mi/4h00m Arrival Point: Farris Truck Stop, 1303 Grand Dd Se, Faucett, MO 63348 Arrival Time: Tuesday, September 1, 21:30 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 7 - Faucett, MO to Beresford, SD Departure Point: Farris Truck Stop, 1303 Grand Dd Se, Faucett, MO 63348 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 22:30 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 288 mi/4h30m Arrival Point: Jet Truck Plaza, 1501 W Cedar St, Beresford, SD 57004 Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 03:00 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 8 - Beresford, SD to Fargo, ND Departure Point: Jet Truck Plaza, 1501 W Cedar St, Beresford, SD 57004 Departure Time: Wednesday, September 2, 04:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 270 miles/4h30m Arrival Point: Petro Travel Center, 4510 19th Ave SW, Fargo, ND 58103 Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 08:30 CDT Downtime: 2 hours, we will be getting lunch from Jimmy Johns and relaxing for lunch. Route continues in Fargo Austin, Texas to Fargo, North Dakota Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Leg 1 – Austin, TX to Dallas, TX Departure Point: United Travel Center, 500 Canyon Ridge Dr, Austin, TX Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 07:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 228 mi/3h30m Arrival Point: View Truck Stop, 13239 S I-35, Valley View, TX 76272 Arrival Time: Tuesday, August 26, 10:30 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 2 – Dallas, TX to Wellington, KS Departure Point: Valley View Truck Stop, 13239 S I-35, Valley View, TX 76272 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 11:30 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 279 mi/5h00m Arrival Point: Love’s Travel Stop 1106 N a St, Wellington, KS 67152 Arrival Time: Tuesday, August 26, 16:30 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 3 – Wellington, KS to Faucett, MO Departure Point: Love’s Travel Stop, 1106 N a St, Wellington, KS 67152 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 17:30 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 249 mi/4h00m Arrival Point: Farris Truck Stop, 1303 Grand Dd Se, Faucett, MO 63348 Arrival Time: Tuesday, August 26, 21:30 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 4 - Faucett, MO to Beresford, SD Departure Point: Farris Truck Stop, 1303 Grand Dd Se, Faucett, MO 63348 Departure Time: Tuesday, September 1, 22:30 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 288 mi/4h30m Arrival Point: Jet Truck Plaza, 1501 W Cedar St, Beresford, SD 57004 Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 03:00 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 5 - Beresford, SD to Fargo, ND Departure Point: Jet Truck Plaza, 1501 W Cedar St, Beresford, SD 57004 Departure Time: Wednesday, September 2, 04:00 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 270 miles/4h30m Arrival Point: Petro Travel Center, 4510 19th Ave SW, Fargo, ND 58103 Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 08:30 CDT Downtime: 2 hours, we will be getting lunch from Jimmy Johns and relaxing for lunch. Route continues in Fargo

All routes converge in Fargo, which is also about the halfway point for anybody making the long haul. Fargo, North Dakota to Seattle, Washington Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler Leg 1 - Fargo, ND to Bismarck, ND Departure Point: Petro Travel Center, 4510 19th Ave SW, Fargo, ND 58103 Departure Time: Wednesday, September 2, 10:30 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 187 mi/3h00m (0:22 Buffer) Arrival Point: Grand Forks Travel Center, 3936 E Divide Ave. Bismarck, ND 58501 Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 13:30 CDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 2 - Bismarck, ND to Glendive, MT Departure Point: Grand Forks Travel Center, 3936 E Divide Ave. Bismarck, ND 58501 Departure Time: Wednesday, September 2, 14:30 CDT Travel Distance/Time: 198 mi/3h00m (0:10 Buffer) Arrival Point: Trailstar Truck Stop, 11 Highway 16, Glendive, MT 59330 Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 16:30 MDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 3 - Glendive, MT to Billings, MT Departure Point: Trailstar Truck Stop, 11 Highway 16, Glendive, MT 59330 Departure Time: Wednesday, September 2, 17:30 MDT Travel Distance/Time: 214 mi/3h30m (0:32 Buffer) Arrival Point: Flying J Travel Plaza, 2775 Old Hardin Rd. Billings, MT 59101 Arrival Time: Wednesday, September 2, 21:00 MDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 4 - Billings, MT to Butte, MT Departure Point: Flying J Travel Plaza, 2775 Old Hardin Rd. Billings, MT 59101 Departure Time: Wednesday, September 2, 22:00 MDT Travel Distance/Time: 235 mi/3h30m (0:11 Buffer) Arrival Point: Town Pump, 1000 Grizzly Trail, Butte, MT 59701 Arrival Time: Thursday, September 3, 01:30 MDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 5 - Butte, MT to Post Falls, ID Departure Point: Town Pump, 1000 Grizzly Trail, Butte, MT 59701 Departure Time: Thursday, September 3, 02:30 MDT Travel Distance/Time: 290 mi/4h30m (0:27 Buffer) Arrival Point: 3636 W 5th Ave, Post Falls, ID 83854 Arrival Time: Thursday, September 3, 06:00 PDT Downtime: 1 hour Leg 6 – Post Falls, ID to Ellensburg, WA Departure Point: 3636 W 5th Ave, Post Falls, ID 83854 Departure Time: Thursday, September 3, 07:00 PDT Travel Distance/Time: 192 mi/3h00m (0:09 Buffer) Arrival Point: Flying J Travel Plaza, 2300 Canyon Rd, Ellensburg, WA 98926 Arrival Time: Thursday, September 3, 10:00 PDT Downtime: 30 minutes Leg 7 - Ellensburg, WA to PAX (Seattle, WA) Departure Point: Flying J Travel Plaza, 2300 Canyon Rd, Ellensburg, WA 98926 Departure Time: Thursday, September 3, 10:30 PDT Travel Distance/Time: 109 mi/2h30m (0:48 Buffer) Arrival Point: Washington State C&T Center, 800 Convention Pl. Seattle, WA 98101 Arrival Time: Thursday, September 2, 13:00 PDT So that about covers it for now. Additional information and vehicular data will be edited into the OP as it becomes available.

Woo! Let the PAX fever commence! And I would love to hear the reasons why nobody would want to do the CCST.

Woo! Let the PAX fever commence! And I would love to hear the reasons why nobody would want to do the CCST. I live 3 hours south of Seattle and I'd rather not get any closer to Spokane than I have to.

!Sign up Lieutenant Vendal Thornheart, reporting for duty with my wife (no driver's license though) and our 4-door, 5 seat Scion xA. =) I'm psyched to finally be driving with you guys! =) =) I'll send you a PM with the more formal signup information. =)

i'm so jealous! i wish i lived on your side of the world instead of 2 hours north by boat

I have been waiting for this thread. This is my first year going and I would really like to be part of this rather than flying. I have questions though. I know there were some people last year from Ontario who were concerned over only have a G2 license and what rules applied. How did that end up working? I'd like to volunteer myself as a driver, but I don't know if the G2 restrictions remain the G2 restrictions wherever I go, or if I get bumped down to Learner's Permit status of whatever state we're in. Second, how likely is it that if I do have a driver's license but no car I'll be able to just find a ride with people randomly on the boards. I don't really know anyone who is going who is driving out. Are there generally people who have extra space in their cars? I'm starting in Ottawa, which is conveniently where one of the routes is starting. I really hope I'm able to go.

And I would love to hear the reasons why nobody would want to do the CCST. Because I could walk to the wsctc if I wanted to (yes I give this wiseass answer to your same question every year)

I have been waiting for this thread. This is my first year going and I would really like to be part of this rather than flying. I have questions though. I know there were some people last year from Ontario who were concerned over only have a G2 license and what rules applied. How did that end up working? I'd like to volunteer myself as a driver, but I don't know if the G2 restrictions remain the G2 restrictions wherever I go, or if I get bumped down to Learner's Permit status of whatever state we're in. Second, how likely is it that if I do have a driver's license but no car I'll be able to just find a ride with people randomly on the boards. I don't really know anyone who is going who is driving out. Are there generally people who have extra space in their cars? I'm starting in Ottawa, which is conveniently where one of the routes is starting. I really hope I'm able to go. It seems we might have found an answer... http://www.carinsurance.com/kb/content15555.aspx A novice licence is not considered to be fully licensed for driving the MTO noted and whether a Class G2 licence is accepted depends on the laws, including minimum driving age, in the province or state you are driving in. So it would appear that you could indeed drive into the United States with your G2 if the state you are driving in allows you to do so. Before driving into the U.S. with your G2 license you might want to check with the MTO, just to find out for certain what restrictions or conditions they place on you while out of the province.

I almost want my car's group name to be ironically named "nail dodger", as it seems like it would be appropriately ironic given my tendency to run into the tire-popping bastards.

If there's one thing we've learned in the three previous years of doing this is don't tempt fate. This means avoiding the words bust or lucky or talk of dodging road debris.

I too have been eagerly awaiting this thread! I'd been planning on going to PAX for a few years now but finally have the means and time to! However, I was wondering what the rule is for wanting to roadtrip there for the fun and then flying back instead of taking the roadtrip back. Also, I'm in the Chicago area and I see that the roadtrip passes through Chicago, but doesn't appear to have a stop in or near Chicago. (Hmmm... I wonder if i could take a train to one of the major stopping points) Also, the link for last year's handbook appears to be down.

If there's one thing we've learned in the three previous years of doing this is don't tempt fate. This means avoiding the words bust or lucky or talk of dodging road debris. lol, duly noted =) I'll scratch that one off the list =)

I too have been eagerly awaiting this thread! I'd been planning on going to PAX for a few years now but finally have the means and time to! However, I was wondering what the rule is for wanting to roadtrip there for the fun and then flying back instead of taking the roadtrip back. Also, I'm in the Chicago area and I see that the roadtrip passes through Chicago, but doesn't appear to have a stop in or near Chicago. (Hmmm... I wonder if i could take a train to one of the major stopping points) Also, the link for last year's handbook appears to be down. I need to reupload the handbook, forgot to remove that link. Doing the trip one-way is entirely up to whoever you end up riding with. Some people don't mind, others would rather have the extra driver both ways. Also, Chicago is the worst for traffic, if we actually had to stop there and leave again, I don't think we'd ever get out. It's also halfway between two waypoints. As long as you can find somebody to ride with and can get to the waypoint, there shouldn't be a problem. Talk to some friends in your area, see if you can't get a group together from your area. That way you don't have to worry about getting to the waypoint.

i was really hoping to join up this year, but my new school and lack of job has made that impossible. at least i'll get to stay at the green tortoise this year. speaking of which, we need a green tortoise thread!

Man...it seems almost like yesterday. Moe this year we NEED to play games in the BYOC. Last year was too busy, WHY DOES PAX HAVE SO MUCH STUFF !?

If you can't join up, do the next best thing and be there to greet us when we arrive. There was quite the crowd last year.

Man...it seems almost like yesterday. Moe this year we NEED to play games in the BYOC. Last year was too busy, WHY DOES PAX HAVE SO MUCH STUFF !? Yeah I know, I spent almost no time in BYOC. Makes me sad, but there was so much to do.

Three things.... For those that don't want to read...here's a nice informative PSA for the supertrip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dStfz...e=channel_page Secondly, Moe...it's Houston...not Austin...we went through this last year :p (although I think the Texas meet-up point is unofficially Dallas) Thirdly, pencil myself in for this as due to loss of job and not sure where exactly I'm going to be located at the moment of the start of this epic journey...I'm not sure I'll be able to make it (not to mention the fact that we here in Houston have gotten a lot of our friends interested in the trip so I'm not sure how many would be in our group)

If you can't join up, do the next best thing and be there to greet us when we arrive. There was quite the crowd last year. Yay! =) I'm looking forward to seeing the MMT when we roll into town. =)

Man...it seems almost like yesterday. Moe this year we NEED to play games in the BYOC. Last year was too busy, WHY DOES PAX HAVE SO MUCH STUFF !? Yeah I know, I spent almost no time in BYOC. Makes me sad, but there was so much to do. I spent no time in BYOC either I am likely not even going to bring my laptop next year.

Having fun is the most important part, which we had in droves! =) Man I'm so excited about this!

So, I was poking around looking for a good vehicle to rent for this year and I came across this. Seven Passenger, 8' from floor to ceiling, 4 huge captains chairs and a reclining bench seat for sleeping. Better than all of those is the home theater sized LCD with DVD player and game console inputs The only real downside appears to be price. To ride this thing with unlimited miles for the duration of the CCST, PAX and the ride back will cost about $300 per person with 5 people (which is the maximum we could expect to fit if we intend to make use of the back bench as a sleeping area). I'm strongly considering this ride in comfort, as this appears to be first-class supertripping at its finest. I'll need to talk to a few other people before deciding on this, and I plan on going down to this place and talking to them in person to make sure their rental terms will suit our needs. This is going to be the best CCST ever.