Okay, so there was a few failures in communication, and overall disorganization this year, but all in all it turned out well. This next year we should focus on finding waypoint captains who are organized and can help spread the work around their waypoints about when we will be leaving that way there's more involvement.
I'd like to see 200 people on the supertrip this next year.
Some ideas:
Get people a CB, and get a channel on it, as that'll be more effective than GMRS radios.
Have a flagship vehicle and a tail vehicle so that no one gets too far ahead or left behind.
Official WCST logos for the cars printed out for people to purchase and affix.
Posts
sp00n loves you
I called shotgun already.
For the record.
They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.
i still wanna room with you
Oh shit
Oh shit
We NEED to do an EAST COAST super trip! I'll so be there!
Seeing as I'm now gainfully employed, maybe this time around I'll be able to afford to pull the damn thing off. We've already done quite a bit of planning trip-wise, just $$$ is the major trip-up. That and without said problem resolved, I only ever recieved one email about joining the trip.
Here's the thread we had for it. Hopefully it'll actually happen this year.
CB Radios
The problem I see with CBs isn't in acquiring them (hell, I can't go to a Goodwill without seeing at least one), but in installing and testing them. They generally draw power from the car's electrical system, rather than batteries or battery packs, and I don't think the owners of every car are willing to stop by a car stereo place and spring $50+ for an install.
Also, the range of CB is 1-5 miles, whereas if we get better GMRS radios, we can have a 10+ mile range. On the other hand, listening to (and talking to) truckers on channel 19 is fun, as many long-past roadtrips with my grandparents can attest.
Flagships
Yes. Given that my car can do about 75 absolute maximum before it starts to shake apart, I kept getting left behind. I don't want to hold everyone back, but it sucks for engine life to be racing for six hours straight. I think a head/tail car setup would help.
Stickers/Logos
The color printouts ben184 brought this year worked pretty well, I must say. The stickers would just be added expense.
Other Suggestions
-Change the Portland waypoint. The town center is okay, but it's difficult to get into or out of as a group. Add to that our need for gas and difficulty acquiring it. Here's a TA Truck Stop south of Wilsonville that looks good. (Google Maps).
-Formalize handles for radio communications, and require that drivers sign on with their handles, so we know who's talking. Dibs on "Rubber Duck".
-Every driver must have a cell phone for out-of-range communications, and enter it on a central sheet that is distributed to every other driver.
-Require a cell phone number from everyone, or at least a real name and info on where you're staying. Trying to find someone at a hotel when you don't know their real name sucks quite a bit.
Get the PAX 2008 Countdown widget and while away your sad, pathetic life watching it tick down the hours to PAX '08!
http://homepage.mac.com/ctishman
DocZero
Where there is no love,
Nothing is possible.
=
Given that Victoria has direct access to Seattle, and would be INCREDIBLY out of the way for anyone not from there, AND require that people not from victoria take TWO ferry trips with vehicles, I'd suggest that Victoria not be on the BC Supertrip route.
猿も木から落ちる
MPH
20 - ?
30 - ?
40 - DON'T SPILL YOUR BAWLS
50 - HOPE THE WHEELS STAY ON
60 - I WILL FUCK YOUR DOG
that and the victoria clipper is a passenger ferry... the reason the trip would have worked well for us Tirll is that you guys could walk on the the bcferry, then we could all take the clipper.
and i'm pretty sure that people comming from points north and east of vancouver wouldn't want to leave their cars behind and any points. :P
Get the PAX 2008 Countdown widget and while away your sad, pathetic life watching it tick down the hours to PAX '08!
http://homepage.mac.com/ctishman
We're up for that!
However, it'd be better to have 2 western canada trips - one vancouver island trip culminating in a Clipper ride, and one coming from say, Edmonton or Calgary and doing the I5 thing.
We were gettin 5 mpg. Thanks to all those that tipped us! The tips bought 1/3 of the gas for the trip.
Doczero
Where there is no love,
Nothing is possible.
=
We came from Lethbridge. You want to go Highway 3 to Cranbrook, and then down into Idaho via Yahk. Then its the 95 to the I90 and 300 miles of 80mph straight to the heart of Bellevue.
猿も木から落ちる
I want desperately to be involved in in next year but that monday leave date is the absolute killer.
Maybe we can have smaller faster Super Trips that run along side the main WCST. I'm only coming from Vancouver, WA so its not that much of a deal to get to and from in 2 hours doing a decent clip.
Maybe get a diesel...but that would take up alot of room and drown out anything going on inside the bus.
Hey, if you guys need help working on the bus or even with the GTA itself, let me know. I'm not a full-flegd mechanic, but i'm an extra set of hands that can help with whatever.
- Flagship and tail vehicles
- GMRS radios; longer range, but requires a license(?)
- Radio handles; the audio quality is poor on the radios, and half the time I didn't know who has talking.
- Portland waypoint; it splits up the group every year. The traffic in that area is ridiculous.
- Contact info; not just for captains. Both years, it was a rider we needed to contact. We will definitely make it clear that it is your responsibilty to be on time for your ride.
- Bus or van from SoCal
I disagree with:- CB radios; too expensive, one-time use, not so portable, and the FRS radios worked.
- Leaving earlier; drivers were already sleep deprived. Pushing it anymore is dangerous. If you have work and school (like I did) then get the time off, or choose an alternate method to get to PAX. I guess if there's enough interest, the "faster" WCST could work.
I would also change the Sacramento waypoint. It's too far off the I-5, and there are no gas stations or food in the area. The only thing there (Fry's) is closed at that hour.Also, we need larger vehicles. I WILL get a 7 passenger van for next year. If you don't have access to a larger vehicle, Hertz will rent a van for $60 a day. Maybe there's an even cheaper way?
We need to start looking for a Portland waypoint that can still be reached by bus, but is outside the city proper.
Get the PAX 2008 Countdown widget and while away your sad, pathetic life watching it tick down the hours to PAX '08!
http://homepage.mac.com/ctishman
There are a couple MAX terminals that are not too far from freeways. MAX is the local light-raile system and its pretty widely used. There are a couple stations off I-205 which is the better bet in terms of crossing the Columbia river during any kind of traffic as it always runs smoothly. One that is actually pretty easy to get to is close to the airport with easy on-off access to 205. One downside is there is nothing really there, so waiting might potentially suck. Another super easy on-off is the Expo center P&R or Delta Park P&R. These stations are Park and Rides so they have good entry for buses and lots of cars, plus its lies just off I-5 so if you don't want the hassle of changing freeways its a bonus. Downside is that its on I-5 so if you hit Portland around rush hour, prepare for crap traffic from about city center to the bridge.
This is probably to early to actually be dealing with all this information tho...
sp00n loves you
Don't kill my dream! You are an evil little goblin-monkey.
sp00n loves you
This exact suggestion came up last year.
sp00n loves you
Will do. And remind me not to blow all my money on smack and cheap whores. At least not until I get to Seattle anyway.
sp00n loves you
After you're in Seattle, it just becomes another part of the travel budget. 8)
Get the PAX 2008 Countdown widget and while away your sad, pathetic life watching it tick down the hours to PAX '08!
http://homepage.mac.com/ctishman
Fix'd.
Perhaps you haven't seen our women...
Get the PAX 2008 Countdown widget and while away your sad, pathetic life watching it tick down the hours to PAX '08!
http://homepage.mac.com/ctishman
The two trips could meet up before PAX, and get together for dinner. If we're having a Great Canadian (and Cyrax too) room, then we could drop all our stuff in there at once, and then we may rock and roll all night, and perhaps even party every day (k I'm a dork)
They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.
errr thats pretty flawed, the ferry cost way to freaking much for a super trip to take it, maybe the few islanders come to tswassen and we meet up in Ladner. then the highway straight from there