WagonFest Mid-Atlantic

BigBlackBeaSSt wrote:

1993 Roady-man wrote:

So Tim if we stay at your place Friday night what's for Breakfast? LOL!

Jarrod seems to be volunteering to make breakfast for us all.  Very generous of you sir! LOL  Let me know what I need to stock the kitchen with.

lakeffect wrote:

Make it two for dinner, My wife and I.

And Dave is cooking dinner.  This IS going to work!!

But seriously if anyone wants to stay by me (Camp Hill/Mechanicsburg) it might be cheaper and I will flip some pancakes in the AM or we can leave early and hit a Micky D's on the way down.

And if you get in Friday you can wash/wax/vacuum/change your oil at the Barefoot Garage. My daughter would likely be snapping some glam shots of the wagons. Then we would have a string of cars going down on Saturday morning.

Were going to do our best to be there Friday. As for Saturday morning if I'm there I will cook.

Put me down for Dinner Mike. Likely going solo.

Cadet57 wrote:

81X11 wrote:

Oh yeah, planning to do it the end of Aug or early Sept.  

Hate to change out parts that are still working but better safe than sorry.   I may just change the cap and rotor on the Opti....I mean it's just a distributor....no matter where it's mounted.   If it's working, it's working.   A cap, rotor and new plugs and wires should do it.  And plugs.  That car may have the original plugs in it....  

The fuel pump....we'll I'd just feel better with a new one.

Projects!

Delco for everything especially the pump. Don't bother with aftermarket.

Accel has a full Opti at a decent price, complete with cap and rotor. Kicking that around since it's such a pain to get to the thing..... Oh and is Delphi still the same as Delco? Finding a lot of Delphi optis if you folks say the Accel is not the way to go.

-Mike

I have MDS's on mine. Both of mine I purchased off of ebay used. One had just been back to MSD for a rebuild and the other I sent to them. When they rebuild them they are AS NEW. No problems since.

Lots of MSD's on Ebay but they are high-dollar. I liked the Accel because it was under $300....the Delphi's I've seen are $330, but have not looked on Rock Auto yet.

Planning to order all this stuff at the end of the month, and hopefully get the car on stands and tear into it the first week of September, and them will have most of September and October to shakedown the car before the trip.

My kids will be in school but my Dad wants to come on the trip with me, so will be a good father/son bonding trip! So glad my Dad is still around and is a car nut too.

SO general plan is new fuel pump, new Opti, new wires, OEM Delco plugs, fuel filter, radiator flush, re-pack front wheel bearings, change trans filter and fluid, and change rear axle grease (did trans and rear at 75K, now have 120K, but towed the boat a bit, and know Rich did some burnouts in the car, so figure better safe than sorry).

Right now I just want to get the cooling fans sorted out. At the shop now. Ha!

Other than that it runs and drives fine...but it's long overdue for a tune-up, and Opti and Fuel pump are original to the car as far as I know.

PROJECTS!

Looking very forward to seeing everyone at the show!

-Mike

I'm not an LT1 guy, but I seem to recall the MSD opti being one of the garbage ones.

they had an issue with them when they first came out with them. Been resolved and they rebuilt all the bad ones.

If the car still runs good, put a new cap and rotor on the existing opti and call it a day. I've used store brand cap and rotors with no issues.

lakeffect wrote:

I can't help but note that almost all of the people signed up have already been to at least one Wagonfest before, and in many cases, they've been to several events before. Look  closer and you'll find  that out of over 1220 forum members, they tend to be the most active  in terms of posts as well.

Maybe they know that a Wagonfest and this forum is a good time and good place to be shared with people having the same interests. What about the other 1200 members here?

MY point is... If you haven't been to  a Wagonfest... SIGN UP and GO!

I would love to come, 1000 mile road trip with 4 kids ranging from 6 to 1.5 years, later two being twins, and an 8 month old Doberman....sounds like a road trip to/from hell  maybe some day

Well amazingly my plans....are growing.   Over dinner, Mom decided she wants to go...and now my wife wants to come too, and wants us to bring the boys, school absences be damned, and they all want to go spend two days site-seeing in Washington DC, in addition to Wagonfest, plus family visits across the country....  

So let's see, that's me, my wife, both boys, and both my parents...in the Roadmaster Wagon for days and days on the road....which would mean I'd have to put the cargo carrier on the roof for all the luggage...and we'd all have to get along in close confines....

Who wants to call National Lampoon for me??   Holy Cow...    

Is there a good place to stay between Wagonfest and DC, so we don't have to get multiple motels??

I guess I'll pull the map out and start looking.   Holy Cow...again...  

-Mike

81x11 you are a much braver man than I, I don't think they could get me enough Prozac to make it through the first day, although it would be fun to meet up along the way and run out together as our GS wagons look very similar

Mike, don't forget to strap the dog to the back bumper.  

Rabalc, you could consider running your own "Wagonfest Midwest" as well. We'd like to see more of them in other parts of the country, not just the East Coast. Check out the member map in the members only section for other members near you.

If you are a forum member, reading this, and you aren't on the map... why not?.

Any word on group rates for hotels yet guys?

Dave

lakeffect wrote:

Any word on group rates  for hotels yet guys?

Dave

I'm calling back the Hampton Inns today. I called last Friday to two of them, they were going to call me back. Haven't heard from them. Like Mike said, it's peak fall foliage time and they don't have to worry about filling up.

Tom

Rooms seem to start at $141 . I don't have any discount codes to employ.

lakeffect wrote:

Rooms seem to start at $141 . I don't have any discount codes to employ.

Dang that's expensive..

So now the plan is to leave Texas on Sunday the 19th and drive to Jonesboro Ark, then drive east to around Knoxville on Monday, and take some kind of a scenic route across Virginia to Washington DC on Tuesday. Spend Wednesday and Thursday in DC seeing the museums and monuments, and then head towards Front Royal on Friday, Wagonfest on Saturday, and then a long drive south and west on 81 and 40 back to Arkansas Sunday, and then back to Texas on Monday.

Whoa. Six nights of hotels, two with family, and a lot of faith in my Roady wagon.

We shall see...

-Mike

81X11 wrote:

Spend Wednesday and Thursday in DC seeing the museums and monuments,

Heh we're doing the same thing. Driving down Thursday night to Springfield, spending the day Friday in DC and then driving to Front Royal friday night.

Cadet57 wrote:

81X11 wrote:

Spend Wednesday and Thursday in DC seeing the museums and monuments,

Heh we're doing the same thing. Driving down Thursday night to Springfield, spending the day Friday in DC and then driving to Front Royal friday night.

With the Wagon?

silverfox103 wrote:

Cadet57 wrote:

81X11 wrote:

Spend Wednesday and Thursday in DC seeing the museums and monuments,

Heh we're doing the same thing. Driving down Thursday night to Springfield, spending the day Friday in DC and then driving to Front Royal friday night.

With the Wagon?

As of right now.   

Tom, Thanks for the efforts on getting some group rates. Folks, go check out Tom's thread and let him know if you're in!

Mike, Great to hear you're coming. Give me a count once you're confirmed so I can add the number to my list!

The rest of you guys, check the sticky. If you're in and have a ? next to your name I would like to get a count for Saturday night dinner. If you're not in, let me know so I can remove you from the list.

Thanks and looking forward to it!

You missed me from earlier, page three

lakeffect wrote:

Make it two for dinner, My wife and I.

Jess and I are in. It's been a few years since we've seen all you wagon kooks!

Hello stanger, it'll be good to see you both.

Tom

I will be attending dinner (I am unsure if it will be +1 or not, as my daughters have dance and my parents will make sure they get to their Saturday class (they can only miss 2, and both of those absences are already taken! lol).

Mike:

Also, I can recommend a few places between DC and Front Royal,and even offer a few "educational" stops for the family (if your kids' school(s) offer that sort of thing for an excused absence).

Manassas, VA offers some great Civil War history, and has tons of places to stay (and I think is a little less than half way from DC to Front Royal.  Just a bit Northwest is Charlestown and that offers a sweet quiet spot (as far as I remember, but the time of year makes WV/VA very attractive to those that like the autumn colors) with Harper's Ferry (for some great history!).

In terms of travel time, Manassas is about 44 miles from Front Royal (just over an hour driving time on 66) and Harper's Ferry is just over 40 miles on a straight shot down 340 (I think, been a long time since I did a run to Skyline Drive).  Both Harper's Ferry and Manassas are a reasonable drive to D.C. as well (Manassas is closer, but is also a much bigger city than the little Harper's Ferry/Charlestown, WV area).

Edit: Oh, and I forgot, Charlestown has a horse track with a casino - just a heads up for that (the horses run in the evenings).

How come there's never a sheep track!  

Put you down for 1, let me know if that changes!

And yes, there are TONS of things to do within an hour drive of Front Royal.  (I grew up in Manassas)  Not to mention DC and the museums there.  If you're making a long vacation out of this, I STRONGLY suggest you stop by Dulles Airport in Chantilly VA and visit the Air And Space Museum there.  Pay by the car for parking, museum access is no charge.  
http://airandspace.si.edu/visit/udvar-hazy-center/

cbshea13 wrote:

I will be attending dinner (I am unsure if it will be +1 or not, as my daughters have dance and my parents will make sure they get to their Saturday class (they can only miss 2, and both of those absences are already taken! lol).

Mike:

Also, I can recommend a few places between DC and Front Royal,and even offer a few "educational" stops for the family (if your kids' school(s) offer that sort of thing for an excused absence).

Manassas, VA offers some great Civil War history, and has tons of places to stay (and I think is a little less than half way from DC to Front Royal.  Just a bit Northwest is Charlestown and that offers a sweet quiet spot (as far as I remember, but the time of year makes WV/VA very attractive to those that like the autumn colors) with Harper's Ferry (for some great history!).

In terms of travel time, Manassas is about 44 miles from Front Royal (just over an hour driving time on 66) and Harper's Ferry is just over 40 miles on a straight shot down 340 (I think, been a long time since I did a run to Skyline Drive).  Both Harper's Ferry and Manassas are a reasonable drive to D.C. as well (Manassas is closer, but is also a much bigger city than the little Harper's Ferry/Charlestown, WV area).

Edit:  Oh, and I forgot, Charlestown has a horse track with a casino - just a heads up for that (the horses run in the evenings).

Friday will be pretty unstructured, information posted on the sticky.

I'm in looking forward to it been a couple of years since my last wagon fest
put me down for me plus(1)

DBeaSSt wrote:

I STRONGLY suggest you stop by Dulles Airport in Chantilly VA and visit the Air And Space Museum there.  Pay by the car for parking, museum access is no charge.  
http://airandspace.si.edu/visit/udvar-hazy-center/

Probably my favorite museum. Lots more cool stuff than the A&S on the mall. Plus, they have a Space Shuttle. What more do you need?  

Really looking forward to this!

Planning to spend Wednesday and Thursday seeing museums and sites around DC, and will head toward the Fest on Friday.

Planning to sit down this Saturday with my wife and my folks in front of the computer and decide where we want to stop and stay.

I'm actually considering driving from DC to Winchester on Friday and joining in on the group rate...like that price.    I'm funding all this so I've gotta get two rooms everywhere we stop one for my family and one for my parents (6-nights =12-rooms, YIKES), .   Looking for cheapest room rates possible!  

Will for sure go to the Air and Space Museum, and want to go to the Natural History museum.   My folks took my brother and I to all these places back in the 1980's when we were kids.  Will be neat to see everything again with MY kids!   Happily if I remember right most of the museums in DC are free.  

I gotta say I can't believe we're doing this in my Roadmaster.   I keep humming Holiday Road....  Hahahaha!     The farthest i've been in the Roady is Arkansas, and that was back when the car had less than 100K miles.    Normally our Suburban or the Denali would be chosen for a run like this, but I still have my roof carrier, and this will FOR SURE make some memories!!   I can't come to Wagonfest without my wagon!    Going to try to hit the yards and find a sedan middle seat before the trip, since Mom and Misty will most likely be sitting there.

Looking forward to seeing everyone!   I love an adventure!

-Mike

Bumping this a little. Check the list in the sticky thread for your name. If you are there, let me know how many, if you're not, let me know so I can add you!

Mike count me in.
1 person. 1 Wagon.

Douglas.

I'm out too many things going on at that time to far for my little guys but I look forward to going in the future hope everything goes great.

scoob8000 wrote:

Jess and I are in.  It's been a few years since we've seen all you wagon kooks!  

That will be cool,it'll be nice to see Je,... er,.... both of you again,...  

So Nick, are you officially in on this, or needing to get situations aligned further to make it ?

We're a go. My girlfriend just got her time off approved. We'll be driving to Springfield on thrursday, staying overnight there then taking the train into DC for the day Friday then we'll shoot down to Winchester after dinner on Friday.

lakeffect wrote:

So Nick, are you officially in on this, or needing to get situations aligned  further to make it ?

well we're booked at the hotel,....

Very cool. looking forward to seeing you again.

Post-Fest Dinner!
Okay folks, I'm working on securing a location for us to have dinner together after the 'Fest.  As things currently look it will be a place called Mom's Country Kitchen, a diner style restaurant.
Ratings on Trip Advisor

There are plenty of places to eat around town covering quite a few types of cuisine.  However, there aren't many with the capability of seating a large crowd.  Sadly, the Italian place we used last time is now a diner (different one) with mediocre service at best.

So, if you wish to join the crowd and have dinner together, I need a number from you which will be added next to your name in the sticky thread.  Check the thread, if there is a '?' next to your name, please PM me with how many will join for dinner.  If you want to check out another restaurant, that's fine, no hard feelings but let me know so I can put a zero there.

Thanks!

Okay so I'm looking at flying up for this and leaving the wagon at home (time and money). Was looking at flying in and out of Dulles arriving Thursday mid day and leaving Sunday morning. Interested in possibly the air and space at Dulles on thurs and taking a train into Dc on Friday. Unfortunately the cheap flight out is early on Sunday but want to gauge people showing. Up early to hang with and possibly get a ride from to/from airport. Honestly a rental car would probably break the trip as airfare and 3 nights hotel will Tap me out....

Sprocket wrote:

Okay so I'm looking at flying up for this and leaving the wagon at home (time and money).   Was looking at flying in and out of Dulles arriving Thursday mid day and leaving Sunday morning.   Interested in possibly the air and space at Dulles on thurs and taking a train into Dc on Friday.    Unfortunately the cheap flight out is early on Sunday but want to gauge people showing. Up early to hang with and possibly get a ride from to/from airport.  Honestly a rental car would probably break the trip as airfare and 3 nights hotel will Tap me out....

We're staying at the Hampton Inn in Springfield on Thrusday, going to DC for the day on Friday. Depending on when your flight gets in I can possibly pick you up.

Ok so I have been approved for my time off.   Really looking forward to this.

I still don't have good numbers for the Wagonfest dinner.   It will either be four or six of us.   My wife is not a car person and is thinking she may just want a day off that Saturday to relax, and if she stays in Winchester, my youngest may want to stay with her.   Don't know yet.   My oldest, and my parents, do want to come for the show, so again, either 4 0r 6 for dinner.

Has the location of the show and events (cruise-ect) been locked in yet?  I'm hoping there is something interesting around the show location so my wife will come, and if she wants to, can go explore a bit on her own.  

Misty asked me to put together a rough schedule, and figured I'd share it here.  Happily we're going to have friend's house-sitting for us here while we're gone so we don't have to board our family dog.   Nice!

I have to get online and find the best hotel rates this weekend, but for now, here is the rough schedule for the trip:

Sat 18th – Clean car, pack bags and load car, get ready to go.

Sun 19th – Leave and drive to Aunt Mary Jane’s in Jonesboro Arkansas…hopefully early start, long drive.

Mon 20th – Jonesboro Arkansas to Wytheville VA hotel.   LONGEST DAY.

Tues 21st – Scenic Day, only 5hrs if we were to drive straight, but sure we will stop for pics on Skyline Drive, which is supposed to be GORGEOUS.    Wytheville VA, turn off 81 near Luray Va and take Skyline Drive north to Front Royal, and finally east to a hotel in Centreville VA, 25-miles from Washington.

Weds-Thurs 22nd-23rd  - Visit Washington, need to plan where all we want to go.   Natural History and Air and Space for sure, plus Wash Monument and drive by capital and white house for pics.

Fri  24th– Sleep in until check-out time, and then drive from Centreville to Winchester VA, only about 70-miles.    I may run off this evening to visit friends in Bentonville (I think) and hopefully clean the car for the show, and also hopefully leave the rooftop cargo carrier at his house so it’s not up there for Wagonfest.

Sat 25th – Wagonfest!     Starts late-morning (?) and runs to early afternoon, meet and just visit and relax,  possible group picture, then I think a scenic drive/tour with ALL the wagons (followed by a group Wagonfest Dinner at Mom’s Country Kitchen in Front Royal.

Sunday 26th – Drive from Winchester VA to Nashville TN.   Stay somewhere around Nashville and hopefully arrive early enough to go eat/see the city a bit/pics.

Mon 27th – Nashville to Jonesboro, not a long drive, will have time to put flowers on the family graves and then go eat once we get into Jonesboro

Tues 28th – Jonesboro to Newport to say hello to Aunt Rose and Uncle John and maybe have lunch, then on back to Austin.  Long Drive.

Wed 29th – Home.   Day of REST.   Kids back in school.  

Thurs 30th – Back to Reality……


I'm hoping as noted above that I can clean my wagon and stash the roof carrier Friday evening.   We'll just be driving from Centreville to Winchester that day, and once checked in, I'm FREE.  Ha!

Looking forward to seeing everyone.

-Mike

Wow Mike another cross country adventure.   I think Mike P. Is in bentlyville VA
 I am sure he will let you wash the car and leave the carrier.

BigBlackBeaSSt wrote:

Wow Mike another cross country adventure.   I think Mike P. Is in bentlyville VA
 I am sure he will let you was the car and leave the carrier.

That'd be great!

I'll come up Thurs...one wagon and just me.

Wow Mike, I need a vacation after reading your schedule, lol. Luray caverns is a really cool couple of hours if you can squeeze it in....

We went to Luray caverns last time, that place is great, probably do it again this year. My tranny quit, right across the street from the entrance.

Tom

3rd referral for Luray caverns.  Coolest musical instrument ever.

BigBlackBeaSSt wrote:

Coolest musical instrument ever.

No pun intended.

Mike, Putting you down for four for dinner, let me know if it changes. Yes, Friday will be hang out unofficially at my place. if you need to unload a trailer or something there contact me and we'll work something out.

Watch the 'sticky' thread for things as they firm up. I'm still working on stuff and with my day job right now it's sporadic.