ORTB 5yr Anniversary Event Planning

[v7guy]

The 20th-23rd would work out well for me personally.

[Trail X]

That's just a weekend and two days... and the issue I have with it, is that my conference will be a sunday-monday-tuesday (either that weekend or the one prior). So those dates sound bad to me.

[NC_IslandRunner]

That's just a weekend and two days... and the issue I have with it, is that my conference will be a sunday-monday-tuesday (either that weekend or the one prior). So those dates sound bad to me.

So you would be better with the 17th-21st or 24th-28th depending on your conference. I can do either, I like the 24th-27th better but could make the other work. Should we wait to decide until you know the conference dates?

[mikekey]

I have a bunch of ideas here. Two quick thoughts since I'm trying to get out to the garage tonight...

We spent somewhere around $1600 on gas during our trip (I have it written somewhere I can double check) on the 30.5 General Grabbers and this was 2012 gas prices. Generally the prices get cheaper in the mid west and then they get high again in Utah's less populated areas. You'll want to avoid Moab at certain times of the year, I can speak from experience that it's still 100+ degrees the first two weeks of August however.

Travel time is a HUGE obstacle, and will be for a lot of people. It took us 32 hrs driving non-stop from St. Pete, FL to just Estates Park, CO. Going to Moab could be further. That's almost a full two days. For one person that could be hard. Even you guys coming across the east coast would still need a full 2 days travel time, someone should plan at min to be able to take off 4 days just for travel! For a lot of folks that just isn't going to happen, especially people who get accrued holiday leave.

You can't handle your meet up like you do TECORE, saying meet us Friday at 7am and we'll hit the trails by noon. You'd have to plan for everyone to meet up at a hotel at least a day before and head out the following day, allowing everyone to roll in, and get bed time. That'd be my best advice.

You're also going to want someone who knows where they are going, and what everyone is going to be doing, more so than TECORE.

TECORE has been great, but going to meet up in Moab just feels like it would need a level of planning and execution higher than a couple of guys who know each other well meeting up 4 hrs away in the mountains of VA with the occasional new guy.

I'll try to get back with some additional info later this evening.

[The Roadie]

... feels like it would need a level of planning and execution ...

I spent over $100 on maps and guidebooks and a month of planning for four days (five nights) in Moab. 90% of that can be re-used.

[mikekey]

Boy, hope that didn't sound like me being a party pooper with that previous post!

So some ideas!

Utah is definitely the place for amazing views and amazing drives off road. It seems like everyone is in agreement there. And the Moab area, particularly Canyonlands and the surrounding areas are going to be the best bet for coordinating and having a good time.



Jason was mentioning he needs dates soon, and the sooner we nail a date down, the more time it gives people to think about it, request time off and get motivated and excited about it. And it could be something we heavily promote to the other sites as a way to promote ORTB in general, even to those who aren't going.

Just to keep this from completely dying, I was thinking Sept. 22th-27th could be a good week to do this. Meet up on the 22nd in Moab, camp 5 nights and head home on the 27th.

Been looking at some area maps I might order to figure out where to go and the best views to try for, anyone who has been is more than welcome to chime in with itinerary ideas.

Is 5 nights too much? Wouldn't want it to get boring, driving this far we would need to do at least 4 nights to make the trip worth it.

Considering drive time, and what can happen on the road, I'd say giving everyone 2 days of drive time would be a good idea. Ideally, I'd say we should plan to get a group rate at a hotel in Moab if that's going to be the choice. Now when we were there in August, we had a hard time getting a room. People book the places up months in advance.

But if we made a plan to have people arrive on the 21st at XYZ hotel and roll out in the morning, that would be best. We could even do a day before lunch/dinner. Just spend time relaxing, catching up and waiting for whoever to show up at the hotel. Have an official check in on Monday morning, the 22nd. Everything should end Friday, back in town so folks can roll out. That's 5 days off-road and 4 nights, which might be better for folks schedule, IMO.

Another idea is to do an official itinerary for days 1-2-3 and then let folks decided to do whatever with the rest of their time.

I have all the guide books and maps and trail recommendations. Returning to base camp every night only means you have to do the White Rim trail in one LONG day instead of breaking it up with a camp along the way. But the campsites are nothing to write home about, being on flat rock for the most part. It's the views that are the attraction, and running the trail in one day means you only get one set of sun angles in your pictures instead of the variety and change you get by staying in one place for sunset and sunrise the next day. In my opinion, 4 days of out and back loop trail riding is sufficient, sandwiched in five nights of camping without moving base camp. I'll post some suggestions in the next few weeks after I locate my trip planning files again.

We've got two folders and two books and a bunch of maps of the area. The backcountry camp sites are pretty mediocre to say the least. They provide no cover, and nothing to stake your tent to. Part of the reason we bailed from spending the night at Airport was the storm blowing in and the fact that all the campsites were solid rock floor, nothing to stake our tent too. A Roof top tent or a trailer and you might be fine. But I didn't want to sit there in a lighting storm.

Roadie is right, you can stay pretty entertained just inside Canyonlands. A few visual reminders:

I'd plan on doing beef basin to butler flat through to elephant hill as one route.

I hate base camps.

I know that Jason stated he wasn't looking to push it, and as someone who almost rolled his Trailblazer in Utah all alone with his wife on some random trail I dunno where, I can relate. Even with the new 35's I know we will be traveling with Alexandra this year, and I won't be looking to do crazy roll my truck over a cliff stuff.

But that being said, the white rim trail offers plenty of challenges from the mundane to the OMGWTFBBQ! The best part is you can see it all in advance.

James, the info you orginal gave JorDanee and I was very helpful in our trip planning.



I know the Basin is an area we'd like to revisit, and we'd like to visit Capitol Reef again. Hell, I'd drive to Sublime Point again if anyone wanted to!



I do know we'd like to do so more outside the vehicle exploring this year, probably some hiking, so I plan on factoring that into my own itinerary.

Depending on how we plan things, we might want to acknowledge right away what level this trip would be for, and what the level of personal responsibility will be.

While I'm sure we are all willing to help each other you have to ask how much help you will be willing and or capable of providing in the middle of flipping no where if the person you're helping didn't prepare properly.

[mikekey]

... feels like it would need a level of planning and execution ...

I spent over $100 on maps and guidebooks and a month of planning for four days (five nights) in Moab. 90% of that can be re-used.

See above post, we've got a bunch of details too. But I figure I'll save itinerary details for a different thread since this one here seems more focused on getting the event rolling.

Either way, we are going to Utah this year. So we are confirmed.

[Trail X]

It might become a shared lead sort of thing, per area. I know I have a lot of interest in returning to the beef basin area. So for instance, that could be my lead. If someone else wants to go through the needles district, or the fins and things or whatever, that could become their area of expertise. As much as I want to say "I'll lead it all", its probably not possible or appropriate for one person to lead the whole trip.

Mike3, I hear you on driving. For me, I'm probably planning somewhere around 32 hours to get to moab. That's two 16 hour driving days. Been considering bringing the wife - she's on the fence. Other option may be bringing my dad, or maybe my brother. Haven't figured that out yet. I am confident I could do it myself, but 16 hours behind the wheel in a day is pretty rough. On my way down to phoenix, I've considered stopping in big bend for a night. Thinking it may take 3 days from here to phoenix, especially if I stop in big bend for a night.

Of course, it could all completely fall through for me still.

As for dates, if you guys can, I'd like to wait till my dates are confirmed before we set something in stone. If not, then I understand. I can't hold up the train for me. My boss has indicated that he should know this coming Monday, if not before. At the same time, I'd hate for this to be planned around me, and for my plans to somehow fall through.

The hotel thing isn't a bad idea, but I also know I'm going to be itching to get out into the open range too. I'd hate to plan to miss a night out camping on purpose. There will be plenty of potential for hotel use if we were to get some unexpected rain during the trip.

[djthumper]

I think Mikey and Rory should work on coordinating the planning...

[mikekey]

I think Mikey and Rory should work on coordinating the planning...

I dunno, Roadie seems pretty experienced, I've only been there once.

http://forums.trailvoy.com/showthread.php?t=58048

[v7guy]

Waiting till this coming Monday won't have any impact on me being able to pick a week. Regardless of the dates, I'm gonna have to weasel in a few extra days since my work week goes from Wednesday-Tuesday.


I'm looking at probably 38 hours drive time. I'm reasonably sure I'll have a passenger and I'll more than likely have Moots coming with me in his truck. I'm with James, I would like every night in a tent that I can get. But I also realize that with the distances we're traveling we'll likely arrive hours apart. I think Mike3 brings up some valid points but I think we could still do it similar to TECORE and set a time and date to meet up at a hotel parking lot and then disembark from there. I'm thinking as we all roll in through the afternoon and evening we could nap in the hotel and then leave in the morning.


I don't want the wrong impression to be had about my comment of taking it easy. I'd like to climb some stuff, I don't mind smashing the weight of the truck on the slider as I drag myself up an obstacle and couldn't give a shit about using the skid plates regularly. But I'd like to keep full throttle, bouncing up rocks, off camber, 4 wheels in the air to a minimum if possible.

[navigator]

You guys might try to ping ChevyCrew if he is still in the SLC area.
Being about 4hrs away, I expect he has been there a few times himself.

[NC_IslandRunner]

You guys might try to ping ChevyCrew if he is still in the SLC area.
Being about 4hrs away, I expect he has been there a few times himself.

Any chance we will get the hermit out of his cave...

[mikekey]

Let me just better explain my hotel meetup suggestion.

1.) I'm suggesting we tell people be there a day early, and leave Monday morning. So event officially starts Monday, this way smart folks figure they can leave work friday and drive the 32+ hours and get some rest. The dummies who think they can drive 32+ hours and time it to show up at 8am Monday can suffer their own fate. But we should suggest that people arrive early or the evening before. (that being said, we'd probably be preaching to the choir, as this is the kind of event likely to bring out only the close and the most dedicated core members)

2.) There is plenty to climb if we're doing Canyonlands. It's not all dirt roads. It offers something for everyone.

[mikekey]

Waiting till this coming Monday won't have any impact on me being able to pick a week. Regardless of the dates, I'm gonna have to weasel in a few extra days since my work week goes from Wednesday-Tuesday.

So, SME's, going to pick a date this week once James hears back from his work?

[v7guy]

I figured that probably made sense since everyone else seems relatively flexible. After a date is pinned down do we plan on putting up a thread?

[mikekey]

I hope so, I'm game for helping plan on the ground. Either way, we're going out there, if we aren't doing an event I'll be there in August, if we are, then I'll be there in Sept. Probably taking about 15 days myself.

[NC_IslandRunner]

So James, any word on your dates yet?

[fishsticks]

I broached the topic with the wife tonight and she seemed favorable. Looking at 9-11 days depending on if I want to cover 1100 miles in 2 or 3 days. I'm used to windshield time (did nearly 200 today just in the course of work) so I may just do 2 days each way.

[Trail X]

Well apparently the resort in Phoenix fell through, so now we are venueless and dateless for the conference. Bigtime bummer.

So, plan without me, and I'll try to make it work. I'm going to try to talk them into something out west in the general time frame at the least.

If our conference is still out west, I might just make a go as a single again, unless it aligns with your dates. If our conference is out east, my attendance to this even is in the air and unknowable at this point.