2013 - Moab, Utah - May 8-14 (Explorer Forum Run)

[KF5ZXT]

[KF5ZXT]

What's everyone think about the EF Moab run, which is looking like May?

[KF5ZXT]

at the Moab run with a . For those of you that don't know him, he's good people. Used to live here in Texas, but moved for work out to the Carolina's. He was the first person we ever made an Honorary CORE Member (Might be the only one).

[Justin Klare]

Honorary core member? Wtf does that mean?

[TxPlates]

Yea no kidding wtf is that?

[KF5ZXT]

It was just something that we did for a little while, as a way of honoring people that were outside of Texas, and thus not really a part of the group. We aren't currently using that designation.


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[Justin Klare]

How about since Parker is in Oklahoma. I vote
We make an exception.

[TxPlates]

So since I'm out of state, I'm an exception now? Fail.

[TxPlates]

Well it's been brought to my attention by Randall that there is a run planned for late May that he'd like us to attend.


Do we want to make this our big run of 2013?

[KF5ZXT]

I don't necessarily see a reason to limit ourselves to one.

EF usually centers this run around a weekend, so while I'd like to make a full week out of it, some could easily make it a shorter trip.

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Im up for making the Run.

[TxPlates]

Well I'm down but I can only do one week run.

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[KF5ZXT]

Just to clarify - you mean that you can only do one week-long run per calendar year?

[TxPlates]

Yes.

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[KF5ZXT]

Is this the one that you would choose to do that with?

[TxPlates]

We'll have to have to play it by ear, as I'll have no idea what dates I can truly get off till december thanks to our awesome way of scheduling time off at work.

[Idleone]

Im in the same boat as Chris. I would love to make the trip out to moab. Scratch another thing off the ole bucket list.

[TxPlates]

I wasn't aware you had a bucket list.

[Idleone]

Just trying to keep this alive....

[KF5ZXT]

So, does everyone plan on having a GoPro in time for this run?

I think we have an in-house video editor that is willing to make us a sweet blu-ray.

[TxPlates]

I will have my gopro in time for this.

[KF5ZXT]

One issue with this trip is the scheduled dates of May 10-12. They usually center it around a weekend (The 10th being a Friday). This is done mostly to cater to people that live closer, which we do not. Basically what this means is that for us to plan our trip with all three of those days on our non-travel days, we would need to break up two weeks of work rather than just one. This would shorten the overall length of the trip/time off to seven days from nine. Consider that up to 4 of those days would be spent on travel (22+ hour drive from Houston).

Some options that we have:


Days taken off: Wednesday, May 8th - Tuesday, May 14th.
Outgoing Departure: Tuesday, May 7th evening
Outgoing Arrival: Wednesday, May 8th evening (8-9 PM depending on roll out time in the AM, of course)
May 9: Free day, just us Demons (would love to do a trail with the entire Demon group this day, so we're likely limited to the 'lowest' trail risk/willingness in the group.)
May 10-12: Coordinate with EF group for some or all.
May 13: Return Departure
May 14: Return Arrival
Net days of wheeling/adventuring: 4


Days taken off: Saturday, May 4th - Sunday May 12th
Outgoing Departure: Friday, May 3rd
Outgoing Arrival: Saturday, May 4th, latish dinner in Moab (8-9 PM depending on roll out time in the AM, of course)
May 5-9: Demon free days
May 10: Run with EF
May 11: Either Return Departure or a half day of light wheeling with EF group and then first leg of Departure time
May 14: Return Arrival
Net days of wheeling/adventuring: 6 (or 6.5)


Days taken off: Saturday, May 11th - Sunday May 19th
Outgoing Departure: Friday, May 10th
Outgoing Arrival: Saturday, May 11th, latish dinner in Moab (8-9 PM depending on roll out time in the AM, of course) I believe this is when the big EF dinner is usually scheduled at the Moab brewery)
May 12: Run with EF
May 13-17: Demon free days
May 18: Either Return Departure or a half day of light wheeling and then first leg of Departure time
May 19: Return Arrival
Net days of wheeling/adventuring: 6 (or 6.5)

These can obviously be tweaked here and there, but you get the idea.


Another thing to consider is the route.
In year's past, I have driven from Houston through Lubbock, TX; Clovis, NM; Albuquerque, NM; Moab, UT. Obviously we'd be departing from different locations, but I'd like to perhaps convene at a hotel in Lubbock, TX after the first night's driving, and then caravan out from there. There would perhaps be all the Austin group, then Justin and I in seperate groups until convening in Lubbock. According to Google Maps, Lubbock is approximately 12 hours from Moab, so we could get there in time for a latish dinner on travel day 2.


First leg: 9 hours, 12 minutes
Second Leg: 12 hours, 9 minutes


First leg: 6 hours, 42 minutes
Second Leg: 12 hours, 9 minutes

Any other ideas/suggestions, feel free to post up.

[TxPlates]

Nice write up.

I personally prefer option A. We spend more time with a group of members who we partially know and have been making this run way more than we have, as this will be our first big run together as a group (yes I know two of you have been before). Also, this allows me to be home in time for my daughters birthday (5-18-07) for those of you were not present for the tattooing).

My other suggestion, is to make this trip in one day stopping of course to eat along the way. I've done it several times, and that would maximize time we're there. I know myself will be riding with Idleone (Mcclung) so he and I can swap out. Randall potentially will have his wife, and anyone else who wants to ride with him that is not taking a rig and just wants to ride along, so there is another rig with drivers that can swap out.

[KF5ZXT]

I'm not necessarily against a straight through drive (my wife is though). A straight through drive leaving on a Tuesday (or Friday) night would put me as arriving at approximately 6 PM Wednesday (adding in eating/restroom breaks and assuming leaving at 6 pm the prior evening).
As opposed to leaving at 6 pm and arriving in Lubbock at approximately 3:30 AM, leaving at say, 8 AM to arrive in Moab at 10 PM (assuming a couple extra hours eating/restrooming, etc). We'd get there 4 -5 hours earlier with option one, but does that really allow us any time to do anything Wednesday evening to actually do anything?

I realize that only leaves me 4 ish hours of sleep Tuesday night, but it would be better for the Austin group since they'd arrive there (assuming leaving by 6 PM) by 1AM (Midnight from MF), which is almost a full day's sleep for normal people.

Just throwing thoughts out there, not really trying to argue one side over the other.

There is the potential that my brother is willing to make this trip (said he was interested), so he'd be another option for me as far as additional drivers.

[TxPlates]

Well I'm down for either. Like said though I am interested in the option A due to Lilly's birthday. Driving straight through if we each help drive straight through just helps the wallet really, so I'm not opposed to stopping.

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