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GS500 America Relay - Ideas?

Started by jestercinti, September 24, 2012, 08:19:00 PM

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What option interests you the most?

Relay AROUND America (perimeter around USA)
13 (29.5%)
Relay ACROSS America (coast to coast)
8 (18.2%)
Relay which includes visiting each of the continental 48 STATES
23 (52.3%)

Total Members Voted: 44

jestercinti

NOTE:  The OP will be updated often to reflect new info.

Original credit for the GS500 Relay goes to GSTwins.com members Mister and Clancy from Australia.  This is an attempt do something similar in the USA.  You can read all about the Australia relay here --> http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=53572.0

I think it's high time that the Americans complete a GS500 rely of some sort.  I volunteer to start the process.  Realistically, this may not happen till spring since it got cold FAST here in the midwest.

Overall, this is a basic relay system...have some sort of baton or small object to record trip, member information, trip notes, and words of wisdom.  When a leg of the trip is complete, then one will "relay" to the next member to continue the journey.  Australia used a tube as the baton with a "scroll" inside to record the information.  Pictures and a dedicated thread can be used to document the hand-off and fun along the way.

Relay thoughts:

1. GS500 Relay around America.  This would start in the east or west and go across the outer perimeter of the country (North along the Canadian border, East along the Atlantic, South along the Gulf and Mexico, and West along the Pacific).  Could stall in some areas such as Montana and North Dakota.

2. GS500 Relay across America.  This would be coast to coast.  Maryland to California.  Maine to Washington state, etc. 

3. GS500 Relay across 48 states.  This is exactly as it sounds.  Visit all 48 states in the continental USA.  The nice part about this is that if Joe in Vermont gets skipped on the Relay Across or Relay Around, he can join in the fun when we get to Vermont.  This would have a more lax agenda than #1 and #2.

4. GS500 Relay across 49 states.  Add Alaska to #3.

Lots of options here, but brainstorming at this point.  It's easy to say "Well, I'm going from Florida to California on I-10 and we can do this in 1 week."  Preference should be given to the RIDE (meaning non-Interstate).  For example, I live 2 miles from US-50 which goes from Ocean City, MD to Sacramento, CA.  A great route for the coast-to-coast option.

I volunteer to put together the baton or packet, and drive to the first Gstwins.com member within reason (Several hudred miles).

As mentioned above, a thread would document people's adventures along the way and allow for others to join in.  One concern is that we have a situation similar to the valve adjusting kit...it stalls/gets lost/or is no where to be seen again.

I'm willing to take that risk.  I think it's a great complement to the Australia relay in addition to the GS500 picture game.  This gives us all an incentive to RIDE.

Interested members and location:

Google Shape Map (Thank you Steezin_and_Wheezin):  https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=216083428469334706913.0004ca8b0ee9785ee8b2b&msa=0&ll=36.949892,-91.142578&spn=26.819707,57.084961&iwloc=0004ca8b3b0ed93615aaf

East:
Steezin_and_Wheezin - SW VA
Huff1371 - Stuarts Draft, VA
lboaman - South Carolina
Paulcet - South Carolina/SE Georgia
Dry_Humor - Jacksonville, FL

South
cbrfxr67 - Houston, TX

West
burning1 - Los Angeles/San Diego, CA
Zwerski - San Jose, CA
iclrag - Oregon
K.Rollin - Seattle, WA area

North and Midwest
Jestercinti (That's me) - Cincinnati, OH
Worm - Cincinnati, OH
BockinBboy - Chicagoland and Central IL
bombsquad83 - Normal, IL
Mr. Happy - Vermont
BassWow - (NH) and New England MA and above
tom.gabriele - (CT) and New England
Bikeless and Broke at the moment...

Zwerski

I like it. I'm about 100 miles from the western end of US 50 in San Jose and about 30 minutes from Hwy 1 up the coast.

What now?

dry_humor

my fiancee and i are on the east coast in jacksonville fl. i will be monitoring this thread to see what comes of it. im sure if we could find the time we could assist in the matter.

jestercinti

For a Relay around America, there are two options that I envision (note that this is just a quick Google Maps).  Pin 'A' is where I live.  I put this as the starting point.

One thought is to dip a bit south into Colorado.  Although the rides would be spectacular in Montana, I'd venture to guess that there are more members in Colorado.



Montana and North Dakota.  Beautiful country:



The coast-to-coast option is pretty easy.  Start at one coast, and end up at the other:



I think if this were to get off of the ground and be successful, there would need to be some guidelines and rules such as minimize Interstates if possible, don't make it a race, and most of all, enjoy the ride.  There would also be a general route to follow so that it does not turn into a free-for-all ride to nowhere.

Thus far we have Jacksonville, and San Diego covered.  That's a great start.
Bikeless and Broke at the moment...

steezin_and_wheezin

Awesome plan, I hadn't stumbled onto the aussy thread. Quick look at the photo have me stoked! I'll have to go back and read some of the adventures.

Your squiggly line avoids VA like the plague! haha just messing, but I am very willing to participate if we can map the route. I'm in Southwest VA(in the neck of the bird) and would be willing to travel east and then back west. Or anything that's within sane riding distance
if yer binders ain't squeakin, you ain't tweakin!

jestercinti

Neck of the bird...never heard that one before.  Just a rough sketch of what an outline could be.  It all depends on where the members live.  I picked Ocean City, MD out of the blue for the East Coast.  Never been, and for me, I can take US-50 all the way across.

Looks like we are getting support here.  But Steez, you will have to leave the moped at home.
Bikeless and Broke at the moment...

steezin_and_wheezin

#6
Haha for sure, the shredpeds will stay home for this trek :cheers:

Edit: neck of the bird comes from VA's shape, looks like a bird mid flight

Lets definitely keep up the talk. If we are going to start it next spring we'll have plenty of coordination time. First thing to do is get a solid list of participants

Lister
-Steezin
if yer binders ain't squeakin, you ain't tweakin!

jestercinti

Neck of the bird is about 360 or so miles with a nice twisty ride through SE OH and WV.  I like it....may be a good starting point.  South from VA to continue the journey I'd imagine.
Bikeless and Broke at the moment...

dry_humor

#8
once more folks get involved, im sure the stints that would have to be taken would become much shorter. looking at the routes now, it really makes me hope that more do jump in, because some of of these are outrageously long. i know its just now in the planning stages, but it makes me nervous.

how many people/stops do you think we would need to make something like this feasible? should there at least be a minimum distance covered for each participant?

jestercinti

I will admit, there are some spots that make me nervous.  Assuming the "Relay around America" is picked...East coast I think we are OK.  Southern US we could be a bit lean.  Once we head west from FL, we need people spaced probably no more than 200-300 or so miles apart (remember, you have to ride home...).  Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota in particular have some sparsely populated areas that can be a challenge. 

I think that we can get there.  Good to see that this thread is moving along thus far.
Bikeless and Broke at the moment...

dry_humor

#10
200-300 sounds good. ive mapped out 2 possible routes for us. i think the longest that i think we would be able to do is just over 400 miles. i'll admit it, there arent a whole lot of decent back roads here in florida, but if it were to happen clockwise, here's where we'd be comfortable going.



8 or 9 hours depending on traffic,weather, etc to Mobile. if someone were to pop up and elect to take over somewhere closer, even better.

if it were to go counter-clockwise, i'd say something somewhere in south carolina at best. i'd give ourselves a 300-400 mile radius, see where people overlap, then pick cities to meet up in to pass the torch/camera/baton/kit/whatever  :cheers:

Paulcet

I'm in. I would do a leg from, say, Beaufort, SC to Brunswick, GA. Or Augusta, GA to Savannah,GA.

'97 GS500E Custom by dgyver: GSXR rear shock | SV gauges | Yoshi exh. | K & N Lunchbox | Kat forks | Custom rearsets | And More!

jestercinti

#12
EDIT:  Paulcet...I just saw your post.  Thanks!

Another idea is to meet in the middle so that the other person does not have to drive 400 or so miles.  For instance, if a leg was from Columbia SC to Jacksonville FL, maybe meeting in Savannah, GA would make sense.  Then the member in Jacksonville could continue the journey westward in a few weeks.

Now we need some volunteers in NC or SC to close the gap between Southwest Virginia and Jacksonville FL, and we are on our way.

Possible route this far:

Cincinnati to SW Virgina
SW Virgina to somewhere in NC/SC
Somewhere in NC/SC to Jacksonville
Jacksonville to Mobile, AL area

The route continues from there...
Bikeless and Broke at the moment...

Huff1371

I'm in Stuarts Draft, VA. I'm definitely down . There is a great ride, although not for the light of heart or inexperienced into VA from WV via RT-250 in highland county. I could take it around there, Charlottesville, or here in stuarts draft and run the parkway to steezin.
Friendly fire, isn't. But it's the most accurate. Semper Fi

BassWoW

I'm in NH and Ill be keeping my eyes open on this. =] :thumb:
k4

jestercinti

Huff1371, looked at the map, and yep...250 looks both awesome and harrowing at the same time.

I'm surprised at the amount of interest, and how far we can potentially go on the quest in such a short amount of time.  Goes to show you what the members of GSTwins.com can do when we put our heads together.
Bikeless and Broke at the moment...

cbrfxr67

I'll do Texas!  :woohoo: Ok, I want to do Texas but realistically, errrrrr I could do a few hundred miles, possibly more to meet the next member.  :D
"Its something you take apart in 2-3 days and takes 10 years to go back together."
-buddha

dry_humor

#17
Quote from: Paulcet on September 25, 2012, 08:51:46 AM
I'm in. I would do a leg from, say, Beaufort, SC to Brunswick, GA. Or Augusta, GA to Savannah,GA.

brunswick is perfect to meet up at. about an hour super slabbing it from j-ville, so maybe 2-2.5 hours with back-roads?

Mobile would be the FARTHEST we would go, so any if someone could pipe up and close the gap some, that would be great. tallahassee-ish would be ideal :thumb:

jestercinti

Quote from: cbrfxr67 on September 25, 2012, 09:58:29 AM
I'll do Texas!  :woohoo: Ok, I want to do Texas but realistically, errrrrr I could do a few hundred miles, possibly more to meet the next member.  :D

Awesome.  Now we need someone from Mobile area to eastern TX or Louisiana.
Bikeless and Broke at the moment...

tom.gabriele

I am in CT and could cover New England, down through NJ or so, easily.

...But it's getting cold, and my bike is currently in the ICU. But come Spring, yes!

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