Georgia Fiero Club Forum

All Things Fiero => Club News => Topic started by: Fierofool on January 21, 2017, 04:33:36 pm

Title: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on January 21, 2017, 04:33:36 pm
Scott and I are planning a scouting trip on February 18 to determine if the proposed route is a good one.  First road will be Warwoman Road leaving Clayton, Ga.  Lots of new roads in this one.  We would like to have others join us.

We will play it by ear as far as weather is concerned and won't go if there is a chance there may be icy spots.  We want good dry roads.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on January 28, 2017, 01:33:45 pm
Weather permitting, we will be doing a Run For The Hills 22 Scouting Trip on February 18 to determine suitability of proposed roads. We will meet at the Ingles Supermarket on US Hwy 441 in Clayton, Ga. We will depart not later than 9AM. If all known participants are there earlier, we will leave earlier. We will be scouting some roads never used in any of our Run For The Hills events. The route is approximately 200 miles and will be an all day affair. If you're not a registered member of the Georgia Fieros Forum, you can contact us at GeorgiaFieroClub@Gmail.Com. We welcome other sports cars as well. We use FRS radios for car-to-car communications, so if you have radios, bring them.  Bring a passenger, too.




Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on February 02, 2017, 12:12:18 am
Anyone other than Scott and I planning to go on the scouting run? 
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Roger on February 02, 2017, 05:18:18 pm
Can't make it. :(
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: scottb on February 03, 2017, 10:44:23 am
is it time yet?
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on February 03, 2017, 06:33:44 pm
I'm talking to some Miata people and a husband and wife who own a Skye and a Solstice.  If nobody else comes along, Scott, lets just go back to that stripper joint we went to last year.  I'll get my friend to supply some more pictures from the area so everyone thinks we actually went on a scouting run.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Roger on February 03, 2017, 09:04:04 pm
I want to know why the RFTH doesn't go by a stripper joint? :P
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: GrannyLinda on February 03, 2017, 10:04:30 pm
OK With Me As Long As It Is ALL Men !!!
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: scottb on February 04, 2017, 11:41:03 am
shhhhhhhh...... dont give away the secrets
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Roger on February 04, 2017, 09:28:50 pm
There was no parking available.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: scottb on February 10, 2017, 11:13:08 am
I talked to someone I know here with BMW Z4 about going with us......... He sold the car. Might have a seat cover riding with me  ;D
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on February 13, 2017, 10:32:26 am
The forecast for Saturday the 18th is 67 degrees and sunny.  A perfect day for a scouting run, finding some new restaurants and seeing the mountain scenery.  New ground is being broken on this trip. 
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Drewbdo on February 15, 2017, 03:10:30 pm
I hope you guys have fun. We are supposed to have a family day at the Chattanooga Zoo, weather permitting. This is the second or third date change due to inclement weather.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on February 17, 2017, 01:08:46 pm
I've had to modify the first part of the run just a little.  Something in the back of my mind was telling me that one of the roads wasn't suitable.  Google Street Scenes doesn't go onto that road, but I managed to get a glimpse of it from it's intersections at either end.  It's a dirt road.  Melanie and I had once come through it in the truck, as a shortcut.  It's a truck kind of road. 
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: GTRS Fiero on February 18, 2017, 08:07:28 am
Have fun.  I can't wait to read how it went.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on February 18, 2017, 09:04:12 pm
I rose at 5:30 this morning and got back home tonight at 8 pm.  We made the trip in 7 hours, including gas stops and lunch.  The roads were a real workout for the drivers and the cars.  My old back is sore. 

Pat and Linda stayed at a hotel at the end of the run and Scott and I returned home.  With the approval of TopNotch and Ron678, I will be changing some of the roads at the end and it will take us to a different ending destination.  At the end of what  we drove today, there was lots of State 4-lane road, suitable for just sightseeing. 

We will probably be going back in June, taking some short cuts to eliminate the first half, and run the new second half, just for mileage and time.  Scott has already said he's ready to go. 
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: GTRS Fiero on February 19, 2017, 02:09:40 am
Will an additional scouting trip be done for the new second half?  It would seem that the new second half will be the run.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on February 19, 2017, 08:01:26 am
Because Google mapping will only allow so many waypoints when laying out a trip, I broke the route sheet down to 2 sections.  The first section ending at our lunch restaurant.   The first section will stay and only part of the second section will be modified.  Both parts will be combined into one and will become the entire route. 
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: GTRS Fiero on February 19, 2017, 08:37:44 am
Is your back better?  I'm sure you know all the tricks, like BioFreeze, hot water massage (I use the shower head on pulse), and doing a gentle chin-up with a ”pop”.  Of coirse, this would need to have been done last night.

Is this normal for you to have a sore back after the run?  If you can identify the cause, it may be preventable.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: TopNotch on February 19, 2017, 08:39:18 am
There are some very nice twisties on the first part of the run. A few places are rough, but at least it's all paved. I think RFTH fans will love it.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: TopNotch on February 19, 2017, 08:42:43 am
Is this normal for you to have a sore back after the run?  If you can identify the cause, it may be preventable.
We're old. That's the problem.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on February 19, 2017, 08:57:20 am
Is this normal for you to have a sore back after the run?  If you can identify the cause, it may be preventable.
We're old. That's the problem.

That, and the older you get the more periodic injuries you acquire and they all add up.  Bracing yourself for a half hour to an hour straight puts a lot of exertion on the back, sides and ribs.  Some of the switchbacks are so sharp that the roadway is less than 50 yards apart as it turns back in the opposite direction.  I remember one of the Michigan members last year saying that the sides of his legs and knees were sore from bracing against the console and door. 

I am better this morning.  Walking upright again. 
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: GTRS Fiero on February 19, 2017, 09:04:25 am
Fountain of Youth

Seriously, I found that the pain was a good thing.  Some things were caused by stupid things from years ago, but I've learned to live with that.  Other things can be fixed with small adjustments.  For example, I changed a few things about the seat in one vehicle.  The back of the seat bottom was at the wrong height for me.  Sometimes (since you're both small), there isn't enough bolster.  Steering wheels that are off-center to the seat cause me problems.  If you're moving around to keep the sun out of your eyes, that can cause problems.  The angle of the seat back is important.  The Fiero doesn't recline very far, and I can't personally handle straight up, so I go with a little lean.  Too much lean is hard on the spine.  Far be it from me to give FieroFool any advise on where to place his hands on the wheel, but relax the arms and shoulders.  Then too, taking an anti-inflammatory like Aleve before the run can help.

Maybe Melanie would give him a back massage, the night before.  I recommend laying face down and straight for the massage, after drinking some herbal tea.  The massage shoild go from the neck and shoulders to the tailbone.  If the massage suggestion is offensive, I'm sorry.  I know some wives won't do this.  Still, a massage is prefferable to a sore back.

My mother's back was bothering her, and we found that it was because she wasn't walking correctly.  The physical therapist in the family corrected my mother's walk, and provided exercises.  Issue resolved.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: scottb on February 19, 2017, 11:24:09 am
What a ride! Other than the road in South Carolina being a bit rough it was an awesome day. I do agree that the second half needs to be re-thought. It was also interesting seeing the result of the fires around Gatlinburg. I feel sorry for the people that had to endure that event. I also noticed some charred forest going in to South Carolina. A good day will be had by all who participate come September.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Raydar on February 19, 2017, 11:27:42 am
....
My mother's back was bothering her, and we foind that it was because she wasn't walking correctly.  The physical therapost in the family corrected my mother's walk, and provided exercises.  Issue resolved.

A bit of a tangent, but useful,  nonetheless...
I corrected a longtime low back pain problem by moving my wallet from my back pocket to my front pocket.
I also had corrected a longtime (15 years or so) stiff neck problem by having my teeth ground on one side (aka "bite adjustment") because my mouth wasn't closing evenly. Was causing me to tense up the muscles on one side.
I was amazed at the difference.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on February 19, 2017, 01:26:48 pm
My back problem is caused by collapsed disks.  As long as I'm careful, they give no problems.  I also remove my wallet, especially in the Fiero.  The bolsters on my seats fit me very well and even they're leather, I don't slide around much.  It's the legs that have to be braced and that exerts pressure and twist on the lower back.  It's just never a problem in everyday driving or in the truck.   
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: GrannyLinda on February 19, 2017, 05:32:16 pm
My Problem Was Pain In My Ankles From Bracing Against The Floor,
And My Hips From The Turns. Still I Found The Ride A LOT Of Fun.
However I Will Never Stay At The Spirit Of The Smokies, In Pigeon Forge Tn.  Again.
Nor Will I Recommend It To Anyone.
It Is Over Priced And The Rooms Are Not Worth The Money.
I Was Treated Better And With More Respect At The Quality Inn, Mt. Chalet
The Night Before In Clayton, Ga.       
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: GTRS Fiero on February 19, 2017, 08:07:31 pm
I think some hotels forgot that their job is hospitality.

I prefer to stay at the Residence Inn.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on February 19, 2017, 11:56:56 pm
Sometimes there aren't many choices, especially in the small towns where we might stay.  Some of the smaller chains and private hotels, but nothing like Raddison, Hampton, etc. 

Last year our Friday night hotel,  the Days Inn, Clayton, Ga., wouldn't give us a group discount.  We paid the going rate and this is in a small town with not a lot of tourist attractions.  Some of our group had reservations but were turned away when they tried to check in.  Continental breakfast was coffee, juice, and some small pastries.

Our Saturday night hotel, the Edgewater Inn in Downtown Gatlinburg, Tn. gave us a 1/3 discount from $150 down to $100 for a double queen room.  All rooms had balconies.  We had in-hotel parking and a free breakfast that included eggs, biscuits, toast, bagles, english muffins, pastries, jellies, waffles, gravy, sausage, bacon, cereals, coffee, milk, juices, and it was all you could eat. 
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Roger on February 21, 2017, 03:29:37 pm
The America's Best in Clayton was, I thought, a better place than the Days Inn. That's where we got sent when the Days Inn said they were full after I had a reservation there.
The Edgewater Inn in downtown Gatlinburg was a nice place and the breakfast VERY good (except they didn't have STEAK and eggs or pork chops) and even in a Fiero you almost needed a shoehorn and can of Crisco to get into the parking spaces but still a very nice place to stay. Everything was within walking distance and the shuttle was nearby.
We're definitely going back to that restaurant we went to tho! OUTSTANDING fare! Yum yum! (or  Yummo!)
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: GTRS Fiero on February 21, 2017, 06:09:19 pm
We're definitely going back to that restaurant we went to tho! OUTSTANDING fare! Yum yum! (or  Yummo!)

Do tell!  What was the name of the restaurant?
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on March 10, 2017, 10:07:57 pm
It was Calhoun's BBQ on the Parkway, the main drag, in Gatlinburg.  Wide variety of foods. 

Scott and I have talked about doing another scouting run for the revised second half of the run, on May 20.  It will be a little shorter day because we'll go straight to the 2nd half of the run without running the first half. 
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: GTRS Fiero on March 29, 2017, 06:00:50 pm
How do you deal with changes in the road between the scouting trip and the run?  Road destruction, slides, tar, etc?
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on March 29, 2017, 06:38:55 pm
That happened on RFTH 10.  A big landslide took out part of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  We had to backtrack, adding an extra 30-something miles, but we found a much more exciting road to connect us to our Parkway exit point. 

It's easy enough to put in the next way-point on the route sheet and the GPS will keep "Recalculating" until you get back on course. 
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on May 14, 2017, 09:10:12 pm
This Sarurday, May 20 we will be doing a scouting/trial run on the 2nd half of the proposed route. 

Pat, Dave and I are meeting at the QT gas station on Mundy Mill Road, Exit 16, Hwy I-985.  We will depart at 9am and connect with Scott along the way.  I expect to arrive at the Ingles parking lot in Clayton and depart by 10am.  If you want to meet us at either location, post here or email us at georgiafieroclub "at" gmail "dot" com.  Any sport car is welcome to join us.  I need to know how many route sheets to bring.

A Mini Cooper, some Miatas and a Skye Redline were to join but the Mini and the Miatas have dropped out. 

If you ghave FRS radios, bring them for car to car communications.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Drewbdo on May 15, 2017, 12:48:51 pm
Aw man, I have a wedding on May 20th.

July, August, and September are all pretty open (one event each of those months). Then again, it's probably too hot for many car club activities during the summer.

I've hired a couple of new guys. Hopefully, by this time next year, they will be doing solo events. Right now, I have my corporate day job during the week, plus doing most of the events for my DJ business on weekend. The new guys go along with me for training right now.
Title: Re: RFTH 22 Scouting Trip
Post by: Fierofool on May 15, 2017, 08:15:52 pm
To make it easier, instead of meeting at the QT, just continue on up I-985 to the first traffic light at the intersection with Howard Road.  There's a RaceTrac station there.  We will meet Scott, Pat and any others there and depart about 9am.