DC/Baltimore area social/lunch GTG - February 21, 2015 @ noon

[Bob S.]

A head count of 18. Not too bad for the weather. Virtually, all indoor conversation. Great conversation it was. Great venue until the kids sports team showed. That was probably good as it got us moving & heading home. Thanks to all for the effort in making it, or attempting to.

Lawson, Nice ride!

1963GP has offered to host the next GTG, possibly a wrenching one, in coming month(s) at his shop near Stafford, VA. Monitor the Eastern forum for future announcements from him about a schedule.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Jason and I had a blast. Thanks for putting this together, Bob!

It was neat to see two 2004 Touareg V10s in the same place along with two Jeep Grand Cherokee CRDs! A very unusual lineup.

 

[ATR]

Great time all!!

I'm sorry I didn't really get to talk to too many folks since I was down at the end of the table. But I still had a blast! Drive back home was a bit dicey though

Thanks for heading up the meet Bob S.! Great to finally put some faces to the names

 

[FanofAllDiesels]

Just made it home. 2.5 hrs. The jeep worked flawlessly. Can't say the same for most of the other cars that decided to go out today.

 

[1854sailor]

Great to see everyone today! The drive home was a nightmare. I didn't have any problems, but I just got home. Probably averaged ~10MPH.

 

[MonsterDog]

Thanks Bob! Very nice visit, very good food.

Not too considering; 1.20 hours there, 2:45 hours back. (Ashburn, VA). But entirely too many idiots out there that should have stayed off the road.

 

[1963gp]

It was great meeting everyone. The drive was not to hateful except all the non drivers out there with their flashers on blocking the left lanes. The Golf did fine even with summer tires and a wavetrack. I look forward to hosting a wrenching GTG in April or early May. Thanks Bob it was well worth the adventure to get there.

 

[Smalls]

Glad to see everyone was safe. Looking forward to the spring one since I missed this one.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

We just got back from picking up the Touareg's snow tires from BoostAddiction's house... HUGE improvement in handling. I love the Karthoum wheels, too.

Everything has changed to rain here and the roads are slushy and full of fools. Very few places left to have a proper bit of fun.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Some GTG pics...

Lots of 2s on the MFA

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Where did that M5 come from? oh well... It can play in the thread, too.

 

[Bob S.]

Thanks for taking & posting the photos.

 

[Stealth TDI]

Hello,

Sorry to have missed it. I saw a couple of familiar faces in the photos. The roads look to have been just bad enough that I wouldn't want to risk a daytrip turning into an overnighter if anything got ugly.

I look forward to hosting a wrenching GTG in April or early May.

I look forward to that. I've missed the last few years of GTG's due to my involvement in cycling activities. All of the prime GTG conflicted with my cycling schedule; and the last two Impex Fests have fallen on my anniversary weekend. Hopefully, I'll be able to make it up there soon. Stafford is only two hours away. April and May are REALLY busy for me. We'll see how it goes.

Scott

 

[ATR]

Found a unplowed parking lot to see how these tires (225/45-17 Purecontact V-Rated) do in the snow...

I had no problems at all getting around that lot. I only had issues with it came to climbing a hill a couple blocks from home darn near got stuck!

 

[Boostaddiction]

Had a great time at the GTG, and met a lot of great people. Great cars, and stories.

And seeing my old Touareg, and later that evening, reuniting it with it's original snow wheels and tires was a bit of nostalgia.

Trip back was worrying- not because of the snow, but because of the stupidity that seems to overcome people in the snow. Came to the top of a steep hill and started to descend, only to see some hapless soul in an Avalon sliding backward into my lane in a futile attempt to get up the hill. I drove around, and missed contact. And what's with the idiots who hog the left lane with their flashers on, holding back miles of traffic? Just because they can't drive any faster doesn't mean others can't.

In the end, though, the JSW got home with all the pieces on it arranged in the same way they were when I left, so I guess I can't complain.

I predict better weather for the next GTG!

 

[tongsli]

Great to see everyone and loved the Touareg talk at my end of the table. Getting home was tough. Worst part was in the City. So many rear wheeled drivers going sideways. Managed to avoid them and 1/4 mile from my house followed a Nissan Path finder trying to go up a hill with 2WD.

His back end at the right and his front at a 30 deg angle to the left crawling up the road. I didn't have any problems with loosing traction. But was glad to be home safely.

See you all again next time.

Lito

 

[donDavide]

Just made it home. 2.5 hrs. The jeep worked flawlessly. Can say the same for most of the other cars that decided to go out today.

I went to the mall, filled up with B5 after that and I had to go around a Civic coupe getting on to Rt50 from Bestgate/Rowe Blvd, his wheels were spinning, a Camry in other lane going slow but got ahead, lane we in merged to right, but there was an cleared so I stayed in lane, he tried to move over to block me, I went right, he again tried to block me w/o success, since it is a very long merge lane (practically up to bridge) then a Kia Sorrento had issues, going very slow, fish tailing getting on Baydale, he got over and I easily got past him to safety, but he flashed his lights, just being a hater! If you can't drive, don't hate on those that can! BUT, It was great to see everybody and look forward to the next!!!!!

 

[VeeDubTDI]

It's funny when people get mad that you can go and they can't. Sorry about your bald all-seasons, buddy! Don't hate.

 

[donDavide]

he Kia was practically new, AWD, no reason for him!

 

[donDavide]

Check this out
http://www.foxbaltimore.com/news/fe...27b000008","pt":"wall"}#.VOuK1xBiPkB.facebook

 

[donDavide]

Not the one we went to, but I just read more and he is from my community growing up, just the street above mine.

 

[1854sailor]

Check this out
http://www.foxbaltimore.com/news/fea…BiPkB.facebook

Last week it was a Rabbi at a local synagogue.

Not the one we went to, but I just read more and he is from my community growing up, just the street above mine.

That's the one we probably would have gone to if we had done the carting thing.

 

[Bob S.]

Glad we went to the Crownsville one. Owner or Manager? I heard manager on radio news.

I spare you'll the jokes.

ON edit, Fortunately, my drive home was uneventful, summer tires & all. The dog & I even stopped for a quick walk around the park.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Check this out
http://www.foxbaltimore.com/news/fe...27b000008","pt":"wall"}#.VOuK1xBiPkB.facebook

What a creep.

 

[1854sailor]

What a creep.

Yup, explain that one to the wife and kids…

 

[Bob S.]

I heard last week that late Spring/early summer, that a high speed indoor cart track will be opening in Manassas, VA http://www.autobahnspeed.com/manassas-va-indoor-go-karts/

Speeds up to 50 MPH! Perhaps a venue for a future GTG?

 

[VeeDubTDI]

I'd be up for something like that, although I would imagine that it will be spectacularly busy when it first opens.

I went down to Tim's Rivershore yesterday for lunch and the view of the iced up Potomac River was awesome. Might need to go back there for a GTG at some point, too.

 

[1854sailor]

...I went down to Tim's Rivershore yesterday for lunch and the view of the iced up Potomac River was awesome. Might need to go back there for a GTG at some point, too.

The service and food that some folks got there last time might put a damper on turnout. I was fine, but there were lots of complaints.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

The service and food that some folks got there last time might put a damper on turnout. I was fine, but there were lots of complaints.

The slow service was partially my fault because I didn't tell them we were going to have 20 people showing up at the same time. IIRC, they were scaled back to "winter mode" with limited staff.

The food I got there yesterday was pretty good.

 

[Bob S.]

I have learned that it really helps when large groups to give a couple days notice & to tip well if you want good service upon return. The venue thanked me for calling & it was good to see the tables had been prepared in advance.