Caravan to Mosport

[StephanAlfa]

Last yesr we did pretty good on organizing a caravan to Mosport with Sam, Shawn, Greg, Mick, Tom and I.
Hopefully we can do this again this year and hopefully that infamous "short cut" is now fully paved.

So I am all ears as to where we meet /what time/when/which route

Ciao!

[nhsilversti]

im leaving saturday morning for an unrushed drive. the route im taking isnt the fastest but its shorter.

[StephanAlfa]

im leaving saturday morning for an unrushed drive. the route im taking isnt the fastest but its shorter.

Via 90 then thru International Bridge? or via Montreal (longer)?

[breakaway500]

I am planning on leaving Sunday 6-ish from central Ma., taking the Ma. Pike west to NY thruway to 87 to 90 to 481 to 81 to 401.

Seeing as I have not been to Mosport before,I am relying on Googlemaps for my directions.

I am flexible about route and departure time,but I would like to arrive before dark.

[StephanAlfa]

I am planning on leaving Sunday 6-ish from central Ma., taking the Ma. Pike west to NY thruway to 87 to 90 to 481 to 81 to 401.
I am flexible about route and departure time,but I would like to arrive before dark.

There is a "shortcut" somewhere that makes 481/81 presumably "shorter" by telltale of Frank or Bruce's "chemin de escoliers" (a French expression meaning instead of the short cut you end up doing the long route for some reason)
From my end (Nashua) I am looking at 560 miles =~ 10 hours

[nhsilversti]

im down to 420 something for mileage. im going 101-9-7(?)-some backroads in ny to the border of CA-then normal route.

ill look at the route on the laptop tonight. it is going to take lonbger but milage will be less

[DanDarcy]

I'm leaving Sunday morning from near Springfield, Ma. Google says about 8 hours driving time from my home in Belchertown. My friend who drives trailers trucks through upstate NY says to take route 12 off of Rt.90 in Utica. Says its shorter and saves on tolls plus he says the road is good even in a tractor trailer.
I have never been to Mosport so I'm open to any sugestions. I under stand we can't get in the track until after 6:00 pm . If that is true I will probably be at the Lee Rest Stop (Last one on the Mass Pike just past exit 2) at about 9:30 am. With 7 hour drive from there to Mosport , it would put me there at 5:30 including 1 hour for rest stop and customs.
My trialer is very heavy (12,000#) and I blew a tire last Sunday go to Watkins Glen so I don't drive much over the speed limit. I like to keep it about 65 - 68 on the highway. If anybody has any suggestions let me know.

[91rs13]

If you go the I90 Route --you can cut up Rt 12 from Utica --same amount of time if you do not get held up in traffic --about 40 miles shorter.

[breakaway500]

According to the Mosport imfo page posted above, the track will be open 5:00 on Sunday.

Dan,the Lee rest stop at 9:30ish (or earlier?) Sunday sounds good to me. I don't drive much over 70 either. I'll PM you my cell phone #. Mark.

[Shawn624]

I heard bad things about the "shortcut" up Route 12 out of Utica last year. I went up 81 because I left the car just off of 81 after another event, but there was some rumor of 30mph progress over one lane roads near Lowville. 81 is an easy ride right to the border. There are probably shorter routes, but 90 to 481 to 81 gets you to the Canadian Border on cruise control at a decent speed.

Lee Rest Stop (Last one on the Mass Pike just past exit 2) at about 9:30 am. sounds good to me.

[91rs13]

I heard bad things about the "shortcut" up Route 12 out of Utica last year. but there was some rumor of 30mph progress over one lane roads near Lowville. .

Yea--that could happen --it is pretty much only a two lane road all the way ---and then you go through Watertown.

On the way back from Calabogie 4 of us took it back down from 81 --nice easy ride towing about 65-70 in most spots. But if you get caught behind a hay trailer or something you are done for.

[StephanAlfa]

9:30 ish at Lee maybe a little too early for me but I'll catch up.
I actually want to leave early so we'll see.

If everyone has a walkie-talkie set it for channel 2.5 so we can converse.
I have some of the cell phones (Sam, Greg, Mark). In any case I can be reached at six-o-three-two-six-four-nine-six-eight-eight.

[ctkag]

I'll probably be going that route as well. I'm about an hour out of Lee - we'll see if I can get there for 9:30. Don't wait - I'll swing through on my way up to see if anyone is still there.

[DanDarcy]

I checked with my friend who drives in upstate NY. He says the Rt. 12 shortcut will save a lot of miles and tolls. He knows of no construction along it but he hasn't driven the whole road in a couple of months. He did say to watch out for police. A lot of truckers use the route and tend to speed but since I never drive fast , that should be no problem.

[breakaway500]

Dan,when I redirect the Google map to use rt.12,the mileage is 30 miles less,however the time goes up 30 minutes. It does seem more direct...but if you get caught behind a hay wagon...

Under closer scrutiny, it appears rt.12 transitions between a rural two lane road and a divided 4 lane highway.

Probably a lot more horseshoe nails along rt.12 too