[Drivesthebeast]

Title speaks for itself, and applies to those of you in the Ottawa Valley, North bay, Montreal, etc. I hate to say it, but a lot of the meets are generally located in the GTA or southern Ontario, and many of them I, and I'm sure several others here too, can't go to them because they are either on a Sunday, or a weeknight, and whatnot. Even if I haul ass, I can only get to the area around Hamilton and Burlington, etc in about 5-5.5hrs, and it takes 6-7 hours if I don't go fast. Yes, it's not fair to ask the majority of folks down south to re-arrange schedules to suit the few of us, but on the otherhand, missing out on the BBQ's the Niagra cruise, and other major events several years/seasons in a row because of location or timing, is making me lose interest slowly.

Maybe the folks from Mid-Northern and Eastern Ontario (and western QC too)should start having semi-scheduled events, meets, etc. I have some friends here in Petawawa that are trying to organize a registered car club, and some track time at Calabogie raceway, cruises of the valley and Ottawa, etc. I'd like to do something the same for those of us north or east of the GTA.

No offence to anyone, just it's disheartening not being able to attend major events year after year...

Anyone care to comment?

[NOS2Go4Me]

You're losing interest just now? :lol:

I've been sliding for quite some time.

Anywho, if you come up with a fall date for a G2G somewhere out east, chances are we might attend. Whether I show on 16s or 14s depends on the date :D

4 hours across 17 is the same as 4 hours down 11/400, except the scenery is nicer and passing takes a bit more... patience due to the 2 lanes all the way out.

I just drove back from Timmins yesterday and while I hope I never go back anytime soon, the drive was pleasant.

[meford4u]

If you can show interest in an event (say 10+ peolple attending) I am sure we can make an effort to atleast get some of us to come your way and maybe get the boss to come.

Why not shoot for the spring? We have a BBQ in the summer, the fall cruise that is typically in Niagara, the spring would be a great time to plan an Eastern event. But, truth be known, I am not against moving the cruise next year to the East, as I love the thousand island region and we could have an event there. Let's see how you do.

I am sure that if enough notice is given, you'll have alot of attendees.

[Drivesthebeast]

Perhaps something can be made to happen...

There are a decent amount of Peeps living in North Bay, Ottawa, and the entire region that are members, and might be interested. Yes, I would of course give an open invite to folks from the south.

Just gotta come up with activities/events that are worthwhile...

[NikiterZTS]

u can count on me to come up.....even others from my town will go...thats 3 or 4 cars for sure
all we need is the date

[Frost__2001]

Actually Drivesthebeast, I agree with you but also disagree with you at the same time.

I can agree on doing a weekly or bi-weekly meets like that of the Masiv style of meets with the Toronto Mazda3 club in places like Ottawa, Montreal, Northern parts of Ontario and any other province cross Canada. But reality is you need to have them regularly and have people show up to them regardless of when they are shceduled. I myself only Attend meets if I can afford to go to them. After all I was the only Canadian to actually go to the Ohio meet earlier this year.

Down side to a meet if only 2 people show up, it tends to leave a bad taste in ones mouth who did attend, and loaction is paramount to it's sucess in the long run and the affordablity of the memebers attending it, and how far they are coming from ie. Someone from Calgary is not very likely to attend a meeting in Montreal without it being a huge event lasting a long time making it worth coming out too.

[ZX3guy2000]

This is what I am doing tomorrow!!!! On this site there are a lot of different tours, with different areas of interest! A little too late in the year to be organising a g2g I think, but next year for sure!


CAVE AND AERIAL PARK

Centre d'interprÃÂtation du Cerf de Virginie

CHUTES COULONGE

HULL-CHELSEA-WAKEFIELD STEAM TRAIN

LE NORDIK - SCANDINAVIAN SPA

just to point out a few!



Tour 1

[euro_zx5]

The last bbq was scheduled four months in advance! That should be plenty of time, no? And although Saturday would have been a better day for the upcoming notl cruise, i'm glad it wasn't changed as I wouldn't have been able to make it Saturday and well, a week's notice just isn't enough where I work... :o

But if upcoming events are planned as early as the past bbq was, we should all be able to make larger turnouts on a more frequent basis. Yearly bbq's and Niagara meets are great, but can we make g2g's for photoshoots, mall car show gatherings (Mapleview, etc)?

Make your views known, and i'm sure the staff would be interested in reconsidering current and future events. I certainly do agree with ya, the more in advance events are planned, the more members will show (probably...)

/end rant

[ANTHONYD]

Great Idea Ian.

The only reason we make the meets in the GTA is because the majority of us are from around here. Not to mention the convienience of having the school next to my home is perfect for the bbq.

I'd grab the wife and make a trip west for the weekend, no problem. Have something organized...give lot's of notice and have more than 10 people commit.

How about Kingston? Ottawa? Montreal is a bit tough to navigate for me.

Start planning for the spring.

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As for NOS....Why are you losing intrest???? I take great offense in your little comment above. The reason we make these meets are for people absolutely rabid about their cars like you. Is there something we are missing here? :blink:

[NikiterZTS]

i think Ottawa or Kingston is better idea.....i drove through Montreal a couple of times and don't wanna have that prob with their bridges again....such a pain in the ass

[Drivesthebeast]

Yeah, I'll start to spearhead some stuff in the spring, but I think it'd be cool to organize something during Ottawa's Winterlude...I myself havent attended this yet, which is dumb because I live less than 2 hours from Ottawa...lol.

I wasn't trying to outright bash people or say there's not enough notice, which I think most of you, if not all understand. I think there is a decent number of people from The Valley, North Bay, and other parts of eastern Ontario and western Quebec that could likely attend G2G's if we made ones tailored a bit more to us geographically...

I will talk to the folks here more about that car club they wanna form together, and there are a lot of modded Cavi's, Cobalts, and Neon Canada Members here in Pet and down in Pembroke. Maybe get some sort of joint NA compact car meets going or something like that. I think there are as many, if not MORE modded domestics here than imports actually.

Anyways, we have like 3 beaches here in Pet alone that could handle a BBQ, and one of them, the biggest one, is only minutes away from my house. There are lots of nice roads to have a cruise on all through the valley, and even the 17 down from North Bay and Matawa is VERY scenic.

I'll try and figure out some more stuff to do, and maybe start talking to some people around here and get permission to do stuff in the new year.

Thanks for the feedback and the support so far, and I'll wait and see if more people from down east or up here read this thread and perhaps come up with some more ideas.

[meford4u]

ANTHONYD,Sep 17 2006, 08:58 AM Wrote:I'd grab the wife and make a trip west for the weekend
How about Kingston? Ottawa? Montreal is a bit tough to navigate for me.



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Maybe the whole issue is the guy who comes up with these ideas and helps plan them thinks Kingston and Montreal are WEST of where he lives??? :D

[Drivesthebeast]

/\/\/\ :lol:

[ZX3guy2000]

That is twice now!!! LOL..... :):)

[ANTHONYD]

Sorry Hung-over from the Ti-cats game.

East.

[NOS2Go4Me]

I'm not looking to offend anyone by what I said... you guys run a great show 99.9% of the time. The thing is (although gas is MUCH cheaper now! YAY!) it requires a decent amount of cash and planning for even a weekend getaway for us. We're at the mercy of construction crews so that a 3.5 hour trip doesn't become 5+ hours straight in the car. We also have the same considerations as everyone else (work, family, other expectations) that weigh a bit heavier when you've got 8 hours round trip between home and the GTA.

It's not a personal "against anyone" thing so much as it becomes a "it's 4 hours to Toronto and area, then the time there, then the time back" thing. Unless we overnight at my parents, it's $150+ a night for a hotel, easy.

Anything closer to home or along routes we don't normally travel is welcome :)