Midwest Meet Spring 2019 ***UPDATED***

ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
This first post has been updated with the latest information to make it easier to find. 01-09-2019

PLANNING HAS BEGUN!!!


First of all, I am not by nature a big planner, so I hope this at least comes across as a decent plan. I have been in contact with friends that join the S2000 Boston Mountain Tour every year and loves it. I don't have their actual tour but much of this will be derived from it. I have not visited this area and if you have and know it well, I welcome your advice. After joining the guys with the Lotus 7 club last year not far from this area, I'm also taking some clues as to how they did their tour.

The dates will be: May 17th, 18th, and 19th. That's a Friday through Sunday. You do not have to participate the entire time, join whatever you can or want to. Friday will be the day to travel to Russellville, Arkansas. We will stay at the Clarion Inn and Suites or Hampton Inn just off of I-40. I have not contacted them on a special rate, but their normal rate it $75 per night for Clarion Inn and $100 for the Hampton Inn.

We will check in on Friday and meet up. Around 6:00-7:00 P.M. we will eat at a local destination to be determined. Russellville is a pretty good size town and we should find plenty of places for any type of tools, supplies, amenities, etc.

Clarion Inn and Suites




On Saturday the 18th, we will gather at the hotel and leave around 9:30 A.M. for the first leg of the tour. We will take Hwy 27 and 7 up through the Ozark National Forest to the Cliff House Inn for lunch. If it is a sprinted drive, the trip won't take two hours, however I forsee us stopping along the way for some of the sites to make up for it.




This is the Cliff Side Inn.









After lunch, we will continue North for just a few miles to capture the sights of the Arkansas Grand Canyon before returning South back through the Forest.

Arkansas Grand Canyon






Saturday afternoon we will travel along Hwy 16 and 21 back through the Ozark National Forest. We will not take I-40 as shown but side roads unless you just want to open it up!




Saturday evening we again will eat in Russellville at yet another to be determined restaurant. This is something that we all can come to an agreement upon.

Sunday

Sunday will be somewhat of a shorter day so we have time to get back and pack up for home. Again we will meet up around 9:30 A.M. and head out into the Ozark National Forest but a slightly different trip and more to the West. This looks to be a great drive and there are a few good stops along the way.






Around West Cobb, there is the Pig Trail Scenic Overlook.

Pig Trail Scenic Overlook






We will stop briefly before continuing on to the town or Ozark for lunch at the Rivertown BBQ.





The trip back to the hotel should be fairly quick through some off-interstate roads and even faster if you wish to hit the Interstate.



I hope many of you are on the road if you are not already by then. This will give you something to shoot for. This should be a great drive through some very beautiful country. I would love to see some of the other builds up close and talk about our experiences. Others are invited also even if they don't have a Goblin, however this is intended for Goblin owners/builder.

If you are interested, please PM with:

  1. Full name
  2. Screen name
  3. Cell phone number (for communication during)
  4. Number of people
  5. Dates if not all.
I will add you to the list below upon confirmation. I ask that if you confirm, please try to attend if at all possible. I will be making reservations and many other things along the way and the number of people will have an effect. If you cannot confirm, that's fine, just let me know, you can still join in if you can.

I am willing to make some changes if someone much wiser than me has good reason for me to do so, but as we get closer to the date, very little will change if at all possible so as not to impact you.

Let's get together and have a great trip!!!

  1. Chad Tuinstra (ctuinstra)
  2. Kaleb Tuinstra
  3. Lonny Doyel (with 3 cars)
  4. Brad Schaffner (George)
  5. Ross Lawrence (Ross) and guest
  6. Brian N (Briann1177) and guest
  7. Jermey Harrison (JERMzSS) and guest
  8. (FTC) and guest
  9. Dale Elliott - Lotus Europa S2 and guest
 
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jamesm

Goblin Guru
I'm in. Even if I don't have mine finished, I'd still like to meet everyone and see their builds.
 

SliderR1

Well-Known Member
I'm interested. I have a busy schedule, so it will all depend on timing and location.

It would be great if we could find a location that offered some good roads or even a road course track...
 

JERMzSS

Well-Known Member
Depending on when we might have autocross going. There's alot of good roads in the north western part of Arkansas.
 

George

Goblin Guru
Do a google search for twisty roads north west Arkansas for some possible chooses

Brad
 
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SliderR1

Well-Known Member
I lived in Little Rock for three years and know most of the roads in north central Arkansas - they are great. HWY 341 (Push Mountain Road) would be a blast in the Goblin!
 

ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
I lived in Little Rock for three years and know most of the roads in north central Arkansas - they are great. HWY 341 (Push Mountain Road) would be a blast in the Goblin!
That was one of the roads we did this past spring. You're right, it was a blast. At this point, it's looking like Northern Arkansas might be the best place to have a gathering. It would allow those from the Texas area to join along with a decent concentration of others in the area. I might have to lean on you a bit for information about roads. I was looking at some ideas this morning and found a few others. Just looking for the biggest bang for the buck. I'd hate to have to drive 100 miles to get to the next good road. Also have to find good accommodations and restaurants along the way.
 

jamesm

Goblin Guru
There are lots of fun roads in North Central Arkansas around Buffalo National River, Bull Shoals Lake, and Norfolk Lake. There are also a lot of areas in the Branson, MO area too. Lots of hotels and restaurants in Branson as well.
 

JERMzSS

Well-Known Member
That was one of the roads we did this past spring. You're right, it was a blast. At this point, it's looking like Northern Arkansas might be the best place to have a gathering. It would allow those from the Texas area to join along with a decent concentration of others in the area. I might have to lean on you a bit for information about roads. I was looking at some ideas this morning and found a few others. Just looking for the biggest bang for the buck. I'd hate to have to drive 100 miles to get to the next good road. Also have to find good accommodations and restaurants along the way.
The pig trail is another good road.
 

SliderR1

Well-Known Member
At this point, it's looking like Northern Arkansas might be the best place to have a gathering. It would allow those from the Texas area to join along with a decent concentration of others in the area. I might have to lean on you a bit for information about roads. ... I'd hate to have to drive 100 miles to get to the next good road. Also have to find good accommodations and restaurants along the way.
Northern Arkansas would probably make it easier for me to attend - since the in-laws live there - HA!

Mountain Home or Harrison might be worth thinking about - they are right in the middle of the good stuff and would have more accommodations than some of the other little towns. There used to be a pretty neat place in Allison - it was right on the river and had a motel/restaurant - lots of bikes usually there. It's pretty close to Mtn. View and Push Mountain.

I think there is a decent place in Jasper, too.

I'll have to break out some of my old paper maps and looks at my notes from 16 years ago!

Might also be worth mentioning that there are still a LOT of dry counties in Arkansas, so if you like to relax with a beer in the evening, might have to bring your own or drive a long way for a six pack. LOL...
 

jamesm

Goblin Guru
My in-laws also live in Northern AR as well.

Harrison and Mountain Home are both in wet counties. Boone county went wet a few years ago so most of the sit-down restaurants have at least beer and there are several package stores now.
 

Goblin-SS

Active Member
I should be road legal by the end of the year. So spring 2019 I'll be down for a meet. I'm in north east Illinois and all the roads stuck
 

lksohm

Well-Known Member
I live in central Iowa and would love to at least see one in person. I just got my donor yesterday (07 SS/SC), so I doubt I'd be able to bring a driving Goblin.
 
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