DISMEET 2022? Is Anyone Interested?

[garneska]

I assume you have to call in to book our group?

@bama_ed, hit me up when you have time so we can discuss a possible "convoy". I've not gone that far in our camper, and with our previous luck, would feel much better if we could tag up with someone along the way.

Might be interested in a convoy as well. I really dont like driving that far and i am not driving. My thought was to get out the week before and drive 6 to 8 hours. Stay at a campground with at least good cell coverage and work and then head to PA. We would take the week off to vacation in PA. Then drive back. Right now looking at the Ridge to stop over after PA. Its a bit long from PA to The Ridge, but wifi is good and it is a 4 hour drive back to atlanta.

 

[FtW Mike]

Kris You would need to check with PaHunter on the wifi Issue but Fort Chiswell is @ 182 miles up I-81 into Va from The Ridge. Sites were okay, CG is very close to 81. We stayed on our way to DisMeet in June and have no problem doing as an overnight again

 

[garneska]

@FtW Mike will check it out. Trying to plan out my best route. Again I talk like I drive any of it

 

[jbrostek]

Chiswell is close enough to the interstate where if WIFI is not working, hotspot on LTE or 5g would work. We only overnight there usually so I never really pay attention to internet.

Your best route from if I81 is closer is take that too US30 East for 25 miles. The alternative is to find your way to US15 north but if you connect with US340, you will have to deal with a 2 lane/two way bridge through Harpers Ferry or down I70 from Hagerstown to Frederick.

If anyone is traveling up I95 side of things from the south, get off at US 3 or US 17 heading West/North to US 15/29N and take US15 all the way up. Avoiding DC and most of the metro traffic, other then Leesburg and some lights, it's not a bad route.

 

[Teamubr]

I saw some discussion about wifi at the campground, but what about cell service? Anyone know how coverage is for Verizon or Sprint. I can probably get DW to agree to this if she can work. We can hotspot off our phones if there is decent cell service. Our work phones are Sprint (generally terrible at campgrounds) or we have Verizon for personal phones. Both have unlimited, non-throttled data.

With 2 weeks at the Fort in January and 2+ weeks in Europe in August, DW has used up her 3 weeks of PTO.

j

 

[jbrostek]

I have Sprint (now moved to T-Mobile 5G) and really the only bad coverage I have found lately was at Disney. But I think that was more the fact the Disney WiFi is useless and the network was congested.

I have not tried to use it at Chiswell since the move to 5G, but when I was there I had no issues on my phone or iPad.

 

[Teamubr]

Is Chiswell the same as the Gettysburg campground where the DIS meet will be?

j

 

[garneska]

Is Chiswell the same as the Gettysburg campground where the DIS meet will be?

j

No. Fort Chiswell is where i am going to see if it works for overnight or week staying prior to the meet. I am not going to PA in one day .

 

[Teamubr]

Thanks Kris.

Gettysburg is 12.5 hours for me. I'll do it in 2 days going and 1 day coming back. It is about the same as GSP and that's how we have always done that trip.

If anyone knows about the cell service, let me know. I'd like to see that part of the country. I've never been up that way camping.

j

 

[garneska]

We did some planning after painting. We dont know a lot yet. But thinking drive out June 16 to either fort chiswell or somewhere farther @FtW Mike any other suggestions a little closer to gettysburg? Get into Gettysburg on sat june 18. Then head out on Friday june 24. Get to anchor down or the ridge and stay till Monday June 27. That is the plan. Now to book sites.

 

[Sjm9911]

Sounds like a plan! I am thinking of going either up to hersey after or down to dc. Who knows. We will wander afterwards.

 

[FtW Mike]

Kris In June we found that going to Ft Chiswell was a bit too far for 1 day trek for for us. We had to do DC Bypass and the road that took us to I 81 was a construction zone for 1st half so that 400 mile leg was a bit too much. For next trip to Pigeon Forge we are considering a stop at the KOA in Natural Bridge VA. Good Sam has it 102 miles further up 81

 

[garneska]

@FtW Mike I was thinking about that Koa in natural bridge. That seems to be the right distance. Thought is to push 8 hours day 1 then only have 4 hours day 2.

 

[FtW Mike]

@FtW Mike I was thinking about that Koa in natural bridge. That seems to be the right distance. Thought is to push 8 hours day 1 then only have 4 hours day 2.

That sounds like a very doable plan. I checked out KOA Natural bridge and feel it is perfect as an overnight location for us. Only change will be is if Lucille decides she wants to go back to Charlottesville and spend 2 days there. That will be for next years pre Christmas trip for us.

 

[PaHunter]

Thanks Kris.

Gettysburg is 12.5 hours for me. I'll do it in 2 days going and 1 day coming back. It is about the same as GSP and that's how we have always done that trip.

If anyone knows about the cell service, let me know. I'd like to see that part of the country. I've never been up that way camping.

j

Cell service should be pretty good there it is just outside of town.

 

[FtW Mike]

ATTENDEES....................................... Dates.....................................................Site

PaHunter.............................................June 17 x 27...........................................84A
Sjm9911...............................................June 22 x 26...........................................83A
4077.......................................................June 22 x 27............................................81
Benita....................................................June 20 x 26............................................67
FtWMike..............................................June 21 x 27............................................69
Garneska..............................................June 16 x 24............................................TBD TeamUBR.............................................TBD..............................................................TBD

 

[jbrostek]

@Teamubr sorry I missed you where asking about there. I think you should be good for signal there. I use the opensignal app to get a gauge and there are good towers nearby and I know we have good service up 15 to Harrisburg and this is not too far from there.

Still have not been able to pin down if we can do this. It really depends on what dates we can get in November when I go to book the trip for Lauren.

 

[Teamubr]

I think you should be good for signal there. I use the opensignal app to get a gauge and there are good towers nearby and I know we have good service up 15 to Harrisburg and this is not too far from there

Thanks,

I called the campground yesterday and talked to "John" who said he has been a work-camper there for a number of years and also works remotely. He said ATT has the best service for voice and data. Verizon was good for data and "just ok" for voice. He didn't know anything about Sprint.

Still working out details with DW. It is about 850 miles each way and she is anxious about money (fuel/camping) since we are planning on spending 2-3 weeks in Europe with a couple of days at DLP. I'm looking at maybe limiting the number of actual days we are at the campground, but still sorting that out.

At least the cell access is settled so she can work.

j

 

[jbrostek]

Think a stop along I70 or I64 (depending on which way you route) would be your best bet

 

[Teamubr]

Think a stop along I70 or I64 (depending on which way you route) would be your best bet

I mapped both. They are almost exactly the same distance. I-64 doesn't have any tolls and is generally a decent drive. We went that way going to NC. I-70 has places that aren't good.

j