Finger Lakes Mini Run August 21st, 2004

[yellowmininy]

After driving all over the Northeast US this spring, I've decided to try to plan a run closer to home.

Details to follow- all I know now is that it will be Saturday, August 21st AM starting somewhere near the Geneva Thruway exit, & meandering around as many Finger Lakes as we can on the way to Watkins Glen, with perhaps traveling around the Village Grand Prix circuit. Will post details as I know them.

7/17/04 Starting point will be the Prime Outlet Mall (655 State Route 318, Waterloo NY, 13165), approximately 9 AM. (This may become the departure time, so watch this space!)

I'm talking to the folks at Watkins Glen Racetrack about the tour, track laps and lunch on the premises, following that with driving through the village of Watkins Glen on the route that was the Grand Prix course from 1948 to 1952. (Fun even at legal speeds!)

As much time as we'll have before then, and after then, will be spent driving around Seneca, and hopefully also Cayuga and Keuka Lakes. I could easily be persuaded to make this a two day event, one based around Watkins Glen, and the other searching out lake views and twisty roads.

I have an offer of a showing of the 1969 'Italian Job' from a Mini owner with a print and a projector, in case we have a need for non-driving activity.

I have 15 rooms on hold at the Waterloo/Seneca Falls Holiday Inn, $114.00 per standard room, per night, they tell me, which seems a bit steep for Waterloo & Seneca Falls, if you ask me... Booked as Mini Coopers. Surprise! Correction- booking code is assigned by the Holiday Inn, but it is 'MIN'. Rooms will be held on reserve until Tuesday, 8/2. Check in 3:00 pm, check out 11:00 am
Address 2468 Mound Road NY State Rt. 414, Waterloo, NY 13165 1-315-539-5011.
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/home

There is also a Microtel around the corner, but they must be too Micro & couldn't hold 10 rooms for me, but try your luck. Address 1963 Route 5 And 20, Seneca Falls, NY 13148
(315) 539-8438. They have a very nice restaurant next door (Abigail's), because my aunt designed it when she lived there & helped run the motel on the site where the Microtel is now.
http://www.senecafallsmicrotelinn.com/

Watkins Glen has quite a few lodging possibilities, but this is where my dad tells me the Grand Prix racers stayed- The Seneca Lodge (it's right in the middle of the village course).
http://www.senecalodge.com/

Route & Watkins Glen track details to follow. Anyone who wants to offer an opinion on whether spending 3 hours at the Watkins Glen race track (some of it eating and doing laps) when we could be driving behind buggies on the open roads, let me know.

8/10/04 update
Meet & Greet 8:30 AM Prime Outlet Mall, Waterloo, 9:15 departure for Watkins Glen

For anyone coming from the north, or east & west of Geneva & Waterloo, we will be meeting at 9 am at the Prime Outlet Mall parking in lot in Waterloo, by the Food Court. (On the right as you come in the entrance, 2nd cluster of stores.) One drawback I've discovered is that the mall doesn't open until 10 am. A plus is that we have the parking lot wide open, but there may not be restrooms available there. I have a short rest stop planned right after the start, but it will be short to make time to get some twisty roads in on the way to Watkins Glen. In order to do that, we will need to leave the Prime Outlet Mall by 9:15. I will try to be there by 8:30- come early if you want to 'meet & greet'.

Directions If You Miss the Main Group (from the North)
If anyone misses us at the Prime Outlet Mall, we will be taking a more scenic route, but you might beat us there if you head back out on 318. Right at the light out of the mall, then down to 14 South-left at that light, then follow the 14 South Truck route (or the 14 South other route- are they trying to confuse us in Geneva?), and take 14 all the way down into the village of Watkins Glen. 14 is the main road of the village. 414 follows 14 from 4th St. south, and then splits off to the right after the Burger King. Follow 414 after it splits off (On the right, right after Burger King, also on the right). You will see signs that say 'Racetrack'. 414 intersects County Road 16, and take a right at the light there. After Meads Hill Rd, the racetrack is on the left. Meet us at the 3rd entrance at the Ticket Office.
Or, here are the Mapquest directions for that route:
http://www.mapquest.com/directions/m...02a75-400c2527

Directions from the South (Route 17, Route 14 North)
If coming from the south, from Route 17, Horseheads is the town where Route 14 heads north to Watkins Glen. Here is a link for directions to the Watkins Glen Racetrack from Horseheads (you may want to choose your own start point for better info).
http://www.mapquest.com/directions/m...v=ADDRESS&2pl=
We will be meeting at Watkins Glen, 3rd entrance at the Ticket Office at 11 am.

So the schedule is, roughly:
8:30 AM Meet & Greet at Prime Outlet Mall, Waterloo. There are Mobil stations near the Thruway exit ramps on both Exit 42 Geneva, and Exit 41 Waterloo right near the 318 intersection. 318 is directly opposite the Geneva exit. From the Waterloo exit take a right onto 414 South, then right on 318. (Mobil station is at the 318/414 intersection.)
Mapquest link for the starting point:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp...submit=Get+Map

Keep in mind there may not be restrooms open at Prime Outlets- there is a Thruway Service Area near the exits both directions- Clifton Springs from the west milepost 337 (Between Manchester exit 43 and Geneva exit 42), and Warners from the east at milepost 292 (Between Syracuse exit 39 and Weedsport 40)

9:15 AM Depart Prime Outlet Parking lot, next stop Geneva Wegmans, McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts on 5&20
9:45 AM Depart from 5&20 for scenic route to Watkins Glen. The route I'm taking to the racetrack incorporates part of the village Grand Prix course, backwards.
11:00 AM Watkins Glen Racetrack- Get passes & sign waivers for track laps ($25 per car, optional)
12:00 noon Watkins Glen Racetrack Track Laps. We may want to have a small 'tailgate party' if there's room in the parking lot there, or people may want to bring a snack.
1:00 PM A Mini parade on the Watkins Glen Village Grand Prix circuit.
2:00 PM Picnic at Sampson State Park, Route 96A Romulus NY (Park Entrance fee is $7 but can be used at other regional parks on the same day. If you have a New York State Parks Empire Passport bring it along:
http://nysparks.state.ny.us/passport/)
3:30 PM Optional afternoon drive- to Taughannock State Park, Podunk, back through Watkins Glen to Hammondsport, up to Canandaigua & back to Waterloo. This is about 100 miles, and will take 3-4 hours to drive depending on the group size. Anyone who wants to come along can drop out if they get close to home. I will have a printed route in the next week for anyone who wants to look it over before the run.

Bagpiper is working on a T shirt for the run (Thanks again!)

[Pamlico]

Love to do it but we're already committed for that and the previous weekend. Grrrrrrrr.

- dl

[obehave]

I'll keep my eye on this one. My brother lives in Union Springs.
I haven't been up there in a decade.

[yellowmininy]

I've done some preliminary driving around, and it will be primarily around Seneca, Cayuga & Keuka Lakes. It will definitely include driving the Watkins Glen village course, and I'm going to check into the Watkins Glen track laps as an option (looks like every day at noon $25 for 3 paced laps).

Will post details as I know them, but my initial plan for the starting point will be the Prime Outlets Shopping parking lot, off the Thruway exit 42 on Route 318 in Waterloo (Geveva exit from the west, Waterloo exit 41 from the east) at 9 AM Saturday, August 21.

[yellowmininy]

Quote: Originally Posted by obehave

I'll keep my eye on this one. My brother lives in Union Springs.
I haven't been up there in a decade.

Come on up! I've been making a few more road trips to see my siblings than I used to. I might bring a few with me.

[GMINI]

I've gotta get another job. These saturday meets are killing me! I'd love to make it though.

[yellowmininy]

Quote: Originally Posted by GMINI

I've gotta get another job. These saturday meets are killing me! I'd love to make it though.

This will be my 2nd weekend off this summer (MOT was the first, and I had to beg to get that off). You might work stranger hours than I do, though.

Anybody who wants to run it again on Sunday, let me know.

[yellowmininy]

At the risk of sounding like I'm talking to myself here (so what else is new?), I just came back from the first run of the Watkins Glen original Grand Prix route. Didn't figure it out until the third try (skip the first right, take all the rights after that), and WOO HOO! Now, if there wasn't so much traffic in Watkins Glen it would be perfect. (Whereas, neighboring Hector is at a standstill, comparatively.)

Still have to get the firm answer on laps of the 'new' track. As much as I really want to drive through Podunk on the way to Watkins Glen (really), it doesn't compare to the track. The village, the track, the scenic tour of Podunk and a few straight but with-lake-view roads, and we might have something here.

Who knows, there really might be whales in Seneca Lake. If not whales, some cousin to the Loch Ness monster. We can find out at the Whale Watch Festival after the run. (If anybody sees any whales, I'm taking their keys away if inebriation is a factor.)

[yellowmininy]

See the first post for updates on start location and lodging. When I have definite info from the WGI track I'll post it here!

[Actual Size]

Quote: Originally Posted by yellowmininy

At the risk of sounding like I'm talking to myself here (so what else is new?), I just came back from the first run of the Watkins Glen original Grand Prix route.

Sure is fun isn't it? (except for the downtown section and the railroad tracks) We run it twice a year during the vintage/historic race weekends.

[yellowmininy]

I wish I could get down there for that this year (Sept 10-12, I think). MG is the marque for this year, which would be fun to see. I can't imagine going over those railroad tracks at a high rate of speed. I guess once you hit the first rail you're probably airborne for the second!

[Actual Size]

Quote: Originally Posted by yellowmininy

I can't imagine going over those railroad tracks at a high rate of speed. I guess once you hit the first rail you're probably airborne for the second!

Somewhere I've got a shot of a Lola T-70 hitting those babies. For now this one of a Cunningham will have to do.

[yellowmininy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Actual Size

Somewhere I've got a shot of a Lola T-70 hitting those babies. For now this one of a Cunningham will have to do.

I was just driving over those tracks again yesterday. Thanks for the picture! (Let me know if you find the one of the Lola!)

I'm still waiting to get details back from the folks at the Watkins Glen racetrack, but they tell me we can definitely do track laps at noon as part of their regular Thunder Road tour ($25), and I'm working on having lunch there as well.

I think they have a more extensive tour of the track available if anyone is interested, though my idea is laps, lunch and hit the road for the village Grand Prix circuit drive.

Details to follow... will post sign up details soon as I know what I'm doing with the Glen folks.

[minimidtown]

So Cathleen (Catherine?...just kidding) what's the plan? Don't know if i can make it, but I've never been to the Finger Lakes and would like to see them...but there are just too many road trips being planned!

[yellowmininy]

Quote: Originally Posted by minimidtown

So Cathleen (Catherine?...just kidding) what's the plan? Don't know if i can make it, but I've never been to the Finger Lakes and would like to see them...but there are just too many road trips being planned!

Paul, it's only 4-5 hours north of Frederick, MD (coming up Route 15). Perhaps less! We'll be meeting up north near the NY State Thruway, but you could meet us at the Watkins Glen racetrack at 1100, which you can get to from the south from State route 14 or 414. Track laps, lunch, drve around the Watkins Glen village (former Grand Prix course), then meandering around a few other Finger Lakes.