Hey KC area Marauders!

[marauder307]

I'm gonna be passing through on Oct 1st, headed for Ft. Riley to see the g/f...need a highway report. Planned route will take me around on 435 for a stop in Ft. Leavenworth; can anybody comment on the condition of the roads along that way?

Will be coming back through enroute STL on the 3rd.

[HwyCruiser]

Your hosed. This whole city is one big construction zone.

I think your quickest way through the city would be to avoid the rush if at all possible (7 am to 9 am and 4 pm to 6 pm) and head straight through on I-70 and catch K-7 north to Ft Leavenworth on the west side of I-70 / I-435 interchange after the Speedway. Back on I-70 heading west to Ft. Riley through Topeka was clear last time I was that way.

Do not travel the I-435 south loop on the weekends, it's down to 1 lane in Overland Park due to construction and all messed up in KCMO.

Got your back in KC.

- JD

[marauder307]

Your hosed. This whole city is one big construction zone.

I think your quickest way through the city would be to avoid the rush if at all possible (7 am to 9 am and 4 pm to 6 pm) and head straight through on I-70 and catch K-7 north to Ft Leavenworth on the west side of I-70 / I-435 interchange after the Speedway. Back on I-70 heading west to Ft. Riley through Topeka was clear last time I was that way.

Do not travel the I-435 south loop on the weekends, it's down to 1 lane in Overland Park due to construction and all messed up in KCMO.

Got your back in KC.

- JD

Up through Tonganoxie?

[HwyCruiser]

Up through Tonganoxie?

Tonganoxie is about 10 mi west of the K-7 / Hwy 73 exit. You'll be heading off I-70 north through Lansing.

Map:
http://maps.yahoo.com/dd_result?ed=xTowJeV.wimQQVd6M sEKU7USFw--&csz=blue+springs%2C+mo&country=us&tcsz=leavenworth%2C+ks&tcountry=us

- JD

[marauder307]

Okay folks...comin' through tomorrow! I'm thinking that I might take the old way that my family used back when we lived at Leavenworth: run around on I-435 and jump off at Platte City. I understand from a friend of mine that the old bridge that went across the river was replaced back in the early '90s. I'm planning on running straight south out of Leavenworth when I left, and picking up I-70 around Bonner Springs.

Any word on the north loop? I'm signing off as soon as I finish posting, but I'll be checking back in the morning right before I leave. If y'all see a MM with MO state plates runnin' around town, that might be me...!

[hitchhiker]

Okay folks...comin' through tomorrow! I'm thinking that I might take the old way that my family used back when we lived at Leavenworth: run around on I-435 and jump off at Platte City. I understand from a friend of mine that the old bridge that went across the river was replaced back in the early '90s. I'm planning on running straight south out of Leavenworth when I left, and picking up I-70 around Bonner Springs.

Any word on the north loop? I'm signing off as soon as I finish posting, but I'll be checking back in the morning right before I leave. If y'all see a MM with MO state plates runnin' around town, that might be me...!

I was born in Leavenworth. When did you live there?

Best Regards,

David

[marauder307]

From 1980-85---dependent, USA.

See you guys in about 4 hours!

[marauder307]

Hey folks! Writing to you from Ft. Riley...saw a black MM E of KC, had a raised spoiler on the trunk (not a factory MM spoiler, the kind that looks like a ducktail). Izzat anybody from this site?

[marauder307]

Back in STL. Man, that's a great drive! Coming east today outta Junction City, looking over the rolling hills...Bruce Hornsby in the CD tray...all I could think was "So this is what I joined the military to defend...This is great!"

It's some beautiful country out that way...although I'm finding myself having to get used to the starkness of it. The g/f and I were coming back from the Combat Air Museum in Topeka yesterday, and took a side trip to Manhattan. Don't remember the name of the road, but there's a fantastic overlook looking west; you can see almost all the way to the fort.

Coming back through KC, got slowed down because the local PD were holding up traffic for (of all things) a BMW MINI rally! Musta been about a dozen or so, just from what I could see...the final touch of irony was that a CVPI was doing the holding back. Man, that's gotta hurt...Hoping to see some KC Marauders the next time I roll through. I'll drop you another line when I get ready to come that way next time; I saw where the Cabela's store is and I know that's where y'all like to congregate. Will see y'all later!

[JGaignat]

I wish I'd been on here to see your original post. Hwycruiser was right about the city being torn up, wasn't he? I saw a MM last week on I-670 with what looked like some sort of Missouri personalized tags. Was that you? If you come through again, give me a shout. I live about 5 miles straight south of the I-70 and K-7 exit. I can hear the racetrack from where I live.

John

[marauder307]

I wish I'd been on here to see your original post. Hwycruiser was right about the city being torn up, wasn't he? I saw a MM last week on I-670 with what looked like some sort of Missouri personalized tags. Was that you? If you come through again, give me a shout. I live about 5 miles straight south of the I-70 and K-7 exit. I can hear the racetrack from where I live.

John

Naw...although I did see a black MM, I-70, east of KC on the drive over. I looped around on I-435/29 north to get to Leavenworth. Came straight down Hwy 73/K-7 to get back to the interstate.

On the return leg, I simply bored right through KC on I-70. Gets tricky around the river, lots of exits on top of exits. I didn't see quite as much construction as HwyCruiser led me to believe, but then I didn't go around to the south like he mentioned either.

Will probably be making this trip again sometime within the next few months before Christmas. I'd like to coordinate with the KC group that time and maybe meet up at Cabela's...anybody up for that idea?

Probably won't be happening until Nov or early Dec.

[marauder307]

Wanna revive this thread a bit...now that I'm back in STL, the g/f-soon-to-be-fiancee is still in Ft. Riley, and I'm going to be making more drives that way.

Was through KC last over Memorial Day weekend, took the south route around this time on the g/f's recommendation. Got off at Hwy 40 from I-70, crossed over to 470 around to 435 and back up to I-70. Little bit shorter than the north route but avoided the construction that g/f said was all over I-70. Was in a rental Ford 500 this time (MM was down for PMCS), so I didn't have the power or road presence to beat my way through. Be coming back out that way plenty over the following months, until January, when she comes home from her activation.

Where's the exit where y'all normally congregate? Would like to get together on the drive over sometime...

[HwyCruiser]

Wanna revive this thread a bit...now that I'm back in STL, the g/f-soon-to-be-fiancee is still in Ft. Riley, and I'm going to be making more drives that way.

Was through KC last over Memorial Day weekend, took the south route around this time on the g/f's recommendation. Got off at Hwy 40 from I-70, crossed over to 470 around to 435 and back up to I-70. Little bit shorter than the north route but avoided the construction that g/f said was all over I-70. Was in a rental Ford 500 this time (MM was down for PMCS), so I didn't have the power or road presence to beat my way through. Be coming back out that way plenty over the following months, until January, when she comes home from her activation.

Where's the exit where y'all normally congregate? Would like to get together on the drive over sometime...

I'm on the southwest side of the I-435 loop at Metcalf. Let us know when you'll be coming through KC again and we'll try to put together a line-up.

[JGaignat]

Sound good. Give me a shout.

[HwyCruiser]

Sound good. Give me a shout.

Hey John, long time no see. I was beginning to think we lost one.

Maybe we can get something together at Shawnee Mission Park before it gets too hot out. M307, what day / time do you usually travel through on?

[marauder307]

M307, what day / time do you usually travel through on?

Usually on a Friday, and I usually I hit KC about midday.

On a side note, has anybody been out to Exit #66 on I-70 and seen the independent classic car dealer out there? He's got a nice-lookin' 1969 Torino GT, and I was wondering if anybody'd done business with this guy...?

[marauder307]

Man, today was the day for road encounters...saw what looked like a silver MM just east of the western end of the I-70 toll road; he was going west, I was headed east. Guess it was about 1045 or 1100 or so...zat anybody here?

Got into an erstwhile race with an obviously impatient Nissan Quest driver on the toll road...this nut roll went all the way up to 95 to get past me. Had his wife and kids in the back too...dumbass. Rides my bumper for 5 miles, even as I'm speeding up to get away from him, and then does the "ricer flyby". Hope his wife divorces him...

Shortly after that, I ran into the wierdest encounter yet: an International-orange painted Lotus Elise. He got off at the East Lawrence exit. Anybody seen this guy?

Freaky day...gonna be heading that way again in a few weeks. I'll post again when I know for sure...found the Cabela's exit (#410) so I know where to go to find y'all for your next meeting. Gonna be on a Friday night when I come through, so maybe we can get together or somp'n....

[vpalhories]

Let us know when you'll be coming through KC again and we'll try to put together a line-up.
Count me in too.

[marauder307]

Count me in too.


Ok...I will be coming through on Friday Aug. 5th, don't know exactly when yet. After some trial and error, my fiancee and I have simply begun plowing straight through KC rather than taking the south loop around; it cuts down on the time, believe it or not. I vaguely remember that Cabela's is on the west side of KC right off I-70, but I don't remember which exit. Usually when I'm shooting through I'm paying more attention to the road than anything else.

This time through will be a special one; it's the last time the Black Hulk will be passing through KC for a long while, quite possibly for good. After this, I'll be putting the Hulk on a tractor-trailer out of Pontoon Beach, IL headed for SoCal and thence to Hawaii. I will be heading back through on the return leg to St. Louis the following Sunday, but I won't have time to stop. So Friday will be it. I'd like to be able to meet up with at least a few of you if it can be managed...lemme know.

[vpalhories]

Hey 307...

Do you have a time and a specific place? If you don't have a place in mind, I'd like to suggest an Irish Pub (W.J. McBride's) right between Russell Stover and Famous Dave's Legendary Pit Barbecue in front of Nebraska Furniture Mart. It's the same exit as Cabela's which is the State Avenue West exit off I-435 or the 110th Street Exit (Exit #410) of I-70.

Keep us posted.




Ok...I will be coming through on Friday Aug. 5th, don't know exactly when yet. After some trial and error, my fiancee and I have simply begun plowing straight through KC rather than taking the south loop around; it cuts down on the time, believe it or not. I vaguely remember that Cabela's is on the west side of KC right off I-70, but I don't remember which exit. Usually when I'm shooting through I'm paying more attention to the road than anything else.

This time through will be a special one; it's the last time the Black Hulk will be passing through KC for a long while, quite possibly for good. After this, I'll be putting the Hulk on a tractor-trailer out of Pontoon Beach, IL headed for SoCal and thence to Hawaii. I will be heading back through on the return leg to St. Louis the following Sunday, but I won't have time to stop. So Friday will be it. I'd like to be able to meet up with at least a few of you if it can be managed...lemme know.

[marauder307]

Hey 307...

Do you have a time and a specific place? If you don't have a place in mind, I'd like to suggest an Irish Pub (W.J. McBride's) right between Russell Stover and Famous Dave's Legendary Pit Barbecue in front of Nebraska Furniture Mart. It's the same exit as Cabela's which is the State Avenue West exit off I-435 or the 110th Street Exit (Exit #410) of I-70.

Keep us posted.


Sounds good...could be lunch, albeit a short one. Shoot me some directions, and feel free to give me a call (314-221-3686).

[vpalhories]

Sounds good...could be lunch, albeit a short one. Shoot me some directions, and feel free to give me a call (314-221-3686).
Here's the Directions from I-70 going WestBound

1) Merge onto US-24 W / US-40 W / STATE AVE / US-73 N via EXIT 13B. 0.5 miles
2) Turn SLIGHT RIGHT. 0.1 miles
3) Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto VILLAGE WEST PKWY. 0.1 miles
4) End at 1340 Village West Pkwy
Kansas City, KS 66111-1875, US

Do you have a ballpark timeframe when you think you would be there?

[marauder307]

Here's the Directions from I-70 going WestBound

1) Merge onto US-24 W / US-40 W / STATE AVE / US-73 N via EXIT 13B. 0.5 miles
2) Turn SLIGHT RIGHT. 0.1 miles
3) Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto VILLAGE WEST PKWY. 0.1 miles
4) End at 1340 Village West Pkwy
Kansas City, KS 66111-1875, US

Do you have a ballpark timeframe when you think you would be there?


Lookin' like between noon and 1...I'll be running hard from STL. Thanks for the directions!

[vpalhories]

Lookin' like between noon and 1...I'll be running hard from STL. Thanks for the directions!
Looking forward to meeting you. BTW, the first exit from the directions I gave you is off of 435 on the Kansas Side (i.e. the one closest to the Speedway). To get to this exit, merge onto I-435 N via EXIT 411B off of I-70. Sorry about the confusion!

[HwyCruiser]

Sorry I'm going to have to miss this. I'm going to be out of town Friday.

[marauder307]

Thank vpal...Stand by for that phone call!

Sorry I'm gonna miss you, HwyCruiser...if you're ever in Honolulu, take a look around the office buildings at Pearl Harbor; you'll (hopefully) see the Hulk somewhere around there...I got the first round. :beer:

For the rest of the KC-based Marauders...y'all don't need an invite...just show up! I hope to see more than Vpalhories there! :cool4:

Catch ya Friday!

[marauder307]

I've been a bit tardy in posting this, but: Thank Valphories, for coming out to meet me on my way through! McBride's is a real nice establishment, enjoyed eating there.

I wish all the KC-based MMs the very best...after that trip, I don't realistically expect to be back through again. After Hawaii, I'm going to try and put in for a Florida assignment; don't know that I'll actually get it. The word around the office is that after a forward-deployed job, the agency will try to "mainstream" you back into the place you left, so I could end up in STL again. But I really want Florida...it hurt my heart to leave my beloved Daytona Beach behind. Add to that the fact that my mother lives in Tampa now, AND the fact that my hometown of Montgomery is only a 6-8 hour drive from there, AND the lack of state taxes in FL, and you can start to see my motivation.

Bottom line is, I don't think I get any more opportunities to meet with the KC folks and that kind of a shame; Val represented you guys quite well.

You guys take care!