2004 Pontiac, Michigan competition

[Daves]

Does anybody know if this event is full yet? Can we still register?

http://www.letu.edu/formula

My Formula Photos & Links (http://what3542.5u.com/dave/fsae/formula_photos.html)

[Daves]

Does anybody know if this event is full yet? Can we still register?

http://www.letu.edu/formula

My Formula Photos & Links (http://what3542.5u.com/dave/fsae/formula_photos.html)

[Brent Howard]

It's been full for a few weeks now, and there is no waiting list.

Brent

www.ucalgary.ca/fsae (http://www.ucalgary.ca/fsae)

[RiNaZ]

Does anybody know what is the closest airport to the pontiac? i was thinking of flying off to DTW (detroit) but then i think it takes about an hour to drive from the airport to pontiac. Thanks alot!

RiNaZ

[David Kieke]

DTW is about an hour from the Silverdome and Flint-Bishop airport is about 45 minutes to an hour north. I've never flown through there, but it's much smaller and supposedly has easier parking and access. However, the flights I've seen generally fly through DTW and then to Flint, so that would just waste some more time.

Do any of the Kettering folks have any input?

[Nashco]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by David Kieke:
DTW is about an hour from the Silverdome and Flint-Bishop airport is about 45 minutes to an hour north. I've never flown through there, but it's much smaller and supposedly has easier parking and access. However, the flights I've seen generally fly through DTW and then to Flint, so that would just waste some more time.

Do any of the Kettering folks have any input?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

If you're flying in, go through DTW. As you said almost any flight to Flint goes through DTW, so you'll be saving time just going to DTW. Also, flights to Detroit are a lot cheaper usually.

It will take you about the same amount of time to drive from Flint-Bishop or DTW. Both airports are ghetto, but DTW is pretty nice if you're flying Northwest (they have their own brand new terminal).

Bryce

[RiNaZ]

Do you guys know if the road from DTW to pontiac is done with the construction yet? Last time i went, there were construction going on and there were detour that i had to take and i got lost in some ghetto place. Very scary http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif. Thanks for the info guys!

RiNaZ

[MercerFSAE C. Burch]

"...i got lost in some ghetto place."

Oh, that ghetto place is called Detroit.

-Chris

[David Kieke]

I know I-75 had a lot of construction over the last year or two, and now some of the ramps between I-94 and I-75 are closed for a while because a tanker truck fell off, exploded and burned them up. I have been avoiding that area for over a year now so I don't know how the construction situation is.
For any teams driving from the DTW airport or coming from south of Detroit, there are two routes to Pontiac that I prefer. Either from the airport or from northbound I-75, take I-275 north until I-696. Go east on 696 until either US24 (Telegraph Rd) or I-75 (whichever you prefer, but Telegraph is shorter). Go north on either of these roads. If you take Telegraph, go east on Square Lake road to Opdyke, then go north for ~2 miles to the Silverdome. Most of the hotels teams stay at are either at the Square Lake/Opdyke intersection or across the street from the Silverdome.
Whatever you do, try to buy a map of the area, it will be immensely helpful.

Good Luck,
David

[RiNaZ]

hey david, out of those two, which of those two route that you're unlikely to get lost? (the distance doesnt really matter)

RiNaZ

[David Kieke]

I-75 is easier because it's an Interstate connecting to an Interstate, but as long as you get on northbound Telegraph (4-lane divided thoroughfare with stoplights) and don't turn right until Square Lake, you're all set. There aren't any surprises, it's just a few miles of mostly straight big road with stoplights.

Check out Yahoo maps and take a look at the two. If you're getting in late at night, 75 might be easier because you don't have to pay attention to much of anything (except the Exit 69 Big Beaver Rd. sign that you pass on the way to Pontiac).

[Michael Jones]

Maps are good, as is planning the route and planning the drive through "that ghetto place." Learned that the hard way in 2002. Was following the truck when I radioed ahead to ask an important question...

Q: Can we pull off somewhere soon? I need to go.
A: Not here. Not a good part of town.
Q: OK...(ten minutes later) Uh, still need to piss...this doesn't look much better though...
A: Worse.
Q: OK...(ten minutes later) Seriously, though, I really need to piss. When can this happen?
A: Uh, wait until we get out of town.
Q: What kind of town is so fucking dangerous that you can't urinate even after a half hour drive? Are we in fucking Afghanistan or something? This is retarded.
A: Not here.
Q: Christ...(Five minutes later.) OK, fuck this. I don't care if I get shot, I'm getting off here. Join me or don't. I'm going to explode.
A: This should be OK, yeah.

Note: if you're planning to enter MI from the south, take a rest stop in Ohio.

---
Michael Jones
Coordinator, Student Project Teams, College of Engineering

Cornell Racing
http://fsae.mae.cornell.edu

[MercerFSAE C. Burch]

Sad, but true... Detroit might be the worst looking town in north america. Especially coming from the south up I75. It looks like a scene from Terminator II... after doomsday. That and the fact that it's cloudy all the time make it really suck. Unfortunately, it just happens to be the center of the American automobile industry.

[Nashco]

Guys, Detroit may not look like much...but aren't we all big boys? Sure, you probably don't want to be walking across town on your own in the middle of the night. If you're with your teammates and minding your own business, I think you'd be ok stopping at the gas station to use the bathroom! I've done it many times myself, and it didn't seem too life threatening to me. Actually, last time I stopped for gas in Detroit I ended up meeting a stripper that needed some help...but that story's for another time and place.http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Bryce

[RiNaZ]

Funny, i had the same thing happened to me when i stopped at a gas station. She was like "dont i know you from somewhere?" hehe ...

RiNaZ

[Andy K]

We also got lost on the way home because some genius from our team would be fun to head south to Detroit instead of north to Port Huron/Sarnia. Anyways, long story short, we ended up somewhere known as 8 Mile Rd. Being the only non-francophone in the car, I pointed out the fact that there's a link to 8 Mile Rd, Detroit and a certain "recording artist" and that this ain't the nicest place in town. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif Completely oblivious, one of the others in the car rolls down the window, pulls out his fancy ass digi cam to take a picture of the 8 Mile Rd sign. I cringe, but we escape alive. The side streets are kinda creepy, with stripped Mustangs on concrete blocks at pretty much every street corner.

Andris Kanins
McGill Racing Team
2002/2003 Body Design
2003/2004 Suspension

[RiNaZ]

The first time i went to pontiac from DTW, i was driving alone, and i got lost. I got scared but i later told myself, maybe i just watched too much tv. The week after, i was telling my friends about it, and they cringed and told me i was lucky i didnt get jump. I agreed.

You guys know if they have any shuttle or bus from DTW to pontiac? and how much does it cost?

RiNaZ