fyi for those of you who don't regularly travel up I-85, haven't been up lately and sail at Lanier:
begin rant
As you may have read or seen in the news reports, the new HOT toll lanes create a large vacuum (suck). I went up to Lanier yesterday about 10 am and saw maybe one car outside the perimeter use the lane. Otherwise, it was empty - completely. Instead, whatever traffic used to use the HOV lane is now squeezed into the remaining lanes. I also went up last night around 8 and saw maybe 3 cars in the lane from 285 to Jimmy Carter (daughter went to Netherworld) despite fairly heavy traffic.
I won't go into detail here how horrible I believe the HOT lanes are as a matter of public policy but factor the additional traffic in your plans when coming up. Chances are, on weekends, you'll be fine, no difference. However, that corridor's ability to absorb anything unusual - fender bender, shoulder construction - is significantly less.
end rant
Rant Response - I agree with you on the toll lanes.
Instead of having a seamless interstate system with traffic flowing smoothly between states, we are reverting to a confusing array of state-regulated and privately operated toll roads. Hopefully citizens will object as toll roads proliferate and a public interest group will file suit, taking the case all the way to the Supreme Court, where the Federal Commerce Clause will prevail.
This is all a result of the conservative no-tax movement. Unfortunately if you don't pay for roads with taxes, they will be paid for with a confusing array of fees.
One way for the fee approach to work is through implementation of an national electronic toll system, such as the Easy Pass, used by both New York and New Jersey. However, it would be hard to sell the public on such a national toll system because it would allow government to track everyone's movements.
Barrett
The amount of space taken up by 60 people on the street using different means of transport. Courtesy of velonews.com.
Webguy, I question your priorities. If you really wanted to sail, you could just pony up for the HOT lane. Does it really matter what it would cost? We are talking about going windsurfing dude - gas aint free and you need to use that to get to the lake.
As for the bus and bike route - its a bit hard to haul you gear on either one. Evil kiters might make a go of it.
BTW - on my trip to Korea is saw how people manage to windsurf w.o cars. You take the subway to the park. Walk at least one kilometer to the venue. (You could drive if you had a car, but likely have to park much farther away.) No way in the world you could haul your gear that way w.o. a legion of helpers. (Good luck with that.) That's even assuming you could get your gear to the subway in the first place, or even get on the subway with it. (Koreans have emulated New Yorkers in subway etiquette, I'm afraid.)
So they do have a number of clubs that have storage areas at the venue. I saw a least a dozen or so of these clubs with their storage areas. It was almost as long of a walk from the start of the venue to the end (where the one rental place I could find was located, along with the world's worst windsurfing gear. The kids taking lessons have much better gear than me. But then, I didn't need the chase boat to haul me back to the launch, so I guess I've learned something in 15 years
.) It was pretty cool sailing with so many people out there, including multiple groups taking lessons. But it wasn't easy.
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.