No. We don't have any formal registration fee, but starting in 2016 we began asking participants to make a voluntary contribution to help with the research and fight to help find a cure for lymphoma (raising over $80,000.00 to date), as 100% of the money we raise through donations, NERR swag sales & raffles go directly to the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF). We share links throughout the year to allow people to donate directly to LRF, if they prefer, so they can get a tax deduction.
We do not have a specific year cutoff for the cars that join us on NERR. The only limitation is that we ask to keep it to only American muscle cars, hot rods, rat rods, special interest, etc. We have had as few as 14 vehicles (our first year in 2008),up to numbers in the forties (over 50 vehicles & over 100 people joined us in 2016). Most trips have between 40 to 50 vehicles. Cars from as far back as the 30's, right up to brand new retro-styled muscle cars have joined NERR though the years.
While we are a fundraising event, at our core we are still a hot rod cruise and don't want to lose our identity, so at the chance of upsetting some potential future participants, the following must be mentioned. This event is NOT for imports. Not that we think there is anything wrong with them, but this is not that type of event. This event is NOT for your average daily driver. If you don't know what that means, then this event is probably not for you. If you still aren't sure what we're talking about, go check out our Facebook page (Northeast Rod Run Annual Cruise)and that should nail it down for you. Just because you buy a new truck, or "regular" car and throw a shiny wheel, or tint your windows & tail lights, that doesn't make it any different. If your ride is front wheel drive, unless is's something real special, chances are that we're not the event for you. There are always exceptions, where people have to take their "Plan B", because something went wrong with their original ride at the last minute & they couldn't cancel their lodging (we usually get a 3 day window to cancel rooms). This is NOT Hot Rod Power Tour, so if your Plan A is still a year away from being ready, realistically, you never had a Plan A, so this event isn't for you. If any of this upsets you, then you are probably looking at the wrong type of event here. We like our growth year after year, but we don't want to grow just for the sake of growing & then lose all the great qualities that got us to be what we currently are.
We seem to attract a very diverse group, but usually have less people in their twenties, than people in their sixties, with most people being in their late thirties to forties. A lot of the people that travel long distance to get to our cruises, are usually on the older side of things, maybe being because they are retired and have more time to enjoy things like this. In 2015 our youngest driver was 27 and our oldest was 74.
Absolutely! Although when we first started out in 2008, we made the decision to hold off on allowing children (it ended up being the right choice too), because we weren't 100% sure how things would go. Now we have no problem with people bringing their children along, because we always get a respectable crowd & that is very important to us. Approximately 75 percent of the participants are couples and a strange little fact is that their have been more daughters brought on these trips than sons.
The group is usually on the road by 9AM, but depending on the day's route we could possibly be on the road as early as 8AM, if we have a long day ahead of us. Most of the time it will be posted online a couple of weeks before kickoff, but sometimes it is decided at the end of the previous day. If it is decided that NERR will be hitting the road at a certain time, that doesn't mean we will be meeting up in a parking lot at that time. It means we will be pulling out at that time (A.I.S. time). We can't sit there and wait "just 5 more minutes" for one person, because that one person turns into many people and then it's an hour later and we're still in the parking lot. That's not fair to everyone who was ready on time.
A typical day is usually betwen 175 and 225 miles, depending on if we have a pre-planned stop or an attraction that day. Sometimes it can also be less because there might be something planned at our day's final destination. The reason our daily mileage is lower than a lot of other organized runs, is because usually over 80% of our routes travel on slower and more scenic roads. We try to relax and enjoy the ride, instead of just blasting down the interstate to make it to the next night's hotel.
Because we have many cars that aren't your normal highway cruisers, most gas stops are usually within 100 of each other. This also gives people plenty of chances to stretch their legs and refuel their bodies, along with refueling their car's tanks.
Along the road some people just pick up quick eats when we are stopped for gas. Regular sit-down restaurants don't work out well because of our size. Most places won't even accept us because of our size. Some attendees have tried stopping on their own, in smaller groups and it turned into a 2 hour event for them (sometimes even longer) and they end up missing out on some planned stops and driving with the group. Any newbies that have done that, always complain after, saying they wish they waited to eat. Most people just pack road snacks to eat while driving and wait until after hotel check-in, before going out to dinner somewhere.
Most days we try to have one "point of interest" stop, but sometimes depending on the day's drive, we might even get two of them. Once we get to our destinations we will evaluate the palce and decide on how long before we hit the road again. We try to keep our stops around 1 1/2 hours. A departure time will always be announced before we begin to check out the attractions. As an example, if it is decided that we are leaving at 11:30AM, that means that the lead car will be pulling out at 11:30 (A.I.S. time) and if you're not behind the wheel at that time, you WILL be left behind. This is the only way to keep a larger group together.
As the group gets bigger it does get harder, but everyone keeps an eye in their rearview mirror to make sure things are going ok. We try to avoid high traffic areas, so it's easier than one would think to keep everyone together. If we do go through a busy section of traffic (or lots of traffic lights), once we get through the area the lead group will sometimes pull over (if it is safe to do so) and wait for the rest of the group to catch up. This is another reason why we stop so often for gas & bathrooom breaks. It helps NERR regroup. Soemtimes if we are in a rural area, the second car in line might pull out and block traffic so that the whole group can get through together.
Once the lodging details are posted, usually soon after the current event is over, we begin booking our rooms for the following year. Each participant is responsible for booking their own rooms. We will usually have up to a month before kick-off (but sometimes as little as 60 days) to book a reduced rate, that has been negotiated between NERR and the different host properties. You don't have to book during that time period, or even book at the same hotels as NERR, but because NERR runs during peak season in the northeast, if people wait until later in the year, they will pay much more. Many times people who wait, also have a hard time booking rooms because most hotels end up having 2 night minimums (which NERR is able to work around) at that time of year. EVERY YEAR we have people that don't take this advice and end up either booking somewhere else, for way more money, or even end up not being able to go because there are no rooms available in some of the areas we travel. We have heard many people over the years, say they regret not booking when originally informed and never want to let it happen again.
It's very common for everyone to get together in the host hotel parking lots at the end of the day, to enjoy a few frosty cold beverages and talk about the day's activities. We also try to book our lodging in areas that are close to restaurants, so people can get a good meal in them before after hours festivities begin. As often as we can, we try to book hotels that are within walking distance to everything in the area, that way no one needs to get behind the wheel again once we check in.
If someone breaks down, people are always willing to pull over and help. It is recommended that everyone pack tools in their car, so that we can try and to help fix anyone up on the side of the road. Even if you "know your car is flawless", don't be afraid to pack something extra in case it might be needed by someone else. Also, it's a good idea to bring something that others normally wouldn't think of. We have NEVER left anyone behind on any of our cruises. We have ALWAYS gotten them to at least the host hotel so work can continue on their car.
Absolutely! It's not always possible for people to get away for extended periods needed to make the entire event. We have had people join us for just one day/night and also as little as just one leg of driving. We get that from a lot of first-timers, then we almost always hear them say "I wish I booked the entire trip. I didn't think it was going to be this much fun". as they leave with regrets.
Please email northeastrodrun@yahoo.com