Mountain Madness 2012 Information

All I have is what Tom told me verbally - that it is a classic car gathering at some guy's reeeeeeally fancy estate.  He's doing the photo shoot for the promotional literature, and all of that is supposed to be finalized by 1 July.  Until then, only the date is solid.

As an alternative, and especially for the "drivers" among us in the Southeast, you might cornsider a "Low Country Ramble" instead.  You could visit a couple of the plantations along the Ashley or Cooper rivers like Drayton Hall and the Magnolia Plantation   http://www.magnoliaplantation.com/  and have lunch there, then wander down RT17 to White Hall Plantation on the Combahee River near Yemassee   http://south-carolina-plantati...eton/white-hall.html  (I think that Tom Beringer, the actor, lives there, or at least nearby) then stop by the Old Sheldon Church  http://www.sciway.net/sc-photo...-sheldon-church.html  or head over to Beaufort (about a 20 minute drive from White Hall) to visit the historic Section and the Edgar Fripp House, used in the movie "The Big Chill"    http://www.beaufortonline.com/...-street-beaufort-sc/  or just drive around Beaufort or drive out to Parris Island Boot Camp (there's a terrific Marine museum there), have dinner either in town or back up in Charlestown at Bessinger's BBQ on RT 17.  BTW:  RT 17 is now a divided highway with a huge median so it's way safer to drive, especially after dark.

 

And that's just the FIRST day!  You could do a tour of John's Island and Kiawah Island on the second day and hold off on the Isle of Palms for the third!

 

gn 

I would certainly be up for that!  The roads here don't hold a candle to the mountains, but it could be a unique experience for anyone who hasn't come here before.  Since I am local, I can help make arrangements, offer suggestions for those who want to go off on their own, etc.

 

If you haven't been to the Low Country (Charleston to Savannah area) it is full of history, scenery, and some of the best food on the planet.  Downtown Charleston dates to the 1600s and has sooooo many opportunities for site seeing.  Same with Savannah and Beaufort, although I am less familiar with them.  Conde Nast Traveler magazine named Charleston the #1 Tourist Destination in the US a year or so ago.

 

A couple more suggestions: Take a Charleston harbor tour out to Fort Sumter where the Civil War began, go to Sullivan's Island and tour Fort Moultrie, which predates the Revolutionary war, take a Charleston ghost tour downtown, etc., etc....

 

For those of you who don't know how close Charleston and Asheville are, Charleston is 4 hours southeast of Asheville on I-26.

 

Good suggestion, Gordon!

How about some feedback?  Y'all want to do something completely different this year?

lane

when r u coming back to ca

Our travel budget for work has been cut waaaaaaay back.  Also, most of the work the team is doing right now is for the folks near Baltimore and DC, so there are no CA trips for me scheduled at present.  That could always change, though.

 

At some point I might be able to take some time off and cash in some frequent flyer miles, but the next few months are unlikely due to family priorities.

Good idea on the low country cruise. Still having trouble with a few things with this new website.

 

Having to completely sign in every time I come to even though I checked the Remember me box.

 

And just had a fat finger hit some thing while typing and my reply disappeared.

Haven't had any similar problems, Nolan.  You may be running older browser software.

Nolan, I hear they have extra large keyboards for those of you with fat fingers....

I have a fat finger for you, but I don't know how to post pic's....

The Low Country Ramble sounds like a lot of fun. What dates are you guys thinking about?

 

David

Well, it's honestly too hot down there to do any kind of a cruise before mid-September, but then it's summer-like all the way to New Years so any time in there would work.  You could coincide it with any of a number of Oktober or shrimp fests in the area during that period, too.

Late September or any time in October - probably the latter.  October is cooler, and one of the dryer months of the year.

 

One suggestion - Most of you who really want to see the mountains will have to pass through them to get to Charleston.  You could spend a few days there, and them come here, or vice versa.  We can offer plenty of suggestions of what to do and where to stay in Asheville and the surrounding area if you're interested.

Sorry Vinnie, but there's no cheating on my Urologist. By the way did you see the movie Hangover II? Watch out for those girls in Bangkok, and didn't you go R&R there?

More on cars at the castle: Saturday 9/29. Manufactures reps from rolls Royce, Lamborghini, Ferrari, McClaren, Audi, Porsche and others will be bringing the latest and greatest, races cars, a McClaren F1 car, and several one off cars (Audi Etron). Hours are 10 - 4, plus anyone (yes you Lane, Gordon, Hoss, etc) can apply to bring and show your car. Forms to follow soon. 

Now the kicker: this is to benefit Speedway Children Charities, all $$$ go to them. If you simply show up to look, Tix will be $100.00. Those that show cars will not be charged.

 

Official word on this: www.bristolmotorspeedway.com, www.speedwaychildrenscharities.com, claudia@bristolmotorspeedway.com

 

Photo coming soon. We shot 7 of the castle's owners cars: all brand new, totaling 2 million.

Ok folks, we need a vote.  Who's interested in a Low Country Ramble, and who's interested in Cars at the Castle?  I'll do a vote for the Low Country, but I'd go either way.  What about the rest of y'all?

I'm more interested in the mountains for proximity & roads.

Low country cruise.

Low country adds what for me---800 miles?  I'm for the Smokies , of course.

More like 300 miles each way.

BBQ or Shrimp

Decisions decisions

I'm good with either one or both!

Jack, 800 miles is a daily cruise for you and Alice, it's still a 2 day drive for me.

Abstain.  We're cruising in the designated time period.  I refuse to make the same mistake next year.  

So far the opinions lean slightly toward the mountains, but I'll leave it open for a day or two more.  We could do the Low Country in the spring perhaps.  Hoss and Sarah have been here that time of the year and can attest to how nice it can be.

Nolan---I knew you'd come back!  You have too many friends here to bail---anyway, we just wouldn't let you.

 

Personally I liked the annual Tail Of The Dragon with the great bunch we always had there.  I'd be happy to return to Townsend, TN every year but in any case leaving it around Knoxville / Asheville in the Smokies would suit me best.      Now we're talking Bristol and Beaufort, SC??? I don't know how Marty feels but there's a vast difference from Chicago to Knoxville vs the low country. Same for me and others as well.

 

Anyway it was always the "Smokies" event--to me, that was the appeal that time of year.

 

Let's do a vote and a comment and settle the location;  Asheville, Towndsend, TN & T.O.D. or near Savannah, GA.

 

My vote;  Either Asheville or Townsend, TN

 

My comment: Would I go if it's Savannah?  Not likely.

I'm with Jack.  I would really like to drive the mountains.  Not that interested in driving that far for a car show or track day.  Low Country sounds like a great spring cruise for those that direction, but not for me.

I'm easy (No comment Vince or Gerrrrd) either high or low (still no comment Vince or Gerrrd) I'll go either way (NO COMMENTS VINCE OR GERRRRD!).

Mountains!

Mountains.

UNCLE!  Ok, we'll do something in the mountains.

 

The Low Country thing I was thinking of would have been based in Charleston, which is 4 hours/300 miles south of Asheville, but such an event can happen later if there is interest.

 

So if we're doing the mountains, I am a bit restricted due to family and budget obligations.  I would be staying in Asheville (Arden, actually) at my in-laws, who live about 10 minutes fro the Hilton.  Obviously I would prefer we use that area as the base.  Since I am not staying in a hotel, someone else will need to make those arrangements.  I can put you in touch with the folks at the Hilton, if that's where y'all would want to stay.  They are easy to work with, but whoever makes the arrangements will need to guarantee the block of rooms with a credit card.

 

We need to pick a date ASAP, or getting a block large enough could be difficult.  If y'all are interested in Cars at the Castle for one of the days, that would be the last weekend in September.  I don't recommend later than that as rates go up due to leaf peepers.  I'll let y'all make the choice.  Who's going to handle the rooms?

 

I don't sense a lot of interest in the Castle event, which is fine.  If y'all just want to cruise, we can do that too.

I will be involved with cars at the castle on sat 9/29, but can join the group in Asheville on Friday 9/28, unless you guys pick another weekend. If you want to attend the castle event, I can provide a 2 hr route (one way) that includes 40 miles of twisties within a 75 mile ride.......from Asheville to Johnson City, TN. If you want to go with Jack's suggestion of staying in Townsend, Cars at the Castle will be 2 hrs of boring interstate away.

Asheville is as good as Townsend for me.

If someone will step up to guarantee the rooms, I'll do some of the hotel block investigation.  Does the Hilton suit everyone?  Who is actually planning to come?

Clint Owings has stepped up to handle the hotel reservations - Thanks, Clint!

 

Since it looks like folks want to cruise instead of go to a car show, let eliminate the weekend of the 29the so that Tom Raymond can join us.  He's shooting the show on the 29th.  I'm going to suggest that we settle on the weekend of Saturday, the 22nd.  Please let me know if that suits everyone.  Also, we need to get a rough count of how many plan to come so that we can ask the hotel for a block of rooms.

22nd works for me

Unless I hear differently, we'll go with the weekend of 22-23 September.  So far I have heard that the following hope to be coming:

 

1. Me, and hopefully Pam this time

2. Tom Raymond?

3. Tom Blankinship (alone or ??)

4. Nolan and Jan?

5. Jack and Alice?

6. Clint Ownings

 

Marty, are you and Sandy coming?  If so, bring Joe Fortino 

 

Rich Drewek, are you coming?

 

Calling Scott Teele!!!!!

 

Anybody else?

Alone

I'll be there.

Routes: the Cherohola is Allways great. I sincerely think the dragon is oversold, over used, and left bad memories the last time we drove it. The Blue Ridge Parkway is slow, but gentile and pristine. Scott Teele can offer a few choices towards Boone and Highlands.