August 14th... General Lee's Last Stand! (Formerly the Unnamed Run)
We have a name!!! Congratulations to Bruce Pancoast for his winning submission of "General Lee's Last Stand."
Date: August 14 2004 Kickoff Point: Wegman's Market, Sterling VA just up Pacific from MINI of Sterling Meeting Time: 8:00 AM Driver Meeting: 8:30AM Departure Time: 9:00AM SHARP
We'll be headed from Sterling up some backroads through towns like Aldie, Middleburg, Halfway, Marshall and eventually up to the picturesque Skyline Drive, which we will take up to the Skyland Lodge (the highest point on the Drive) for lunch.
Other important information for this route: Gas and Rest Stops: There aren't many, I'm sorry about that. I recommend coming to Wegman's with a full tank of gas. However Wegman's is a terrific market where you can use the potty facilities and pickup coffee and a bite to eat if you wish before we leave. There will be a brief stop enroute as well where gas, cash, and food and beverages will also be available. Due to the nature of this route, there really were few places with facilities that could accomodate more than a few cars.
Fees: The National Park Service charges $10 per car to enter Skyline Drive. This fee covers unlimited entry to Skyline Drive for 7 days. This fee will be collected by NPS when we enter the Drive at Thornton Gap. In addition non-DCMM members will be charged a $5 event fee at the start of the drive. This fee collected by DCMM is to help offset the logistical fees incurred by the event organizers as well as to offset event insurance charges to the club, again this fee applies to non-members only.
Lunch: Lunch will be at Skyland Lodge hopefully by 12:30 at the latest. Menu items at the lodge range from $5 to $10.
Radios: As always we'll be using FRS/GMRS radios during this run, they will be critical since once we get deep into the run there will be limited cellphone coverage.
Please RSVP either here, on MINI2, or NAM...
RSVP so far: Pete & Nancy Robeson W3IWI +1 MTYMINI DaCrema +1 Jen & Mike (kinda sorta like ) Wxsquid Marina Martin Marty and Barb Miner RedbaronF2001 Chilibit Jason Humm & Navigator Paul! paulsminis +1 (NAM) LauraJane+1 Scott from Baltimore Elecmininrd+1 Marshall Cone John & Tammy Loxton Anne +1 mhh366 Deb (NekoWoman) S2000&CooperS
There's no cutoff to make the drive, but the cutoff for entrees in the name the run contest is July 31.
As for breaking the group up, it depends on how many people show up. I have plans for that possibility, but if only 20 or 30 cars show up I probably won't bother splitting the group.
Hi this will be a great run I am very familiar with the area since I live in Culpeper and work in Sperryville/Little Washington, VA. I drive a MC PW/PW Minilla. My son drives a MCS LY/LY. I want to alert you to Sunnyside Farms Famous Rest Stop in Sperryville Va. It's on 211 and if you are entering Skyline Drive at Thornton's Gap you will pass right by. The Rest Stop is in the old school house and it is worth a stop off just to use the facilities (and read the signs in the bathrooms) the ladies will love the Rest STop! However, the facility also houses the BURGER BARN where Sunnyside farms serves up it's organic Kobe and Angus Beef burgers -- just recognized by the Washington Post, the Washingtonian Magazine and Gourmet Foods Magazine -- quite simply a great burger! It would be a better place for you to stop and have lunch than the restaurant in the National Park. I'll declare my interest in that I am the Manager of Sunnyside Farms Mercantile -- the operation in Little Washington just six miles from the Rest Stop. A quick detour into Little Washington to say HI, and drive by the "Inn at Little Washington" would be welcome. However if I knew you were stopping at the Rest Stop/ Burger Barn perhaps we could work out some small discount for the group.
Regards Philip AKA MINILLA "MINI - IT'S A CULTURE NOT A CAR"
We're swinging through Little Washington, but we won't be stopping. It's just too close to the end point of the run. We do have to be up at Skyland by a certain time or we loose our reservation.
Michael will be there, but he will need to break off as we enter Skyline Drive to get back to the city to work that night.
I am as firm as I can be at this point. I would RSVP for me, cause cancellations are always easier for a restaurant to handle than additions at the last minute.
I did a nice skyline run a few weeks ago with a nice turnout of mini2 people, i'd suggest looking into fort valley road & rt. 675, it has some lovely twisties :-D - and dont also forget that its $10 to get onto skyline per person! Luckily I'll be up in the area that weekend.. so I will definately try to make the run. If you need any help, I know alot about the area.
--jay
Hey, I think that I saw you too! (I was the grinning goober that passed you in a CB/CB MC on Friday!) As said above, check the 'I spy a MINI' thread below!!
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