Canadian Caravan to RTD 17
 

The Canadians (except Darcy and Joey) will be taking the long way to the event (as usual) again this year. Departure will be Tuesday Morning so you need a weeks holiday if you want to join us. It will be a combination of driving twisties and sight seeing. Route is not locked in yet but start as we cross at Buffalo, head south to Seneca Rocks for a Cave tour. From there using as many mountains as possible to arrive a Marion VA. From there, Little Switzerland for lunch and Emerald Caverns and lunch, before heading south to Toccoa GA for Thursday night. Friday after a meal stop in Helen GA, we will arrive at Fontana from the South on time for the Ball Field Festivities. If it seems like 4 days of adventure to arrive somewhere that can be driven in 14 hrs direct, you are correct.
We are fine tuning this so it may change before departure.

Quick, someone call the border patrol!

Just need to know when to tell them we are being invaded by the Canadians! :D

depending on Tuesday's result, it may be the other way around!

darcy

Who you calling odd? Wait, I'm a Southern Gentleman from the Big Easy with a penchant for uptown ladies, "women of the night", dark jazz clubs, and crawfish boils! Maybe a little odd.
This looks like another fun road adventure.

Yes Mike, I believe you were the first Odd American to join us. That was the year we were wrecking NFR cars. But there was the Odd guy from Florida with the Yellow CR and two years ago the White from InLine Pro. We attract them like flys to sugar.
We will have to be more stealth this year so the Cincinatti group cant find us until it is too late. LOL

We already have our spies watching you and your minions! :D

Can't wait to see all of you again!!

I'm planning to hook up with some of Canada Contingency in Buffalo for the trek south. :drive: Of course the trek up with be just as interesting too. :burnrubr: Going to check out my father's home town first. :tipwink:

I have a block of rooms at the General Francis Marion Hotel for those of you who plan on spending Wednesday night in Marion, VA at Back of the Dragon. The rate is $108 a night. This is a special rate for S2000 people and you will need to give your credit card information to hold the room for you. Ask for the Honda S2000 rate to get the special price.

Do we get any award if we lead a bunch of Americans to the event as well? :unionjack:
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...52130b6eaf.jpgI wonder if they would allow this on the Dragon. Maybe Friday night late?

Who's the big kid driving the go-cart?

i so so badly want to join this Canadian caravan.... but i don't think this will be my year... does anybody do the fall event?

Guilty

Is that a canadian term for keeping warm while driving an itty bitty race car?

Actually, besides racing them weekly in Ontario, we drive to Millbridge NC twice a year for East Coast championship events. It sure hurts driving the truck through the mountains to get there when the S2000 sits at home..

Just do it. Live is short.

And you get to hang out with Dave and a bunch of really great (albeit somewhat strange) people who really have a good time.

If i didn't have a wedding to attend in Newfoundland a few weeks afterwards I'd be all over it...

Actually, you get to hang out with a bunch of Dave's.

I feel like i would be a good addition

Dave are the best!

oddly enough it's only 3 extra hours of drive time for me to meet you in buffulo....

If you get to Buffalo, you're almost there (well, not quite, but following Dave, Dave it will seem like it). Gander will be there when you get back (it certainly was every time I had to go there). CFB Gander can get a bit chilly this time of the year, April is much better, sometime in May is better yet.

You are welcome to join in and I don't see the problem with a week trip in April to the Dragon and a Long weekend in NF for a wedding in May.

I'm going to have to put it off for now, i've got some other plans burning up vacation time for 2017... but 2018 earns me an extra week of vacation time! I will keep watching these threads though... i might get jealous enough to find a way to make it happen haha

Since Fluky has been a consistent failure in importing Canada's #1 good - The Ketchup Chip - I'm going to leave this comment here to remind everyone that each trunk of your car fits approximately 50 bags. No reason 10 in total shouldn't make it across the boarder :lol:

Message me if you can bring me a couple of bags, I'll pay you in American cash :thumbup:

I can definitely bring you a couple bags, n/c . 10 bags is pushing it though as I tend to over-pack the car with stuff I won't likely use, lol. You'll need to track me down though. I don't know if you have a favourite brand of chip, if so let me know. President's Choice released a new chip here called Loads of Ketchup, or something along that line, it seems quite intense though.

Personally I always bring several small bags of Ketchup flavoured puffed corn/rice chips - from Quakar Oats to eat during the trip. I quite like them, you can try them if you like too, a healthier alternative to chips and they taste quite good.

Joey

Any of the East coast guys looking for a Caravan to join up with?

Our group ended up with 10 plus cars committed as we spend 4 days wandering to the Dragon. Hopefully we can find the darn thing. :drive:
Is it time to go yet? :excited:

Just pulling this to the bottom since it has changed a bit.
At this time , our little caravan stands at 16 Cars at the high point Thursday morning as guys join and depart our group.

Of the 16 cars how many are going directly to Fontana from Marion?

I Believe zeropointzero and his 3 peeps. Should be 10-12 that take the two day route to Fontana

If they are there on Wednesday, they can join me for my usual special dinner at Fontana. Generally 4 or 5 courses and paired wines. Only $100/person and some of the best food you'll ever eat.

​​​​​​​we should all arrive Wednesday evening but will likely be looking for $9.99 Wednesday meal deal. Lol

My bad, we will be arriving in Marion when Ken is arriving in Fontana :banghead:

Poor Iris won't have a decent meal for almost a week.

Yup as Dave mentioned myself and two other members of the group will head to Fontana Village on Thursday, and break up from the main group on the way heading south. My plan is to drive towards Blowing Rock NC pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway for a bit towards Little Switzerland, then head towards Asheville and Fontana Village. Dave if you are interested in joining us on the drive towards Fontana let me know, I suspect you have a vast knowledge of the area around Little Switzerland and the Blue Ridge Parkway , I'd feel better following you. We don't have any set route other than getting to Fontana Village from Marion and trying to hit up any picturesque driving possible worth exploring. I've done the Snake in 2015 so I don't need to see that again, I'm more interested in the Blue Ridge Parkway and LS region. A picture stop at the Biltmore Estate would be cool too, just a short stop, take a picture and keep moving type of deal, though they do have a good restaurant there if needed.

If I remember correctly the admittance fee at Biltmore is around $45 a car. You can go to the restaurant (maybe) for free, but I'm not sure of that either.

I think you can drive through the grounds , possible stop near the building and snap a picture and keep moving, and head towards the restaurant that is off near the winery. I think the admission is paid at the front entrance area once you are ready to walk in. I did the tour a few years ago but I don't know if it has changed.

Joey. It's your call but consider sticking with the group until Brevard. We won't be duplicating much from your 2015 trip. From Brevard, we go south and you can head west.
Biltmore has a front gate, no more driving in without paying from what I recall in 2015. It now has an on site Hotel that maybe we should look into for 2018? :wine:

You might want to contact them....

Our Special Offers | Biltmore

Looks like it is $40...... which includes a tour.... not sure you can just drive thru.

Last time I was there you get stopped at the front gate near the visitor center. If you didn't buy a ticket you didn't get on the grounds.

Okay thanks very much for that info, I think it changed since I was there last a number of years back. I won't bother driving through it then as it is too expensive. I love the place though. Thanks Scoots !

Thanks Dave, that sounds like a good plan.

Sucks about the Biltmore, that place can be a real money pit, but I love going there. I think the Hotel rooms are crazy expensive aren't they ? The restaurants are very good, and the winery is a nice addition, the grounds are beautiful and the summer concert series is very unique.

We actually had dinner at the Bistro one year, as part of a drive..... and there is a great story about it.... happened as we were leading! :roflmao:

You've got to tell the story now, you can't leave us guessing, lol. :)

See me Friday or Saturday night in the lobby! :)

With some bourbon correct ? lmao :)

Or rye..... that would work also.... preferably top shelf....

No bottom shelf sh*t like Lee brings! :LOL:

Canadian's make some damn good Rye ;)

In 2015, The plus one and I went to Biltmore on Sunday after the event. We were informed that on that particular day, It was full access pass or no entry. $75 per person. It is a very nice place and we had an amazing full buffet meal, (Another $100) and spent a fair bit of time wondering around. Flowers were not at peak by any means. You need to spend the day to get some value for your money. They have put some effort to keep private vehicles away from the "mansion" so pictures in front will be hard to achieve.

So are you guys staying Wednesday night in Marion?

I believe they are, Adnan. I reserved a block of rooms for them and I believe all the rooms are gone.

WHAT??? Last year it was Thursday.

yes, and this year it is Wed. :wine:

Going to have to hurry to get there. When you let the chef at Fontana go, he does some extraordinary food. Fortunately, I'm one of the few people who gets to sample how good the food can be...You can be part of this select group if you hurry. :D

Well, I can't get there Wednesday. So the restaurant in Gatlinburg will have to do.

You mean like this?

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...5971d11e04.jpg

Nice photo but I dont see any AP2's

That picture was taken in 1903. :D

Ummm... try 100 years later! :LOL:

I knew Ken was old but 1903? :scratch:

He was in his early 30's at that time! :roflmao:

50's dammit!

It seems to me that the Canadian Dragon trip starts in one month. Five consecutive tire eating days before peeling home. It always goes by so fast. :wine:

Bike rack........yes!!!!

Great! A different kind of organic speed bump! :)

Is it time to go yet? :lalala:

Oh come on now folks..... this is 2017's Spring event thread!!!! :)

It was so good we're going to do it again.

We left for this one 7 months ago. Stay tuned for the 2018 version.

Are you there yet?