AO

Now that we are only 44 days away from SITM, I think it's time to start talking logistics for people wanting to drive the Dragon.

Of course you can just plot yourself a course to the dragon if you want, but if you are planning on Driving the Dragon with the rest of the group, you should plan on arriving at the Country Inn and Suites or the Comfort Suites in Alcoa, TN no later than 9am on Friday, June 1. For many (including me), we will be arriving Thursday night and staying the night at the hotel.

HOTEL
I called the Comfort Suites, where we stayed last year, and the Country Inn right next door (where I stayed 2 weeks ago).

Comfort Suites offered to hold 10 rooms at $69 a night. All rooms are non smoking. Just ask for the "Olson Group Rate" for May 31. This is where I'm staying. They said you should book by May 21st. (865) 984-9840

Country Inn offered to give us $72/room if we get 15 rooms, but if it drops below 15, then $75, and below 10 rooms it reverts to their standard rate of $89. If you are sure you are going to go... you can pick up the room for $74 on Expedia, Hotels.com, etc, so I would probably recommend that if the Comfort Suites gets full.

Both hotels offer a breakfast.

Directions to the Dragon
In this link, you will find directions to the Dragon from the Hotel. You can travel as a group, but as we found last year, it kinda sucks to get all bunched up, so I would recommend that you head off individually, or no more than in groups of three. There's a gift shop at the end where you can get t-shirts and other souvenirs and might be a good place to re-group. It takes roughly an hour to drive from the hotel to the end of the Dragon without stops. This is a very popular stretch of road with the motorcycles, so if you want to avoid them, you should plan on leaving the hotel by 8 am.

From there, there are a number of routes you can take to get up to Banner Elk. They will take anywhere from 4-6 hours depending on the route and weather (remember the torrential rainfall we had last year! .)

Here are a couple different routes.

Quickest Route to Banner Elk (About 4hrs)

To Banner Elk Along the BRP (About 5hrs 15m)

To Banner Elk via 212 (About 4hrs 40m)

I'll probably opt for the last one.

Finally, you should plan on getting gas before you leave for the Dragon as there are very few good places to gas up along the way. Be safe and be smart.

AO

70 views... and no takers?

928drvr86.5

I'll be there with ya.

ROG100

Andrew,
The DFW crew will be there I am sure.
I will need about 6 rooms.
I will do a head count and start booking.
Roger

hacker-pschorr

BUMP!!!!



Hmm, damn sticky

RSKY BIZ

Count my head IN, Rog! (...and a room, too!)

Thanks!

Ispeed

I am doing the 'plan B' of meeting up at mile marker 1 of Blue Ridge Parkway, 9am Friday. That's obviously the northern end of BRP.
Probably have 6 cars in my New England group, hopefully others will make it.

Jim M.

Rog, You know I'm in with the Texas group.

Jim Mayzurk
93 GTs 5-spd

ROG100

The Texas crew have 7 rooms booked at the Comfort Suites - Party Time 8>)

soontobered84

Roger, the Stepson and I will be there!

Ed Hughes

Roger, thanks for the heads up on this.....I'm there!!

Ahem......Looks like we'll certainly have the Lone Star State well represented!! Wassup with the rest of the country?

majhopper

44 Days?

Can we re-schedule it? I'm about halfway through my first TB/WP swap - which is like pulling a string on a sweater - cam gears, front crank seal etc. I need more than 44 days to get it back together!

Seriously, are the cruises going to be "hard" driving? I need to put a couple k on this belt before loading it up, from what I have gathered.

AO

I'm sure I'll get a few more from Michigan. Tim Murphy from Wisconsin had expressed interest too. Maybe a few more from GA (Ed M. & John if he ever gets that clutch fixed). I'm sure there will be others.

BlackShark

Roger, put me +1 in the DFW group.

KY928

I know 3 or 4 coming from Central KY. Not sure if we'll be running togeather or not. I don't have reservations yet.