Meet #8 ... Tail Of The Dragon Trip (August 14th-16th)
When: August 14th - 16th (Friday thru Sunday) One day early for long distance travelers is available.
Where: Fontana Village Resort
Who: Coordinated by the Central Virginia Mazda Club but many other Mazda owners from other areas will attend. Open to all Mazda vehicle owners and their family or friends. It would be cool to see a club banner from each different group displayed outside your cabin.
Reserved cabins: We have 11 Laurel cabins reserved that are positioned around a trout pond in the middle of Fontana Village. This will be "Mazda Central" if we all act quickly and reserve our spaces. We have them reserved until July 14th before they are open to the public. They are two bedroom units with one bedroom containing two twin beds. Units are equipped with a kitchen and living room for plenty of space to divide your costs with 2 or 3 other roommates.
There will also be Lodge rooms and one bedroom cabins along Cheoah Way available if you prefer not to be in a two bedroom amongst the masses.
Group room rates: Laurel two bedroom ($109/night), Lodge rooms ($89/night), Willows on Cheoah Way, one bedroom cabins ($99/night). Room sharing should be worked out on your own although posting a request on the forum is encouraged. Fontana will not take reservations from three different people for one Laurel cabin. Please decide who will put the cabin on reserve and then coordinate your roommates.
We will add a small, optional registration fee later to cover t-shirts, lanyards and such. But for now, get your rooms!
List of attendees:
1) John (VR8) - Central Virginia Mazda Club
2) Jackson (Whitey) - Tennessee
3) Brandon (brandini) - Central Virginia Mazda Club
4) Patrick (G3tR3DDY2GR3DDY) - N. Carolina
5) Brice (Fluid Motorsports) - Florida
6) ___ (TotalImmortal) - Missouri
7) Gary (Ski) - N.Carolina
8) Janna (pinkflea) - Central Virginia Mazda Club
9) Michael (michaelsk8er) - Central Virginia Mazda Club
10) Dan (blueflameFE) - Tennessee Valley RX-8 Club
11) Darby (Ga8rfan) - Tennessee Valley RX-8 Club
12) Josh (gr8pmkn) - Central Virginia Mazda Club
13) Scott (addiktedtoboost) - Central Virginia Mazda Club
14) Alan (armarine04) - Central Virginia Mazda Club
15) Ken (Acuspeed) - RX-8web.com
16) ...
FRIDAY: Check-in is at 4:00pm for Fontana. I'll be there around noon. We'll have a table in the lodge for Mazda check-in to receive your shirts, lanyards and other stuff.
FRIDAY NIGHT DRIVE: Plan to meet around 6:30 for a quick gathering with a review of the schedule. Then off for an evening drive of the Dragon before dark.
SATURDAY MORNING DRIVE & LUNCH: We'll plan to leave @ 9:00am for the FULL LOOP! This includes the Dragon, lunch @ Tellico Plains and the Cherohala Skyway (4-5 hrs).
SATURDAY CAR SHOW: Depending on the morning drive return time, we'll hold the show around 4:00 or 5:00. Give out awards and take pics.
SUNDAY PHOTO OP: If we can stand it, get over to the Fontana Dam early, around 9:00am, for a group photo. Most of you will hit the road soon after check-out @ 11:00am.
We could have a farewell lunch at the lodge for those that remain.
I'm definitely in, need a roommate or two to share a cabin with and I'd be willing to put the cabin in my name (if they don't care that I'm 23).
You can add me to the list John, I plan on being there. Do you plan on having any vendors there?
Vendors? What do you have in mind? I'm open for suggestions.
I know this seems like it's a long way off but we need to make reservations for the cabins by July 14th ... so don't forget! If you need a room mate to split costs, post it up.
I'd at least like to see a little discussion on this thread people. Ask questions! I've done this trip with a car group 6 or 7 times and it is a great place to take a mini vacation. Whether you drive the Dragon all day long or you sit by the pool and have a cold one all day long, it's a great time.
Well I am still wanting to go. Mariann wants to go. It is a little difficult for us to do advanced planning at times. I hope to get a cabin reserved at least by July deadline.
I hope to go but finding funds right now is challenging. Still paying off Europe, two rents and new stuff for the new house. We'll see by the July deadline.
Well that's all the effort I can ask for I guess. You'll love it if you make it!
This is beginning to look doubtful for me. Pulling the funds together is going to be tough, especially by the cut off for reserving the rooms. If it looks better later, we may reserve something down there for us, at regular prices.
15th is the last day for the discounted rates, make your reservations at the resort ASAP!
I'm nauseated to say that we will be very near but not in attendance to this meet. I have a family gathering in Calhoun, GA that weekend; departure Friday and return Sunday. Summer schedules are impossible to manage.
It's less than a 3 hour drive to the Dragon from Calhoun wopath! So we should see you Saturday (15th) for a drive?
Im having to pupt in as a maybe now, Flea isnt feeling so good, loss of power steering. Im working on replacing the engine though so if its in by then I will so be there. I may come either way with my roomate if he plans on being there with his 8.... Probably best for me to be a passenger anyways, lol.
.... Probably best for me to be a passenger anyways, lol.
-pinkflea
I see you've taken to wise motherly decisions lately, that's a good thing. Sure hope both of you guys can make it. Be positive, make your reservations now to get the discounted rate.
There are a few people on the different forums starting to look for room mates. Femftal over at 8club.com and Darby from the Tennessee Valley RX-8 club. I know Darby, he's a nice guy. Femftal's name is Heidi (plus her husband), she seems new to the 8club forum.
Anyone looking here?
ok so who wants to volunteer to drive my car down for me?
ok so who wants to volunteer to drive my car down for me?
-addiktedtoboost
Wow, that would be sweet if I could go.
