PARKING INSTRUCTIONS FOR TOYS FOR TOTS DEC 9 DRIVE

I am meeting with City of Coral Gables officials Thursday morning to confirm this plan, but the agreement we have with their police department is that all participants must enter Ponce de Leon Blvd from US 1, and drive north. We will be parking all registered participants on the north bound, east side of Ponce de Leon. Number 1 spot will be almost at Bird Road, depending on how many cars actually show up, the last spot will be close to the Merrick Park overhead walkway above Ponce.

If all goes well, many of the meters will have bags on them with numbers to help you locate your spot. All cars will be parked in numerical order, no exceptions. You will back into your position, in an angle opposite of what would occur if you were to pull in normally. For those of you old enough to remember, this is like the old LeMans gird.

After our mini breakfast, we will be able to pull out in an orderly fashion, turn right and go east on Bird Road, then left onto US 1 north.

Do not come on to Ponce from the north. Do not make a u-turn. Anyone causing problems like this will not be allowed to be in the caravan. We have anywhere from 40-60 vehicles participating, this could be a challenge if you all do not cooperate. We have FHP and Coral Gables police cooperation this year, we plan to make this an annual event, so we are not making any exception to the rules for anyone and jeopardize future Toys For Tots rallys.

1) Enter Ponce de Leon from US 1, go north.

2) Park according to your assigned number, do not switch numbers for any reason.

3) Fill you gas tank before you arrive, this is a 75+ mile drive north.

4) Let the FHP and the various local police know you appreciate their help.

5) You will be given a waiver to sign, and a list of "rules of the road", that you will follow.

6) Lunch at Amici's is a pay as you go. Next year we will have time to work out lunch as part of your entry fee.

7) This is not a race, it is a caravan to collect toys for needy children. Thanks to the Hubbster for coming up with the idea, JT, and especially Fred (it is no longer his birthday) for all the work he has put into this.

8) PLEASE, ARRIVE BEFORE 9 AM. I do not want to stand out there all morning and miss breakfast. The order of cars is for a reason, sponsor's are important. Just like a fireworks show, the plan is to have some serious exotics at the end as well as the front of the caravan.

Get er done!

 

Excellent suggestion. I will pass on to Fred.

 

I will attempt to do that before Friday night, and post here. If not, when you arrive, the numbers will have been assigned, when you give the person checking you in your name, a number will be given to you to place inside your windshield.

In respect to three of the major sponsors, The Collection, Shelton Sports Cars, and the FCA, Ferraris will be at the front of the caravan so photos can be taken when in front of the dealerships. This will include a mix of models. Likely Ferraris will also bring up the tail, other cars by type will be in the middle. The vehicles that will carry the gifts, a Hummer, Navigator, will be at the very end.

This is the first year of this event. Lots of learning curves. Can't please everybody.

Looks like no Lambos.

 

Or you have a 12 cylinder engine that gets only 7-8mpg and a 14 gallon tank.

 

Scottie's bringing a Lamborghini?

 

Either I-95, or the Florida Turnpike South. Do not take the Turnpike extension to Homestead.

At the Golden Glades interchange, go straight through to I-95 South. Stay on I-95 south until the end where it blends into US 1/Dixie Highway. There is no Federal Highway in Dade as we know it in Broward and Palm Beach Counties.

You will go past intersections such as 17th, 27th, Bird, 37th/Douglas, and then Ponce de Leon where you will be turning right. The distance from I-95 ending to the Ponce intersection is about 5 miles.

When you turn right onto Ponce, stay in the right lane. Just past the traffic circle, you should see one of us standing there with forms and numbers. Please, do not block the left lane. If there is a back-up on Ponce, one of the volunteers will come back to you with the forms to have ready for when you reach the front of the line.

I am concerned with 60-70 cars arriving at one time, there will be a back-up on Ponce that goes back to US 1, so have patience.

You must be there before 9 AM, as in order to maintain the schedule, we will have to leave at 9:30.

PLEASE CHECK THIS THREAD THIS EVENING FOR UP TO DATE LAST MINUTE INFORMATION.

 

When you drive on to Ponce de Leon from US1/Dixie Hwy, Ponce will narrow and begin to curve to the right.

You will approach a traffic circle, yield to the cars on your left, enter the circle then make the very first right onto Ruiz. Go straight on Ruiz until you see the volunteers that will be helping check in the cars. This is where we will stage the cars. You will then be given instructions as to how to get to your proper parking space that corresponds to your car number that is along the east side northbound Ponce de Leon.

Please do not block this road, stay single file.

 

This is good for a back up. We can't have cars leaving the caravan until we do reach Amicis. They have arranged for two very close parking areas, within 150 feet of the restaurant, that should cover all the cars in the caravan. There will be a charge for these lots, but they are very very convenient.

Once we get to Amicis, anyone that wants to park in the Lydian Bank lot can go there.

 

Great photo.

See Ruiz, and how it connects to San Lorenzo. We will register you on Ruiz, then you proceed on San Lorenzo to Ponce. Turn right and park in your designated spot.